Official opening of the International Conference on Orthodox Theology and Science

On April 26, 2011 Hall No 1 at the Chancellor’s Office of St Kliment Ohridski Sofia University hosted the official opening of the First International Conference on Orthodox Theology and Science, Sofia by Mrs Yordanka Fandakova, Sofia Mayor. The event was organized by the Theology Faculty at Sofia University, jointly with Sofia Municipality, South Danish University, Minyu Balkanski Foundation and the John Templeton Foundation.

The conference programme comprised 22 reports on topics of interest to modern society, being on the borderline of theology and science. Prominent scholars and theologians from the United States, Canada, France, England, Denmark, Russia and Greece stand out among the foreign participants.

The conference is part of an international project, envisaging the release of a collection of works on a wide range of theological topics in Bulgarian and English.

Meeting with representatives of tourist business in Guangdong Province, China

On April 15, 2011 the Sredets Hall of the Sheraton Hotel in Sofia hosted a seminar with the participation of representatives of tourist business in Guangdong Province, China. The seminar was organized by the Embassy of China in Sofia and the Ministry of Economy, Energy and Tourism of Bulgaria. During the event multimedia presentation and promotion of the tourist sights in the Guangdong Province, China were made.

The seminar was attended by representatives of Tourist Service Municipal Enterprise, who presented Sofia Destination to the Chinese guests and presented the the members of the delegation with badges with the coat of arms of Sofia and promotional materials.

Opening of the First International Conference of the Spa and Wellness Industry

On April 7, 2011 at 10:00 am in the Maxima Hall of Vasil Levski National Sports Academy, Sofia, Dr. Pencho Geshev, rector of NSA, officially opened the First International Scientific Conference on Interdisciplinary and Innovative Approaches in SPA and Wellness Industry. Organizer of the conference was the National Sports Academy, Sofia, with the support of the Ministry of Economy, Energy and Tourism, Sofia Municipality, and the International SPA Club Management. The participants and the guests at the conference were welcomed by Traycho Traykov, Minister of Economy, Energy and Tourism; Svilen Neykov, Minister of Physical Education and Sport; Rosen Plevneliev, Minister of Regional Development and Public Works; and Stoyan Lazarov, Director of Tourist Service Municipal Enterprise.

Invited to participate in the conference with papers, posters and promotional stands were experts from seven ministries, rectors and professors of fourteen universities and representatives of municipalities, whose main resource is mineral water. The workshops involved entrepreneurs, representatives of NGOs and experts in the field of spa and wellness industry.

Know Sofia

On November 2, 2010 at 11:30 am in Accord Hotel, 17 Vladimir Vazov Blvd. Sofia Mayor Mrs Yordanka Fandakova will officially open a two-day training seminar for tour guides which will go under the slogan ‘Know Sofia with the guides of ABTG’. The event will be organized by Tourist Service Municipal Enterprise jointly with the Association of Bulgarian Tour Guides.

The main objective of the seminar will be uniformity and standardization of key data included in the lectures of the tour guides during the first free walking tour ‘Know Sofia – downtown’, and attracting a larger number of guides to present Sofia as an attractive tourist destination in Bulgarian and foreign languages.

The programme of the event provides discussion of projects for two new tours: ‘Architectural pearls of Sofia’ and ‘Celebrities of Sofia’. The guest speakers at the seminar will pay particular attention to questions concerning the possibility of organizing and promoting new routes to valuable, but poorly known architectural monuments in the capital as well as to sites related to the life and work of famous people born in Sofia. Subject of discussion will be the project development and implementation of pilgrimage routes to the monasteries of so-called Sofia Mount Athos.

The concluding discussion of the workshop will cover the guests’ and professional guides’ recommendations and suggestions for the future sustainable development of Sofia Tourist Destination.

Customer's protection

Tourist Service Municipal Enterprise organized and conducted another two-day inter-agency meeting with representatives of the Committee on Consumers’ Protection, Natioanl Revenue Agency, Sofia Directorate of the Interiror,Regional Inspectorate of Public Health Control and Protection, State Directorate of Constrcution Control and the district administrations of Sofia Municipality. Subject of discussion were legal requirements for the quality of tourist services in the shelter, accommodation, catering and entertainment facilities in the territory of Sofia Municipality, the modalities for classification, current and preventive control, and the opportunity to improve communication and interaction between institutions. Considered were also some problems raised in the discussion at the meeting in 2008. In conclusion, the participants set specific measures to improve interaction between institutions and to increase the effectiveness of control. The participants in the meeting approved the proposal of the organizers for the next inter-agency meeting at the end of 2010, following the adoption of the new Law on Tourism. The idea was representatives of the tourism industry to be invited to take part in the meeting. In order to ensure information and promotion of the event Tourist Service Municipal Enterprise is committed to prepare a leaflet with basic regulatory requirements for individual institutions on the control of tourist sites. A recommendation was made for the establishment with Tourist Service Municipal Enterprise of a permanent inter-agency committee with representatives of the regional administrations and officials of the company to examine the current legislation, the best practices in Europe, and to submit proposals for borrowings and amendments to the laws. Tourist Service Municipal Enteprise should be notified of upcoming events and problems in the current collaboration with the institutions for their summarizing and interpreting. The results will be subject to discussion at the next meeting in late 2010.