The premier hospitality event in Bulgaria
Hotel & Tourism Investment Forum (HTIF) is the most influential hospitality conference in Bulgaria and one of the most visited in Europe. The event gathers more than 500 hotel owners, investors and executives, as well as travel professionals, architects and designers, suppliers, and government and city officials.
Event partners
WITH THE SUPPORT OF
EDUCATIONAL PARTNERS
WELLNESS PARTNER
INSTITUTIONAL PARTNER
WELLNESS PARTNER
INSTITUTIONAL PARTNER
GOLD SPONSORS
SPONSORS
Agenda
October 8
19:00 – 21:30
Opening cocktail party
October 9
8:45 – 9:00
Opening remarks
9:00 – 9:40
Travel trends and inbound tourism: Where should Bulgaria look for growth opportunities?
Nikola Barbutov
Deputy Mayor "European Policies, International Activities and Tourism" of the Sofia Municipality
Jesus Caballero
CEO of SOF Connect, the operator of Sofia Airport
Frank Quante
CEO at Fraport Bulgaria, operator of Varna and Bourgas airports
9:40 – 10:00
Networking break
10:00 – 11:00
Hospitality investments in Bulgaria: Where are the niches?
Jakub Klimczak
Regional Manager Central Europe at STR
Dayana Kanazireva
Development, marketing and sales director of OKOL Lake Park
Marian Beliakov
CEO of Pamporovo JSC.
Julieta Serafimova
Hotelier, adviser to investors in hotel assets
Radoslav Kotlarov
CEO of G Hotels (Glavbolgarstroy)
Vania Dimitrova
Owner of CHAR Interior Textile (Gold Sponsor)
11:00 – 11:20
Networking break
11:20 – 12:00
Independent, managed or franchised hotel: Which model provides the best ROI for owners?
Adam Konieczny
International Hospitality Director at Indotek Group
Vladimir Ilichev
Managing Director Development CIS Eastern Europe at Hilton
Vesselina Popova
GM of Cherno more (Varna)
Stoyan Dimitrov
Hotel manager at Imperial Plovdiv, a member of Radisson Individuals
Rumyana Horozova
Area Sales Representative Bulgaria and North Macedonia at Vingcard ASSA ABLOY (Gold Sponsor)
12:00 – 12:30
View from the top: How do hotel investors and executives see current business challenges and opportunities?
Zhivko Ivanov
Asset and Tourism Director at Galaxy Investment Group
Stanislav Haydutov
Director of Operations at Effect Hotels
Georgi Garnevski
Head of Non-Food Products Division at METRO Bulgaria (Gold Sponsor)
12:30 – 13:30
Networking break
13:30 – 14:40
Effective team management: How to attract and motivate promising talents?
Alexandre Gamberoni
Senior Lecturer at Les Roches (Switzerland)
Prof. Elenita Velikova
Secretary General for Science at UNWE, Sofia
Teodor Minev
General manager of Voya Beach Resort (St. Vlas)
Prof. Sonia Mileva
Deputy Rector "Career Development, Alumni, Employers and Businesses Relations" at Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski
Diana Chimlyarova
General Manager of Ramada Corniche Hotel (Abu Dhabi)
Georgi Parvanov
HR Expert and CEO of Cteam
Shakir Ahmedov
CEO of OmniChannel (Gold Sponsor)
14:40 – 15:00
Networking break
15:00 – 15:45
Sustainability and innovations in hotel restaurant: how to unlock the hidden potential?
Mihaela Kozanova
Business Development Manager of Sofia Hotels Management
Georgi Terziev
F&B Manager at Hot Springs Medical & Spa (Banya village)
Tsvetelina Bilareva
GM of Uva Nestum Wine & SPA/ IB Park Hotels (Gotse Delchev)
Nikola Todorov
Executive Chef at Kempinski Grand Arena (Bansko)
Dessislava Sulzer
Account Manager Sales South East Europe, Essity Professional Hygiene, TORK (Gold Sponsor)
15:45 – 16:05
Networking break
16:05 – 16:50
Advanced hospitality: How can dynamic pricing and revenue management boost profitability?
Prof. Horatiu Tudori
Lecturer at HEC Lausanne and Hotel Management School Geneva, Revenue Management consultant
Yasen Shterev
GM of Havana, Paradize Green Park and Vitosha hotels (Golden sands)
Desislava Dimitrova
CEO of DES Management (Gold Sponsor)
16:50 – 17:10
Networking break
17:10 – 17:40
Current trends and future of luxury hospitality: What are the chances for Bulgaria to appear on the map?
Giovanni Manfredini
Head of Specialization (Experience Design, Hospitality Business, Luxury Brand Management) at Glion Institute of Higher Education (Switzerland)
Tsvetelina Nikolova
Managing Director of Katarzyna Estate and L'Ambassade de Katarzyna
Peter Atanasov
Country Manager of Matrix Fitness (Wellness Partner)
17:40 – 18:10
Service automation & robots: how to elevate guest experience in 2024?
Vessela Bogdanova
GM of The Five Elements Hotel and SPA (Saparava Banya)
Georgi Karamanev
Journalist, writer, programmer, author of the "Digital stories" website
Kaloyan Stoykov
Commercial Director of Eurodesign Systems (Gold Sponsor)
18:10 – 18:40
Digital marketing and ORM for hotels: Major trends, case studies
Max Starkov
Hospitality, online travel technology and digital marketing strategist
Hristo Kaftandzhiev
Professor in the "Public Relations and Advertising" Department of the Faculty of Journalism, Sofia University
Anita Velinova
Managing Partner at Anstea Synergy | Exely (Gold Sponsor)
18:40 – 18:45
Closing remarks
Working languages: English and Bulgarian, with provided simultaneous interpretation.
Please note: This agenda is subject to change. Changes may occur up until the start of the event.
Delegate profile
- Hotel owners, investors and executives (70%)
- Industry suppliers (20%)
- Architects and interior designers (5%)
- Tour operators, airport operators, airlines, government and city officials (5%)
WHY JOIN
Firsthand information on the recent trends and opportunities in the hospitality business.
Hear from top investors, professionals and experts.
Opportunity to boost your brand awareness.
Direct contacts with representatives of a precisely selected target group – over 500 owners and executives of hotels and hotel groups.
Opportunities to prearrange meetings with people that matter.
Spark your business creativity thanks to the unprecedented mix of knowledge, innovation, and networking opportunities.
Join the forum
Choose your type of registration. Choose HOTELIER REGISTRATION only if you are an owner or manager in a hotel.
Get a glimpse at HTIF 2023
What do they say about HTIF
Flashback to previous editions
Got questions?
Contact us on +359 882 950 240 or email: office@htif.eu