Meeting between students in “Tourism” program at IBS and leading experts from the industry reveals the path to success in the tour operator business
Аn informal discussion meeting took place at the office of the tour operator Apollo, involving students from the third and fourth years of the Bachelor’s program in “Tourism” (both full-time and part-time) and Mrs. Pavlina Ilieva, owner and manager of TO “Apollo” and representative of the “Future for Tourism” Association.
The meeting, led by Chief. Assist. Prof. Dr. Dessislava Alexova, aimed to connect the theoretical knowledge of students from the courses “Geography for Travel Agents” and “Tourism Organizations” with practical examples from the work in the tourism sector.
During the event, several key topics were addressed, including:
- The specifics of tour operator activity;
- Features of organizing exotic trips for outbound tourism;
- Organization of package tours, as well as the risks and challenges associated with them.
The topic of the discussion also included the necessity for legislative changes in tourism, the establishment of a guarantee fund, and the ways in which tourism organizations collaborate with institutions in conditions of global crises and uncertain political environments.
The close collaboration between IBS and practicing professionals in tourism provides our students with the opportunity to engage in solving real business cases, to get up close with the challenges faced by the tour operator sector, and to exchange valuable experience and knowledge with Ms. Ilieva. The discussion was marked by a deep analysis of each of the aspects discussed, contributing to the development of practical skills and the preparation of future specialists in the field of tourism for a successful professional career.
