Ulen finally agreed to reinstate the full season lift pass for Bansko Resort. This win proves that our community creates real change when we push back against unfair pricing. Keep your receipts and watch the official site for the launch of the new pass terms.
December 24, 2013
Final supporters
We have been told that there is not enough interest in season passes to justify selling them, however we believe that there would be a large amount of interest in a reasonably priced season pass.
If last year's season pass sales were lower than previous years it is likely that the reason for this was the large price increase seen in 2012/13 from 2011/12 (€501 – €741.50).
A season pass enables us to go onto the mountain and spend money in bars and restaurants. Sometimes, we will go onto the mountain simply to meet one another for lunch or a few drinks. Offering a fairly priced lift pass like other modern and successful resorts would increase sales of both the lift pass and consumables on the mountain.
Other resorts in Europe offer season lift passes from around €400 to €800 for considerably larger areas. For Bansko to only offer a limited 40 day pass for over €750 indicates that Ulen is either very poorly managed, is exceptionally greedy or is actively trying to discourage locals, local business proprietors and seasonaires.
The latter could be true as many small business' in Bansko will be affected by this decision. Seasonal businesses that rely on staff that come for the season to work and ski will find it much harder to attract staff - who wants to be a seasonaire in a resort where you can only ski for a third of the season?
Relying on large tour operators for income could be risky - for example, if Balkan Holidays has a bad year Ulen could be relying on locals and seasonaires who encourage their friends and family to come skiing and actions like this are not going to work in Ulens favour.
A final point is having a good relationship with locals and seasonaires can only improve the reputation of a resort - if people are treated well by the resort they will talk about it but the reverse happens if people believe that they are being mistreated. All we look for as a community is to have a working relationship with Ulen that also goes hand in hand with the town residents so that we can all work together to improve the reputation of Bansko.
The people that want to purchase season passes are people that love, live, work and own property in Bansko, love skiing here and who want to see it succeed in the future.
Updates
December 11, 2013
We just hit 100 signatures to demand a real season pass. Post this link on your Facebook and text three friends the URL right now to keep the pressure on Ulen.
Reached 250 supporters
December 11, 2013
Reached 100 supporters
December 9, 2013
December 8, 2013
We need to hit the one hundred signature mark to prove our demand is real. Post the link to Facebook right now and ask your friends to sign because the resort is still ignoring us.
146 Comments
what a poor, poor decision! 340 BGL=160E are the minimum wages in Bulgaria and the are asking for 1500BGL=750E for 40 days of lift pass!!! Hello, Earth is calling.
Last year I bought my teanage son a season pass for bansko. Cost 835 Lev (584 USD) this year a 40 day pass for bansko for a teanager costs 1400 lev (963 USD). I rather bought him a season pass for Park City Utah which at 210 USD including free use of 5 other resorts in the USA makes a whole lot of sense. What is Ulen thinking ???
there should be a full season pass available, at least for residents of Bansko and surrounding areas and seasonal workers, which could be a different styled pass !
Seems Like they want to price out any 'private' Ski Instructors who have to factor in the extortionate cost of this pass in their lesson prices to clients.
I do not understand why the 40 day pass in Bansko is now more expensive than full season passes in Western Europe. It aslo gives a very clear message to the local skiers that their business is not appreciated on the mountains.
Pure greed on behalf of the liftpass company.Deserves a boycott next year.
Pure greed on behalf of the liftpass company.Deserves a boycott next year.
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Share this petition to help it reach more people.
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Ulen finally agreed to reinstate the full season lift pass for Bansko Resort. This win proves that our community creates real change when we push back against unfair pricing. Keep your receipts and watch the official site for the launch of the new pass terms.
December 24, 2013
Final supporters
We have been told that there is not enough interest in season passes to justify selling them, however we believe that there would be a large amount of interest in a reasonably priced season pass.
If last year's season pass sales were lower than previous years it is likely that the reason for this was the large price increase seen in 2012/13 from 2011/12 (€501 – €741.50).
A season pass enables us to go onto the mountain and spend money in bars and restaurants. Sometimes, we will go onto the mountain simply to meet one another for lunch or a few drinks. Offering a fairly priced lift pass like other modern and successful resorts would increase sales of both the lift pass and consumables on the mountain.
Other resorts in Europe offer season lift passes from around €400 to €800 for considerably larger areas. For Bansko to only offer a limited 40 day pass for over €750 indicates that Ulen is either very poorly managed, is exceptionally greedy or is actively trying to discourage locals, local business proprietors and seasonaires.
The latter could be true as many small business' in Bansko will be affected by this decision. Seasonal businesses that rely on staff that come for the season to work and ski will find it much harder to attract staff - who wants to be a seasonaire in a resort where you can only ski for a third of the season?
Relying on large tour operators for income could be risky - for example, if Balkan Holidays has a bad year Ulen could be relying on locals and seasonaires who encourage their friends and family to come skiing and actions like this are not going to work in Ulens favour.
A final point is having a good relationship with locals and seasonaires can only improve the reputation of a resort - if people are treated well by the resort they will talk about it but the reverse happens if people believe that they are being mistreated. All we look for as a community is to have a working relationship with Ulen that also goes hand in hand with the town residents so that we can all work together to improve the reputation of Bansko.
The people that want to purchase season passes are people that love, live, work and own property in Bansko, love skiing here and who want to see it succeed in the future.
Updates
December 11, 2013
We just hit 100 signatures to demand a real season pass. Post this link on your Facebook and text three friends the URL right now to keep the pressure on Ulen.
Reached 250 supporters
December 11, 2013
Reached 100 supporters
December 9, 2013
December 8, 2013
We need to hit the one hundred signature mark to prove our demand is real. Post the link to Facebook right now and ask your friends to sign because the resort is still ignoring us.
146 Comments
One of the reasons I love spending the season in Bansko is that I can easily go out the mountain to meet friends for an hour without spending the whole day up there. The season pass allowed me to do this!
what a poor, poor decision! 340 BGL=160E are the minimum wages in Bulgaria and the are asking for 1500BGL=750E for 40 days of lift pass!!! Hello, Earth is calling.
Last year I bought my teanage son a season pass for bansko. Cost 835 Lev (584 USD) this year a 40 day pass for bansko for a teanager costs 1400 lev (963 USD). I rather bought him a season pass for Park City Utah which at 210 USD including free use of 5 other resorts in the USA makes a whole lot of sense. What is Ulen thinking ???
there should be a full season pass available, at least for residents of Bansko and surrounding areas and seasonal workers, which could be a different styled pass !
Seems Like they want to price out any 'private' Ski Instructors who have to factor in the extortionate cost of this pass in their lesson prices to clients.
I do not understand why the 40 day pass in Bansko is now more expensive than full season passes in Western Europe. It aslo gives a very clear message to the local skiers that their business is not appreciated on the mountains.
Pure greed on behalf of the liftpass company.Deserves a boycott next year.
Pure greed on behalf of the liftpass company.Deserves a boycott next year.
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One of the reasons I love spending the season in Bansko is that I can easily go out the mountain to meet friends for an hour without spending the whole day up there. The season pass allowed me to do this!