Sonia Mileva

• Full Professor, PhD, DrSc
• Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski"

The paper presents results from the conducted research of the available gamified applications promoting Sofia city as a tourist destination. The aim of the research is to study the opportunities and the limitations of gamified location based applications as a marketing tool by applying the qualitative research technique of key informants, providing...

This research aims to develop a comprehensive indicator system for monitoring sustainable tourism in forestry-based environments. The study will focus on identifying key indicators and methodologies to assess the impact of tourism on economic, social, and ecological aspects within the context of forestry. The research will involve an analysis of th...

The purpose of the article is to research the impact of innovativeness and innovation culture as premises for effective gamification at destination level. The main hypothesis defended is that innovation culture and gamification can be powerful tools for tourism destination management. By creating a culture that supports innovation and implementing...

In this article, we aim to present the innovative concept of Societal feelings and Attitudes (SAF) towards a controversial cultural heritage. Our investigation is based on longitudinal approach (1990-2022) including media releases and political and social debates and opinions related to the communist heritage in Bulgaria. Although this concept is c...

The main aim of the research is to identify the potential of location-based gamification apps for promoting tourist destinations. The specific goal is to investigate and evaluate the existing gamified apps for Sofia and reveal their potential as a marketing tool for enhancing the capital as a tourist destination. The study is based on a literature...

Głównym celem artykułu jest określenie możliwości wykorzystania aplikacji opartych na grywalizacji i lokalizacji w miejscowościach turystycznych. Celem szczegółowym jest zbadanie i ewaluacja już istniejących aplikacji tego typu dla Sofii, jak również odkrycie ich potencjału jako narzędzia marketingowego w rozwoju tego miasta turystycznego. Studium...

The paper propose a conceptual framework of societal attitudes towards the socialist heritage in Bulgaria as a country with controversial socialist legacies in the field of tourism. The analysis aims to investigate the different expressions of sociatel approach to the heritage of the communist period of Bulgaria and what is the attitude, feelings,...

Геймифицираните приложения за маркетингово цели набиратвсе по-голяма популярност. Настоящият доклад изследва спецификата на геймифицирани приложения за София като туристическа дестинация, използващи културно-историческото наследство на града. В резултат са изследван водещи добри практики в Европа и е направендетайлен анализ на най-популярните прило...

Докладът е посветен на геймификацията като инструмент за маркетинг и влияние на потребителското поведение в сферата на туризма. Изведени са основните възможности и силни страни на геймификацията, които намират приложение в туризма и носят добавена стойност на потребителя. Паралелно е направен критичен анализ на основните ограничения и рискове от пр...

This volume is an eclectic multidisciplinary collection of essays related to the interconnections between dark tourism and pilgrimage travel. It focuses on dark tourism sites as pilgrimage destinations, dark tourists as pilgrims, and pilgrimage as a form of dark tourism. Theories and histories of dark tourism and pilgrimage are covered, as well as...

Gamified applications are gaining increasing popularity for marketing reasons. The paper explores the specifics of gamed applications for Sofia as a tourist destination based on the cultural and historical heritage of the city. As a result, leading good practices in Europe have been studied and a detailed analysis of the most popular applications f...

Монографията предлага мнения за дигиталните технологии в туризма, начина въздействие и промяна в икономическия, социалния и културния контекст.

Настоящата монография е първата по рода си, посветена тематично на събитията и туризма. Съдържателно, текстът е структуриран в две основни части. Първа част е посветена на дефинирането на същността на събитията в контекста на туристическата индустрия. Специално внимание е посветено на видовете събития, категории, характеристики и специфика. Събития...

The definition of attractions is compound, ambiguous and difficult in practice and the reasons are the complex nature, variety of typology of the sites referred as attractions. The current paper explores the main challenges of managing the attractions as tourist resources at the destination level. The data of empirical survey is covering Sofia city...

Purpose The paper is making a preliminary evaluation of dark tourism potential in Bulgaria. Dark tourism is underestimated research topic in Bulgaria – a country with long and rich cultural heritage, belonging to orthodox religion, with ambiguous impacts from the communist/socialist political regime and nowadays being a typical destination for mass...

The search and accumulation of information online for the travel purposes follows three different stages: pre-trip, during-trip, and post-trip. We study the online behavioural patterns before the trip (planning), responsible for the creation of reliable own expectations, obtain ideas and make selection of attractions and places to be visited; еvalu...

The search and accumulation of information online for the travel purposes follows three different stages: pre-trip, during-trip, and post-trip. We study the online behavioural patterns before the trip (planning), responsible for the creation of reliable own expectations, obtain ideas and make selection of attractions and places to be visited; evalu...

During the last 60 years Bulgaria has steadily developed and improved its tourism industry. A lot has been done to educate the national workforce to be employed in tourism and hospitality in the country. The paper aims are: to follow the historical development of tourism and hospitality higher education in the country; to outline the present struct...

Новите ИКТ са в основата на значителна част от иновациовната активност в туризма (Tseng C., Kuo H., Chou S., 2008; Werthner H., Klein S., 1999). Основните структурни промени в туризма са в типа взаимоврзъки между туристическите предприятия и потребителите (Buhalis, 2005), обслужване и комуникация на база уеб-базирани услуги (Buhalis D., Law R. , 20...

The paper presents the results of the analysis of the instruments used for the organization and management of “West Trans-Balkan Road” cultural corridor in Bulgaria within the context of sustainable tourism development. Subject of analysis is the effect of EU tourism projects on tourism development within the Bulgarian section of the “West Trans-Ba...

Discussions about the new competences and skills needs for the tourism sector have recently gained a particular significance. Employers are increasingly concerned with what employees know, understand and are able to do in practice, rather than focusing on formal qualifications, degrees and certificates. At the same time, education and training syst...

The e-skills in Tourism education has become of particular importance for the changing market due to the new ICT and relationship with the consumer. Introduction of new technologies will continue to create a need for new skills and competencies in order to facilitate the deployment of improved ICT infrastructure and the adoption of e-integrated bus...

The e-skills in Tourism education has become of particular importance for the changing market due to the new ICT and relationship with the consumer. Introduction of new technologies will continue to create a need for new skills and competencies in order to facilitate the deployment of improved ICT infrastructure and the adoption of e-integrated bus...

The present paper aims to present innovative approach regarding the traditional mass, "3S" Bulgarian tourist product. The authors outline the need of new, unexplored "blue ocean" strategy based on the local identity, authenticity and local products aiming to create new type of demand, new markets, differentiating the product and reformulating the l...

The discussions about the new competences and skill needs for the tourism sector have recently gained a particular significance. Employers are increasingly concerned with what employees know, understand and are able to do in practice, rather than focusing on formal qualifications, degrees and certificates. At the same time, education and training s...

The discussions about the new occupations, competences and future skill needs for the tourism sector in Europe has a particular significance. It has been risen at EU level, launching different initiatives such as ESCO – European classification linking skills competences, qualifications and occupations. From other side the employers are increasingly...

The discussions about the new occupations, competences and future skill needs for the tourism sector in Europe and also in Bulgaria. From the other side, employers are increasingly concerned with what workers know, understand and are able to do in practice, rather than focusing on formal qualifications, degrees and certificates. Additionally, there...

Tourism plays an important role in Europe, and specifically in Bulgaria, and it makes a considerable contribution to employment and regional development. Usually, tourism is among the sectors which are used for introduction and application of different government measures and initiatives which aim at increase of employment. In spite of the commitme...