Foreign tourists in Bulgaria continue to be charged more for hotel rooms than locals despite legislation banning the practice. In tourist areas, a twin-pricing strategy is operating, according to a leading travel agent in Sofia. Typically, Bulgarians can ask for a discount of as much as 20 per cent. In some hotels, a notice invites guests to inquire about the “special price”, but as it is written in Cyrillic, most west Europeans cannot understand it. Dual pricing was made illegal in October 2005, followed by further legislation when the country joined the EU in January 2007.