Krstevski: Macedonians prefer to spend winter vacations in Serbia; low prices boost Bulgaria's popularity

Ivo Krstevski, director of the "Pilot Travel" tourist agency from Skopje, states that North Macedonia lacks sufficient capacity to meet domestic demand for winter tourism, and that among regional destinations, Serbia and Bulgaria are the most popular.

"The most sought-after destination is Serbia, it is number one. Among neighboring countries, Bulgaria ranks second. Due to the distance, there is less interest in Bosnia. Greece traditionally isn’t a winter tourism destination because it lacks large ski resort facilities. So, generally, our options are mainly limited to Serbia and Bulgaria," Krstevski explains.

He adds that North Macedonia, Kosovo, and Albania lag behind their neighbors, who have recently built new facilities and hotels and heavily invested in road infrastructure.

In North Macedonia itself, there are winter resorts like Mavrovo and Sapka, which were once quite popular, as well as Krusevo.

"Unfortunately, the capacities are very small, insufficient to meet the needs of the Macedonian market, let alone international guests. I don’t have information on Albania’s winter offerings, while in Kosovo, Brezovica is interesting. It is quite close to us, but I think it’s currently more attractive for day trips rather than classic winter holidays," he explains.

Krstevski points out that winter tourism is a bit more specific and demanding, with factors like proximity, ease of travel, and the cost of ski passes being crucial for choosing a destination.

"For example, in the neighboring countries, a six-day ski pass costs around 200 euros, which is a significant amount for a family of three or four when all criteria are considered. People look for hotel accommodations with additional amenities. What is trending is that hotels have spa centers or indoor pools. The offerings cater both to skiers and non-skiers," Krstevski says.

Although Serbia is currently the most popular destination for Macedonians, Krstevski notes that price is the reason why Bulgaria is gaining popularity.

"Comparing prices in the region, despite the boycott by Macedonian citizens toward Bulgaria, cost plays a major role, and Macedonians are gradually returning to Bulgarian ski resorts like Borovets, Pamporovo, and Bansko. These resorts are cheaper compared to Serbian ones, offer extensive facilities, large hotel capacities, and are easily accessible," he explains.

As the country develops year by year, trends are also changing, with new destinations emerging, such as European ski resorts, which are quite popular but also significantly more expensive.

Although many people travel for skiing to Italy, France, Austria, Slovenia, and similar destinations, Krstevski points out that regional options are still far ahead in terms of numbers.

"During winter, many people aren’t inclined to travel far due to snow, frost, fog, and the holiday rush at border crossings. Ultimately, the choice boils down to destinations close by. Once again, I will say that as a country, we lack substantial capacity in this area, and unfortunately, we have little to offer either our domestic or foreign markets," Krstevski concludes.