The Conventa brand, firmly established among event organisers in the New Europe region, has been hosting Try Before You Buy (TBYB) events since 2017. These events combine the strength of a mid-sized business trade show with the exclusivity of curated FAM trips. This edition of TBYB by Conventa took place in Belgrade, a city gearing up to host a landmark event set to shape the region in the coming year: EXPO 2027.
Following an introductory networking dinner, participants spent the second day of the event exploring the destination through guided experiences. They visited the Nikola Tesla Museum and the iconic Church of Saint Sava, savoured local wines in Sremski Karlovci, and enjoyed traditional Serbian cuisine at a rural “salaš”. Meanwhile, a sustainability workshop was held at Ložionica, led by Gorazd Čad, founder of the innovative event sustainability measurement tool Planet Positive Event. Alongside 30 Serbian event organisers, more than a dozen tourism students from a local faculty demonstrated that sustainability is a highly relevant topic for the next generation of industry professionals.
EXPO 2027 in the spotlight
The final day of the event took place at Ložionica and began with the educational Conventa Trend Bar programme. Gorazd Čad opened the programme with a presentation highlighting the long-term legacy of FIVB volleyball events. His keynote was followed by a panel discussion moderated by Hristina Stojiljković of Vekol DMC titled “The EXPO Effect”.
The panel featured Ana Ilić, Director of Ložionica; Dušan Borovčanin, one of the organisers of EXPO 2027; Dejan Bogdanov from Vekol DMC; and Ivan Vitorović from the MONA Hospitality hotel group. Additional inspiration came from Josh Stinton, one of the world’s most sought-after motivational speakers, who offered participants a behind-the-scenes perspective on the Winter Olympic Games in Italy, where he collaborated with more than 1,100 volunteers and athletes.
“Events such as Try Before You Buy by Conventa are extremely important, as they allow decision-makers to experience the destination first-hand.”
Beyond forming new professional connections, participants also had the opportunity to learn first-hand about the mega-event that Belgrade will host in 2027. Representatives of the EXPO 2027 organising team – accompanied by the event’s mascots, Rastko and Milica – presented a major regional project, expected to welcome more than 4 million visitors and position Belgrade as a leading destination in the years ahead.
“TBYB BG by Conventa presents Belgrade and the newly opened Ložionica not only as an outstanding destination for the meetings and events industry, but also as a dynamic environment where business, culture and creativity naturally intersect. We are delighted that Ložionica was chosen as a partner in organising the first international ‘TBYB Belgrade’ by Conventa, serving as a natural meeting point for new perspectives on how business visitors experience our city,” said Ana Ilić, Director of Ložionica.
“Our goal is to bring participants closer to the spirit of this remarkable city, which sits at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers. The writer Momo Kapor once described Belgrade as ‘not merely a place, but a metaphor for life and reflection.’ By organising TBYB-BG in the Serbian capital, we aim to create an environment where meetings don’t happen by chance, but instead leave a lasting impression on all participants. We invite everyone to experience Belgrade with their hearts and stay ahead of the curve before the world discovers its beauty at EXPO 2027,” added Gorazd Čad, co-founder of Conventa.
“Today, Belgrade has a realistic potential to become one of the key MICE destinations in this part of Europe. What sets the city apart is not only its infrastructure, but also the combination of an authentic atmosphere, a highly professional local industry, and growing interest from international event organisers. Events such as Try Before You Buy by Conventa are extremely important, as they allow decision-makers to experience the destination first-hand,” noted Dejan Bogdanov of Vekol DMC.
Participants particularly highlighted the value of discovering the destination in person. Chris Vanherck, Event Officer at Imec, commented: “TBYB BG was a highly professional and inspiring event, offering excellent networking opportunities and promising prospects for future collaboration. I also enjoyed the opportunity to get to know Belgrade better; it was truly a wonderful introduction to the city.”
In total, 285 face-to-face meetings were held. The synergy created by the three co-organisers is reflected in their commitment to strengthening regional cooperation. TBYB BG will return to Ložionica, Belgrade’s centre of creative industries, over the next two years.
TBYB BG by Conventa was organised by Toleranca Marketing in cooperation with Vekol DMC, Ložionica, and seven event partners. Learn more about the event here.
