CONVENTA POISED TO CELEBRATE ITS 15TH ANNIVERSARY

Conventa, one of the oldest business trade shows of the regional meetings industry,
transforms Ljubljana into a bustling hub for professional event organisers every year.
Following two editions in August due to the corona crisis, Conventa will return to its
traditional winter date. Between 1 and 2 February, 95 exhibitors from 15 countries will
convene with 146 hosted buyers from 36 countries. Conventa 2023 will be coloured green in honour of the award the event received at the BEA World, the most prestigious global
competition for events. The organisers stressed that recognition as the best sustainable/green event is a tremendous honour and responsibility. Together with 19 partners, the organisers of Conventa will aim to prove that events can facilitate valuable business opportunities for attendees whilst reducing carbon footprint and other harmful environmental effects.

Conventa is the largest business trade show of the meetings industry in New Europe. That is why the organisers believe fulfilling their goals is crucial. They have already accomplished some of them, as the event will be attended by 95 distinguished exhibitors and 146 hosted buyers, who will conduct over 2500 business meetings over the course of two days. On average, each exhibitor hosts at least 30 personal meetings with potential clients.

As Miha Kovačič, the co-founder of Conventa, emphasised, the event’s core mission is to foster business opportunities. “As the organisers of Conventa, we often say that we are only as good as our last event. That is why we devote tremendous attention to the quality of attendees and measure their satisfaction. The most recent study among exhibitors has shown that they rated their satisfaction with 4.36/5.00, whereas hosted buyers evaluated the event with 4.54/5.00. We hope to improve that excellent result for our anniversary 15th edition of Conventa.”

Gorazd Čad, the co-founder of Conventa, said the Meetings Star Award Ceremony is one of the highlights of Conventa. This year, It will take place in person on the floor of the prestigious Gallus Hall in Cankarjev dom. The gala ceremony is scheduled for Wednesday, 1 February 2023, at 18.30.

Gorazd Čad stressed: “Since its inception, the coveted award has become recognised among event organisers in the meetings industry as one of the only awards based on precisely defined criteria and standards. Thus, The Meetings Star Award has become a reference point and a sort of Michelin guide for the meetings industry. Personally, I believe our project fosters the development of the entire meetings industry.”

Fam trip to destinations are an unmissable part of Conventa, and the organisers aptly named them Conventa Experiences. Attendees can thus visit Ljubljana, Bled, Kranjska Gora and Bohinj before the event. After the event closes, event attendees can acquaint themselves with Zagreb, Portorož, Belgrade and unique venues across Slovenia.

This year, Conventa will introduce several novelties:

Conventa Green Handbook

Conventa will implement an array of measures that will help save the environment. The organisers have gathered their recommendations in a comprehensive handbook.

Conventa Green Island

In cooperation with the Slovenian Tourist Board, Ljubljana Tourism and Climate Partner, the organisers will introduce the Conventa Green Island, where attendees will learn about sustainable practices and see how they can actually reduce the carbon footprint of an event.

Carbon Footprint Measurement

This year too, the carbon footprint will be precisely measured. Conventa will cooperate with Climate Partner, an esteemed company for measuring carbon footprint. Measuring the event’s CO2 emission will help the organisers prioritise further steps in line with the project’s sustainable criteria.

Conventa & IMEX Future Leaders Forum

Within the framework of the project, the event will host the Future Leaders Forum in cooperation with IMEX Frankfurt. The educational track is devoted to tourism students working in the hospitality industry who wish to continue their careers in the meetings industry. Around 30 young talents from the region are expected to attend.

Conventa Trend Bar Live

Conventa’s signature educational platform will again connect attendees with inspiring content. Both days will feature captivating talks about novelties in event organising. Expert speakers will share the latest news about up-and-coming venues, trends and valuable tips.

Meeting of Slovenian Congress Ambassadors

The Slovenian Congress Ambassador Programme has had a noticeable impact on Slovenia’s success in the internationalisation of science, sports and economy. The first convening of the Slovenian Congress Ambassadors in 2023 will take place on 1 February during Conventa. The Slovenian Tourist Board will organise the meeting.

Conventa’s growing partner network

Two new partners joined Conventa’s network of partners in 2022. The first is Hotel Four Points By Sheraton Ljubljana Mons, one of the leading hotels in Ljubljana. The second partner to join is Visual Group Adriatic, a high-tech company spearheading state-of-the-art multimedia technology and technical support.

Conventa 2023 will show how effective the event’s sustainable measures have been. Gorazd Čad concluded: “Conventa started its sustainable path in 2009. To become as carbon neutral as possible, we quickly concluded that we needed to establish a system of constant improvements to achieve a sustainable transformation. That is how the Conventa 7R model came to life, connecting key, interconnected steps. We have developed a tangible solution for a pressing issue in the meetings industry, and we will continue working towards making our pledge a reality.”