Evaluation of hotel service-performance process in Bulgaria

The paper analyses the hotel service-performance process in Bulgarian hotels, which is based on the results of the research about tourists' opinion on basic moments in service process. One of the most important characteristics of hotel industry is the leading role of the human factor in service-performance process. It cannot be accomplished without the participation of the customer and without the participation of the staff. This makes the evaluation of service process strongly subjective. Because of this, customer needs satisfaction is a big challenge for the hotel management. Under the present conditions of an increased competition, satisfying customers means offering service- performance process, which not only meets, but also exceeds guests' expectations. This can be achieved by a preliminary study of their requirements and expectations

Modern transformations in hotel service

The purpose of the present study is to trace the most significant modern transformations in hotel service worldwide, which could also find application in the Bulgarian hotel industry. The first part of the publication examines the factors, as a result of which significant changes occur in the way hotel organizations interact with their customers. The first factor that has had an important impact on the development of the world hotel industry in recent years is the change in the characteristics of hotel consumers and their expectations about hotel service. The second factor, the impact of which in the last two years has radically changed not only the hotel sector but also socio-economic life in general, is the global spread of COVID-19 and the efforts the world is making to contain it. The second part of the paper examines innovative intelligent solutions based on self-service technologies, service automation, and artificial intelligence, which significantly accelerate the adaptation of the hospitality industry to new realities. It is completely realistic to claim that these technologies are also applicable in the Bulgarian hotel industry, especially since some of them are already being implemented in Bulgarian hotels, although still as isolated cases

State and trends in the foodservice industry after the end of the COVID-19 pandemic

The publication examines the current state, development, and trends of the foodservice industry. Analysing the main indicators of the industry is an important tool for revealing opportunities for development and investment stimulation in the sector. Quantitative and qualitative indicators of the foodservice industry such as volume of foodservice sector, its territorial structure, type structure, and forms of ownership management at global, regional, and national levels are analysed to achieve the objective. The research period covers the last six years, intending to trace the dynamics of the restaurant supply before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic. The analysis of the studied indicators reveals that the foodservice sector has recovered both internationally and nationally after the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the indicators have not yet reached the levels of the year before the pandemic

Early pregnancy sex steroids and maternal risk of epithelial ovarian cancer.

Well-established associations between reproductive characteristics and epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) support an involvement of sex steroid hormones in the etiology of EOC. Limited previous studies have evaluated circulating androgens and the risk of EOC, and estrogens and progesterone have been investigated in only one of the previous studies. Furthermore, there is little data on potential heterogeneity in the association between circulating hormones and EOC by histological subgroup. Therefore, we conducted a nested case-control study within the Finnish Maternity Cohort and the Northern Sweden Maternity Cohort to investigate the associations between circulating pre-diagnostic sex steroid concentrations and the histological subtypes of EOC. We identified 1052 EOC cases among cohort members diagnosed after recruitment (1975-2008) and before March 2011. Up to three controls were individually matched to each case (n=2694). Testosterone, androstenedione, 17-hydroxyprogesterone (17-OHP), progesterone, estradiol (E2), and sex hormone-binding globulin levels were measured in serum samples collected during the last pregnancy before EOC diagnosis. We used conditional logistic regression to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% CIs. Associations between hormones and EOC differed with respect to tumor histology and invasiveness. Sex steroid concentrations were not associated with invasive serous tumors; however, doubling of testosterone and 17-OHP concentration was associated with approximately 40% increased risk of borderline serous tumors. A doubling of androgen concentrations was associated with a 50% increased risk of mucinous tumors. The risk of endometrioid tumors increased with higher E2 concentrations (OR: 1.89 (1.20-2.98)). This large prospective study in pregnant women supports a role of sex steroid hormones in the etiology of EOC arising in the ovaries

Impact of COVID-19 on the restaurant franchising

The last two years of human development took place under the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic that affected each and every field of socio-economic life. The restaurant industry is one of the most affected sectors as a result of the measures taken by states for limiting the spread of the Corona virus. The initiatives for keeping social distance, restricting free movement nation- and world-wide, full or partial lockdown resulted into a number of negative consequences for the restaurant activity like job loss and closure of outlets. When recessions happened before the franchising business model turned out to be a sustainable and leading model for growth. COVID-19 created unprecedented challenges to the franchising community, however, the franchisors and franchisees react quickly and carefully in order to minimize losses through implementing a number of activities. It is exactly in this respect that the goal of this study is set: to present and summarize the main impacts of COVID-19 on the world franchising industry and, in particular, on the development of restaurant franchising

Restaurant chains: Opportunities and prospects for Bulgarian foodservice operators

Multiplication of objects or joining an existing chain is a good alternative for the development of the Bulgarian independent foodservice operators, which has been little studied in the Bulgarian specialized literature. In Bulgaria, as a country with developed tourism and cross-road geographical position, as well as a "new" market, the restaurant industry, including the multiplication of sites, has great potential. It is essential that the restaurant owners and managers are well informed about the features, advantages and disadvantages of the various forms of restaurant associations. In this regard, the aim of the paper is to present a summary of structured information about the restaurant chains, to analyze their contemporary development at international and national level, and on this basis to reveal opportunities that independent foodservice operators in Bulgaria can take advantage of

Social and sustainable : case study based on a portuguese non-profit organization

Social entrepreneurs encounter a myriad of challenges in maintaining long-term financial sustainability, and these challenges are exacerbated for social entrepreneurs operating in times of economic distress. The following case study on the Lisbon-based nonprofit Buena Vista analyses the sustainability crisis social entrepreneurs are faced with. The objective of this case study is to give students a better understanding of how the social entrepreneurial process differs from the traditional commercial entrepreneurial one. It also highlights how social-purpose organizations operate, grow and what difficulties they might encounter. In the course of the paper, three main drivers for the lack of financial sustainability in Buena Vista are presented, namely an unclear mission statement, a short-term horizon of the sponsorship and a lack of formalization with respect to the internal processes. The case study aims to review these three drivers and their resolution for the successful implementation of a sustainable long term strategy. Ultimately, the study poses the question of the organizational form and strategy Buena Vista should adopt to ensure its long term survival. One way to go for Buena Vista is to continue to operate as a non-profit whilst its second option is to start to operate entirely as a commercial entity

Possibilities for application of certification systems in Bulgarian restaurants

The aim of the following paper is to highlight some of the most important European certification systems for the restaurant product as a good example of application in the Bulgarian restaurant industry. The role and importance of certification systems for the restaurants is the cause of the existence and application of numerous international, national, regional and local systems of diverse nature, objectives, strategies and scope. From a theoretical point of view, the components of the certification system are explained; the types of systems are examined according to different criteria. A feature of specific for restaurant business European certification systems has been made. Particular attention has been paid to France as a country with deep traditions in the culinary and restaurant industry, which are a recognized symbol of quality and image. The examples examined could also be applied in the Bulgarian restaurant industry as the most important prerequisite is their public recognition both among professionals and among potential consumers

Resource potential for developing tourism in a small municipality (the example of the municipality of Dalgopol)

The goal of this paper is to analyse and assess the resource potential for developing tourism in a local tourist destination. In the first part of the research work there are presented several models for studying the tourist potential of a territory. What unites them is the fact that most models emphasize the separate constituent elements and the interrelations between them. In the second part the resource potential for developing tourism in the researched site is analysed. The major issues of the research concern the parameters of tourist supply that include geographical location, natural and resource potential, cultural-and-historic potential, touristic infrastructure and superstructure. The results of the analysis show good opportunities for the researched site to be formed as a local tourist destination through creating sustainable connection tourism – nature – sport – folklore – ecology