Maxim Behar's Blog, page 7

Maxim Behar Leads a BBLF Discussion with British Ammabssador Dr Rob Dixon

20.04.2021

Maxim Behar took part in an online discussion with the British Ambassador to Bulgaria Dr. Rob Dixon, organized by the Bulgarian Business Leaders Forum (BBLF). As former Chairman and current Board Member, Maxim Behar moderated the meeting.

Her Majesty���s Ambassador to Bulgaria talked to CEO and top executives of nearly 40 companies of BBLF���s responsible business community. The main topics of discussion included the UK���s response to COVID-19, bilateral trade, UK investment in Bulgaria, Brexit and its impact on businesses, opportunities to travel, work and study in the UK and more.

Ambassador Dr Rob Dixon emphasized opportunities for expanding bilateral economic relations particularly as the COVID-19 pandemic is a chance for businesses to build back better and focus on digitalization and high tech and green economy.

A video recording of the event is available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gTnVJdKnLU

Priceless Lessons by Maxim Behar: A Story with Governor Bob Miller

The leading PR expert and CEO of the communication agency M3 Communications Group, Inc., Mr. Maxim Behar shared another astonishing personal story in his author���s series Priceless Lessons, which he publishes for BGLOBAL magazine.


Bulgarian Yogurt for Governor Miller

A story about the first visit of an American President in Bulgaria, the breakfast with Bill Clinton and one great love, which helps reviving Bulgarian tourism.

It was cold, wet and windy...

I tried to get to the then Kempinski Hotel, located in the Bulgarian capital Sofia, and tried to cross the small streets behind it, but to no avail... The hotel was surrounded by a thick cordon, at least a kilometer long, of uniformed and civilian police officers, and I had to park my car at least two kilometers away.

Somehow, I crossed the barrier - either with an ID card, or some recognized me and assumed I don���t have bad intentions towards the hotel guests, pardon me ��� I mean ���the very special guests��� at the hotel ��� the entourage of the President Bill Clinton had to arrive in Bulgaria in hours. I entered the hotel lobby already freezing and saw him from afar - a two-meter-tall man in a slightly old-fashioned suit and red tie. Even from afar you could immediately recognize that he was American, and why not... the American Governor.

That's right - the Nevada Governor Bob Miller, with whom I had a meeting and I noticed in front of him on the lobby table an open today���s newspaper "Trud" with a major headline on the front page "Governor Miller - I brought Clinton to Bulgaria." He also recognized me, smiled widely to show his shiny white teeth, reached out to shake hands and said:
- Max, I am Bob, what you are going to drink? ...But before that tell me what it says here, because it could turn into a problem. The President is pretty jealous.

I ordered a cup of tea to warm myself up and quickly translated in English for him the interview, which he had given to the newspaper the day before... He became anxious, but in the end, he said:
- Well, that is the truth, everybody can interpret it the way they want.

It only took us a few minutes to realize that a long, sincere and heartfelt friendship was beginning.

The Governor have already been to Bulgaria once because of the invitation of our then Government to share his experience in tourism.

However, he and his team were the main responsible for turning Nevada from ���the kingdom of gambling��� to a state of modern tourism, and the whole world was following their unique techniques with interest.

It was getting dark, when the Governor unexpectedly said:
- Max, are there interesting places in Sofia, where we can have a drink, listen to some nice music and have fun?

What a question! Exactly in the boom of piano bars and night clubs in Sofia the answer is obvious.

After half an hour we were already in the fanciest piano bar in the capital district ���Iztok���, we had some non-alcoholic cocktails and observed the interesting and colorful world on the stage. Of course, I immediately arranged a special greeting for Governor Miller from the singer and in minutes Bob became the center of attention. As midnight passed imperceptibly, we returned to the hotel. When we reached the revolving doors of the Kempinski Hotel with the governor's pass, several people appeared out of the blue, abruptly opened the doors of my car, and shouted almost in one voice, "Where is Governor Miller? We've been looking for him all night."

President Clinton, who was in Ankara until that night, have arrived earlier and wanted to have dinner with Bob Miller. However, there was no phone signal in the piano bar and the whole security was completely panicked.
That was the first visit of an American president in Bulgaria in the whole history and I was excited. Every mistake or misunderstanding could be a major damage.

The Governor seemed calm in this shocking situation, he got out of the car and said:
- Okay, we are going to have breakfast with the President since we couldn���t have dinner tonight.

On the next events was like a textbook example of how to exit from certain situation with a finesse, which was told to me by the Governor later in that day.

- Bob, where were you all night, I was looking for you to have dinner together, but no one could find you. ��� with these words Bill welcomed him at 7 am in the morning for an early breakfast.

- Mister President ��� answered the Governor - since you are in Bulgaria for the first time, you need to know three important things about the country. First of all, the Bulgarians have discovered yogurt. Secondly, they have amazing red wines and thirdly - Bulgarian women are well-known for their beauty...

- Well, I will remember that, but where were you last night?

- I was with my friend. We spent the whole night searching for yogurt in Sofia.

Many, many times Bob Miller has told this great story and we have always burst into laughter and amazed at his ability to always come out positively from difficult situations with a very subtle sense of humor.

In the following years and to this day, Governor Bob Miller remained a real friend of Bulgaria. Together we have organized seven consecutive conferences "Bulgaria Dream Area" which we approximately translated in Bulgarian as "Bulgaria - a country of dreams" and that was happening in times when there was not a single newly built hotel on the Black Sea coast of Bulgaria. Hundreds of participants at the events had the chance to draw from the expertise of the Governor's team and their success in making Nevada great.

But the yogurt story will always remain significant. Even the other day when I called the Governor to congratulate him about the new US President (he is a good friend of Joe Biden for decades) I said: ���Bob, you can���t imagine how many new types of yogurt are on the market now. Come back to Bulgaria as soon as possible, because you must have a taste of them all."

Maxim Behar for 24 Chasa Daily: Bulgaria Needs a New Round Table, Not New Elections

12.04.2021

Politicians should swallow their big egos, talk to one another and find common ground.

It is well known and already clear to everyone in Bulgaria that absolutely all politicians failed in the 2021 Parliamentary election because they underestimated the basic rules of communication, not only with the voters, but with society in general.

The first reason was the total lack of debates among the leaders ��� instead we had third-rate politicians, well-known sociologists, by now heard and seen ad nauseam, and some peevish leaders to tell us the bad consequences society could see if we don't vote for them. The whole election campaign was a theatrical farce in modern times, which suggested something completely different - positive messages and the search for a common language.

The second reason for their failure is also clear - general talk, countless empty promises and political bluffs. And third - one-way communication on social media and complete exclusion of debates.

As a result, Bulgaria has faced with a new, so far unknown, situation in the recent times of free elections and free media. And this is not just because new and completely unknown parties, formed only on the basis of protests and dissent, are entering Parliament. The most significant change is the fact that all this confusion is happening during a totally unknown global pandemic crisis. Therefore, any reckless decisions and ���like a bull in a china shop��� actions taken by any of the political parties ��� new or old ��� can inflict a great damage in the country. If we even superficially follow the messages of each political party, we would still come to the conclusion that they can all be summarized in a single sentence: care for the stability of Bulgaria. So, where is the problem then?

The only way out now is for all parties, whether or have not entered the Bulgarian Parliament, to have ideas, at least some representation, and members with a vision to sit together at the same table and find their common ground, not differences. If anyone cares about Bulgaria at all. Because even during the legitimate one-month, or in fact much longer election campaign, we heard only three main things ��� what are the differences between politicians, who is the ���Bad Guy��� and who is the ���Good Guy���, and finally, we heard ruthless insults towards some parties that cannot be tolerated in modern Bulgaria, after so many years of freedom of speech.

What is most impressive these days is the increasingly hateful attitudes among all parties and party members, without exception, and the overwhelming negative energy that their leaders convey to society. Gloomy, angry, hissing���

Oh, my God��� Bulgaria 2021! I can't even believe that so much hatred and incompatibility is prevailing across the highest levels of power - the future Parliament. Well, then how will our society be united, positive, well-functioning and cohesive, in order to fight not only the pandemic, but also to make our country more successful and a better place to live in and do business? I���ve heard statements by people with strong representation in the capital Sofia, hopefully knowledgeable and qualified members of Democratic Bulgaria (electoral alliance in Bulgaria formed by three political parties ��� Yes, Bulgaria!, Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria and The Greens, which emerged fifth at the 2021 elections), that their voters were not as uneducated as the voters of Slavi Trifonov (Bulgarian TV personality and leader of the political party There Is Such A People, which emerged second at the 2021 elections).

... Some celebrates that the ultra-nationalist VMRO was set to fall just short the four-per cent threshold, others rejoiced at the failure of the Bulgarian Socialist Party, some had major conflicts before they even entered Parliament, regarding the steps to becoming a Minister, and the rest just divided the voters into groups, such as Bulgarians, Bulgarians who live abroad, educated and uneducated people. We fight tirelessly against hate speech on social media together, and meanwhile we still hear not anyone but our politicians addressing hate speech on traditional media.

Certainly, there are and must be disagreements in the basis of a free democratic society. But they should only play the role of an ���engine��� of growth and development, and not the ���brake��� that prevents us from working as a team and sets us apart. That���s especially important in such a dramatic crisis.

But I am convinced that there are too many commonalities in many of the political concepts that are able to unite them and force them to sit at the same table and discuss. And if they fail to reach a consensus on where and how to hold this meeting, I am ready to take on my civil non-partisan commitment together with the editorial board of "24 Chasa" newspaper to host such a meeting and manage it so that those present ends up at least a little more united. But the most essential thing for politicians now is to learn how to swallow their ego or put it in their back pocket for a few years and forget about it. This is how society will determine their ability to act like modern politicians, not by how loudly they can insult their opponents or how powerful and strong they can be... And this concept is neither conformism, nor a call to forget about the differences or mistakes of the Bulgarian former leaders over the years... We simply have to forget the hatred and find a way to unite, no matter how little we have in common. It is not the politicians��� duty to investigate, to accuse, to judge...

They don't even have the legal right to do it anyway. After all, if someone consents a criminal act, there are official institutions to investigate and punish them.

Bulgaria successfully introduced the Polish experience of Round Table negotiations 31 years ago and this was a strong contribution towards the more manageable and gradual economic and political transition in the first years.

I don���t believe today's political parties have greater dissensions in comparison to the deceased Bulgarian politicians - the former Prime Minster Andrei Lukanov (Bulgarian Socialist Party) and the former President Zhelyu Zhelev (Union of Democratic Forces). Are the current political dissensions as insurmountable as they were back then? Of course not!

We live in a new modern world, in a completely different and much better Bulgaria. Now we live in a country full of extremely educated and knowledgeable people - the strongest engine of change we need.

Now Bulgaria needs a Round Table, not new elections. And it doesn't matter how much money we will spend on new elections, these costs are already calculated as ���costs of democracy" anyway. As my good friend Solomon Passy says, if we don't want to spend on elections, let's take an example from North Korea. And if Bulgarians really want change, as another friend of mine, Kiril Valchev, said once for "24 Chasa" newspaper, the voters have already said enough. Now it is the turn of reasonable politicians to make a change, and I want to believe that there are still such leaders. Because we do not need an alternative made-up Government, supported by complex coalitions and formed by proxies or people with controversial experience or image. Bulgaria is full of young, well-educated, with ambition to prove themselves people, who can do a million positive things for their country. We can easily get in touch with them and invite them to the Government. And I don't care at all if some of them have no political experience, while others have��� Outside the Government there are thousands of people with much more expertise than those who have been in power for years and have become a 'laughing stock��� for the things they say and do.

What I am proposing will not be an "Expert Government" (and to this day I still don���t know its definition), but a team of professionals in different fields, who have indisputable knowledge and desire to make our state polity better, more systematized and most importantly - more transparent. We need a team that only nostalgically bears the name "Government", but doesn���t act like one. The basis of this absolutely non-partisan Government is to report only to the Parliament, not to any leader or party. In fact, no one knows what is really happening in our country for years, but that can be managed for month. The Prime Minister, whoever he is (and why not "she"), should report on what he has done each week in a live broadcast on a television of his choice, and the leaders of all major parties (not just those represented in Parliament) should have a public live debate on TV at least once every 3 months on topics regarding the Government���s activities.

Bulgaria is at a stage when people in power have reached crisis point, and the only way out is to be completely transparent, honest, fair and most importantly ��� more young, independent and experienced managers to run professionally each institution. Neither politicians, nor ministers, but only managers. There are plenty of them in the country, but they just need to be found and invited. This is our only chance to see the light at the end of the tunnel, and this time it won���t be just the light of an oncoming train...

Maxim Behar's Great Memories with Prince Philip for Nova TV

09.04.2021

A story by the PR expert Maxim Behar about his meetings with Prince Philip, husband of Queen Elizabeth II and Duke of Edinburgh, who died at the age of 99.

Speaker: In Bulgaria, one of the people who met in person and talked to Prince Philip is Maxim Behar.

Maxim Behar: An extraordinary man, who devoted much of his life to charity work, left this world. We will remember him with his many remarkable charitable projects and by his general concern for the people.

Speaker: Maxim Behar���s acquaintance with Prince Philip dates back several years.

Maxim Behar: We worked for seven or eight years on one of his projects, called the Grenadier Fund. Prince Philip was its honorary Colonel-in-Chief. The project was a fundraising for Afghan heroes, British soldiers killed by landmines in Afghanistan. His Royal Highness asked me if we could take over the entire communication campaign of this fund. Of course, I answered in the affirmative.

Speaker: Bulgaria remains the most interesting topic of conversation between the two.

Maxim Behar: Many things connect his son Prince Charles with Bulgaria. Their attitude towards Bulgaria is not to be underestimated. All these meetings they had with Bulgarians are not to be underestimated.

Speaker: Meetings from which a vivid memory remains.

Maxim Behar: The whole family, not just Prince Philip, are people who are very polite and�� you can't hear any of them to say something rude or unpleasant to others. They had a great upbringing.

Maxim Behar: The real business fundamentals are honesty, integrity, loyalty

Maxim Behar shares a first-person story in the seventh edition Almanac 2021 of "your BUSINESS" magazine under the special project "Managers share - successful cases in Bulgarian business". Behar writes about the great changes in the business sector as a result of the pandemic, the challenges leaders are facing and what underlies the foundations of a successful business development.

As Soon As Possible ...

I thought for a long time about the Bulgarian title of my recently published book and I couldn't resist the idea of ���The Morning After���, although at the risk of explaining to anyone who hasn't read it yet what lies behind it. The book is almost sold out and for the last three months it can be hardly found in any bookstore in Bulgaria. Despite that, the more time passes, the more I am convinced that this title is the new replacement of the well-known abbreviation ASAP (as soon as possible) or - as faster as it can.

We are used to writing almost every day, mainly in our e-mail correspondence - "answer me asap", "go there asap", "contact the client asap" ...

Like a devastating and unexpected tornado, the COVID-19 pandemic really swept away any possibility of leaving our uncompleted business tasks for the next day or the day after that.

Of course, this is probably the smallest change the pandemic has brought to our lives.

It was clear to all of us that sooner or later this could happen - we would not have even a minute to delay making any decisions, because then it would be too late. Sighs and excuses like "wait and think", "let's not make hasty decisions" already sound so old-fashioned that if one day I write a book about forbidden phrases in business communication, they will probably be among the first. Surely you know one of my key rules in business, which I have been preaching in university lectures, business presentations and speeches at forums around the world for years.

"The worst decision is better than no decision."

Ten years ago, there was a lot of disagreement with this prophetic law, but in the last year I have not heard a single word against it. A very important part of business is to make decisions - fast, adequate, reasoned, accurate. But there are many details for consideration behind this process, in order to make it less risky. The most important element is that each manager needs to have a strong and well-prepared team with which to conduct quick consulting meetings online, and when we return to our offices months or years later ��� to manage understanding each other in seconds from a first glance.

Another important element is to put a lot of knowledge and experience in the decision-making, which is a prerequisite for effective, accurate decisions. At least now there is already a considerable amount of information and knowledge available and there���s no place for making excuses. Nowadays we frequently face information overload from a wide variety of sources, and the great advantage is that we can all sift through this news, giving us the opportunity to learn something new, not always positive, but in the end - always useful.

The Business Pyramid

In fact, the feeling is amazing to watch the business pyramid on my laptop screen every day, the same way I imagined it twenty years ago. There are always two important elements required for the development of any business - the number of customers and the previous experience. Of course, I've often argued with colleagues who have told me, " Max, one client is enough if he's big and pays well." Of course, this is a big misconception. This is why companies often go bankrupt - they rely on one big customer, who immediately cuts their budgets for external services, whatever they may be, if a small crisis or problem occurs in the business. Therefore, this part of the pyramid must always be very carefully and very proportionally arranged, and just as proportionally builds the other - the experience. And with each passing day, it is becoming more and more important - and not only for the decision-making process, but also because of the fact that the dynamics of change in business are already with the speed of light.

Every day, even every hour, we generate new ideas on how to make our business more competitive and more profitable, and if we are not always In the right place and at the right time, then we have certainly "missed" the train.

In that case we would need a lot of patience and consistency to catch up.

And of course - at the top of the pyramid is the profit, the one that allow us to invest in a team or in technology, to develop the business and improve our work performance for our clients. But remember - without this important foundation, our customers and our experience, we would not be able to reach the very top of the pyramid.

As important as this pyramid is, it alone is not enough for us to successfully understand the rapid movement of business these days, and also in the future.

The most recent law in crisis management precisely states: "First react, then polish!".

I accept it with no doubt and it is completely in line with my concept of making quick decisions.

Or in short:
- 24/7 online,
- 24/7 ready for a good reaction,
another 24/7 available to accept new fresh ideas to evaluate through the prism of our businesses.

Additionally - no matter how fast the business moves or the information, concepts and visions for success change, the real fundamentals are honesty, integrity, loyalty - to the business, to customers, to the team. And for all these things, for their changes, new laws and dynamics, over the years the minutes "until tomorrow" will go faster and faster...

Then one morning a new laws of life will dawn again...

Maxim Behar Announced as New International Growth Chair for ICCO

The globally renowned PR expert Maxim Behar was announced as International Growth Chair for the most influential PR organization in the world ��� the International Communications Consultancy Organisation (ICCO). As a former ICCO President, he remains a member of the Executive Committee and will be responsible for attracting new members and associating more countries to the PR community. In his new role, Behar will be focused on continuing ICCO���s growth beyond the 70 countries currently served and raising the ethical standards and quality of the global communications business.

Francis Ingham, ICCO Chief Executive: ���We are very pleased to have Maxim take on this role, in which I am sure he will broaden our global community even further. Maxim has for many years played an instrumental role in the growth of ICCO, building meaningful relationships in new markets and connecting PR agencies, associations and people around the world���.

Maxim Behar had great accomplishments during his term from 2015 to 2017 as President of the global organization. He oversaw an expansion of associations and markets in ICCO membership and made it even more influential and recognizable. During his presidency, Behar visited over 40 countries on all continents and participated in numerous forums, conferences and summits. Recently the world���s most influential American public relations magazine PRWeek announced Maxim Behar the Best PR Professional in Europe.

Maxim Behar said, ���It is an exciting and dynamic time for PR and communications globally. ICCO is perfectly positioned to welcome new markets into our community as we together work towards sharing best practice, collaborating on raising standards and shaping the future of communications. I look forward to working alongside the rest of the Executive Committee to continue this international growth.���.

Maxim Behar: Seychelles is now the cleanest and safest destination for tourists in the world

13.03.2021

Maxim Behar, Honorary Consul General of the Republic of Seychelles in Bulgaria, shared in an interview for Bgtourism.bg what are the conditions for visiting the exotic destination Seychelles, how fast the vaccination of the local population is developing, and what are the great advantages for Bulgarian tourists there.

- Mr Behar, the Republic of Seychelles has announced that it will open its borders to tourists from 25 March. What are the conditions and opportunities to visit this exotic destination?

Visitors to the Republic of Seychelles after March 25, 2021 must have a negative PCR test done up to 72 hours before departure. Nothing else! This is the only requirement. All restaurants, hotels, recreation areas and public places will be open to them without restrictions if they meet these conditions. Of course, the obligation to wear masks, to keep distance, disinfection and hygiene everywhere remain the same.

Seychelles currently ranks first in the world in terms of vaccinated population per 1,000 people, and it is estimated that by mid-April, the entire population will be vaccinated.

This minimizes the risk of infection and naturally protects tourists to the maximum. The convenient connection from Sofia to Turkish Airlines via Istanbul also started at the same time and I expect all these hundreds of people who during these quarantine days called the Consulate insistently with questions about when they will finally be able to leave for Seychelles to be calm. If the interest really remains , I do not rule out Bulgarian tour operators to organize charter flights to the capital Victoria. I remind you that every tourist or other visitor to the Seychelles can stay in the country for up to 90 days without a visa.

- How is the rate of vaccination of the local population going and can the Seychelles be a safe destination?

By the end of April at the latest, the entire population will be vaccinated, this will be an absolute record. And yes, the Republic of Seychelles will definitely become the safest place in the world . Of course, it should be noted that long before the pandemic, the Seychelles was the cleanest ecological place in Africa, with a very large percentage of the territory under the auspices of UNESCO and other institutions, as well as proverbially strict environmental measures.

- What can the Seychelles offer to Bulgarian tourists for a complete and varied vacation. Has it become more accessible in the competition of the offers that tourists from all over the world have today from the Dominican Republic, Maldives, Zanzibar and other countries with white beaches and exotic nature.

Seychelles has always been an immeasurably more competitive destination than any other for a complete and pleasant vacation. Now we add another advantage - safety. No sense in reminding you of the vast beaches, the 115 uniquely beautiful islands and the unique sunsets and sunrises, the hospitality of the locals, whose faces never leave smiles ��������

One of the big advantages is also the great variety of accommodation - from five-star super luxury hotels and villas, to ordinary Creole houses on the beach, which also provide very good conditions for relaxation. If I have to choose what I always do when I'm in the Seychelles, I always stop at Creole houses. Of course, the prices in the Seychelles are not the lowest, but in the end they are determined by the extremely high quality of services, the incredible variety of almost pristine places to visit and the unique Creole cuisine.

- How many Bulgarian tourists annually booked the Seychelles for their vacation before Kovid-19 and how over the years the interest of our compatriots to the destination has increased.

We have never had accurate statistics, in my opinion between 2,500 and 3,000 people in 2019, I am convinced that after March 25 the interest will be many times higher. One of the results of the pandemic will certainly be that now Bulgarian tourists will be much more demanding of cleanliness, the ecological environment and most of all - security of health.

- When was the last time you were there and when do you plan to enjoy again the wonderful opportunities that the Seychelles offers for a wonderful and quality vacation?

I was last in the Seychelles in 2019, I plan to be there, if all goes well, at the end of April this year. In fact, 2020 is the only year in which I have not visited my favorite islands since 2004, when I first set foot there and fell in love with nature, the beaches, the sun, but most of all - the people.

- What would you recommend to Bulgarian tourists who have yet to make their choice in the sea of ������offers?

Definitely - each of the 115 islands of Seychelles. In addition to all the advantages - 100% certainty that you will not have an accidental infection, visa-free regime, unique beaches and fantastic food, I will add one indisputable - the convenient flight of Turkish Airlines . You take off at 9 pm and with a minimal stay in Istanbul you are on the beach in the morning, without even feeling the time difference, which is only one hour.

Read the interview from Bgtourism.bg

Maxim Behar for Bloomberg TV: The Seychelles Government with a quantum leap in world tourism

10.03.2021

Maxim Behar, the Honorary Consul General of Republic of Seychelles in Bulgaria, made a guest appearance in the television show ���In Development��� on Bloomberg TV Bulgaria with host Veronika Denizova. Mr. Behar analyzed and clarified more about the advantages of Seychelles as a tourist destination in 2021 and noted the forecasts that by the end of April, Seychelles will be a COVID-19 free destination. Maxim Behar observed the government���s major breakthrough in global tourism and the opening of the country���s borders for tourists around the globe on March 25.

Host: March 25 marks the upcoming opening of the Republic of Seychelles borders to tourists from all countries, regardless of their vaccination status. Visitors will only need to present a negative PCR test, based on a sample collected no more than 72 hours before departure. Furthermore, there are no quarantine requirements or additional restrictions on arrival. Meanwhile, Turkish Airlines announced that the company is resuming its flights from Istanbul to Mah�� Island, where the Seychelles capital city Victoria is located.

The discussion on the reopening of Seychelles and the resumption of tourism on the island will continue with our guest Maxim Behar, Honorary Consul General of Republic of Seychelles in Bulgaria, Founder and CEO of the communication agency M3 Communications Group, Inc.

On behalf of our entire team, we would like to thank you for coming on to the show!

Maxim Behar: Hello! It is my pleasure to join you today on Bloomberg TV!

Host: And on such a great occasion ��� the opening of the Seychelles borders for tourists. Why did the authorities decided to reopen the borders now?

Maxim Behar: A new Government stepped into office in the Seychelles earlier this year, which coincided with the pandemic wave and led to a different opinion on how to get out of the circumstances. 80 percent of Seychelles��� economy depends on tourism and consequently the reopening of the borders was an absolute priority for the Government.

There was an alternative in which the authorities offered vaccinated tourists with two vaccine doses to arrive on the island without any restrictions and with the complete freedom to visit restaurants and bars. Currently, the Republic of Seychelles became the leader of vaccinated people on every 1,000 citizen and is ahead of Israel and many other countries. The concept was based on the idea that if every citizen and tourist is vaccinated, then possible infection would be eliminated. However, because the process of immunization against the virus in a global aspect is carried out leisurely, the government changed its positions and, as a matter of fact, made a big breakthrough in the world of tourism.

It is logical. Every Seychelles citizen will be vaccinated by the end of April, since there is little population on the island, and vast amounts of vaccines was donated by China, India and the United Arab Emirates. Currently, there are more vaccine doses than population on the territory of Seychelles. When every citizen is vaccinated and every tourist has passed the PCR test and there is no doubt about infection or transmitting the disease, then there will be a peaceful tourist season. Hotels and restaurants will come back to life, since most of them are currently closed.

Host: Since you mentioned that by the end of April every Seychelles citizen will be vaccinated, does the statement signify that vaccination is mandatory on the island?

Maxim Behar: It is definitely not mandatory! However, from what I have observed and received as a reaction from close friends of mine with whom I share videos daily, I see that everyone is ready to be vaccinated. We should not forget that this is their livelihood. Each of them walks along the beach, or to the restaurant, or has a certain kind of income related to tourism. Rationally, these people want to be vaccinated and this is undoubtedly a global and historical trend. There is not a single pandemic in the entire history of the world that has been conquered without a mass vaccination. Therefore, by the end of April, the Seychelles would certainly be a coronavirus-free tourist destination.

I am beyond happy that the breakthrough happened right there, in the Seychelles, as the difference between my favorite 115 islands and any other destination, is that the Republic of Seychelles is the most ecological region in all of Africa. In fact, 53 percent of its territory is reserved and much of it is in the structures of UNESCO and the United Nations. On these 53 percent of the region, it is forbidden to even drive a peg.

You may know there are two main laws that the island follows. On the one hand, there should only be one hotel on a beach area and on the other hand, there should not be a hotel with more than two floors, i.e. only low-rise construction is allowed. This undoubtedly offers impressive tourism conditions. Visitors travel to an ecologically clean country, where every single stalk, fruit, or vegetable has gone through millions of checks before being picked and later offered. I believe that many other countries should follow the example of the Seychelles since that is a reasonable move which will lead to the revival of a whole economy.

Host: However, some restrictive measures will have to be observed upon arrival on the island. What will be mandatory for the tourists?

Maxim Behar: Quite the normal measures that we all follow in Bulgaria and everywhere we travel, such as wearing a mask, integrating strong personal hygiene and high disinfection, things we all should have incorporated long before the pandemic. But tourists need to be careful at all cost, so that in the end they have great guarantee they will not come into contact with infected people. If the Seychelles population is vaccinated with all two doses of the vaccine and tourists are being checked by a PCR test before entering the territory, the risk of someone being infected with the virus will be minimized.

Host: What level of interest is expected from Bulgarian citizens once the borders reopen?

Maxim Behar: An interest by the Bulgarian citizens was observed long before the borders were about to open, which was expressed in between 5 to 10 phone calls from tourists and tour agencies I was receiving daily. Through these times, I have even received calls from tourists in Dubai, UAE, and different travel agencies who argued with me on the phone, because they were not allowed to board the flight to Mah�� Island or to Victoria due to unpresented PCR tests. They were constantly calling and saying, ���This is unacceptable���. In general, there is a significant increase of interest for the Seychelles from Bulgaria and other countries in the world. When I was first introduced to the country 15-16 years ago, the tourist wave was about 60,000 tourist a year.

In the last normal tourism year, there were 380,000 visitors. Considering that the population of the Seychelles are 85,000 citizens total, the tourists were four times the population of the island.

I was observing statistics from 2019 and the number of tourists arrived in Bulgaria was 8 million, which is equal to the number of the Bulgarian population. This implies, by an arbitrary comparison I will make, for Bulgaria to have 30-35 million tourists every year in order to hold the same proportions as the Seychelles.

Currently, in the Seychelles new hotels are being built as the state is investing largely in tourism and tourist experience. It may not be as affordable as other destinations, but it undoubtedly offers ecological, clean and quiet tourist experience. Once, while I was visiting one of my favorite hotels on the island, I stumbled upon a group of highly aggressive and nervous Bulgarian visitors. I was keeping quiet when suddenly they recognized me as I stood in the lobby and said ���How come there are no night clubs opened? The women took outfits and jewelry with them and now we have nowhere to show them!��� I told them in a good manner that Seychelles is a destination that offers quiet tourism and calm experience. In fact, it offers quite the opposite from the Caribbean Island, for instance. This is an exceptional country with high interest towards it. Today, especially since we announced the reopening of the borders on March 25 with a presented negative PCR test, I received over 150 phone calls from friends, asking me when to book a flight ticket or to recommend them a place to stay during their vacation.

Host: We are definitely expecting greater interest! Bulgarians, however, surprised us with another destination of their choice in the last few months. Zanzibar turned out to be quite popular.

According to a Travel news report, approximately 3,000 Bulgarian citizens have visited Zanzibar in the past few months. Why do you think Zanzibar became popular among Bulgarians all of a sudden?

Maxim Behar: As I was coming to the studio, someone told me on the phone that the beaches of Zanzibar are full of people dancing and only Bulgarian music can be heard. Needless to say, after a whole year of quarantine and strict measures, it is natural for people to be eager to travel once the measures have eased and be able to rest elsewhere. I believe that even if some unpopular exotic destinations such as Turkmenistan or somewhere in Central Asia were accessible for tourists, there would also be observed a large influx of visitors. The desire to travel and visit new destinations is natural. I have heard that Zanzibar is very thrilling island with interesting people and entertainment to offer. As a benefit, it is one of the two opened for visitors��� locations without any requirements and measures, as it is also in Mexico. I stand behind those Bulgarians who want to travel again and spent their free time in quite positive environment, as long as everything is safe and secure, and there is no chance for them to become infected or become carriers of the disease. The pandemic situation is very uncertain, and nobody can feel constantly protected. Day-to-day we hear about new COVID-19 strains and new numbers of infected people. Once, those over 65 years fall into the most at-risk group, then it is said to be the people between 30-35 years old. Even so, we all need to be very responsible and put our safety above the desire for entertainment.

Host: However, it appears that many people take the chance to travel, because earlier this year Deutsche Welle distributed an article with a warning regarding Zanzibar. The president of Tanzania claimed that the country is virus-free, and the infection was banished by prayers, not vaccination.

On the other hand, Deutsche Welle presented the alternative truth ��� that the virus in Tanzania is spreading rapidly.

Well, Mr. Behar, it seems that Tanzania views these statements as a well-done PR. But is this the right way to advertise a destination?

Maxim Behar: First and foremost, this in not PR. I am a part of this industry for many years now and this is quite a sensitive topic for me. I was very stunned by this commentary, especially when I have read various articles regarding the topic. But this only represents our need to be more cautious before making a decision. Beyond question, every country suffered huge losses because of the coronavirus, and we should not respond to such populistic calls at all. Needless to say, the statement is inaccurate. Allow me to ask ��� how come the virus is continuing to spread all over the world, except on an island, which suddenly becomes Heaven on Earth?

Everyone has the right to make an assessment for themselves, as well as to decide where to travel or what measures to implement. But we should be more careful about the locations, where no data or statistics about the virus are available, since we were introduced to a deadly infection in the last year.

Maybe Tanzania will gain uncertain number of profits from the tourist wave and maybe their short-term resemblance to the outside world will be ideal, but what will happen in the next 1-2 years if the country continues not to impose any measures? In the current situation, every single country must have an accurate and transparent policy on the subject. ��

Host: What PR strategy does a country need to implement in order to position itself well in the recovery of global tourism? Could you, possibly, tell us about Bulgaria in particular? What should we do here?

Maxim Behar: Bulgaria is undoubtedly a sensitive topic for me, since I am here and observe the situation directly. Our state is idle regarding to the positioning of Bulgaria among tour operators. Everything we remember from our past, before March 13, 2013, does not work today. The signing of contracts has been replaced by new and modern approaches and nowadays social media should be use assertively. We need a whole new vision, a whole new bundle of different ideas to represent Bulgaria as a magnificent country. I believe that the cheap tourism and low level of tourist experience we present in the past 15-20 years is not in our favor, especially now, when people can travel on a small budget. Tourists can choose between Bulgaria and more than a hundred other destinations, which are absolute competitors.

It would be great to see our Minister of Tourism and the National Board of Tourism, which moreover have an exceptionally intelligent and well-trained team, along with a group of PR experts and international branding specialists, to build a strategy. For a split second, they can constitute a report, representing the advantages of Bulgaria. Of course, PCR tests will continue to be mandatory, but when a tourist comes here, he will be introduced to a great hospitality, better prices, clean beaches and enjoyable restaurants. But this must be said out loud, so all Bulgarians can hear it, as we also rely on local tourism. Our citizens are the people that are most likely to help the tourist business to survive and be introduced abroad.

This is indeed the strategy of the Seychelles. All these years, the island has been on CNN, despite its��� small population of 70-80 thousand citizens. Not a single year goes by that the famous CNN anchor Richard Quest does not visit the Seychelles for a few weeks, where he is greeted by the President, the Minister of Tourism and my dearest friend, Sherin Francis. All is broadcasted on CNN in a way that mentions the Seychelles. I hope to see the same happening in Bulgaria, because we still rely on our tourism business.

Currently, we own empty hotels and restaurants, and their owners are constantly complaining, while others reorganize their business���s structures, sell their hotels and start in a new business field. And this is quite the normal market situation, in which, however, the state needs to support the tourism via logical assistance and branding.

Host: One would hope that we will be introduced to such ideas and their implementation soon, so that Bulgaria does not stand behind the recovery. This would undoubtedly be key to the survival of the tourism business. ��

Maxim Behar: We are indeed falling behind other countries. We should not forget there are upcoming elections, which will quake the country and probably lead to some sort of cataclysm on a political level. However, the Ministry must continue to function together with the Board of Tourism, so they can come up with a concept that should be implemented.

Host: We would like to thank you for the conversation!

Maxim Behar: Thank you for having me!

��

Watch the whole interview here.

Maxim Behar: Novinite.com is a One-of-a-kind Media Phenomenon

12.03.2021

The Novinite.com���s founding father, Maxim Behar, about the start, freedom of the press and novelties in PR business���
��
The first English-language media in Bulgaria Novinite.com turns 20 tomorrow. What are your memories of March 12, 2001, your launch day?
That day had at least a year's history behind.

I was very keen to start a small daily newspaper in English for foreigners in Bulgaria, who were not all that many at the time. Throughout my professional life of a journalist, I had only worked in daily newspapers, and of course I knew how to do it...

We discussed this project quite often with my unforgettable friend and mentor late Dimi Panitsa, who at the time often dropped over for dinner to our small apartment downtown Sofia.Dimi had a sharp nose for everything related to journalism and encouraged me in moderation as he thought that I won���t tackle the project marketwise.

When I sent him the ready clipsheet of the daily ��� which then was titled Sofi�� Morning News ��� he called me up and said, ���Maxim, I���m going back to Paris, I Ieft you a note at the reception desk of the Sheraton hotel with my opinion about your newspaper. Come to pick it up when you have time���

I went there right away, the receptionist gave me a big glossy Manila envelope, I took out the clipsheet carefully andthe sight of it broke me into cold sweat: all over the front page Dimi wrote in English with thick red felt pen, ���Don���t do it! It will be waste of time!���

I couldn���t believe my eyes. I was so thrilled about the idea of launching this newspaper and he nipped it in the bud. However, in two or three days I realized that my friend Dimi was absolutely right. This project was doomed to fail miserably within a couple of months. The Internet editions were making ground little by little and hardly any foreigner would agree to wait for a fresh newspaper to read what���s going on in Bulgaria, anyway their secretaries would have fed them the news first thing in the morning���

So, one morning I came to my office and opened the door of the Internet Department, my eyes sparkling. Milena Trapcheva, the then director, an amazing person and real professional, understood right away that something was brewing, then I shoot out, ���Go and buy novinite.com. Now! We are starting a new project������

And so it happened.

What was actually the first news published in Novinite.com?
It all happened naturally and quite logically. Our PR Company, M3 Communications Group, Inc., had to organize an opening ceremony for the first Radisson Hotel in Bulgaria and it was a real high-profile event for Sofia. I went straight to the office after the morning opening for journalists was over and Milena broke the news: the site is ready for a launch but we need at least one news to start it off��� Thus, the first Radisson hotel in Sofia became the first headline in the newborn Novinite.com. On March 12 exactly 20 years ago.

How has the site developed over the years?
It seems to me that Novinite.com managed to retain its independence, its neutral and informative style. During its first years it was a unique source of information, moreover we were very lucky to have really good journalists in its management team ��� the first editor-in-chief Martina Yovcheva, who left this world too early, her successors on the post, Ivan Dikov, Milena Hristova, Angel Petrov.

All of them are highly educated and skilled journalists, people of high personal integrity and broad knowledge in many spheres. I set great store by the team���s professionalism and held sacred the independence of the team from the publisher. I and my colleagues were (and now are) always in the thick of events because we knew that our mission is extremelyimportant ��� to a great extent we shaped the opinion of the world about Bulgaria, were responsible for how investors, diplomats, politicians or tourists see our country���

I am sure that there was no foreign ambassador or businessman (and it is true now, too) who wouldn���t start the day with novinite.com.

Over 20 years now, for many of them our site opens automatically as soon as they switch on their computers and this tradition is passed down from diplomat to diplomat to this day��� If our site were not independent, authoritative and professional it would have never been so popular, widely read and quoted���

Actually Novinite.com reached the peak of its popularity two years later, on 3 April 2003, when I called up Martina at midnight from Hilton hotel in Athens, where I took part in a conference of The Economist, just to quote the then US vice president Al Gore whose words, most likely by chance, were cited in the international information pool and (as Milena Trapcheva told me an hour later) all our servers ���went up in smoke������

The very fact that Novinite.com became the most recognizable Bulgarian media outlet in the world made us feel even greater responsibility, but it also made us very proud (and proud I am now) that we have created such a wonderful media product. And nowadays, when I am no longer part of the team, I see that it is getting increasingly better with each day, it has retained its independence and to a great extent has become a standard of quality journalism in Bulgaria and not only here.

How has media environment in Bulgaria changed over these two decades? Do the trends in Bulgaria differ from those across the world?
In 1999, I gave an interview for a then startup online edition and said that print media are apparently becoming history and I don���t believe they would last for another twenty years. Then many of my friends called me, all the lot mad at me, and reminded that after all I myself started off with a job in a daily and it doesn���t become me to say such things. However, it was so obvious. First of all, the online media are thousand times faster. Second, they are free, interactive and are a magnet for advertisers.

Practically speaking, the last factor, advertising activity, is the most important of all. The newspapers were - and still are - a wonderful mass media, if we count in the emotional elements, such as the smell of ink, the rustling sound of paper when you relax on a sofa and open your favorite paper���

Nevertheless all this is irrelevant for the advertiser. It is them, the advertising space buyers, who all of a sudden found their ���promised land���, where they can place their ads at affordable prices, and it would be interactive, i.e. with one click you can buy their product and, what is most important�� it enables them to assess with �� great degree of precision who saw their ad and who bought the product��� So, the newspapers really offer good journalistic work, but they do not have ability to withstand because without advertisers��� contribution they have to set a price at, let���s say , in order to survive.

Understandably, none of them can afford it. In my opinion, the online media in Bulgaria are on the upswing, however, I have always insisted that their ownership should be fully transparent. This is the only way to ensure their independence, or dependence, for that matter, at the same time it would be clear who bears the responsibility for the fake or misleading news.

In the last 20 years the world and Bulgaria have lived through a number of crises and currently we witness yet another one. How did they impact the mass media?
No doubt, the crises invariably affect the media and the impact is always negative. In my estimation, though, this particular crisis caused by the Covid pandemic has had a beneficial effect on the media environment and has further accelerated the evolution of online communications, learning, pooling of interesting data��� We all understand that the mass media have undergone revolutionary changes.

Only ten years ago all media outlets were under the control of several publishers who in fact used to set the public agenda. Currently there is a total of about four billion publishers and each of them has his or her own social media, profile, group, media space and, if these people show enough intelligence, they can exert influence over millions of readers. In 2020, the pandemic stepped up this process, social media are evolving day by day, as new and newer sites are sprouting and everyone who wants to take part in this race, want to be part of the media market or even to peddle influence should keep abreast with this process.

I feel very optimistic about the new media, the actors on the new media market become increasingly mature, more experienced and the end of the fake news is drawing near having in mind the scaled up personalization of each social media and prompt exposure of fake profiles or users hiding behind anonymity.

Recently there has been a nascent conflict between mass media and social networks. The situation in Australia appears to be most serious, but we also witness similar conflicts in Europe. In your opinion, how will this situation develop in the near future?
I think there is no conflict, only misconception. Some people believe that the traditional media are leaving the stage forever and only online media will run the show. At that, they will fully move to the social media. The readers, markets, advertisers, all want transparency, clear-cut peoplemetrics methodology and assessment of effect and personalized opinions from real-life profiles of live people. And now only and solely social media can provide it.

You have been running a thriving PR business too. How has it changed from 2001 onwards?
There have been drastic changes.

What we are doing now in my company M3 Communications Group, Inc. has nothing to do with what we were doing just five-six years ago. And the key, again revolutionary change, comes with the total change in media ownership and the fact that we, all the PR experts, as well as our customers, have immediate access to media and in practice own them. On social media, online environment, everywhere. Owing to this fact we have, to a great extent, changed from consultants to publishers, editors and reporters at the same time. Publishers, because each of us owns a social media, editors, because we have to post professionally written texts on these media and finally ��� reporters, because no one will read our news if it is not authentic news.

Our basic activity as modern PR experts stems from this fact, and this is creating real stories (story telling) that would be interesting, novel, true to life and catchy. To me this business is not anything new, I have devoted at least 20 years of my life to journalism and now I am happy to upgrade the skills I acquired as journalist, including when founding and managing Novinite.com.

Let me conclude with some wishes to novinite.com.
To the team ��� be professionals, independent and interesting. To the readers ��� be very exacting, never miss to tell the editors what you expect of them, you have a perfect opportunity to do it through feedback. And to the management ��� every day you should put another brick into the Chinese wall dividing you and the editorial team who have to feel free and voice their professional opinion at large just like their conscience dictates. Don���t forget that media must always be a corrective, in this sense, media are a controlling power, fourth or whatever, but their work has to be really professional, honest and transparent.

Read the interview at Novinite.com

Maxim Behar for LIK magazine: A Story with Maxim Minchev

An instructive story about a memorable friendship, told by the leading PR expert Maxim Behar for the monthly edition of LIK magazine, issued by the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA).

In memory of Maxim Minchev, Bulgarian journalist and Director General of the Bulgarian News Agency.

A lunch, ordered from Hilton hotel, worth a thousand words.

It must have been a week or two after Maxim was elected Director General of BTA and we gathered our ���Big Four���, as we liked to call our group, which consisted of me, Maxim Minchev, Martin Zahariev and Antoni Georgiev. Once every few months, we gathered the crew for lunch and, believe me, only Antoni knew how much and where we had met all over the years. Throughout our lunch dates, Mr. Georgiev was certainly the only one, who collected data on our meetings, in his notebook, typically to make sure whose turn was to pay the bill.

At this very moment, we clearly decided it was Maxim���s turn to pick up the check, since he was recently elected Director General, and he anxiously asked:

-���� ��Tell me, if you were in my shoes, what would you do?

I took the opportunity and answered him, as if I was already prepared for his question. Over the years I had the honor to organize many press conferences in the Agency���s hall on the top floor ��� frosty, uncomfortable and a dusty place with timeworn squeaky chairs. But this time being, the charmless venue we held our meetings in, was our only alternative. Well, except for the high priced 5-star hotels in Sofia, which to this day I find unbefitting for such occasions.

-���� ��Maxim ��� ���I almost shouted at him��� - renew the hall and the furnishings, maybe even set down a climate control system. It is excessively hot in the summer and ridiculously cold in the winter. Place some translation booths and sound recording devices. Believe me, this place is a gold mine for the Agency profits. You will get the money back after a year or two, and only from renting it to customers like me.

Maxim shuddered, took out a notebook and started writing for what it seemed as ten minutes. His action did not bother us at all, since we were actively ravaging our traditional Bulgarian Shopska salad as a starter.

I had forgotten about this conversation, until one day I was attending a conference in London, if I am not mistaken, and my phone rang. The meeting was over, and I left the hall and headed out to the hotel lobby. Maxim called me again, and he was undoubtedly quite insistent. ��

-���� ��Max, I am looking forward to seeing you in an hour. We are opening the new Press Club and it looks astonishing. I bet you would not be able to recognize it. And since you gave me the idea of renewing it, you are pronounced a Godfather of the club! Come on, we are all waiting for you to come!

I was quite upset. Somewhere along the communication, my invitation was lost. There was no possibility for me to postpone the London���s trip, but at least I would have gone to see him and the renewed hall. My reaction towards him was sharp and I said firmly that I never appear uninvited. I perfectly knew I was wrong, which cost me a mood swing, but as a matter of fact, I am an emotional persona, especially towards my close ones.

It was a long-forgotten story, until Maxim reached out to me again and offered me a coffee date so he can present me the Agency���s new hall. But one of his requirements was to meet midday as he was busy in the morning.

I stopped by BTA at 12 pm, Maxim came, and we had our coffee. Then went upstairs and he opened the hall door. To my astonishment, the room was completely empty with no tables or chair in it. Except for one coffee table in the middle of the hall with two plates, champagne glasses and silver appliances on top of it. Next to the table, a waiter in white uniform, a bow tie and gloves was standing, waiting for us to sit.

I was completely stunned. Maxim looked at me and said with his super artistic and identifiable ������r������ pronunciation:

-���� ��This is our lunch. I ordered it from Hilton hotel. It is to apologize for not inviting you. Right now, it is the grand opening of the hall. And it is just for you.

That was Maxim.

Maxim Minchev.

An artist and a friend, who always knew how to apologize. One of a kind.