Hospitality & Tourism Investment ForumHome

Hospitality & Tourism Investment Forum (HTIF) is Bulgaria’s leading hospitality business platform and one of the most attended B2B conferences in Europe. In 2026, HTIF returns for its 11th edition with an expanded program across three dynamic days — 12, 13 and 14 October. The forum will bring together in Sofia over 1,000 international and Bulgarian hospitality investors, hotel owners, executives, F&B leaders, restaurateurs, tour operators, short-term rental operators, architects, designers, industry suppliers and public-sector representatives.

Speakers

Pankaj Birla

Regional Vice President, Eastern Europe, Marriott International

Cindy Heo

Associate Professor of revenue management at EHL Hospitality Business School, Lausanne, Switzerland

Ömer Isvan

President of Servotel Corporation

Veselin Danev

CEO, Libena Resorts

Michael Reusch

CEO of Fraport Twin Star Airport Management AD, the concessionaire of Varna Airport and Burgas Airport

Ivan Groshev

Chairman of the Bulgarian Association of Incoming Agencies

Teodor Minev

General Manager, Voya Beach Resort, St. Vlas

Antoaneta Ignatova

Cluster General Manager of Alexandria Club Hotels

Maksim Sekov

CEO of Therma Village, Kranevo

Igor Rüge

General Manager, Four Points by Sheraton Bansko

Dobromir Valev

Managing Director of Topola Skies Management

Dino Karic

Co-founder and CEO of FLOK

Ryan Bains

Account Director at STR

Gianfranco Chiarini

Co-owner and Executive Chef of Dieci Boutique Restaurant

Anna Chiarini

Co-owner and Sommelier of Dieci Boutique Restaurant

Nikola Todorov

Executive Chef at Kempinski Hotel Grand Arena Bansko

Tsvetelina Bilareva

General Manager of Uva Nestum Wine & SPA, Gotse Delchev

Stefan Elenkov

CEO of Fest Team

Ventsislav Tanchev

Managing Director of SunTours Varna and owner of Wave Resort, Pomorie, and mOdus, Varna hotels

Dimitar Kolev

General Manager of SPA Resort St Ivan Rilski, Bansko

Mariella Balcheva

Director of Operations at DoubleTree by Hilton Plovdiv Center

Diyana Chimlyarova

General Manager, Ramada Corniche, Abu Dhabi

Alexander Petkov

Director of Strategic Partnerships at PHD Asset Management | Europe

Lyubomir Stamboliyski

Commercial Director · Sts. Constantine and Helena Holding

Stanislav Ivanov

President of International Federation for IT and Travel & Tourism (IFITT)

Anna Bozhkova

General Manager of Arte Spa & Park and Kashmir Wellness & SPA (Velingrad)

Todor Tanchev

Co-owner and Executive Chef of Valere and Tams House restaurants (Plovdiv)

Milissa Manche

Co-owner and Executive Chef of Valere and Tams House restaurants (Plovdiv)

Alex Kovachev

Owner of IDEA Design Studio

Zlatina Mihaylova

General Manager of Aquamarine Hotel (Kranevo)

Veselin Kalev

Executive Chef of Flora Boutique Hotel (Боровец)

Zachary Milenkov

Co-founder of Rentify

Zhivko Zheliazkov

General Manager of Park Hotel Vitosha (Sofia)

Sisi Belichenova

General Manager of Maxi Velingrad Park Hotel & Spa

Miloš Milovanović

Partner at GainingEdge Analysis & Research (GEAR)

Petar Yankov

Owner of Petrus and Lopatar restaurants (Sofia)

Arch. Borislav Bogdanov

Owner of Amfion Studio (Sofia)

Teodor Zarkov

Owner of Balkan Falsch restaurant (Sofia)

Zhivko Vlashki

Owner and Executive Chef of Ramira Hotel and Restaurant (Kyustendil)

Arch. Velislava Papazova

Principal Architect at SGI Architects & Masterplanners (Sofia)

Alexis Feuillat

Senior Director, Business Development, Black Sea, Caucasus & CIS at Banyan Group

Stefano Tulli

Co-founder of Winedering

Reserve your place

Programme highlights

13 OCTOBER

Destination marketing, Eurovision 2027, investment, design, gastronomy and restaurant management

Inbound tourism, seasonality and international markets: How is Bulgaria performing towards the end of 2026? What can we expect in 2027?

Travel trends, event tourism, Eurovision 2027: How can Bulgaria unlock its full potential as a destination in 2027?

Hotel business ahead of 2027: Trends, threats and opportunities

Hotel investments in 2026/27: Promising concepts and locations, specific risks

Hospitality beyond hotels: the evolution of the short-term rental market amid shrinking margins and tighter regulation

From design to competitive edge: Using a distinctive concept to (re)position a hotel and drive stronger commercial performance

Wellness as a revenue stream for hotels: Driving occupancy, ADR and guest loyalty through health and longevity programmes

Beyond the plate: Turning a restaurant into a destination through flavour, service, storytelling and ambience

From busy to profitable: How concept, menu, pricing and management shape a sustainable restaurant business

14 OCTOBER

Market positioning, revenue management, leadership and building high-performing teams

Exclusive first look: Key findings from the annual national survey of Bulgaria’s hospitality labour market

OTAs, tour operators, direct sales: Managing channels for higher profitability

From higher occupancy to higher profitability: Rethinking revenue management in 2026

Beyond the hype: Where AI and technology deliver real value in hotels?

Digital marketing and branding: Which channels, formats and messages really work

Hotel management under pressure: How to lead amid rising costs, shifting demand and talent shortages

Hotel team of the future: How to attract, develop and retain people in a globally competitive talent market?

Working languages: English and Bulgarian, with simultaneous interpretation available

Over just two conference days, you will gain concentrated access to insights, expertise and solutions that can be applied immediately after the event – knowledge that would be difficult to gather from so many different sources elsewhere.

You will hear leading international speakers share case studies, proven practices and experience from different markets, with lessons that can be applied in the Bulgarian context.

You will exchange insights and ideas with peers from across the country, compare approaches, challenge your own thinking, and benchmark your decisions against the latest developments shaping the industry.

You will leave with practical strategies to improve management, strengthen profitability and drive more sustainable hotel growth — or, if you are developing a new project, to make better-informed investment decisions from the outset.

What hoteliers say about the forum

“It was a true privilege to meet at the Forum outstanding professionals from around the world – people who share the belief that Bulgaria has the potential to become a leading destination on the global hospitality map.”

Julieta Mechkarska – Executive Director, Food & Beverage, The Beach Club at The Boca Raton Resort, USA

“Organising an event of this scale, bringing together so many professionals – Including international participants – and attracting such strong brands as sponsors speaks volumes about the work of your dynamic team.”

Georgi Ganchev, General Manager, Fairmont Baku Flame Towers, Baku, Azerbaijan

“I am grateful for the engaging discussions, forward-thinking ideas and inspiring energy!”

Zhivko Ivanov, Director of Asset Management, Galaxy Investment Group

“HTIF was filled with new connections and reinforced our confidence that we are keeping pace with industry trends.”

Nela Tincheva, Co-founder, Villa Sintica, Sandanski

“Year after year, you continue to secure strong international participation, raising the level of the event and genuinely broadening the perspective of hospitality professionals.”