JURY – HOLIDAY & SPA EXPO ANNUAL AWARDS
SIYKA KATSAROVA
President of the Bulgarian Union of Balneology and SPA Tourism
Vice President of the European Spas Association (ESPA)
Mrs Siyka Katsarova is a founding member of the Bulgarian Union of Balneology and SPA Tourims /2006/ and its President since 2018.
She is an expert in the field of medical SPA tourism, with over 20 years of experience and active work in Bulgarian tourism. She is one of the drivers of Bulgaria’s establishment on the European SPA map and the first Bulgarian elected to a senior position in the European Spas Association and ESPA’s Vice President since 2016.
Her major ESPA projects /which she initiated or was actively involved in/ include: Roman Thermal Spas of Europe – On the Way of the Romans /created in 2016/; Innovation Awards of the European Spas Association /created in 2014/. She initiated the establishment and became the Coordinator of the Marketing Commission at ESPA /2009/.
PROF. PH.D STOYAN MARINOV
Dean of the faculty of “Management” of The University of Economics Varna
Graduate of the German Language Highschool in Lovech. Alumnus of The University of Economics – Varna, specializing in economics of tourism. Professor of Economics and management of tourism.
Since 1992 he teaches “Economics and organization of tourism” in The University of Economics, lecturing courses such as “Tourism markets”, “Marketing in tourism”, “Management of tourism”, “Contemporary tourism types”. He has professional experience as a tour guide, manager of a sports and animation center, economic and executive director of “Sunny Beach” Ltd., executive director of “Tourexpo-Varna”, director of The College of Tourism – Varna. A member of the Executive committee of the Varna tourism chamber and vice-chairman of the Culture and Tourism of the Bulgarian Northeast Society and an author of over 130 publications in the field of tourism.
VIHRA OGNYANOVA
Director of the PRIM EXPO – organizer of the HOLIDAY & SPA EXPO
Alumna of the National Art Academy in the field of spatial design. Actively working in the sphere of graphic, web and exhibition design.
Managing owner of: Prim Design – an advertisement and design agency, created in 1990; Prim Expo – design and construction of advertisement and commercial stands, organization of fairs, exhibitions, corporate and advertisement events, owner of “Holiday & SPA Expo”; Prim Net – digital marketing. Among the creators of the print and advertisement media fair – COPI’S.
Member of Union of the Bulgarian Artist, section – advertising design, member of the board of Chamber of the Bulgarian designers and member of the Advisory board of tourism in the Sofia municipality.
ASSOS. PROF. PH.D SONYA ALEXIEVA
Director of section “Tourism” in the department of “Business administration” at NBU
Graduate of The faculty of journalism and mass communication in the Sofia University, specialty – “Journalism”. Possesses extensive experience as a PR expert, specializing in PR in tourism. Contributor in a multitude of national and international communication projects, as well as many Bulgarian campaigns tied to the creation of strategies, brands and the overall vision for tourism in Bulgaria.
Author of countless publications in the field of tourism, cultural and historical heritage, public relations, business-communications and many more books and monographs. One of the founders of Bulgarian Public Relations Society, BAHA and the International fair – “Cultural tourism” – Veliko Tarnovo. She was the PR of BHRA for the span of 14 years. A member of IPRA, FIJET, IFJ, Bulgarian association of marketing, the Advisory board of “Imagines” – Association of The Image Makers and PR Professionals.
ASSOS. PROF. PH.D DIPL. ENG. RUMEN DRAGANOV
Director of the Institute of analysis and prognosis of the information environment in tourism
Previously employed in “Sunny Beach”, “Balkantourist”, “Balkan Holidays International”, Chairman of the state committee of tourism and vice-minister of the Ministry of trade and tourism.
Currently working as a docent in “Information environment in tourism, art and culture”, director of the Institute of analysis and prognosis of the information environment in tourism at UNIBIT, lecturer at the International Business School, chairman of the Council of directors at Grand Hotel Pomorie and the Supervising council of the National board of Tourism, member of the board of the FLGR, Bulgarian cycling federation, and Association of health prevention, Wiesbaden, Germany.
ASSOS. PROF. PH.D JORDAN JORDANOV
Chairman of the Board of Association “Tourism”
JURY – HOLIDAY MOTION PICTURES
SIMEON IDAKIEV
Simeon Idakiev is a TV journalist, since 1985 he is a producer and an anchorman of the popular geographic rubric “Atlas” broadcasted on the Bulgarian National Television and an author of the series of films united under the title “One man, one car, one camera”.
He has graduated “Bulgarian philology” in Veliko Tarnovo. He has visited more than 120 countries on all continents, has shooted independently more than 400 films. He is the author of several books and numerous publications in the press, radio stations and other e-medias, focusing on the ancient cultures and civilizations.
Simeon Idakiev is the author and anchorman of the rubrics “Directions” and “One man, one microphone” on the radio program “Hristo Botev” on the Bulgarian national radio, and “The World and everything in it” broadcasted on the National cable television “Evrokom”.
He is a member of the Union of the Bulgarian Journalist, the Union of the Bulgarian Film Makers, the Bulgarian Geographical Society. In 2014 he becomes a member of the Royal Geographical Society.
MARIYA KARAGYOZOVA
Executive Director and Owner at CCA Ltd.
One of the founders of the International tourism fair “Cultural Tourism” in the city of Veliko Tarnovo, Director of the one-of-a-kind international tourism film festival in Bulgaria “On The East Coast Of Europe”. Owner of consultation and communication agency – media advertising agency that works in the tourism field, presenting and promoting tourism services, managing numerous events and festivals all over the country, producing films, clips, reportages and presentations in the tourism field.
Specializes in the media, marketing and advertising fields as well as management of cultural tourism.
ASSOC. PROF. DR STEFAN SEREZLIEV
Assoc. Prof. Dr Stefan Serezliev works both as a professional and a lecturer in the Integrated Marketing & Brand Communications, Advertising, PR, Visual Communication, and Design.
Over the years he led creative departments in Bulgarian and international agencies for IMC and Brand Communications.
He has participated in many national and international projects of the creative industries & tourism brands: he leads academic and professional workshops, in-house training for companies and communication agencies in the fields of integrated marketing communications and branding, optimization of the creative process and strategic creative planning.
Member: Board of Superbrands Bulgaria; Union of Bulgarian Artists (Graphic Design); Member of the Union of Bulgarian Journalists; Board of Institute of Rhetoric and Communications; American Academy of Advertising; Ico-D (International Council of Design); Vice-chairman of the Bulgarian Academic Association of Communications (BAAC), etc.
MARIANA MAZHDRAKOVA
PRIM EXPO – organizer of the HOLIDAY & SPA EXPO
Alumna of the National Academy of Art in the field of spatial design. Actively working in the sphere of graphic, communication and exhibition design.
Among the creators of the print and advertisement media fair – COPI’S.
Member of Chamber of the Bulgarian Designers.