Abstract:
The aim of this study is to analyze the capacity of accommodation base and opportunities for rural tourism, i.e. the tourism in the rural territories of the Northwest Planning Region. Under the Law on Regional Development of Bulgaria (SG. 50, May 30, 2008) that part of the country covers the following five districts: Vidin, Montana, Vratsa, Pleven and Lovech. The development of rural tourism depends on many conditions and factors. But most important are three groups of factors: The first group includes presence of preserved natural environment that provides opportunities for relaxation and recreation; 2) The second is distinctive appearance of the villages and places of accommodation, which allow familiarization with typical local customs, crafts, lifestyle, cuisine, architecture and so on, as well as the availability of attractive natural and/or anthropogenic sites located relatively close to the villages; 3) The third group of factors – not less important than the first two – is the quality of the accommodation basе, which must meet the demands of the modern traveler.