On November 17-21, a large-scale event for professionals in the global tourism industry took place in Sofia and Varna. It was a Roadshow organized by the major Bulgarian tour operator Emerald Travel. The Carthage Group team, along with leading representatives from partner hotels, participated in this undoubtedly significant, engaging, and valuable event hosted by our colleagues.
The program of the Roadshow in Bulgaria has become significantly more extensive. Last year, only three countries, such as Turkey, Tunisia, and Mauritius took part in the event. This November, the Carthage Group team participated in the Emerald Travel event for the second time and presented two destinations, Tunisia and Egypt. Additionally, participants from the United Arab Emirates and the Sultanate of Oman joined the Roadshow, and the number of destinations is planned to be expanded further in 2025.
The Tunisian delegation to Bulgaria included Mr. Mohamed Saadaoui, the founder and owner of Carthage Group, along with the company’s Global Sales Director, Mr. Mohamed Khalil Fejji. Joining them were our partner hoteliers, including the Project Manager of Novostar Hotels, Mr. Amine Slama, as well as representatives of the brands Thalassa Hotels, Khayam Hotels, Miramar Hotels, ONE Hotels & Resorts, Houda Hotels, and accommodation facilities Riadh Palms Resort & SPA 4*, Sentido Bellevue Park 5*, Hilton Skanes Monastir Beach Resort 5*, and Hammamet Garden Resort & SPA 4*.
The Egyptian delegation was represented by Mr. Mohamed Youssef Elsabky, the General Manager of the DMC Old Egypt Travel, which is a structural division of Carthage Group. Also, the event was attended by hoteliers from Pickalbatros Hotels & Resorts and Rixos Hotels Egypt, as well as representatives of Swiss Inn Resort Hurghada 5* and Sharm Grand Plaza Resort 5*.
A notable highlight of the event was the new format for business meetings introduced by the organizers. Last year, agency representatives engaged with hoteliers without any time limits, which often led to prolonged discussions. As a result, many participants spent tedious hours waiting, unable to get the necessary information or connect with certain colleagues.
This time, individual conversations and presentations were allocated a strict 10-minute limit. Additionally, Emerald Travel developed a dedicated online platform where travel agency representatives could register and schedule exact meeting times with hoteliers.
By unanimous consensus among participants, the updated format proved highly effective. This year’s Roadshow in Sofia and Varna became an excellent opportunity for travel agents to obtain first-hand information about popular hotels and current industry trends, exchange essential contacts with hoteliers, and lay the groundwork for future collaboration.
As part of the Roadshow 2024, Emerald Travel awarded travel agencies that were top sellers for various destinations. Additionally, hoteliers held a raffle, offering participants complimentary stays at their properties.
It also should be noted that special attention was drawn to Mr. Maher Guetari, the representative of Hilton Skanes Monastir Beach Resort 5* and a member of the Tunisian delegation. This hotel is set to host a grand New Year’s Eve gala dinner for Bulgarian tourists, with the event headlined by renowned Bulgarian actress and singer Mrs. Gergana Stoyanova. The hotel representative and the star of the upcoming celebration had the opportunity to meet in person in Bulgaria, where Mrs. Gergana was one of the hosts of the gala dinner that concluded the Roadshow program in Varna.
