THE ORGANIZING COMMITTEE

OF 

TOURISM DEPARTMENT, FACULTY OF ECONOMICS,

"ST. CYRIL AND ST. METHODIUS" UNIVERSITY OF VELIKO TARNOVO, BULGARIA

and

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF GEOPHYSICS, GEODESY AND GEOGRAPHY AT

BULGARIAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCES

INVITE YOU TO PARTICIPATE IN

International Scientific Conference:

 „Tourism in Transition“,

on 19-20 November 2026

TOPICS:

1.  Tourism Development and Destination Management;

2. Contemporary challenges and transformations in tourism;

3. Sustainable and responsible tourism;

4. Cultural, heritage, and urban tourism;

5. Tourism geography and regional development;

6. Tourism economics and policy;

7. Hospitality and Tourism Management;

8. Tourism education and professional development;

9. Innovation, digitalisation, and emerging technologies in tourism;

10. GIS and technological innovations in tourism;

11. Urbanization and tourism;

12. Tourism, communities, and local development;

13. Changing tourist behaviour and experiences;

14. Contemporary trends and future perspectives in tourism.

WORKING LANGUAGE: English and Bulgarian

FEES: The participation at the conference is free of charge!

PUBLICATION:

All approved papers will be published in proceedings with ISBN in electronic format.

All papers will be double blind peer-reviewed.

All papers have to be presented on the conference sessions.

The papers have not be published before.

Only presentations without written papers will not be accepted.

Posters are not accepted.

The maximum number of papers of every separate author (participating individually or in co-authorship) is two.

Participants will receive electronic conference proceedings and a certificate of participation.

Deadline for submission of Registration form: 08 November 2026.

Deadline for sending the papers at email vtu.tourism@gmail.com: 15 November 2026.

We invite to participate academics, researchers, professors, students, PhD students, specialists in tourism, geography, economics, and tourism education. 

The program of the forum will be coordinated by an international scientific committee.

Special Track: Student Research and Doctoral & Master’s Colloquium

The conference welcomes Master’s and PhD students to participate in a dedicated Student Research and Doctoral & Master’s Colloquium Track, designed to provide an academic platform for presenting research findings, discussing ongoing research projects, and receiving constructive feedback from fellow researchers and members of the academic community.

The track aims to encourage emerging scholars to engage in academic dialogue, develop their research presentation skills, and establish connections with researchers working in tourism and related disciplines. It welcomes both completed research and work in progress, including Master’s dissertations, doctoral research, and other relevant research projects.

Submissions may address any topic relevant to the overall conference theme, Tourism in Transition, including tourism development, destination management, sustainability, cultural and heritage tourism, hospitality, tourism economics, tourism geography, tourism education, digitalisation, and emerging challenges and opportunities in tourism.

Submission Guidelines

Students wishing to participate in this track are required to submit an extended abstract of no more than two pages, prepared in accordance with APA 7th edition formatting guidelines.

The extended abstract should provide a concise overview of the proposed research and, as applicable, include the following sections:

• Introduction: Research background, problem statement, aims, and research questions or objectives.

• Literature Review: Relevant theoretical perspectives, key literature, and the research gap addressed by the study.

• Methodology: Research design, methods of data collection, and analytical approach.

• Results: Main findings, preliminary results, or anticipated findings where the research is still in progress.

For ongoing research, students should clearly indicate the current stage of their project and present preliminary findings where available. The absence of completed results will not, in itself, preclude consideration of work-in-progress submissions.

All submissions should demonstrate academic relevance, a clear research focus, and an appropriate methodological approach.

Presentation and Academic Exchange

Accepted submissions will be presented by their authors during the conference. The colloquium will provide an opportunity for students to discuss their research, receive constructive feedback, and exchange ideas with academics and fellow postgraduate researchers.

The track particularly welcomes Master’s students, doctoral candidates, and early-stage researchers who wish to share their work, refine their research ideas, and gain experience in presenting at an international academic conference.

Important Information

• Format: Online conference, 19–20 November 2026.

• Submission type: Extended abstract, maximum two pages.

• Formatting: APA 7th edition.

• Submission deadline: 15 November 2026

• Registration deadline: 8 November 2026

• Submission email: vtu.tourism@gmail.com.

• Participation fee: Free of charge.

• Languages: Bulgarian and English.

We warmly encourage Master’s and PhD students to take advantage of this opportunity to present their research, engage in scholarly discussion, and become part of an international academic community committed to understanding the transformations shaping tourism.