CONFERENCE
Tourism – hospitality industry. The hospitable city.
October 10, 2024
14.00 – 16.00
Conference hall, 2nd floor
Moderator: Assoc. Ph.D. Sonia Alexieva
Key factors determining the city’s hospitality
Discussion with the participation of tour operators for inbound tourism, tour guides, anthropologists and representatives of municipalities
Georgi Nedev
Deputy Mayor of the Municipality of Veliko Tarnovo, “Sports, youth activities, tourism and demographic policies”
Ekaterina Gelovska
Executive Director of ABTTA
Hristina Krasenova-Nedelcheva
Chairman of the Board of the Union of Tour Guides in Bulgaria
Georgi Kunchev
Deputy Chairman of the Association of Hoteliers, Restaurateurs and Tour Operators in Sandanski
Desislava Danailova Mikhalkova – Stanimirova
State expert in the Tourism Policy Directorate, Ministry of Tourism
The role of artists in the transformation of urban spaces
Prof. Dr. Svetoslav Kosev
Dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Veliko Tarnovo “St. Cyril and Methodius”
arch. Elitsa Panayotova
Consultant-expert to the European Commission on the implementation of the principles of the New European Bauhaus
The symbols of Bulgaria – the eternal dispute about the brand
Assoc. Dr. Irena Bokova
Cultural anthropologist, university lecturer
Vihra Ognyanova
Artist, design and brand management expert
A memory from Bulgaria. Souvenirs as industry and philosophy.
Diana Savateva / TVS
Deputy Mayor of the Municipality of Burgas with the department “Culture and Religions”
Member of the Board of the National Culture Fund
Petya Georgieva
Manager Business Center Veliko Tarnovo
Organizer of the first exhibition “Gifts and Souvenirs”
LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR SPEAKERS
Assoc. Ph.D. Sonia Alexieva
She graduated from the Faculty of Journalism and Mass Communication at SU “St. Kliment Ohridski” – specialty “Journalism”. Co-founder and member of the Board of the Association for Advertising and Communications in Tourism (ARKT). She taught at New Bulgarian University, “St. Cl. Ohridski”, UNWE and others. She has many years of experience as a PR expert, with a narrow specialization – PR in cultural tourism. She participated in a number of foreign and Bulgarian communication projects, as well as in many Bulgarian campaigns related to the construction of strategies, brand and vision of tourism in Bulgaria. Among the founders is the Bulgarian Society for Public Relations (BDVO), the Balkan Alliance of Hotel Associations (BAHA), the International Exhibition “Cultural Tourism” – Veliko Tarnovo. For 14 years she was the PR of BHRA.
She is the author of over ten books and hundreds of publications in the field of tourism, cultural and historical heritage, PR and business communications. She is the editor, publisher and consultant of many monographs and books on China’s cultural heritage and cultural tourism. She is the author of the trilingual book “Bulgaria – China. Cultural tourism” (in Bulgarian, Chinese and English).
Her long-standing memberships in: the International Public Relations Association (IPRA); International Organization of Journalists and Writers on Tourism (FIJET); International Federation of Journalists (IFJ); The Bulgarian Marketing Association (BAM); Board of Directors of the Association of Image Makers and Public Relations Specialists “Imagines”. She is a member of the Board of Directors of ABUJET. She has been awarded many times for her achievements as a PR expert in tourism. The first winner is the newly established award “Personality with a contribution to the development of cultural tourism in Bulgaria”, presented at the seventh MIT “Cultural tourism 2010” – Veliko Tarnovo.
George Nedev
Deputy Mayor of the Municipality of Veliko Tarnovo, “Sports, youth activities, tourism and demographic policies”
Graduated from “Sports Pedagogy” and Master’s degree in Public Administration. Advertising agency owner. One of the most prominent motorsport competitors and coaches in our country, chairman of the motorcycling club in Veliko Tarnovo, president and founder of FC “Botev” – Debelets, known for his numerous volunteer initiatives and active social activities. Two terms of municipal councilor in Veliko Tarnovo Municipality. Since 2024, he has been the deputy mayor of the municipality of Veliko Tarnovo.
Hristian Ivanchov
Deputy Mayor of Kyustendil Municipality
Chairman of the Committee on Youth Activities, Sports and Tourism of the NSORB
Master of Laws. Many years of administrative and entrepreneurial experience in the field of tourism. He was the deputy regional governor of Kyustendil region. Since 2023, he has been the deputy mayor of Kyustendil Municipality with the department “Culture, tourism, social, youth activities and sports”
Ekaterina Gelovska
Executive Director of the Association of Bulgarian Tour Operators and Travel Agents (ABTTA)
She graduated with a degree in “tourism” at the Faculty of Geology and Geography of SU “St. Kl. Ohridski” University. For many years she worked as a reporter and editor at the Bulgarian Telegraph Agency. One of the creators and for ten years the editor-in-chief of the first b2b magazine in the field of tourism, hotels and restaurants in our country – Hotels&Restaurants Magazine, which gained wide fame among professionals under the name “Horemag”. Author of many articles, translator and editor of dozens of books. She is a member of the Association of Tour Guides in Bulgaria and the World Travel Writers Alliance based in London.
Prof. Dr. Svetoslav Kosev
Dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Veliko Tarnovo “St. Cyril and Methodius”
Professor of art studies and fine arts, since May 2019 – dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts of the University of Veliko Tarnovo “St. St. Cyril and Methodius”. Since 2002, his scientific career has been connected with the University, which he himself graduated from, and with the development of the “Graphic Design and Visual Communication” department. Teacher of graphic design, 3D graphics, perspective. He defended his doctoral degree in 2010. Member of the Union of Bulgarian Artists. Member of the Union of Scientists in Bulgaria. Works in the field of classical graphics, augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), 3D computer arts, perspective, interactive installation, graphic design, etc. He has 38 solo exhibitions and participation in 26 international and over 75 national and collective exhibitions. He has realized more than 15 multimedia and interactive projects. Prof. Kosev is the author of 49 theoretical publications. In 2022, he won the “Culture” Award 2022 of the Municipality of Veliko Tarnovo for outstanding achievements in the field of audio-visual arts and photography for the exhibition “Graphics with Augmented Reality”. In 2009, he was awarded an award by the Municipality of Veliko Tarnovo.
Arch. Elitsa Panayotova
Consultant-expert to the European Commission on the implementation of the principles of the New European Bauhaus
She is the executive director of the first science and technology park “Sofia Tech Park”[2] from 2012 to 2016. She graduated from the University of Architecture, Construction and Geodesy, with a master’s degree in urban planning and architecture. He received an MA in Urban Planning and Housing Policy from the University of Lincoln, UK. From 2002 to 2005, he was a commercial attache at the Embassy of Bulgaria in the USA. In 2007, he headed “Alfa Developments”, and opened a private architectural studio, “Sketsa Studio”. In 2015, she was named Woman of the Year in the “Hi-Tech and Innovation” category in the traditional competition of “Gracia” magazine. Coordinator of the “Green Sofia” program at the Metropolitan Municipality.
Assoc. Dr. Irena Bokova
Associate professor of cultural anthropology, lecturer in the Department of Anthropology of the New Bulgarian University, leads courses in cultural anthropology, anthropology of tourism, visual anthropology, research methods and approaches, etc. She teaches in programs in anthropology, political science, tourism, film and television. Explores the problems of the city, cultural heritage, cultural policies, mobility, collective identities, society and nature relations in a contemporary context, tourism and cultural resources.
Hristina Nedelcheva
Chairman of the Board of the Union of Tour Guides in Bulgaria. Licensed tour guide with 18 years of experience. She graduated with a degree in “Organization and Management of Tourist Services” at the College of Tourism in Varna and a degree in “Tourism Manager” at the University of Veliko Tarnovo “St. Cyril and Methodius”.
Vihra Ognyanova
Graduate of the Bulgarian National Art Academy in the field of advertising design. She works actively in the field of branding, brand management, graphic and web design and spatial layout. Member of the Union of Bulgarian Artists and the Chamber of Bulgarian Designers. She has many years of experience in tourism branding and advertising, author of a number of trademarks. Managing owner of Prim Expo – a company for designing and organizing fairs, exhibitions and corporate events. Co-owner and manager of Prim Design OOD and Prim Net OOD. Organizer of the largest tourist exhibition in Bulgaria “Vacation and SPA Expo” and the specialized advertising exhibition COPI’S.
Diana Savateva
The Deputy Mayor of the Municipality of Burgas, representative of the NSORB in the Management Board of the National Fund “Culture”. Deputy Chairman of the Standing Committee on Education, Sports, Youth Activities and Culture of the NSORB in the term 2019 – 2023. Graduated in Bulgarian Philology, long-time journalist, correspondent and editor-in-chief in the newspaper “24 Chasa”, Member of Parliament and Deputy Chairman of The Committee on Culture and the Media in the National Assembly, and since 2019 she is the Deputy Mayor of the Municipality of Burgas with the portfolio “Culture and Religions”.
