Cross-border growth is not only about strategy and technology – it’s also about flawless execution behind the scenes. The meetings that close deals, the partnerships that scale markets, and the teams that show up rested, focused, and ready to perform all depend on one often-overlooked foundation: how well business travel is planned, managed, and optimized.
In this interview, we speak with Inna Marinova, Brand Ambassador for Balkan eCommerce Summit 2026 and Corporate Sales Manager Bulgaria at Roundtrip, an innovative business travel service, part of the Emerging Travel Group. The platform offers a full business trip management cycle: from selecting and booking hotels to arranging transfers, visa support, and insurance. Roundtrip offers accommodations in 2.9 million hotels worldwide, tickets from 450 airlines, transfers in 160 countries, car rentals, and train tickets. The service allows companies to set corporate travel policies and spending limits, download detailed reports and closing documents, making every business trip smooth at every stage.
Inna works closely with eCommerce teams to remove friction from business travel, operations, and international collaboration—turning logistics into competitive advantage. She shares practical insights on how smarter travel planning, AI-supported workflows, and operational discipline can directly support partnerships, deal-making, and measurable ROI—before, during, and long after the Summit in Sofia. For teams planning to attend in 2026, this conversation offers a clear playbook: how to show up prepared, stay focused on what matters, and turn a two-day event into months of momentum.
As a Brand Ambassador for the Balkan eCommerce Summit 2026, what do you hope to contribute to the community and what value do you personally expect to gain from this role?
I see my role as a connector and amplifier. I want to help position the Balkans, especially Bulgaria, as a serious, trusted hub for cross-border eCommerce and technology partnerships. Concretely, I contribute by:
– Connecting international eCommerce leaders with local Balkan companies that are ready to scale
– Translating regional realities into practical insights for global brands entering CEE
– Advocating for operational excellence, from travel and logistics to partnerships and execution
What I expect to gain is direct access to forward-thinking founders, operators, and decision-makers, and a deeper understanding of how fast-growing eCommerce teams operate across borders. For me, this role is also personal: I want to grow alongside the ecosystem I believe in and help put Balkan talent on the global map.
How will Roundtrip take part in the Balkan eCommerce Summit 2026, and how can smarter corporate travel planning amplify outcomes for teams coming to Sofia (meetings, partnerships, budget control)?
Roundtrip will participate as a strategic enabler, not just a service provider.
We support:
- Centralized travel booking for teams coming from multiple countries and companies
- Budget control & policy compliance in a high-spend event environment
- Real-time visibility into costs, travelers, and bookings
Smarter corporate travel means:
- Teams arrive on time, rested, and focused, not stressed by logistics
- Finance teams have predictable budgets and consolidated invoicing
- Decision-makers can approve travel faster and say yes to more high-value meetings
When travel is frictionless, teams spend their energy where it matters: partnerships, deals, and growth.
Give a practical 30-60-90 day playbook for a mid-size eCommerce company to professionalize business travel for cross-border growth in CEE (policy, tooling, approvals, data), what are the first three steps to implement?
First 30 days: Foundation
- Define a basic travel policy (who travels, class limits, approvals, preferred suppliers)
- Appoint a single travel owner (Ops, Finance, or Office Manager)
- Audit current spend: flights, hotels, last-minute bookings, reimbursements
Days 31-60 – Structure
- Implement a central booking tool (like Roundtrip)
- Set approval flows by role and budget thresholds
- Introduce company-wide visibility into spend and travelers
Days 61-90 – Optimization
- Use booking data to optimize routes, suppliers, and timing
- Introduce travel analytics (cost per trip, savings vs market, policy compliance)
- Align travel with growth goals: fairs, partner visits, market expansion
First three steps to implement immediately:
- One policy
- One tool
- One owner/ Self bookers
You champion “AI with human empathy.” What’s one concrete sales or account workflow where you blend AI with human touch and what measurable lift have you seen?
In sales and account management, I use AI for preparation and scale, and humans for trust and decisions.
Workflow example:
- AI researches the client: company growth stage, routes, seasonality, travel behavior
- AI drafts structured meeting agendas and follow-ups
- I personalize the conversation, ask the right questions, and adapt in real time
Result:
- Shorter prep time (≈30-40% reduction)
- More relevant conversations
- Higher engagement and faster decision cycles
AI gives me clarity and speed. Human empathy creates commitment. AI gives me more time for relationship building
For attendees traveling to the Balkan eCommerce Summit 2026, what are your top three travel/ops tips to maximize ROI on site?
– Pre-schedule 1:1s before arrival
Lock meetings 1-2 weeks in advance.
Treat the summit like a calendar, not a surprise.
Optimize routing & accommodation
– Stay close to the venue or your top meetings.
One extra hour per day = one more deal conversation.
Plan post-event follow-ups before the event starts
– Prepare templates and next-step offers in advance.
The real ROI happens after Sofia.
During the event don’t sell but build connections.
You’re a passionate traveler and lifelong learner. What lesson from the road most shapes how you build partnerships and can you share a short story where that mindset led to a tangible business outcome?
The biggest lesson travel taught me is this:
People remember how you made things easier for them, not how impressive your pitch was.
Being on the road can be stressful. I closely monitor my customers’ accounts and proactively reach out whenever I see a need for advice or fast support. This helps them feel calm, supported, and confident throughout their journey. That’s where the real human value comes in: standing behind the automated business with care, attention, and empathy.
Trust travels faster than any pitch.
Meet Inna at Balkan eCommerce Summit 2026
Planning to attend the Summit in Sofia? Wondering how to turn two days on-site into months of momentum – or curious how smarter corporate travel can become a competitive advantage for cross-border growth?
Inna will be on-site, ready to share what years of supporting fast-growing eCommerce teams have taught her – from pre-scheduling high-value 1:1s and optimizing routing to building trust through operational excellence and AI-powered workflows that leave more time for what really matters: human connection.
Whether you’re a founder managing a growing travel budget, an ops leader professionalizing business travel for CEE expansion, or simply want to understand how “AI with human empathy” creates measurable lift in sales and account management – come find her. These conversations often turn into partnerships.
🎟️ Grab your ticket at balkanecommerce.com and be part of building stronger connections across the region.