Photo: Shutterstock Sofia International Airport continues its upgrade and development program. The airport operator, SOF Connect, has launched a tender to select a company that will develop and operate a new airport hotel and conference and event center.
The move is part of the vision to transform Vasil Levski Sofia Airport into a modern and competitive regional airport with a five-star service level.
According to the plan, the new hotel will be built near the future Terminal 3 and will include more than 150 rooms under a well-known 3-4 star hotel brand.
A Conference & Event Center will also be built inside Terminal 2 that will be able to host more than 260 participants. One of the most prominent elements in the design is the direct view of the airport runways, which should also make the complex a focal point for business events, conferences and meetings.
SOF Connect invites international hotel companies, entrepreneurs and operators with experience in developing and operating high-level hotels, conference centers and event complexes to tender.
The winner of the tender will be responsible for the entire project, from planning and development, through construction and financing, to the long-term operation of the hotel and conference center.
The contract is expected to last until the end of the concession period for operating Sofia Airport, in April 2056.
The new project is integrated into the broader process of developing Sofia Airport and plans for the construction of the new Terminal 3.
For SOF Connect, the hotel and conference center are not just an additional service for passengers, but part of the ambition to increase the airport's commercial activity, attract business travelers and international conferences, and improve the experience of staying at the airport and its surroundings.
With more than 150 rooms, a large events center and a view of the runway, the project could transform Sofia Airport into a more significant business and tourist complex, far beyond its traditional role as the air gateway to Bulgaria.