09.30 – 10.00 Registration of participants

10.00 – 10.15 Official opening

Duration 15 min.

• Boyko Borisov – Prime Minister of Republic of Bulgaria

• Nikolina Angelkova – Minister of Tourism

• Petar Kanev – Chairman, Commission of Economic Policy and Tourism at 44^th National Assembly

• Krassimir Gergov – Chairman of the Management Board of NBT

• Ass. Prof. Dr. Rumen Draganov – Chairman of the Control Council of the National Board of Tourism

• Martin Zahariev – Deputy Chairman of the National Board of Tourism

• Members of the Management Board of NBT

Moderator Polina Karastoyanova – Executive Director of NBT

10.15 – 11.15

TOPIC 1: Branding, Franchising and categorization of the hotels.

Duration:60 minutes

The up-dating of the criteria for categorization of the hotels, in theory, in the legislation and in the practices of enforcement in Europe and worldwide is necessitated, inter alia, by the increasing globalization of tourism market and Bulgaria’s place in it. Development and implementation of new competitive rules and standards. What is new in the Ordinance on the requirements for accommodation, catering and entertainment establishments and in the procedure for awarding, withdrawing, decreasing, suspending and terminating an awarded category. What do hotel operators want? What is the practice in Europe?

Moderator: Lachezar Todorov – Executive Director of Yastrebets Hotel Wellness and Spa, Member of the MB of NBT

• Nikolina Angelkova – Minister of Tourism

• Daniel Kristiansen – Representative of Hotelstars Union (HSU)

• Stefan Frank – GM InterContinental – Sofia

• Representative of Hyatt

• Georgi Velchev – Member of the MB of NBT

• Kaloyan Spasov – Director General of Yastrebets Hotel Wellness and Spa

• Georgi Sterev

11.15 – 11.40 Coffee break

11.40 – 12.40

TOPIC 2: Media and advertising in tourism. What an image of Bulgaria are we creating?

Duration: 60 minutes

How should the brand of Bulgaria look like so that we can benefit from it? The country’s future as a tourist destination depends on its recognisability and right messages to the tourists, on its efficient communication policies and strong presence in the Internet space, as well as on Bulgaria’s positioning as a tourist destination in a higher class of the global tourism market, based on the quality and value added of the tourism product it offers.

Moderator: Martin Zahariev: Deputy Chairman of NBT

• Nikolina Angelkova – Minister of Tourism

• Ivan Portnih – Mayor of Varna

• Maxim Minchav – Executive Director of BTA

• Konstantin Kamenarov – Executive Director of BNT

• Alexander Velev – Executive Director of BNR

• Radosvet Radev – Executive Director of Darik Radio and member of MB of NBT

• Venelina Gocheva – 24 Chasa newspaper

• Slavka Bozukova – Standart newspaper

12.40 – 12.50 Presentation 1

Duration: 10 minutes

13.00 – 14.00 Lunch – Studio Restaurant InterContinental

14.00 – 14.50

TOPIC 3: GoDigital!

Duration: 50 minutes

The digital transformation of tourism in Bulgaria is a way to guarantee its competitiveness in the long run. The social media have changed the ideas and speed with which today’s marketing and advertising pursue their communication policies in the Internet. Are we ready to cope with the new challenges of on-line tourism, or are we in a deadlock in the communication through online instruments! Advertising Bulgaria via geo-targeting in global media and mobile applications, such as Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, WhatsApp, Viber, Messenger, YouTube, etc.

Moderator: Maxim Behar – Executive Communication Group

• Representative of the Ministry of Tourism

• Venzislav Karadjov

• Miroslav Petrov – Vivacom

• Veselin Vasilev – Executive Director of Horizon Software Solution, designer of I Love Bulgaria platform

14:50 – 15.00 Presentation 2

Duration: 10 minutes

15.00 – 15.50

TOPIC 4: Banks and investment in tourism

Duration: 50 minutes

The hotel business is attractive due to the permanent cash flows there, which fact attracts the banks. In the real estate sector, the hotel business has the biggest portfolios at the banks, and most of the investments go there, thus engaging most of the labour force. Is there room for large projects and for expansion and upgrading of the assets? Are the banks showing any reservations to the hotel business segment?

Moderator: Ass. Prof. Dr. Emil Hursev

• Peter Andronov – CEO of SiBank and UBB
• Petya Dimitrova – CEO of Post Bank
• Violina Marinova – CEO of DSK Bank
• Levon Hampartsumyan – CEO of Unicredit Bulbank
• Stoyan Mavrodiev – CEO of Bulgarian Development Bank
• Nedelcho Nedelchev – CEO of FIB

15.50 – 16.00 Presentation 3

Duration: 10 minutes

16.00 – 16.20 Coffee Break

16.20 – 16.30 Presentation 4

Duration: 10 minutes

16.30 – 17.20

TOPIC 5: Balneo, Spa and Medical Tourism – Investing in Health

Duration: 50 minutes

Balneo and Spa tourism is the other opportunity, due again to our natural resources – the hot mineral water springs that rank Bulgaria second in Europe after Iceland. The access of European tourists to medical spa and spa services in Bulgaria through their health insurance – the European experience. Where does Bulgaria stand?

Moderator: Ass. Prof. Dr. Rumen Draganov, Chairman of the Control Board of NBT

• Daniela Daritkova – Chairperson of the Commission of Healthcare at the 44^th National Assembly

• Representative of the Ministry of Tourism

• Siika Katsarova – Chairperson of Bulgarian Union of Balneology and SPA Tourism /BUBSPA/

• Claude Hujen – Member ESPA

• Petar Paunov – Mayor of Kyustendil

• Elena Koseva – Executive Director of St.St.Konstantin & Elena, member of MB of NBT

• Victor Zhukov – Resident Manager Double Tree Hilton Varna

The discussion is organized jointly with the Bulgarian Union of Balneology and SPA Tourism /BUBSPA/

17.30 – 17.45 Closing remarks. Declaration of NBT. Closing

Polina Karastoyanova – Executive Director of NBT

17.45 – 18.30 B2B Meetings