10th Conventa With More Than 500 Meeting Industry Professionals

119 exhibitors
185 international event organisers
45 countries
3,000 meetings

On 24th and 25th January Slovenia’s capital, Ljubljana, will host the 10th Conventa ‘New’ Europe tradeshow, dedicated to business meetings, congresses and motivational travel. Conventa has greatly contributed to the recognition of Slovenia as a destination suitable for congresses and meetings. The tradeshow has been added to Europe’s congress calendar as one of its most important events, where more than 110 providers of congress services from New Europe showcase their offers to invited guests from the whole of Europe and further afield. The boutique tradeshow, which is based on business experience with a personal touch, is this year celebrating its 10th anniversary.

Conventa has been connecting the meetings industry of New Europe for 10 successive years. From the very outset it hosted 2,286 invited guests from 48 countries and 1,192 exhibitors from 17 countries around the world. Numerous professionals from the meetings and events industry have added Conventa to their annual calendar and describe it as an unmissable event for the profession.

Miha Kovačič, Director of the Slovenian Convention Bureau and organiser of Conventa explained: “Conventa records great achievements every year. It is with great pleasure that we can announce that the 10th Conventa will host a record number of international clients – organisers of events and meetings. We expect 185 foreign buyers from 45 countries, of which more than 86% will be attending Conventa for the first time. Each buyer has been carefully vetted for their potential and the interest shown in organising events in our region. This year Conventa will also host over 100 Slovenian event organisers, the majority of which are from companies that would like to know more about what Slovenia and the region offers. ”

Zdravko Počivalšek, Minister of Economic Development and Technology of the Republic of Slovenia said: “This year Slovenia hosts the 10th Conventa international tradeshow, which is gaining in importance every year and is acknowledged by the expert public as the leading congress tourism event in Central and South East Europe. This event places Slovenia on the world map for congress tourism. I extend sincere congratulations to the organisers and their partners for their successful co-operation so far. I am convinced that the jubilee 10th Conventa will record great achievements in terms of quality, professionalism, visits, and participant satisfaction.”

Gorazd Čad, co-organiser of the event and Editor-in-Chief of Kongres magazine added: “The average time for organisation of a sales meeting takes at least one hour, not including the time invested in researching the market and additional time spent searching for buyers. According to Conventa’s research, attending the event saves at least 60 hours of valuable time that would otherwise have been used searching for contacts and organising meetings.”

Despite the excellent numbers, the organisers’ focus remains on quality rather than quantity. During the course of the tradeshow various seminars and workshops will take place, five of which will be led by English-speaking presenters, and two that will be led by professional Slovenian event organisers. In addition, in parellel with the meetings, at the Conventa Trend Bar on the central stage a series of short presentations and lectures will take place.

Miha Kovačič explained: “We are satisfied that Conventa is fulfilling its mission and increasing the recognition of Slovenia and the region of ‘New’ Europe. The 10th Conventa will also feature a packed professional programme which all attendees of Conventa can attend free of charge. Additionally, in co-operation with various associations, numerous expert meetings will be organised, thus enabling the acquisition of current and top-level knowledge in the field of business meetings and events.”

Miha Kovačič, Director of the Slovenian Congress Bureau and organiser of Conventa, concluded: “We are very proud to be organising the 10th Conventa this year. Conventa is not just another business event to increase the recognition of Slovenia and the region in the international business meeting and events market. It is a lot more. In addition to the two-day business networking event, where more than 5,000 business conversations will take place among buyers and sellers from more than 50 countries, throughout the whole year active promotion of Conventa and the region of ‘New’ Europe is taking place. All with the intention of increasing our recognition and, consequently, the business success of all players.”

“In ten years the Conventa tradeshow has become an unmissable event on the European congress map for key players in congress tourism, and is attended each year by more than 150 international and 100 regional and Slovenian business partners. Nearly 1,900 buyers from abroad, more than 1,000 exhibitors and over 21,000 meetings represents an excellent balance sheet of events in the last ten years. The tradeshow is ranked as the top business event of the year with more than 100 foreign attendees from 15 countries which once again proves that from year-to-year the quality execution of this event attracts the most important players in business and congress tourism in the region and also further afield. At the same time it places Slovenia at the very top of convened professional congress events, creating unforgettable and unique experiences, thus consolidating the country’s reputation as an excellent host for important business tourist events.”

“Due to a revival in the past decade, Ljubljana has become increasingly attractive not only for its residents but also for visitors, and is also becoming an increasingly interesting destination for holding international business events. We have already successfully carried out numerous events, among them the Conventa tradeshow which we have been proudly hosting annually for 10 years. Conventa thus remains that focal point of congress tourism in the region of South East Europe, and I am delighted that the attendees will be able to get acquainted with Ljubljana with all their senses, which is also the emphasis of this year’s event. And I am even more pleased that last year Ljubljana received the prestigious ‘Conventa Best Event Award 2016’ in the category of ‘communication by companies with users’, specifically for the information point of the European Green Capital 2016, where more than 600 events took place that were visited by almost 34,000 people. This is proof that Ljubljana is the right place for the exchange of good practice, which the participants of Conventa will also be able to experience.”

“Ljubljana will this year host the jubilee 10th Conventa, and at Tourism Ljubljana we are proud to be a partner in this exceptional event that has grown to become the most important congress tourism tradeshow in the region of South East Europe. Conventa is an excellent example of regional integration of congress-tourism providers with the aim of synergistically increasing recognition and improving its competitive position on the international congress market. It has won over the expert public with its original format which is an effective platform for holding business meetings that also offers a great number of unique experiences and opportunities for informal socialising in a relaxed and creative atmosphere.

For Slovenia’s capital this means an excellent opportunity to present our offer for a wide range of business meetings and events, with the emphasis on innovations. Therefore, Tourism Ljubljana treats Conventa as one of the most important events for the promotion of the destination through which it continually increases the recognition of Ljubljana abroad and strengthens the reputation of our trademark. Last but not least, business guests are very valuable for Ljubljana, since they spend more than the average guest, and, in addition, they are delighted to return to destinations that impress them and they become their ambassadors.”