A forum on technological transformation in the hotel industry took place in Sofia for the first time

The first edition of the Quantum Hotel Technology Forum focused on the technological transformation of the hotel industry.

It was organized by Quendoo, part of the portfolio of Capital Investment Fund from Bulgarian Development Bank Group. The forum brought together innovators, hoteliers, and technology companies in the fields of artificial intelligence, cloud technologies, and distribution channels.

"We want to turn Quantum HTF into a community where people from tourism and technology draw the path to the future of hospitality together," said Quendoo co-founder Goryan Varbanov.

According to him, it is important to view digitalisation as a tool for development and growth, rather than a threat to the traditional business model.

The event was structured around three main areas: distribution technologies, artificial intelligence in tourism and opportunities for financing innovation in the sector.

Among the speakers were Kristina Kochanova from Hotelbeds / HBX Group - a global leader in B2B distribution, connecting over 300,000 hotels worldwide, as well as Alexander Blunt, co-founder of Heidi - the second largest British tour operator for ski holidays, which uses technology to make winter travel more affordable and personalized.

An important focus in the program was the topic of financing innovation. Lyubomir Damyanov from the Bulgarian Development Bank's Capital Investment Fund presented approaches to supporting the tourism business in implementing innovative solutions. Ivan Draganov from the GATE Institute at Sofia University showed examples of the use of artificial intelligence in consumer data analysis, marketing, and hotel operations optimization.

Participants had the opportunity to take part in discussions on the practical effects of the technologies, from automated reservation management to dynamic pricing and customer experience improvement.

About the organizer:

Quendoo is a Bulgarian hotel and vacation property management company that offers a comprehensive cloud-based solution for increasing the online presence and revenue of accommodation providers.

Thanks to the platform, hotels increase their direct bookings and reduce the costs of fees and commissions to external intermediaries.

With the support of the Capital Investment Fund, the company plans to develop new tools and functionalities, as well as expand its presence in international markets.