The Slovenian Convention Bureau under Ljubljana Tourism, Intours DMC, Bled Rose Hotel, Hotel Intercontinental Ljubljana and Sava Hotels represented Slovenia this year. At the stand of Liberty Group, a member of the Slovenian Convention Bureau, Liberty Adriatic, showcased its portfolio of services independently.
IMEX America provided a golden opportunity for arranging meetings in advance. Slovenian participants had their schedules full. They praised the structure of hosted buyers, a fifth of whom hailed from the corporate sector. Likewise, they sang praise for the tremendous interest in Slovenia shown by the attendees and the quality of inquiries. Intours DMC agency has been present in the US market for the longest. They have been strategic partners of Maritz, one of the most renowned US event agencies, for some time. Thanks to their excellent references and efforts, the interest in Slovenia was immense. In the words of Intours DMC’s Director, the US market offers plentiful opportunities that Slovenia must take advantage of.
The Slovenian stand turned heads at IMEX America primarily because of the exceptional offer that amazed countless US event organisers. In the words of Slovenian partners in attendance, they received the most inquiries about Slovenia’s incentive market, particularly about the culinary and wine offer, which has been gaining popularity in the US. Slovenia was praised as one of the event’s greatest surprises among the participants. Past references played an important role, in particular, especially the resounding success of the Microsoft event hosted in Slovenia in October. According to Milena Vuletić from Intercontinental Ljubljana, such references attracted numerous show-goers to their stand. Their hotel has been steadily recording increased interest from foreign markets.
As attendees emphasised, the event showcased the revival and comeback of the meetings industry after the coronavirus crisis. Jan Oršič from Ljubljana Convention Bureau noted that the US market has tremendous potential.
The event focused not only on business but also on education and learning. The greatest IMEX Inspiration Hub thus far was attended by over 2,000 people who could learn from the industry’s most renowned experts. All lectures and presentations were free of charge and amazed the audience with the innovative educational formats.
Slovenia could not have made such a notable impact at the event without the continued support of the Slovenian Tourist Board and the team at Slovenian Convention Bureau who executed the project. Fredi Fontanot, the Director of the Slovenian Convention Bureau, emphasised: “This year’s IMEX America has shown how important continuous promotion on the US market is. Slovenian partners are already enjoying the fruits of their labour. That is why we will continue developing our services in this market. At the start of 2024, we will bring a group of esteemed hosted buyers to the Conventa trade show in Ljubljana. We are also considering a more ambitious exhibitor stand that will highlight all the advantages of our plentiful offer.”
The dates for the next IMEX America have already been announced. The show will take place in Mandalay Bay between 8 and 10 October 2024.
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