Conventa showcases inspiring programme

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Photo: Marko Delbello Ocepek

Conventa celebrated its 15th anniversary in jubilant fashion. The Meetings Star Awards Ceremony featured an unforgettable evening, honouring the best destinations, hotels and influencers in the regional meetings industry. In two days of the trade show, attendees could meet future partners and clients, explore Ljubljana’s diverse offer and learn about sustainable transformation. Conventa 2023 facilitated more than 2,500 business meetings.

The established two-day trade show culminated in an evening dedicated to the Meetings Star competition, now in its 13th edition. Considered the Michelin stars of the meetings industry, the awards were announced in Gallus Hall at Cankarjev dom. The host of the evening, Klemen Slakonja, announced the winners in three main categories:

A. Best Meeting Destinations in 2022/2023
Among 125 evaluated destinations from 33 countries, winners were announced in four categories (XL, L, M and S destinations) and an additional category comprising destinations in New Europe.

B. Best Meeting Hotels and Convention Centres in 2022/2023
Among 238 certified hotels from 18 countries of New Europe, the Meetings Star Award honoured the winners in five categories (city, resort, spa, boutique meeting hotels and convention centres).

C. Most Influential People in 2022/2023
The most influential people in the regional meetings industry were selected among 242 candidates from 24 countries. The prestigious award went to Dušan Borvočanin, the CEO of the Serbia Convention Bureau.

Photo Credit: Conventa

Commenting on the awards, Miha Kovačič, the co-founder of Conventa, stressed: “The awards and the trade show celebrate fifteen years this year. Each year, we are taken aback by new stories of organisations and individuals who achieve excellence and help co-create the story of Conventa. We cannot imagine Conventa without their help and trust in our project.”

A push for sustainability

With the help of ClimatePartner, the organisers of Conventa again calculated the carbon footprint of the project. One of this year’s novelties was the Conventa Green Island, where attendees could learn about sustainable practices and see how they can actually reduce the carbon footprint of their event.

The Conventa Trend Bar educational programme addressed future challenges of the meetings industry. A lineup of experts in sustainability and event organising took to the stage at the Conventa Green Island.

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Photo Credit: Conventa

Conventa 2023 hosted 146 hosted buyers from 32 countries and 90 exhibitors from 15 countries. The attendees conducted over 2,500 business meetings. 

Commenting on the multiplicative effects of Conventa, Gorazd Čad, the co-founder, said: “Conventa spearheads change and is the ideal think-tank for testing and innovating in sustainable and regenerative transformation. Event organising based on a sustainable approach contributes to Ljubljana’s prosperity and has multiplicative effects on the community. Conventa follows the new strategy of Ljubljana’s meetings industry and thus represents a good practice case.”

For further information, visit www.conventa.si.

Kongres Magazine