At the beginning of June this year one can really enjoy the Black Sea coast without crowds of tourists, without aggressive pop-folk music, without junk on the beach. But for people who make a living from tourism, time and place are not idyllic at all, writes Deutsche Welle.

Because the usual Russian holidaymakers are not coming this year. Several "Russian hotels" and small tourist complexes are deserted - kitschy gypsum angels, Greek goddesses, shepherds and lions, which usually "decorate" the resort landscape, now look abandoned and sad.

In other years at this time of year, the hotels were already filling up. This summer, however, you will see only a stray car with Ukrainian registration, there is no work for taxi drivers, and beach accessories shops are waiting for customers in vain.

People in the industry fear that the second consecutive bad tourist season on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast will ruin hundreds of small businesses. In 2020 the season was short, and foreign tourists - fewer than usual. This year the picture is similar. The active tourist season on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast is short and as a small hotelier or restaurateur you must have a lot of imagination, energy and luck to succeed in 3-4 months to maintain a decent level, keep the staff and get your investments back.

However, in a famous resort complex nearby, which according to the rumor is controlled by a large business group with a dubious reputation, everything seems in brilliant condition: the alleys are clean and welcoming, the lush greenery is well maintained, the showcases of the hotels are polished, the restaurants and cafes have many customers - mainly Bulgarians.

In another famous tourist center, most hotels are not even open, and the wide beach is quite deserted. The water is crystal clear, the sand - unusually clean, no empty beer bottles and plastic bags scattered along the beach. The food in the nearby restaurant is excellent, but perhaps this is due to the fact that the restaurant works for the first day and everything is quite fresh. Not far away are incredibly beautiful fields with blooming poppies and lavender, strawberries and cherries are already on the market.

In some places, the Bulgarian Black Sea coast is really beautiful and attractive - especially for those who sentimentally love it. Now you can really enjoy it in its full splendor. It is clean and quiet, beaches are not crowded and restaurant owners are happy to see the rare customers. However, those who have to make the most of a short tourist season to survive during the rest of the year hardly enjoy this idyllic picture.