Agenda - HTIF: Hotel & Tourism Investment Forum

HTIF 2023 Agenda

October 17th

8:00 – 9:00 a.m.

Delegate Registration & Networking at the Sponsor Areas

9:00 – 9:15 a.m.

Welcome address and opening remarks

Zaritsa Dinkova

Minister of Tourism of the Republic of Bulgaria

Adriana Angelova

Director Business Development at Sofia Hotels Management

Georgi Dutchev

Director of the Hotel & Tourism Investment Forum

9:15 – 9:45 a.m.

Travel and Tourism 2023/2024: International trends, source markets, what are the opportunities for Bulgaria? (Panel discussion)

Frank Quante

CEO at Fraport Bulgaria, operator of Varna and Bourgas airports

Juan-Ramon Matas Sebastia

Chief Operating Officer of SOF Connect, operator of Sofia Airport

9:45 – 10:05 a.m.

Networking break at the Sponsor Areas

10:05 – 11:05 a.m.

Destination “Bulgaria”: What are the opportunities for growth? (Panel discussion, hosted by Assa Abloy Hospitality)

Burhan Nemutlu

CEO of Regnum Bulgaria and Chairman of Bulgarian-Turkish Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Mariyan Belyakov

CEO of Pamporovo AD

Margita Todorova

Member of the Board of directors of Albena JSC.

Ivan Groshev

Managing Director at MTS Globe Bulgaria and Chairman of the BOD of the Association of Incoming Agencies in Bulgaria

Rumyana Horozova

Area Sales Representative Bulgaria ASSA ABLOY Global Solutions|Hospitality

11:05 – 11:20 a.m.

Building a sustainable business model through a sustainable event: the case of Meadows in the Mountains festival (Fireside chat)

Benjamin Sasse

Founder & CEO of Meadows in the Mountains Festival

11:20 – 11:40 a.m.

Networking break at the Sponsor Areas

11:40 – 12:10 a.m.

How to achieve and maintain a high-quality hotel product despite the challenges facing the business?
(Panel discussion, hosted by Office 1)

Adriana Angelova

Director Business Development at Sofia Hotels Management

Antoaneta Ignatova

General Manager of Alexandria Club Hotels and Alexandria Travel

Hristina Panayotova

General Manager of Villa Sintica

Nayden Naydenov

Sales representative at Office 1

12:10- 12:30 p.m.

Networking break at the Sponsor Areas

12:30 – 12:50 p.m.

AI, robots, Big Data, IoT, Blockchain: What are the most promising technology innovations in the hotel industry, and how to make the most of them, today? (Panel discussion, hosted by Eurodesign Systems)

Anton Mihalev

CEO of Eurodesign Systems

Radoslav Rusev

Owner of Tyulenovo Hotel

12:50- 1:30 p.m.

Networking break at the Sponsor Areas

1:30 – 2:15 p.m.

Revenue management trends: How to increase revenue by optimizing hotel rates and occupancy? (Panel discussion)

Prof. Horatiu Tudori

Revenue management lecturer and consultant

Velislava Kovachka

Cluster Director of Revenue, Sofia Hotels Management

2:15 – 2:35 p.m.

Networking break at the Sponsor Areas

2:35 – 3:00 p.m.

How hotel design can add value to a better guest experience: ideas and case studies (Panel discussion, hosted by Char Design )

Vanya Dimitrova

CEO of Char Design

Petya Angelova

Cluster GM of Rosslyn Hotels Group

3:00 – 3:20 p.m.

Networking break at the Sponsor Areas

3:20 – 4:05 p.m.

View from the top: A conversation with hotel investors and executives about the business climate in 2023 and beyond (Panel discussion, hosted by METRO Bulgaria)

Vesselin Danev

Owner and CEO of Libena Resorts

Ivelina Gatseva

CEO of Festa Hotels

Ventsislav Tanchev

CEO of tour operator Suntours and owner of mOdus hotel (Varna) and Wave Resort (Pomorie)

Georgi Garnevski

Head of "Nonfood" at METRO Bulgaria

4:05 – 4:25 p.m.

Networking break at the Sponsor Areas

4:25 – 5:10 p.m.

Sustainability and green hotels: what challenges and opportunities the hoteliers have to expect in the near future? (Panel discussion, hosted by Essity/Tork)