How does this year’s motor show – the 17th – differ from previous years?
This is the first time that we will be showing only light vehicles at the Expo. Last year we exhibited heavy commercial vehicles, but because the exhibitions of heavy and commercial vehicles were split off, on a rotation principle, this year is dedicated to light vehicles. Because of this, we are experiencing great interest. The exhibition area is growing more and more. The covered space now is 25 per cent bigger than it used to be; the open area is almost 3000 sq m enlarged. This allows companies to have bigger exhibition stands and to present more models. Overall, the quality of the Expo has been substantially improved.
What new is being offered to visitors?
The difference this year is the several events that are planned for the Expo. The first is the opportunity to test-drive the vehicles on show. Every visitor will have the opportunity to choose a vehicle from every stand, and will be given a ticket that says when the test drive will take place. A driving instructor will be waiting for the visitor in the parking area outside the Expo, and he will assist the visitor in test-driving the vehicle. A drive around Sofia in the car will enable a visitor to decide whether the car is interesting enough to buy. We have tried this in previous years and it has worked very well.
The other new thing this year is the “Motor show by night” event. On June 22, the second Friday after the Expo first day, opening hours will be extended from 8.30 pm to 10.30 pm. People will be invited to have a look at the vehicles in a calm atmosphere. Companies exhibiting at the Expo will be sending invitations. For 12 leva, anyone will be able to come in; this is just four leva more than the usual price for entering the Expo. The night will be special, with sponsors covering the costs of the drinks, the great cuisine, and the stars of bTV’s show Music Idol will give their first concert after the end of the show.
For the first time, we will have a VIP vehicle zone. It will be under a huge tent, with an area of 240 sq m where several exclusive VIP vehicles will be exhibited. These vehicles will not be on display at the exhibition stands. People will be able to enjoy the Jaguar, Mercedes-Benz and Wiesmann luxury models, which will be in tent on a rotation basis every three days. Besides the vehicles, VIP visitors will be able to savour quality liquors such as Pernod-Ricard, whisky, champagne and vodka. Salmon, black caviar and chocolate delicates will be on offer as well. Sony will impress with high-tech devices and, a brand new to Bulgaria, Garelli will present its motorcycle models.
Is it your aim to reach the level of the major international Expos in Europe?
This is actually happening already because many of the companies that import vehicles to Bulgaria are using the services of the manufacturers to build their exhibition stands. Many of the stands are coming directly from the Geneva Expo, but on a smaller scale. In that regard, the design of our Expo is very similar to those elsewhere in Europe.
What is the role of the Bulgarian Expo for the trade and for fans of quality vehicles in particular?
The previous Expos in Bulgaria were more business-orientated with a high degree of practicality. For example, the companies were offering discounts and preferential prices, to achieve some kind of business transactions. Today this has changed and the Expo is geared more as a display; its purpose is to show off the newest trends in vehicle design and engines. An Expo is not a bazaar but rather an event that educates people.
How are you planning to impress visitors from other countries?
They will see that our Expo does not differ from other Expos in Europe, and that there is no need for them to go back to their home countries to learn about the newest trends and innovations in the motor vehicle industry. After the Plovdiv International Fair, Sofia Expo is the biggest exhibition event in Bulgaria.
Will there be enough parking space for visitors?
This year parking arrangements are better organised than in previous years. There is a brand new three-storey parking facility right next to the Expo centre, with 500 parking spaces. Indeed, in the past this was a problem, but I think that it has been solved now. Also, we have arranged a free of charge bus line to the Expo centre. The bus will leave Vassil Levski national football stadium every 15 minutes, suitable for anyone who wants to enjoy a beer while looking at the vehicles.
Are you planning, as in other years, to give away a new vehicle as a prize to visitors?
Yes, but here again we have new things planned. And it looks like we will be the first to give people a choice of which vehicle they win. Every visitor at the Expo will be able to choose from five vehicles, each costing no more than 35 000 leva. People entering the Expo centre will have to fill in a questionnaire and tick the vehicle they want to win. We will put together all the forms on the last day of the Expo and a child will pick the winning ticket, with the name of the winner and the model of the vehicle on it. Second prize is a quad bike that can be registered and driven around Sofia. Other prizes include a plane trip for two, and discounts vouchers for Bosch products to the value of 150 leva.
Does the Expo have a theme this year?
From a patriotic point of view, Sofia Expo 2007 will host the first public appearance of a vehicle produced in Bulgaria, in fact, all three versions of it. And visitors will be able to see for the first time officially in Bulgaria three legendary brands: Rolls Royce, BRABUS and Lexus.
