Preslav Bobev, one of the organizers of TravelX and an expert with many years of experience in creating and managing business events in our country and abroad, shares his vision for the development of business travel and the event sector in Bulgaria. What are the key innovations in the TravelX 2026conference: The New Face of Tourism, which will be held on February 13 at Inter Expo Center,compared to last year's edition, analyzes the importance and development of business tourism in our country, discusses the most current trends and innovations that affect professional networking, and gives strategic advice to companies for successful partnerships. FACTS is a media partner of the conference. In addition, Mr. Bobev outlines the state and needs of the event industry, offering guidelines for creating effective and sustainable business events.
Mr. Bobev, this year will be the second edition of TravelX? What new formats, topics or strategic focuses are you introducing this year and how do they build on the mission of the business travel and industry forum?
The first edition of TravelX almost a year ago in Burgas made a serious bid to become a leading conference for the tourism sector in Bulgaria. This year we will build on this with a much wider audience than the representatives of the traditional tourism industry. I would say that TravelX will attract and bring together representatives of several different industries and will demonstrate that each one is equally important for Bulgaria to build and present its own unique tourism product and experience. The format of the program is completely new, as it will present six main sessions that will take place as a conversation between industry experts. We will welcome foreign participants and he is among the guests of the forum on stage.
We are planning an external studio for interviews with guests of the event, which we will broadcast live on You Tube and many more surprises. It is no coincidence that we are holding this second edition of the event during the annual exhibition “Vacation and Spa“ and at the same place. This way, everyone will be able to visit both events with a single TravelX ticket.
Given your experience, what does business tourism actually mean and can we already talk about a sustainable and developing business tourism industry in Bulgaria?
I would define business tourism as still a new and developing trend for Bulgaria. What many countries are successfully developing is still underestimated here, on home soil. But at the same time, I see many good examples in this direction, which will soon become a sustainable model of tourism product. People traveling on business to a certain destination are increasingly looking for an opportunity to combine this work commitment with the standard experience of a tourist according to the time they have. Even if this is a simple visit to a museum, a traditional restaurant or a landmark. Bulgaria can offer all this literally at arm's length for anyone visiting our country, even for two days, when they are busy with business affairs and meetings. I myself had the incredible chance to travel all over the world for over 20 years. I have visited over 100 countries, mostly for work. I quickly realized that I had to take advantage of these trips and even started staying 1-2 extra days, doing everything from sightseeing, visiting museums and landmarks, to safaris or just lazing on the beach.
What are the most significant trends and innovations in the event industry in recent years and how are they changing the way successful events are created and held?
The event industry invariably follows global trends and changes in the attitudes of tourists of each generation. I think that Gen Z, who have been making so much noise lately, will make revolutionary changes in the event industry. The first is that events are already racing to implement sustainable practices in terms of waste reduction, energy optimization and promoting green solutions for all organizational aspects and stages.
Events are increasingly digitizing, using technology and AI. Starting from planning and administrative tasks, data analysis, attendance and preference forecasting, engagement and experience personalization.
However, the real revolution, in my opinion, comes with models that transform event access into an ecosystem, rather than a single experience. Innovations like the Connect Card - a universal business event card that completely changes the logic of the event industry. It gives freedom of movement, facilitates international participation, creates a natural environment for networking and makes event travel part of a larger, meaningful and prestigious lifestyle. This is the type of solution that not only saves time and resources, but also creates a sense of belonging to a global business community.
More and more events no longer measure their success solely by the number of visitors or revenue. The focus is shifting to the impact, trust and value of the experience – to what remains after the event and how it continues to live on through the people who were part of it.
What would you advise companies that want to use business events to expand their network and find new partners?
My advice is short and easy to follow! Go and be active at events. Attending an event like TravelX is not just about hearing and learning something new. You can check your watch for new trends and information via Google and ChatGPT. But just on site you will meet hundreds of colleagues and partners from your industry. Attending is not just about getting to know a lot of people, but also for them to get to know you. Attending more events will make you more recognizable to your colleagues and competitors. This way you establish yourself as a factor in your field and with each new event visit, more and more people will recognize you and want to get to know you. You can't just show up to one conference a year and expect your network to grow. It's a snowball process.