DEVELOPMENT OF GOLF TOURISM ON THE NORTHERN BULGARIAN BLACK SEA COAST

Golf tourism is a specialized type of tourism, which is still not very popular in Bulgaria, but is assessed as particularly promising. The development of golf tourism in Bulgaria comes with the new century through large-scale foreign investors. 8 golf courses have already been built, and others are under construction. It is envisaged that their number will exceed 30. They attract solvent tourists, diversify the tourist product, extend the tourist season. The natural conditions in Bulgaria are suitable for this sport due to the good climatic and relief conditions. Despite these benefits, golf tourism also poses a number of threats, mainly to the environment, due to the drastic change in landscapes it causes. Territories with habitats of rare and endangered species, including protected areas, are being taken over. The economic benefits at the expense of environmental damage call into question the contribution of golf tourism to the sustainable development of Bulgarian tourism. The aim is to study and analyze the current state, opportunities and prospects for the development of golf tourism on the Northern Bulgarian Black Sea coast. In accordance with the set goal, the report examines the golf complexes on the Northern Bulgarian Black Sea coast. Keywords: golf tourism, Bulgaria, Northern Black Sea coast, golf complexes, golf courses