From 7 to 11 September 2026, Varna University of Management hosted an international Blended Intensive Programme within the Erasmus+ framework, focused on Innovation and Creativity in Tourism and Hospitality.
Participants from the Institute of Tourism Studies in Malta, IES Escuela de Hostelería y Turismo de Alcalá de Henares in Spain, and Lycée Général et Technologique de Bellevue in Martinique, France, joined the programme, under the guidance of Irina Petkova.
During the week, academic meetings were combined with hands-on training in a tourism industry environment. Instead of discussing tourism only in the classroom, participants had the opportunity to see how different tourism products and experiences are created, managed, and developed in practice.
The programme included visits to Albena Resort, Cape Kaliakra, Nessebar, Eco Telus Snail Farm, Kabiuk Stud Farm, Tsarev Brod Winery, and other locations. Through these visits, participants explored experiential tourism, destination management, cultural heritage, local gastronomy, visitor experience, and the use of local resources in tourism development. Meetings and discussions with business owners and professionals also gave participants insights into the practical side of running tourism-related businesses and the challenges they face.
Participants had the opportunity to learn from real examples, ask questions, exchange ideas, and compare different approaches to tourism and hospitality across countries.
The BIP demonstrated how learning outside the classroom can help students better understand the tourism industry and connect academic knowledge with real practice.
