Teodora Zhilkova, Executive Director of BCB
The non-profit association "Bulgarian Congress Bureau - BCB" is a legal entity registered under the Non-profit Legal Entities Act, re-registered in the Commercial Register and the Register of non-profit legal entities at the Registry Agency, and entered in the National Tourist Register at the Ministry of Tourism. The association was established in April 2016, with the founders of the National Palace of Culture - Congress Center Sofia EAD and Inter Expo and Congress Center AD.
The primary mission of BCB is for its members to maintain active and receive constructive cooperation on all issues, to present Bulgaria as a new and attractive congress destination in Europe, demonstrating its unique identity through active participation in specialized events and exhibitions.
The priority goal is to increase revenues from events and our country to establish itself as a centre for business events in Eastern Europe by advertising Bulgaria as an excellent business destination and developing national potential, attracting and winning international business events in Bulgaria.
Who are the members of BCB?
Currently, BCB represents 42 full members and 1 associate, with over 10,000 people employed in the industry, including the two largest congress centres in the country, 5 and 4 - star hotels, leading DMC and PCO, specialized service providers - catering, transport and logistics, audio and visual equipment, translations, branding, special equipment, etc. representatives of established companies, working daily with the necessary expertise for quality service of any significant international event. The members of BCB realize more than 1500 events and exhibitions annually, with a total attendance of hundreds of thousands of people. BCB successfully partners with line ministries, agencies, municipalities and other industry associations, being the only representative for Bulgaria and a member of the International Association of Conventions and Congresses (ICCA) since 2018. BCB is also a member of BIA, BCCI and NBT.
Why and when do you need the services of BCB?
The congress bureaus are perceived as a "one-stop-shop" for receiving technical information about the destination and its possibilities for holding events of different sorts and scales. Moreover, the services of the congress bureaus are free of charge for local and international associations and corporate clients.
Why do destinations compete over hosting international conferences, and why is it worth investing in the exhibition and conference industry?
- Focus - it attracts world leaders in the country and cities
- Platform - to advertise local innovations, products and experts
- Profile - it draws the attention of the world media to the destination as a place with suitable business conditions
- Investments - it provides an international scene
- Culture - it draws the attention of various communities to the national cultural and historical heritage
- Network - it builds business contacts, trade and scientific connections
- Access - it provides access to new technologies and ideas
- Knowledge - it strengthens professional expertise
- Infrastructure - it causes the development of infrastructure
- Business - it's an economic stimulus
Statistics and economic indicators
The summary results from the ICCA (International Congress and Convention Association) database show the following:
- Out of 70,000 international associations, more than 800 have local members in Bulgaria;
- Bulgaria ranks 27th in hosting events of international associations. In 2019, Bulgaria hosted 49 international meetings with a total of 11,482 participants. This places the country before Latvia, Luxembourg and Ukraine;
- Sofia holds first place among Bulgarian cities, hosting 33 events in 2019 and 142, organized between 2015-2019;
- Varna has hosted 6 international events in 2019 and 33 events in the period 2015-2019. Plovdiv - 5 events in 2019 and 15 in total for the period 2015-2019, and Burgas - hosted 1 event in 2017 and 1 in 2018;
- Most of the events of the international associations organized in Bulgaria in the period 2015-2019 are small, with up to 150 delegates;
- Sofia hosted the most significant registered events (a total of 8 for 2015-2019, with over 1000 delegates at each event).
- The average duration of events held in Bulgaria is 3.78 days, slightly above the world average.
- The average event registration fee is $ 393, and the average cost per delegate is $ 1,789. The amounts are excluding VAT.
- The average cumulative income from all registration fees of all events in 2019 is $ 95,023, and the average annual expenses of all delegates are $ 21 million. The amounts are excluding VAT.
COVID-19
Undoubtedly, the pandemic has changed and transformed the event industry. Trade fairs and business events (conferences, business meetings, forums, etc.) operate under a strictly controlled set of principles. We can track each visitor and introduce measures to ensure that the events comply with all government requirements. The standards are aimed at securing and protecting all participants.
Over the past year and a half, all events industry companies have made incredible efforts to adapt their activities in line with the measures and preserve the health and safety of the attendees. We proved ourselves responsible when we were allowed to work under all the conditions and criteria we had to comply with.
The possibility to hold exhibitions, business meetings, conferences and seminars is a prerequisite for the recovery of each economic sector directly related to their holding. Moreover, events are platforms for exchanging experience, knowledge, and new business contacts, which is vital for economic recovery.
COVID-19 required flexibility and transformation of standards, setting a physical distance between the participants but shortening the distance between partners and creating new preconditions for building business networks, partnerships and dialogue with institutions.
The most valuable thing in BCB is the unanimity of its members and the experience of belonging to a joint mission and goal.
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www.bgcb.eu
