Yordanka Fandakova is Mayor of Sofia since 2009. She was born in the city of Samokov on 12 April 1962 and studied Russian Philology at St. Kliment Ohridski Sofia University. She started her career as a teacher in 1988. Before going into politics, Fandakova became principal at her school and held the post for seven years until 2005. In the period of 2007 to 2009 she was Deputy Mayor for “Culture, Education and Sports”.

In 2007 Fandakova also started the municipal programs “Culture” and “Europe”, in which to date in more than 700 projects over 6 million Bulgarian Lev (3 million Euros) have been invested. In addition she implemented reforms covering municipal theaters and participated in the development of the long-term strategy for cultural development “Sofia-creative capital” (2013-2023). Sofia’s bid to become European Capital of Culture in 2019 was initiated by Fandakova as well. She is married and has one daughter.

Renata Pindžo, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Economics, Finance and Administration (FEFA), Belgrade. She holds lectures at the Academy of Applied Science, College of Tourism, Belgrade. Since October 2021, she has been Communication director at the Foreign Investors Council (FIC) in the Republic of Serbia and founder of Tourism & Hospitality Commitee.

From July 2008 to October 2021, she was in charge of the tourism sector as Deputy Minister in the Government of the Republic of Serbia. Since 2013, she has been a member of the National Council for Tourism Development of the Republic of Serbia. Ms. Pindžo graduated from the Faculty of Economics, University of Belgrade, where she obtained a Master’s degree in 2003. In May 2011, she received her Ph.D. degree.

Furthermore, her experience includes more than 13 years in management consulting and financial advisory services. She has gained knowledge by providing consulting services to many domestic and international companies, including financial institutions and local municipalities during her employment at Deloitte.

Also, as a consultant, she was engaged at the Economics Institute and on the World Bank`s projects related to privatization, restructuring, and improving the competitiveness of the Serbian economy. She has cooperated with many international institutions (USAID, EAR, EBRD, OECD, SDC, DFID, and GIZ) on complex projects of restructuring the Serbian economy. Also, she was the focal point on the behalf of the Republic of Serbia (tourism field) in the following organizations and regional initiatives: UNWTO, BSEC, RCC, EUSAIR, EUSDR. Ms. Pindžo is the author of more than 80 scientific papers.

Son of King Boris III and Queen Giovanna, Simeon Saxe-Coburg Gotha was born on June 16, 1937 in Sofia, Bulgaria.

Upon the sudden death of King Boris III on August 28, 1943, the 6-year old Simeon acceded to the throne as Tsar* Simeon II. A three-member Council of Regency was formed to govern Bulgaria on his behalf. Following the communist coup on September 9, 1944, Simeon II remained on the throne but the regents, including his uncle Prince Kyril, along with the core of the country’s intellectuals, were executed. In 1946, a referendum forced King Simeon II, his sister Princess Maria Luisa and the Queen Mother Giovanna to leave Bulgaria. Without abdicating, the young King was to spend long years of exile. The family settled first in Alexandria, Egypt. The choice was not accidental. The Italian King Victor Emmanuel III, the father of the Queen Mother Giovanna, lived there in exile. Simeon II was enrolled at the Victoria College in Egypt.

In July 1951, the Spanish Government granted asylum to the exiled Bulgarian royal family. In Madrid, Simeon II graduated from the Lycée Français and read law and political sciences. In 1958-1959 he enrolled at the Valley Forge Military Academy and College in the United States, where he graduated as second lieutenant.

In 1962 Simeon II married a Spanish aristocrat, Doña Margarita Gómez-Acebo y Cejuela. They have five children – four sons and a daughter.

Simeon II Saxe-Coburg Gotha maintained broad international contacts with the business community and his manifold activities have led him to travel frequently worldwide. Throughout the years of exile he closely followed developments in his country and kept abreast of everything regarding Bulgaria. He worked actively with Bulgarian emigrants worldwide and helped many fellow countrymen.

In 1996 Simeon II paid a maiden visit to Bulgaria after almost 50 years of exile.

In 1998, the Constitutional Court of Bulgaria ruled to restore to his family the royal estates, which had been nationalized by the communists.

On April 6, 2001 Simeon II proclaimed his decision to return for good and to contribute actively to the country’s revival, by employing the experience and contacts he had amassed in exile.

In a historic address to the Bulgarian nation he proclaimed his intention to form a new political entity – the National Movement Simeon II (NMSII) – dedicated to high political morale and integrity. As the leader of the Movement, after overcoming the stumbling blocks on the way to registering the Movement in court, the Bulgarian King joined the parliamentary elections on June 17, 2001.

After a landslide victory for the NMSII, Simeon II Saxe-Coburg Gotha was sworn in as Prime Minister of the Republic of Bulgaria on July 24, 2001. He completed a successful 4-year term of office in a government coalition with the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) – the first post-communist cabinet to end its mandate with enhanced public approval. During the term of the NMSII governance, Bulgaria attained the strategic national ideals of joining NATO and signing the Treaty of Accession to the European Union.

Following the 2005 parliamentary elections, Simeon II Saxe-Coburg Gotha joined the ruling Council of the tripartite coalition of BSP (Bulgarian Socialist Party), NMSII and MRF, which formed the cabinet.

By a Presidential Decree of June 15, 2001, Simeon II Saxe-Coburg Gotha was awarded the highest state distinction – the Stara Planina Order First Degree – for his exceptional service to Bulgaria.

Simeon II Saxe-Coburg Gotha has been decorated with more than 30 other distinctions, including the highest class of the Royal and Distinguished Spanish Order of Carlos III, the Grand Officer class of the French Legion of Honor, the Belgian Grand Cross of the Order of Leopold II, the Islamic Grand Cross of the Order of Independence of Jordan, the Greek Grand Cross of the Saviour, the Grand Cross of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, the Grand Cross of the Order of Malta, Kinght of the Order of the Golden Fleece, Knight Grand-Cross of Honour and Devotion, as well as with the highest classes of a number of European Dynastic orders.

Monday 9 May 2022 – Ministerial Roundtable

What is driving investments in Travel and Tourism sector?

Welcome Notes & Global Economic Outlook 2022 by Scott Livermore, Oxford Economics

Reenergizing air connectivity to support tourism growth in the Middle East

How the Middle East is reinventing the financing of future tourism projects?

The economic integration of women through the tourism industry

Destination Focus – Investment Opportunities – Ras Al Khaimah forges ahead

Presentations of Tourism Projects Financing

Unlocking new mode of payments in the travel and tourism industry

Enhancing tourism resilience to mitigate the impact of future crises and improved financing through better preparedness & Closing

Watch Global Tourism Resilience Forum 2022

Discover the Global Tourism Resilience & Crisis Management Council

Khadija Mohamed Turki appointed as Acting Director General of the Ajman Department of Tourism Development (ADTD) in March 2022. Backed by the experience she gathered in the fields of tourism, retail, events and aviation for more than 20 years, she is planning to strategically place Ajman on the world’s best destinations’ map as a unique touristic haven, by implementing courageous plans that will revolutionize the future of the tourism sector of the emirate of Ajman, capitalizing on its rich heritage, the glorious history, unspoiled nature, and modern attractions that Ajman possess, using her exceptional marketing and communications skills, in addition to her unique talent to identify and exploit untethered opportunities and the deep knowledge of the emirate of Ajman that she gained previously as the Director of Tourism Development and Marketing Department at ADTD.

Holder of a Higher Diploma in Business Admin, Higher Colleges of Technology, Dubai Women’s College, Khadija Mohamed Turki started her career as part of the first team who managed Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) back in 1997. The festival is the longest running retail festival in the region to date.

Then in 2001 she joined the dynamic aviation industry with Emirates Airline for 7 years as part of the Corporate Communication team organizing and managing Emirates activities around the globe like the Dubai Airshow, the Dubai World Cup, DIFF, ITB Berlin, ATM, WTM, the Powerboat Raceand the Emirates Annual Report and Press Conference just to name few.

Prior to joining ADTD, as Director, Tourism Development and Marketing Department, in 2011 Turki worked at the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing in Dubai (DTCM) and led several roles that contributed to successfully promoting Dubai as a family and business destination internationally by choice. By end of 2018, she became a part time faculty and an instructor member at the Dubai College of Tourism where she contributed to educating and training the students of the Tourism major. Passing on her knowledge and experience in the domain to the next generations is something she enjoys doing.

Turki was a member of the Marketing and Investment Committee at Dubai Sports Council, 2007 until 2008, and a member of the Marketing Committee at UAE Football Association, Jun to Dec 2008.

15 years of extensive experience in marketing and communications.

Achievement and result driven professional with outstanding qualifications in all phases.

Skillful developer of strategic communications & marketing programs that continually surpass expectations. In-depth project management experience from conception to implementation through leadership skills. The ability and skill set to provide creative, innovative, enthusiastic and forward-thinking leadership in a team environment.

Focused on achieving continuous & improved business performance.

Covered branding, events, marketing, PR, communications, advertising and strategies.

Experience in creating, implementing and developing strategies in the Marketing and Communication department.