Exhibitors represent the heart of Conventa
IN THE PAST FIFTEEN YEARS, CONVENTA HAS HOSTED 3,479 HOSTED BUYERS FROM 47 COUNTRIES AND 1,844 EXHIBITORS FROM 18 COUNTRIES.
The event’s matchmaking system has thus far recorded 46,263 meetings. Alongside physical data, Conventa’s organisers carefully analyse the satisfaction of attendees. They acquire data by conducting a survey on satisfaction on-site and a post-event online survey for both exhibitors and hosted buyers. This year, the exhibitors evaluated the event with an average mark of 4.69, while hosted buyers scored the event with 4.76. The organisers said the results were the highest since the first edition. Measuring results will enable organisers to plan future steps and improve the event.
57.14% of exhibitors (52) and 58.90% of hosted buyers (86) took the survey. The case sample is representative of most attendees at Conventa. The survey was conducted between 3 and 20 February 2023.
98% OF EXHIBITORS WOULD RECOMMEND CONVENTA TO THEIR COLLEAGUES
The chief reasons for exhibitors attending Conventa are One2One meetings with clients (90.4%) and networking and socialising (61.5%).
A staggering 98% of exhibitors believe Conventa is something they definitely must attend. The percentage of exhibitors who would recommend Conventa to their colleagues is identical. Proof that Conventa met expectations is unequivocal consensus among attendees. Exhibitors found the quality of hosted buyers (76.9%) and networking opportunities (65.4%) most important.
Exhibitors conducted an average of 28.03 meetings with hosted buyers.
Exhibitors evaluated individual segments of Conventa 2023 with the following average marks (from 1 to 5):
- 4.69 – organisation of the project (registration process, kindness, quality of the trade show, efficiency)
- 4.54 – communication before, during and after the project (B2Match, website, social media platforms, direct communication)
- 4.18 – satisfaction with hosted buyers (number of meetings, quality of buyers, quality of meetings)
The percentage of those who answered they are very likely or most certainly to attend Conventa again is very high (88.5%). Answers regarding the balance between price and quality of service were also intriguing. More than a third of exhibitors (42.3%) believe the quality exceeds the value, and more than half (51.9%) believe quality meets the price. Replies were similar to whether an investment into Conventa pays off: 98.1% of exhibitors were entirely or partly convinced.
Statements by satisfied exhibitors confirm the success of Conventa. The exhibitors noted:
“It was a pleasure to attend the 15th edition of Conventa – as always, an amazing event! The perfect size for suppliers to get in touch with potential hosted buyers. A great online matchmaking tool that actually works – compared to so many others – and a great event app that prevents printing too many pages! Not to forget the effort that is put into sustainability & the cooperation with Climate Partner Austria! I am definitely looking forward to the next Conventa 2024! Thank you.” – Natascha Ringerthaler, Salzburg Convention Bureau
“A wonderful event with that unique Conventa atmosphere, which I want to experience again!” – Noémi Mátray, HighVibes Budapest
“I visited Conventa 2023 for the first time, and it was the first exhibition in the region since my relocation in 2021. I was completely surprised by the organisation, quality and services. It is a great initiative that must continue for the region to grow responsible and expand across borders with a message of a commitment the entire world should take.” – TriesteCVB, PromoTurismoFVG
“I remember very well when I attended the first Conventa 15 years ago and many times after as hosted buyer. As of this year, I am an exhibitor. 15 years ago, we flew with Adria Airways to Ljubliana. The airline disappeared, but CONVENTA got one of the highlights and most effective and best-organised trade shows in the growing jungle of tourism workshops and fairs. I already booked 21 and 22 February 2024 to attend the next Conventa.” – Dieter Krasa, Head of Graz Convention Bureau
“Conventa is the best-organised event of its kind in this part of Europe. The organisers not only care about how many quality contacts they will bring together but about every segment of your participation in the event. For them, this is not just a b2b event; they have gone to the next level – Conventa is a human-to-human event.” – Spasenija Kika Purić, Montenegro Stars
CONVENTA MET THE EXPECTATIONS OF 98.8% OF HOSTED BUYERS
Similarly to exhibitors, hosted buyers’ main reasons for attending Conventa are networking and socialising among exhibitors and hosted buyers (83.7%) and meeting and exploring new destinations in New Europe (66.3%).
When talking about Conventa, 94.2% of hosted buyers see the trade show as something they must attend and something that helps them make business decisions. A convincing 87.2% of them believe Conventa entirely met their business goals, while 12.8% believe Conventa partially met their goals. Hosted buyers explained that good networking (82.6%) and the quality of individual exhibitors (79.1%) played a decisive role in successfully achieving business goals.
Hosted buyers conducted an average of 28.44 meetings with exhibitors.
Hosted buyers evaluated individual segments of Conventa 2023 with the following average marks (from 1 to 5):
- 4.76 – organisation of the project (registration process, kindness, quality of the trade show, efficiency)
- 4.58 – communication before, during and after the project (B2Match, website, social media platforms, direct communication)
- 4.56 – meetings (number of quality of meetings and quality of clients)
- 4.50 – event logistics (transfers, quality of hotels, transportation)
This is what hosted buyers said about Conventa:
“Conventa is likely the most sustainable trade show out there, besides being a useful platform for meeting with relevant providers. I am very impressed. A big thank you.” – Jimena Rojas
“It just keeps getting better year after year without losing the initial concept (boutique event).” – Victor F
“My colleagues and I spent two days in Ljubljana during the Conventa event as hosted buyers. We had an opportunity to meet some awesome people and exchange different kinds of experiences. We made a few great partnerships and a lot of new friendships. At the same time, we enjoyed the beautiful, clean, and fresh city.” – Milica Kostic, HTEC group
“My favourite part was the award ceremony and the dinner with the show and performance on the stage. It was simply amazing! Furthermore, I loved that everybody was very friendly to each other, and I am sure that it comes from the basic Conventa experience :). The overall atmosphere of the trade show is very nice. I would express my congratulations, as this event is absolutely world-class! I arrived home full of experiences and new business contacts. I met Slovenia and Ljubljana, a city already in my heart. Thank you for everything!” – Andrea Rácz
“Having attended big MICE trade fairs, I must say that Conventa is a must on my list now. I strongly recommend going there if you are looking for new venues and networking opportunities and want to gain knowledge about sustainability and green meetings in Slovenia and elsewhere. On top of that, the atmosphere is very welcoming, and everything is close by. I loved it. I had no clue about Conventa and Slovenia as a MICE destination until someone from my LinkedIn network liked a post about the organising team. I am very happy I noticed it.” – Sergiy Slupsky
“Conventa is a very well-organised, professional event with a familiar atmosphere. There is no rush or pressure. Conventa is the best trade show experience with dedicated time for networking. I am always happy to participate.” – Imre Diosi
“A superb show for anyone wanting to do business in the region and one that really cares about the environment!” – Iain Bitran
“Conventa brings together what belongs together!” – Tülay
“Conventa opened my eyes to more destinations which haven’t been on my sales map so far. Meeting new people and connecting is so important after two years of COVID. I enjoyed this trade show with fewer attendees than others. I had the feeling to have talked to at least 90% of the attendees there. Also, sustainability is becoming increasingly important in the event industry, and Conventa is one of the only trade shows to advocate that the industry becomes more sustainable.” – Wiebke Wosny
“Conventa showcases a stunning region in Europe in an inspirational way. The landscape for events is extremely varied with some really special destinations, and the people exude wonderful warmth and energy. I would highly recommend exploring the region and attending this event if you are looking for new ideas in your event or meetings.” – Daniel Wood, World Freestyle Football Association
SUMMARY OF CONVENTA 2023 RESULTS
CONVENTA’S HOSTED BUYERS
| Number of confirmed hosted buyers | 147 |
|---|---|
| Number of confirmed hosted buyers from the Alpe-Adria region | 33 |
| Number of confirmed hosted buyers from Europe, the USA and the Middle East | 114 |
| Number of hosted buyer countries | 30 |
CONVENTA’S EXHIBITORS
| Number of confirmed exhibitors | 90 |
|---|---|
| Number of exhibitors in the Experience Zone | 5 |
| Number of exhibitor countries | 15 |
| Index hosted buyers/exhibitors | 63 |
NUMBER OF MEETINGS AND FAM TRIPS
| Number of pre-arranged meetings | 2,074 |
|---|---|
| Average number of conducted meetings per hosted buyer | 28.44 |
| Average number of conducted meetings per exhibitor | 28.03 |
| Number of fam trips before Conventa | 4 |
| Number of fam trips after Conventa | 4 |
MEETINGS STAR COMPETITION 2022/2023
| Number of evaluated and certified meeting destinations (33 countries) | 125 |
|---|---|
| Number of evaluated and certified meeting hotels and convention centres (18 countries) | 238 |
| Number of nominated influencers in the meetings industry (23 countries) | 242 |
| Number of awards for winners in all categories | 14 |
Find out more about the premier regional trade show in New Europe and register for the 2024 edition here.
