Conventa is Transforming Ljubljana into a World Hub for Event Organisers

© Conventa

Conventa kicked off a week that celebrated, connected and inspired over 500 buyers and exhibitors from 35 countries in Ljubljana, Slovenia.

In his opening remark, Fredi Fontanot, the Director of the Slovenian Convention Bureau, emphasised the importance of events as catalysts for innovation and development in the meetings industry. He outlined three key pillars of the future: cooperation, measurable results and sustainability. The event was officially opened by the Deputy Mayor of Ljubljana, Boštjan Koritnik, who outlined the importance of the meetings industry for the Slovenian capital.

According to the organisers, Conventa is transforming Ljubljana into a world hub for event organisers. Ten programme segments, fam trips and over 3600 pre-arranged meetings represent the heart of Conventa. Yesterday’s event, Conventa 42° North, was one of the highlights of the opening day, thanks to exceptional speakers. The trade show will conclude at the end of the week with familiarisation trips.

The boutique trade show, based on business experiences with a personal note, is celebrating its 17th anniversary this year. Numerous experts from the meetings industry have added Conventa to their annual calendar and describe the event as the central event in New Europe.

Fredi Fontanot, the Director of the bureau that co-founded Conventa, added: “Conventa is the cornerstone of our industry – a place where experts meet to connect, implement innovation and grow. It is more than an event; it is a movement. A force that fosters change, facilitates growth and shapes the future of the meetings industry. This year, we wish to focus on three pillars that mark our way forward: cooperation, measurable goals and sustainability. These are not only buzzwords but the foundation of everything we do. They reflect the way we are growing and the way we are guiding our industry.”

Despite the excellent numbers, the focus remains on ensuring quality, not quantity. Attendees joining the event could learn all about the event’s sustainable aspirations this year. Attendees could find green team members who guided them through Conventa’s green journey on interactive screens. By showcasing insightful data, the green team debunked myths and showed tools and ways to more responsible events.
 

"In seventeen years, Conventa has hosted 3,799 hosted buyers from 47 countries and 2,086 exhibitors from 18 countries. Through the matchmaking system, they scheduled 52,563 meetings."

As part of their social responsibility, Conventa enabled innovative companies to present their offering free of charge. Among the exhibitors were Cup Revolution, Velo Concerts, Calm Nest, Knof, Piran Sea Oasis and a project by Ljubljana Tourism – CO2 Offset Parks.

On the opening night, Conventa paid homage to individuals without whom the event would not exist. The Conventa Hall of Fame was awarded to Marko Guček, the Managing Director of GoOpti. The partnership between Conventa and GoOpti has been ongoing since the company’s beginning. In the words of the organisers, the event would be impossible to pull off without GoOpti, a company that grew alongside Conventa.

Conventa is organised by the Slovenian Convention Bureau and Toleranca marketing in cooperation with Ljubljana Tourism, the Slovenian Tourist Board and 20 strategic partners.
 

Conventa Awards

The Conventa Ambassador Award was handed to Ildiko Lippai, the Head of Strategic Development at the Budapest Convention Bureau. Substantiating why she deserves the award, the organisers outlined her passion for building bridges between Hungary, Slovenia and Conventa.

The Conventa Lifetime Achievement Award was given to Srečo Peterlič, an honourable patron of Conventa. Srečo is the founder of congress tourism in Slovenia, who helped create world-class teams and believed in the immense potential of Slovenia as a meeting destination. His greatest legacy is creating the staff cornerstone of the industry that still co-creates the industry today. Only a handful of individuals can be proud of such a legacy. Srečko Peterlič is a name that every young colleague in the meetings industry should know. As the organisers explained, they should not be afraid to ask the grey-haired, seasoned expert for advice.

As the organisers explained, one of the highlights will be the award ceremony for the best destinations, venues and influencers of the meetings industry – the Meetings Star award ceremony. The awards, considered the Micheline Stars of the meetings industry, will be awarded on 19 February 2025.

Gorazd Čad, the co-founder of Conventa, captured the essence of Conventa: “Since 2009, we have been encouraging, educating, rewarding, guiding, inspiring, improving and connecting event organisers and all that is connected to our industry. We are proud of what we have achieved thus far and promise that quality will always matter more to us than quantity.”

At the press conference, the organisers announced the dates for the 2026 event. Ljubljana will once again host Conventa between 10 and 12 February 2026.