Success Stories

Paintings of Bulgaria’s mountain scenery decorate the offices of Odysseia-In, a special-interest travel company based in Sofia. Owner Lubomir Popiordanov is the artist responsible for some of the landscapes. It’s im-pressive that he has time for painting given all his other pursuits. Besides running his own company, he presides over the Bulgarian Association for Alternative Tourism, is an avid mountain climber, and is currently launching an informational campaign about preserving Bulgaria’s monasteries.

Odysseia-In organizes adventure and cultural tours, conducts educational and tourism development activities, and operates two outdoor stores in Sofia. A portion of their profits supports environmental initiatives, which has earned the company awards for corporate philanthropy. Since founding Odysseia-In in 1990, Popiordanov worked with several USAID programs. An MBA Volunteer sponsored by USAID helped his company develop their business plan and mission statement in 1999. “She was the best consultant we ever had,” says Popiordanov. In 2003, USAID provided support to the Bulgarian Association for Alternative Tourism for a guide to bed-and-breakfast inns in Bulgaria; the guide is now in its fourth edition. In 2005, USAID provided funds for editing a handbook for mountain guides. Popiordanov proudly describes it as the best tourism book in Bulgaria, con-taining extensive information on the country’s nature and geology.

“Our landscape—the mountains, the coast—belongs to all Bulgarians, and to humanity,” Popiordanov says. He is driven by a mission to help his fellow Bulgarians appreciate their country’s wealth of historical and natural treasures. While mountain resorts such as Bansko attract increasing numbers of foreign tourists, Popiordanov considers them negative examples of tourism development. He wants to see greater sustainability and development of the local labor market, with creation of more jobs for young people. His company introduced the profession of the mountain guide to Bulgaria, creating training materials and certification courses. He has also traveled to villages all over Bulgaria to conduct trainings on operating guest houses.

“I’m very appreciative of how Americans have supported small projects and initiatives,” Popiordanov says. “The results are tangible, and the assistance is transparent.”

For more information: http://www.odysseia-in.com.

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