views SHAREDcompetitiveness collaboration meetings networks innovation sustainability globalisation Welcome to the Black Sea & Balkans Conference World Summit 2020, and your companion for the event, Shared Views The summit was conceived to connect the region, build bridges for international business and create new ideas for cross-border MICE projects With this publication we hope to give you a little window into the opportunity to be found in this rapidly evolving varied region. The countries, cities and surrounding business opportunities are the result of a mix of strategic visions that place the development of priority sectors at the fore, namely tourism, energy, culture, IT, automotive and creative industries. We also explore some of the key global issues affecting the MICE industry today. From the means by which we entice new business, to the emerging trends that are shaping our events, and the educational resources that enable us to match the aspirations of the regions with a level of service and competency that unlocks their full potential. Our corner of Europe does not always get the attention it may deserve, so it is a real honour to welcome such an array of distinguished guests and we hope that this rare chance to see first-hand some of the projects we are championing in this part of the world will be something you take home and consider for years to come. We are all very proud to welcome you, one and all. From the Organisers Big Interview EU Strategy Book Preview Page 3 Page 5 Page 9 Talking Point Regional Profiles Technology Watch There’s a new book for the MICE industry doing the rounds. We speak to author and summit speaker Rob Davidson about why we should be turning its pages. Page 14 Page 21 Page 31 Page 1 7 people industries companies one international members uild views Message from the Organisers 3 b SHARED strategyclustereconomic EAM value big T brand Calling the Global events community initiativeidentitymarketing SHARED views Publisher: Consulting Cluster Veritas Ltd 34, Bogatitsa Street, Office A-01 team Sofia, Bulgaria www.veritascluster.com people Editor: Teodora Jilkova Contributing Editor: Antony Reeve-Crook industries one Art Director: Dimitar Spasov companies Graphic Design: Asia Damova Prepress, print and production: New Campaign international members Contributors: Simon Naudi, Rob Davidson, Igor Kovacevic, Antony Reeve-Crook Welcome to our special conference companion, Shared Views, our platform for sharing knowledge, inspiration and ideas. European Commission I would like to use this opportunity to officially welcome you to the Black Sea & Balkans Conference World Summit 2020, and to thank Azerbaigan CVB, ICT Cluster Burgas, Istambul CVB, clustereconomic build everybody who has contributed towards the success of this wonderful Sochi CVB, Thessaloniki CVB event. As organisers, we are proud of turning an idea into reality – and for AM The copyright to the design and content of the publication strategy us this is not just another meeting. We are thrilled to welcome such a ‘Shared Views’ is owned by Consulting Cluster Veritas. No distinguished international delegation and we are grateful to have the part of this publication may be reproduced without the prior value TE local support, whether public or private sector, association-based or big events promotional. permission of Consulting Cluster Veritas. marketing Our community is clearly growing; the community of those who want All entries and images have been supplied by the companies to follow the latest trends, to explore new ideas, to stay competitive. and contributors listed on Page 3 of this publication and while Our Community is certainly getting stronger; the community of those initiative who believe in the power of face-to-face communication, who believe great care has been taken to ensure that the details are correct, in the meetings industry and love creating, attending, and working for neither Consulting Cluster Veritas nor the production house events. accepts responsibility for any error, omission or claims made in We have already ventured beyond regional and national thinking. the publication, or at the Black Sea & Balkans Conference World We are ready to connect and exchange ideas with our neighbours, we identity Summit 2020. are already searching for new models that can help us all to position the region more visibly on the global events map. We have world-leading thinkers and practitioners joining us in Varna to discuss the whole range of issues around events marketing, unique venues and the future of our industry; from theory right team through to concrete examples. We hope that this conference publication also showcases examples of best practice, provoking new conversations and encouraging new networks. Of course, our collection of edited articles is just a taster of what is to www.cwsummit.com come, as the main meetings course is in Varna. We hope it whets the appetite and helps to build that valuable community that we are all constructing around important, shared values. #BSBCWSummit2020 Teodora Jilkova, WWW.VERITASCLUSTER.COM For and on behalf Consulting Cluster Veritas and organising team of Black Sea & Balkans Conference World Summit 2020 www.agenda-bg.com SHARED views Big Interview 5 Serving up Burgas for business Shared Views caught up with the Mayor of Burgas, Dimitar Nikolov, to find out his plans for the future of business events in Burgas. If people only had time to visit one city in Bulgaria, why should they see Burgas? MAYOR NIKOLOV: Burgas is a romantic, inspiring modern city. Situated near the picturesque Black Sea coast, tucked away between three beautiful lakes. It is a charming city for strolls, for sea and yachting tourism, for unforgettable experiences and memories. A 18 years of experience in business consulting city with artistic and Bohemian charm that offers a rich cultural Narrow specialization in developing ERASMUS +educational program of festivals, and sports projects and for financing largescale sporting events street acts and numerous exhibitions. Burgas has kept its authenticity, yet it also carries the Increasing market presence in Romania, Macedonia and Turkey related to the development spirit of a dynamic MAYOR NIKOLOV: Burgas The key to the Burgas has the largest European city; which is has a tradition in fishing city’s economy is the oil refining company in and management of educational and sports initiatives why it is attractive for and fish-processing, food- development of our the Balkans, the major processing, ship repair, Industrial Zones. In fuel supplier to Bulgaria business. The priority wagon-building, oil- Industrial and Logistics and one of the largest in terms of the concept processing and chemical Park (Phase 1) we have employers. Nationally represented - Offices in Varna, Burgas and Sofia of city development is industry, production of 35 investors, mainly the implementation of cables and steel elements. from the food industry, What would attract smart urban solutions Due to our favorable hydraulic systems overseas businesses in line with the green geographical location, well- production, logistics to invest or set up in Intensive innovation activities related to the use of high technologies in sports Burgas? policy pursued by the developed infrastructure and high technology. A research and production Municipality of Burgas. and the availability of all types of transport, there facility for aircraft engine MAYOR NIKOLOV: Living An attractive city that Active member of the Bulgarian Association are many transport and parts is also being built conditions, investment you will surely want to logistics companies in there. The capacity in education and human of Management Consulting Organizations (BAMCO) come back to. Burgas, and in the last is running out, so we resource development, years the IT industry are now developing an well-established transport What emerging and started to grow. In the last Industrial and Logistics connectivity, availability established industries four years, the ICT sector Park (Phase 2) near our of suitable plots, quick Contact us: are there to be found in acquired office space and largest housing district, administrative procedures area over 9,000 sqm. Meden Rudnik. and services, easy [email protected] +359 52 828 132 + 359 888 844 269 Burgas? Cont. on p. 7 BULGARIAN SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES PROMOTION AGENCY SHARED views Big Interview 7 access to information. events and conferences. How have you seen the How does the city In recent years we have The city also offers city change in the past market itself to made a lot of investment opportunities for meetings 10-20 years? overseas business in infrastructure and and conferences varying event organisers? education and we are from 450 seats in the MAYOR NIKOLOV: We are one of the very few university buildings, opening new schools, new MAYOR NIKOLOV: The Bulgarian cities with a Smart center with a branches of universities; marketing strategy of conference hall of 190 The Bulgarian Small and Medium Enterprises Promotion Agency (BSMEPA) is an renovated schools and we are building new Burgas Municipality is kindergartens. We have seats, as well as extremely kindergartens; we are changing according to the administrative structure to the Minister of Economy of the Republic of Bulgaria, which carried out the difficult comfortable halls in the expanding industrial trends in this sector. For implements the state policy for promoting entrepreneurship, development, and procedures for changing hotels Primorets, Aqua zones; the port is years, we have not only internationalization of SMEs. BSMEPA provides to Bulgarian SMEs information and the purpose of real estate and Mirage. advertised the city as a The newest jewel of the developing new terminals; in our industrial zones, traditional destination for consulting services, organizes training courses and webinars and implements promotion city is the Burgas Congress the city is growing and and we offer plots on summer tourism, but we activities in supporting the increase of SMEs’ competitiveness. Center. This modernistic rejuvenating.