Best practices and MICE strategy at Conventa 2025
Last week, for the 17th time, the region’s largest MICE trade show, Conventa, opened its doors once again, hosted by our Slovenian neighbor’s capital, Ljubljana. The HotelPremio Group’s MICE division was also represented at the exhibition.
This year, 135 exhibitors from 18 countries attended the two-day workshop, where they had the opportunity to meet nearly 200 professional buyers through pre-scheduled meetings and informal evening receptions. The opening ceremony on the first evening was held in a unique, seated format in the grand ballroom of the historic UNION Hotel.
Nine tourism service providers from Hungary formed a dedicated “Hungarian corner” in the meeting area. Among them, five participated under the umbrella brand of the Budapest Convention Bureau.
The HotelPremio Group was represented at Conventa this year by exhibitors Róbert Révész and János F. Fazakas. Based on buyer feedback, their presentations made it clear to international stakeholders that when looking for venues for MICE events in Hungary, micehungary.com serves as the best starting point. The platform not only highlights a select few venues but provides a comprehensive overview of more than 800 event locations.
The HotelPremio Group team was accompanied at the trade show by a special domestic event venue partner. The Esztergom–Budapest Archdiocese Tourism Office presented its unique offerings, which, based on international buyers’ feedback, delivered one of the most exciting presentations of the event. As in previous years, we attended the trade show alongside some of our Hungarian clients and once again experienced the professionalism of Slovenian hospitality.
In addition to continuous business meetings, we had the opportunity to attend a wide range of professional presentations. One of the most intriguing topics was Slovenia’s exemplary 2025-2030 MICE strategy, showcasing local industry collaboration. The strategy is based on research funded by the Slovenian Convention Bureau, involving hundreds of local and regional industry stakeholders. The research began in November 2024 and is set to conclude in September 2025. The interim findings were presented by Ivo Franschitz, founder of Enited Business Events, which conducted the study, and Gorazd Cad, one of the main organizers of Conventa and a key figure in Slovenian tourism.
The research covered various aspects, including how the 175 companies operating in the sector in 2023, with 8,450 employees, contributed to local GDP through their results and revenue. It also explored international clients’ perceptions of the destination, along with several other insights that can help industry players define future business directions.
The organizers (Toleranca Marketing, the Slovenian Convention Bureau, and the Ljubljana Tourism Board) take the careful selection of attendees seriously each year, while also focusing on improving the event’s sustainability indicators. As a key tourism destination, they set a great example in measuring, executing, and promoting the sustainability of business and tourism events.
On the second day of the event, the organizers also announced the date for Conventa 2026. So next year, we will meet again in Ljubljana from February 10-12, 2026.