From the 10th to the 12th of February 2026, the 18th edition of Conventa was held in Ljubljana — a specialized trade show for the meeting and incentive industry that brings together supply from the wider region of so-called New Europe, spanning the Baltic countries, Central and Eastern Europe, the Western Balkans and Turkey. This year’s edition took place at a new venue, within the congress facilities of the Union Hotel. The organizers also redesigned the event’s visual identity, changed the venue and partially enhanced the program concept.
The classic format of pre-scheduled business meetings, Conventa Meet, remained the core of the program, complemented by additional elements of a multi-venue concept through the Experience Crawl program. Over the two days of the trade show, mornings were dedicated to B2B meetings, while afternoons featured the Experience Crawl, during which buyers visited various event venues in Ljubljana and met exhibitors through short encounters. The evening program on the second day included the Meetings Star Awards ceremony, accompanied by a reception.
High-Quality Meetings and Concrete Business Inquiries for Dubrovnik
Approximately 130 exhibitors from 18 countries participated in Conventa, along with around 190 international buyers from nearly 40 countries. Alongside the Convention Bureau of the Dubrovnik Tourist Board, Croatia was represented by the Convention Bureau of the Zagreb Tourist Board, the Croatian National Tourist Board, Croatia Airlines, as well as a number of hotel companies and specialized agencies.
Romana Vlašić, a Head of the Convention Bureau of the Dubrovnik Tourist Board, held around thirty pre-arranged meetings with buyers from various parts of the world, primarily from the United States, Canada, Australia, South Africa and numerous European markets. This year, buyers were exceptionally well selected, and most meetings were held with new contacts, while existing contacts had concrete inquiries for 2027.
Organizers’ interest relates to the period from 2027 to 2030, with corporate events, conferences, business meetings and incentive travel dominating, although interest was also recorded for international association congresses, particularly in the fields of medicine and science. Organizers are equally seeking high-category four- and five-star hotels, and the availability of air connections remains one of the key criteria when selecting a destination. For long-haul travel, the importance of arrival with a maximum of one European transfer, that is, one hub, is emphasized, further confirming the importance of Dubrovnik’s quality transport connectivity.
Dubrovnik Among the Best Meeting Destinations
Dubrovnik received additional confirmation of its international competitiveness through the results of the Meetings Star Award, where it secured a high second place in the category of M meeting destinations (up to 1,200 participants). First place went to Portorož, while third place was awarded to Opatija.
The Meetings Star Award, presented by Kongres Magazine, is based on precisely defined criteria and internationally comparable standards. Destinations are evaluated according to the Meeting Experience Index, which includes 75 quality and participant experience criteria.
The awards ceremony was held in the Grand Hall of Cankarjev Dom in Ljubljana, with the participation of around 400 leading professionals from the European MICE industry, further confirming the importance of this evaluation for the international visibility of destinations.
Continuation of Activities and Further Strengthening of Market Position
Participation in Conventa is part of ongoing promotional activities aimed at attracting international business events to Dubrovnik. Following the meetings held, follow-up activities are underway with potential organizers, with the goal of converting expressed interest into concrete bids and confirmed projects in the coming years.
The results confirm that Dubrovnik remains strongly positioned as one of the leading destinations for business meetings in the region, particularly in the segment of mid-sized international congresses, corporate events and incentive programs. The combination of an attractive location, developed infrastructure, professional partners and a unique destination experience continues to represent Dubrovnik’s key competitive advantage on the European congress and incentive scene.
