KONGRES MAGAZINE 2015

7th EXHIBITION FOR MEETINGS, EVENTS & INCENTIVE TRAVEL 21 - 22 january 2015

One2One meetings

SPECIAL ISSUE CONVENTA CATALOGUE

7

VOLUME IX, ISSUE 1 // JANUARY 2015

7

21.240

years of SUCCESS

ISSN 1 8 5 5 - 8 6 1 5

9 771855 861009

www.kongres-magazine.eu

years of results

887

exhibitors from 17 countries

1.686

hosted buyers from 45 countries

I FEEL INSPIRED BY WHERE WE MEET At the crossroads of Europe we come together to do business. Accessible, affordable with fine Slovenian hospitality, all you need to do is provide the people.

SLOVENIA. Green. Active. Healthy. www.slovenia.info #ifeelslovenia

CONVENTA SELECTION

CONVENTA SPECIAL ISSUE CONTRIBUTORS ŠPELA JERUC With her youthful energy Špela carries out even the most difficult journalistic tasks.

Over the past two years she has become an important part of the Kongres team and is now ready to conquer the media world

KONGRES MAGAZINE Page 6 In Focus LIVE CAMPAIGN, The next big thing in marketing, Colja M. Dams Page 10 WORDS THAT SELL, Welcome to the world of content marketing, Gorazd Čad

NATALIJA BAH ČAD An unforgettable member in the editorial board of travelogues, who at each destination adds her icing on the cake. She has insight into the soul of destinations based on many years of practical experience with the organisation of events. She is interested in everything from the history, geography and destination marketing to care for the tiny little things that make the big events.

Page 21 Meetologue PIRAN - City of Salt Page 27 Behind the Scenes EXCLUSIVE REPORTAGE, RADISSON BLU OLD MILL BELGRADE

MIHA KOVAČIČ Miha Kovačič is known as a highly professional and motivated, zealous, positive, hearty and constructive colleague. Under his management, the Slovenian Convention Bureau became an important connecting point and an efficient marketing and promotional institution of the Slovenian meetings industry, which currently unites over 60 of the most important Slovenian providers of congress services.

City Report Page 37 SALZBURG Page 41 ISTANBUL MEETINGS STAR Page 48 Meetings Star Award 2014 BEST MEETING DESTINATIONS 2014 TOP 10 NATIONAL DESTINATIONS 2014 TOP 10 REGIONAL DESTINATIONS 2014 TOP 10 SMALL TOURIST DESTINATIONS 2014

POLONA SIMŠIČ The knowledge and experience she accumulated with organization of advertising festivals and conferences, she successfully transfers to the meetings industry. She tells stories of the project Conventa and makes sure that they are always up-to-date and interesting.

Page 60 Hidden Congress Guest TESTING TO THE LIMITS CONVENTA CATALOGUE Page 84 Conventa Ambassador PAUL KENNEDY

ANA HOTKO A new member joined our team recently - the young, professional and ambitious Ana. She is eager to improve her knowledge about the Meetings industry and gain priceless experience.

Page 85 Conventa Hall of Fame TOMAŽ KRUŠIČ Page 88 Conventa A-Z Page 90 Meet The Team Page 94 Experiencing Congress Destinations at Fam Trips Page 102 LIST OF EXHIBITORS Page 148 Who is Who at Conventa 2015

GORAZD ČAD Editor of the magazine is in his profession a geographer and historian. He united his professional education and love of discovering new lesser-known convention destinations with love and passion for the meetings industry. In meetologues he will try to share his enthusiasm with the readers.

KONGRES - ONE STOP SHOP FOR 24 MARKETS

2006 MAGAZINE › 2008 BRAND AND WEB PORTAL › 2010 INTEGRATED MEDIA PLATFORM AND CONTENT­ PROVIDER › 2014 UNIQUE MULTI-CHANNEL MARKETING MODEL FOR MEETINGS INDUSTRY

Meeting planners touching points: Internet + Print + Interactive TV + direct ONE2ONE Integration + Consistency + Flexilbility + Insight = KONGRES MAGAZINE KONGRES MAGAZINE IS MEDIA PARTNER OF

@kongresmagazine

G www.facebook.com/kongres.magazine Editor in Chief Gorazd Čad Assistant to the Editor in Chief Ana Hotko Editor of Croatia Addendum Daniela Kos Editor of Kongres Telescope Robert Cotter Design Nenad Cizl dtp and prepress Premedia, Andrej Juvan Translation Barbara Bračko, Ana Lotrič (Interpreting and translation DRAGOMAN) Proofreading: Joshua Birch Rocchio Printing Grafex, grafično podjetje d.o.o.

Circulation 1.000 copies ISSN Number 1855-8615 The Kongres magazine is entered into the media register under sequence number 1423.

Magazine issued in January; March; May; July; September; November Publisher, Production and Marketing Toleranca Marketing d.o.o., Štihova 4, SI-1000 Ljubljana, t: +386 (0)1 430 51 03 f: +386 (0)1 430 51 04 v e: gorazd.cad@toleranca.eu Issue date January 2015 For the content reproduction it is required to get the written editorial consigment.

Official magazine of the Slovenian Convention Bureau Member of

ISSN 1 8 5 5 - 8 6 1 5

9 771855 861009

53.200 READERS Kongres magazine total unduplicated reach of 41.200 meeting professionals.

8

TH NEW EUROPE EXHIBITION FOR MEETINGS, EVENTS & INCENTIVE TRAVEL

Explore the emerging destinations of Europe over a cup of coffee

THE BOUTIQUE MEETINGS MARKET IS BACK AND THIS TIME IT’S PERSONAL Once you’ve seen what CONVENTA can do for you in two days you’ll never want aything else.

WWW.CONVENTA.INFO

20 - 21 JANUARY 2016, Ljubljana—Slovenia

A word from the editor

BOOMING BUSINESS Where are we and where are we heading?

Gorazd Čad, Editor, Kongres magazine

S

@gorazdcad

tatistically speaking, 2014 was the most successful year since the beginning of the crisis in 2008. After several years of negative trends, during which the meetings industry shared the same fate as the rest of the economy, things finally started to change for the better.

Corporate events represent the driving force behind the regional meetings industry. Most service providers whose opinion we asked confirmed that this year the situation was not much different.

We can expect positive growth this year as well, a conclusion which was confirmed by several international studies. Probably the most precise study on trends, the American Express: Global Meetings & Events Forecast, points out a number of positive trends. Among the indicators we find e. g. the number of newly opened hotels. This year, 38 new hotels will be opened in London, 17 in Munich and 15 in Istanbul.

However, growth will not be exponential but moderate with only a few percent upwards.

Even so, forecasts should always be taken with a grain of salt. Such destinations are still costly, and maybe exactly this is a great opportunity for new destinations in Eastern Europe. In this context a comparison of the ICCA list, which considers only meetings industry associations,

and the American Express Top Cities list, which only takes into account corporate events, is relevant.

This comparison shows to what extent accessibility by plane influences the ranking between the firstclass European meetings industry destinations.

TOP 10 European Airports

TOP 10 European Cities - Corporations

2014 1. London, Heathrow 2. Paris 3. Frankfurt 4. Amsterdam 5. Istanbul

6. Madrid 7. Munich 8. Rome 9. London, Gatwick 10. Barcelona

The “New Europe” presented at the Conventa Trade Show is the freshest and hottest European Mecca in the meetings industry, which goes unrecognised too often.

The same rule holds true for second-tier destinations, which are, however, progressing steadily due to budget cuts and the search for an authentic congress experience.

Nonetheless, in a broader context the key tasks are still ahead of us. The biggest challenge

American Express: Global Meetings & Events Forecast 2015

1. London 2. Paris 3. Barcelona 4. Amsterdam 5. Berlin

6. Nice 7. Brussels 8. Rome 9. Frankfurt 10. Munich

5

at the moment is in how to create a positive congress environment in the region.

Since the very beginning, Congress Magazine has been an important partner of the Conventa Trade Show. We can say with pride that Conventa is “powered by Congress Magazine”. In this sense in 2015 we will be creating a new image of the meetings industry region for the 7th time. We therefore understand Conventa as a festive introduction to a new MICE year. Just as the holidays return year after year, Conventa will return as well and it will show us the right direction. The organisers hope Conventa will become a kind of a holiday as well and that the participants will not only find time for business meetings but for personal encounters as well.

We wish you a pleasant and creative start into the new MICE year!

Conventa Communication Platform powerd by KONGRES MAGAZINE since 2007

TOP 10 European Cities – Associations ICCA: Country and City Rankings 2013

1. Paris 2. Madrid 3. Vienna 4. Barcelona 5. Berlin

6. London 7. Istanbul 8. Lisbon 9. Prague 10. Amsterdam

In Focus

LIVE CAMPAIGN The next big thing in marketing text by Colja M. Dams

Marketing communications changes

All of this can lead to an absolute satiation of the consumer. New ideas are in great demand. One needs to be heard and the respective message needs to appeal to the recipient, to offer him an added value. This, in turn, requires a mind shift in communication. Consumers no longer want a one-way communication, but they want dialog.

Recommendations from one’s peer group are what trigger people’s purchase decisions.

Every year marketers ask themselves the same question: “Is there a new trend in marketing communications?”

This question is no coincidence, but rather expresses the uncertainty of professionals in communications. But trends are becoming ever more fast-paced and budgets increasingly smaller.

Every measure has to subordinate itself to the strict dictate of measurability and in addition to this one is in a permanent race with competitors.

6

In Focus

Hybrid Events as a chance for more dialog

Which communication instrument offers the best opportunity to enter dialog?

The answer is obvious: live-encounters and Internet. Live represents an enormous depth of contact, Internet stands for a very large amount of contacts in real time. So what would be more obvious than to sensibly combine these two?

Hybrid Events stand for the combination of the live-experience with its immense contact intensity with MoSoLo (mobile applications, social media und location based services) offering the vast coverage potential of the Internet.

Trends

Let us briefly look at current socio cultural trends, to then draw conclusions from them about the requirements of the target groups.

№1

Egolution “Me, myself and I” – Self-realization becomes increasingly important.

№2

We Ciety The joint experience becomes ever more central for many people – especially young ones. Only at first glance this may seem like a countermovement.

Rather, one may become part of several different peer-groups, but it is within these groups that one also aim to find self-fulfillment, as joint experiences with others also become a means of self-realization.

№3

Word-of-mouth 2000 3D The most effective marketing-tool ever. Since 1956 several analyses have proven over and over again the power of recommendations for the purchase process. And it is the digital revolution that makes recommen dations more important than ever before.

№4

Co-Creation People come together to create something big, to think of and find solutions together.

Why? Simply because it is possible nowadays, and because they want to achieve something.

Makerspaces, hackerthons and co-working places – are all first examples for this. It is the search for a pragmatic solution of a problem which always lies at the core.

№5

Story appetite People love stories. We learn through them, they are a means of social education for us.

Since 2011 when content marketing entered the marketing agenda, the focus on content, has often pushed aside the fact that people only like content, when it offers them some kind of added value, when it is actually relevant for them.

Moreover, the more “beautifully wrapped” these content-stories are, the more likely it becomes that they will be retold and shared.

Content marketing thus means: find the good story and spread its word.

So even if the requirements behind these trends are by no means new, they can be expressed in a whole new way thanks to the new communication possibilities of today. Communication today thus has to be has to be authentic, emotional, relevant and offer some kind of added value.

Live Campaigns

Hybrid Events especially are able to integrate other media channels such as TV, Print or PR into marketing communication.

The event is no longer one mere communication channel amongst others. But it generates content for all relevant channels of the target group. Thus, the event moves into the core of the overall marketing campaign. Events become the epicenter of a new communication form for brands and products – the campaign becomes a “Live Campaign”. We have to take into consideration here that already several communication measures or events, which are being implemented nowadays, contain Live Campaign elements or have to potential to become a Live Campaign.

The potential of Live Campaigns

Live Campaigns ensure an emotional, relevant communication with added value for the target group. The event does not only take place once, but instead generates content, which can in turn be communicated over a long period of time.

A Live Campaign is also a platform for joint, interactive working and thinking. And the event does not have to be at the start of the campaign.

Rather, Live Campaigns can kick-off first in the virtual world and then open out into an event later.

7

Colja M. Dams CEO, VOK DAMS Agency for Events & Live-Marketing Colja M. Dams is president / CEO of the VOK DAMS GRUPPE since 1998. Since the foundation in 1971, the agency has been one of the international market leaders in LiveMarketing and Events. Graduated as an economist at the University Witten/ Herdecke in Germany, he early recognized the importance of internationalization in the special events business.

Thanks to his efforts the Wuppertal, Germany headquartered agency has established fife additional German offices in Frankfurt, Hamburg, Stuttgart, Berlin and Munich as well as successful subsidiaries in Middle East (Dubai), China (Shanghai & Beijing), France (Bordeaux), England (London), Eastern Europe (Prague), South America (Sao Paulo) and the U.S.A. (New York).

Furthermore he establishes new standards in fields of Events and Live-Marketing, which are developed

by VOK DAMS Consulting constantly.

In Focus

Case study live campaigns:

Lamborghini Aventador Roadster launch – Fastest City Takeover ever

A

Conclusion

Successful content marketing is driven by live marketing. The Hybrid Event becomes the motor of Live Campaigns. The client address is holistic, permanent and with added value. Live Campaigns are the new mega-trend – not solely as regards the events industry.

good example for Live Campaigns is the spectacular launch of the Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4 Roadster in Miami.

The event was conceived and designed in such a way as to both define and at the same time shape the communication channels of the relevant target groups.

Just as its motto demonstrates: “The Fastest City Takeover Ever!“. And this was indeed how the new Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4 Roadster was presented in Miami to the more than 400 dealers and lifestyle- and automobile journalists.

A city takeover in the truest sense of the word ensued.

Kick-off of the two months long activities was the official presentation on the Ocean Drive, the “boulevard of the American automobile elite”. With a test drive parade through town, the new roadster attracted the attention of several thousand onlookers and became the talk-of-town.

8

On the busiest airport of the US, Miami’s International Airport, a high-speed experiment was launched: an exclusive high-speed duel in a class of its own. On the runway, several Lamborghini Aventador Roadsters raced in front of a Boing 777. In this extreme demonstration of performance the new sports car demonstrated its extreme power and sportiness.

And it was in this way the event generated content for all communication channels.

These ensuing activities with a high presence turned the press and dealer launch into a PR spectacle, which went around the world.

The event drew more and more Lamborghini fans and paparazzi into town each day.

The strong presence of the brand and of the new roadster in the region and in the local and international media furthermore ensured that Lamborghini’s fashion and merchandise collection, which was offered in a pop-up store erected especially for the duration of the event, literally flew off the shelves.

In Focus

WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF CONTENT MARKETING WORDS THAT SELL text by Gorazd Čad

We often ask ourselves why the meeting industry’s content marketing tastes like bad wine from the supermarket. The lable promises a lot; however, the content lacks character and substance.

T

he debate about content marketing often revolves around theory and concepts; however, there are only a few colleagues who actually know how to use it. The situation could be compared to the times in the army when young men dreamt about having sex with the beauties from the town where they were stationed, and only a few managed to escape from the virtual reality behind the barrack’s walls and put dreams into action.

It all starts with very simple solutions. The most obvious lesson is offered by Google and its content marketing platform, which makes it possible to start listening to our customers.

Various text optimisation programmes, which are used on Wordpress formats, offer similar possibilities. I personally warmly recommend them to any meeting industry content manager.

After several years of using analytics software it became obvious that in the case of creating stories the good old Pareto principle still holds true.

Therefore, the question is raised as to why 20% of stories have an effect and 80% do not, or in other words why nobody reads 80% of all stories.

For a start, it is useful to connect your brand with content marketing. In the good old times of Mad Man, and even today, a company slogan took care of that. Some good content marketing slogans can also be found among the meeting industry’s destinations. An example of that would be the Polish “Come and Find Your Story”. With such a basis it is not difficult to start telling stories. And if we don’t start telling them, our competitors will.

Words do count – and this was proven

by Yale University long ago. In 1961, scientist proved that words have a magical meaning; among the most effective were:

10

YOU … DISCOVER ... EASY … PROVEN ...

SAVE … MONEY … GUARANTEE … HEALTH … HAPPINESS … LOVE … RESULTS. We already gained some practical experience in working with our clients. Usually, we draw their attention to the following five rules, which must be observed when creating a story: 1. LENGTH OF A STORY: Today, the acceptable length of a message is between 100 and 150 words. Unfortunately, over 60% of them fail to comply with this standard.

2. STRUCTURE OF A STORY: A clearly structured story is composed of several key words and has a compelling title, an introduction, a main part and clearly indicated sources.

3. TITLE: This is where the reader makes the first contact with your story. Therefore, it must be short, interesting and recognisable. The title is your story’s amplifier.

4. CONTENT: Find stories that are interesting for your readers. Usually these are crystal clear, elegantly simple, inspiring and adjusted to the needs of your target audience.

The most disturbing is simply listing all congress halls and services in hotel rooms – something that still happens too often.

5. UEP - Unique Emotional Point: Only a few messages touch the hearts and feelings of their readers, although this is a basic element of a good congress story. The strength of feelings is a key element in achieving a positive reaction in our readers.

Deciding what should be left out of a story is equally important as what to include.

What is important is to understand the needs of the target audience and their motivation. Every time try to imagine how your story will distinguish itself from others. Having said that, it is nonetheless best to leave the work in the field of content marketing to professionals, who do this on a daily basis and who have developed their own content marketing tools.

In Focus

If we don’t start telling stories, our competitors will.

And now some word analytics! What follows are words, which were most frequently looked up by users of the www.kongres-magazine. eu portal in 2014. They were divided into four groups:

Words, which express POWER: PREMIERE – TRUST – IMPROVE – DISCOVER – LEARN – KNOW – UNDERSTAND – CREATE – TRUST – POWERFUL

Words, which become VIRAL: TEEL US – INSPIRES – DISCOVER – FIND OUT – WINNER – EVENT – SHARE – DEVELOPED – SEE – CHECK OUT – TAKE

Words, which provide SAFETY: AUTHENTIC – ANONYMOUS – GUARANTEED – LIFETIME – NO OBLIGATION – RESULTS – SECURE – TESTED – VERIFY – CERTIFIED – BEST SELLING

Words, which CALL TO ACTION: LIMITED OFFER – TODAY ONLY – ONLY 10 AVAILABLE – ONLY 3 LEFT – ONLY AVAILABLE HERE In this article only a fraction of content marketing – a tool which will draw the attention of your readers to the content – has been presented.

Only after having understood the basic principles of a good story’s effective structure can we meaningfully select the most appropriate ones for our company.

We wish you many good congress stories at the beginning of the new year.

11

Readers Forum

THE NEXT BIG THING What is coming in the world of Meetings

1.

Technology (especially smart technology) is definitely becoming more and more important and has a big influence on meetings.

2.

Corporate social responsibility and sustainability such as reducing carbon footprint, contributing to local community and providing authentic experiences have become a hot topic for meeting planners.

Dada Jerovšek, Kaval Group

One hundred percent optimism, positivity & innovative and creative spirit, proudly based on local origins and heritage.

3.

The importance of dedicated meetings design and events with underlying story has been steadily gaining ground with notable changes to traditional event settings.

4.

Already existing elements like sustainability, social media and non-traditional meeting facilities will become even more crucial in the following years.

Ana Božič, Ljubljana Exhibition and Convention Centre

Technology is definitely becoming stronger and stronger and it has a big influence on a meetings. It is important issue for the meeting designers.

But on the other hand I think networking and face-to-face meetings will always stay number 1, probably even more important then ever as at the end of the day we are nothing more then human beings.

5.

Face-to-face communication and networking foster trust and lead to solid, long-term relationships and partnerships which are becoming key elements in the meetings industry.

6.

Today the world of meetings industry requires greater involvement in meeting the needs of clients and focusing on unique experiences.

7.

Maja Vidergar, Cankarjev dom, Cultural and Congress Centre

Today the world of meetings industry requires greater involvement in meeting the needs of our clients (we learn, we engage, we share) and by sparing no effort we turn from mere contractors into valuable business partners.

In the future events will be built around culinary experience as food is a great tool to encourage networking and interaction.

8.

Destination accessibility will remain one of decisive factors also in 2015 and therefore direct flights will stay crucial requirements when bidding for events and meetings.

Ante Lacman, Intours DMC Croatia

One of most crucial requirements when bidding for events and meetings, are direct flights. In opinion of Intours DMC, destination accessibility will remain one 12

of decisive factors also in 2015. Therefore, we are thrilled that new flight connections to Croatia are scheduled for 2015.

Direct flights to Dubrovnik, Split, Rijeka, Zagreb, Zadar and Pula create perfect opportunities for meeting planners to organize their incentives, business meetings and special events in Croatia.

Tomaž Krušič, Intours DMC Slovenia

Corporate social responsibility and sustainability have become a hot topic for meeting planners. At Intours DMC we have noticed an increase of requests incorporating environmental and social aspects. We can attribute this to positioning of Slovenia as a green, active destination as well as development of new environmentally friendly products. Having expert knowledge in the field of corporate sustainability, Intours DMC has designed boutique incentive meeting programs, which integrate social and environmental thinking. In this manner, the meeting planners can reduce carbon footprint of their incentives, contribute to local community as well as provide authentic experiences to the event participants.

Jasna Jašič, JGZ Brdo – Brdo Estate

It is now a given that events have their own distinctive atmosphere and underlying story. In the past couple of years, the importance of dedicated event design has been steadily gaining ground, with notable changes to traditional event settings, especially the growing popularity of pop-up venues, all coupled with the emergence of new technologies and the incorporation of sustainability concepts. Generic events are out, it’s time

Readers Forum

to be hip and original. How about a blacktie gala in an old factory or abandoned army barracks? Or a classy reception in one of Slovenia’s wonderful vineyards!

Technology, as I mentioned, is another powerful trend that will keep reshaping the entire MICE industry. A major role in this is played by digital content, for example the social media concierge, which is already becoming a thing. Next in line are intelligent events.

our location on Faaker See, Austria’s southernmost lake. We aim to break down the barriers between inside and outside, connect our meeting spaces to the natural surroundings, and offer a diverse range of activities in beautiful Carinthia.

Andrea Sajben, Steiermark Convention

Miro Hribar, Intours DMC Slovenia

At Intours DMC, we are thrilled the awareness and recognisability of Slovenia is increasing among international meeting planners. With representative offices in Belgium, Brazil, France, Germany, Luxemburg, Netherlands, Scandinavia, Spain, United Kingdom and United States Intours DMC has backed the marketing and promotional efforts of national and local CVBs as well as other meeting industry actors in Slovenia. In turn, we have noticed a steady trend of increasing the number of requests for proposal. We expect the recognisability of Slovenia will grow in the upcoming year with more meeting planners experiencing the diversity of Slovenia.

Ursula Melcher, Hotel Karnerhof

We believe that the major trends in the MICE sector in the next years will reflect macro trends in society in general. For instance, we expect a greater demand for a back-to-nature approach to event management and for meetings and incentives that incorporate the natural environment. We are meeting that demand by taking full advantage of

Despite the increasingly digital world, in 2015 face-to-face communication and networking will be very important. The benefits are that it fosters trust and leads to solid, long-term relationships and partnerships.

The challenge is to find a platform where you have the chance to present your unique product in a personal way.

Therefore we are proud to represent Styria as a high quality destination with delicious culinary and wine through interactive highlights like cooking workshops or tastings.

Katarina Marić, Carnet de Voyage

“Generation Y” will become the new decision makers in corporate world and they will bring new trends in the meeting industry. Already existing elements like sustainability, social media and nontraditional meeting facilities will become even more crucial in the following years.

Moreover, they will turn into the key elements.

13

Jure Jezeršek, SORA Catering

“Meetings participants will desire for authentic ethnic cuisine. Events will be built around culinary experience as food is a great tool to encourage networking and interaction. Investing in creative culinary content will result in multiplying business opportunities. Trend to expect in event catering is fusion of expected with unexpected. We like to bring a food truck named TAMnjam to events as a surprise. Guests are completely overwhelmed by the food and the appearance.”

Saša Zor, Sava Hoteli

In my opinion smart technology will be one of the leading trends in the meetings industry field, enabling friendly, fast and reliable solutions both for the event organizers and for the delegates.

Besides demand trends will remain up with short – term bookings. Focusing on the clients’ perspective, they will continue searching for unique experiences based on genuine local assets. We expect budgets to increase and finally the value of the content to be the decision factor when selecting a venue and not the price itself.

In Focus

INDUSTRY TRENDS FOR 2015 AND BEYOND

By Paul Colston, Managing Editor of Mash Media’s CMW magazine

Technology marches ahead apace as ever, but it does seem as if that pace is increasing exponentially.

Demand for sophisticated data management systems is voracious.

N

ew systems will allow event organisers and meeting planners to analyse their events more thoroughly and derive much more added value and knowledge, and provide them with far deeper understandings of delegate behaviour.

When I came into the events industry just 10 years ago, organising meetings and events was a labour intensive affair, now mobile technology and apps in particular, can provide a wealth of data only dreamt about back then, when faxes and manual lists were still common tools.

We now can know what a delegate enjoyed, what they thought and what they talked about and with whom – and usually just a matter of hours post-event.

Knowledge is indeed power.

Our events are now 24/7 and 365 days a year. We have evolved into rolling communities of interest. Someone is always ‘on’ if you feel like dipping in to the social media and someone is always able to make that deal before you if you slip off the grid.

Video streaming continues to offer a broader dimension to information delivery in our sector, with the hybrid event likely to extend the virtual experience. There is still a certain novelty, however, and much attention is still on the technology rather than on the information conveyed.

I expect rapid moves to invest and improve Wi-Fi reliability and speed. The customer can easily be disappointed and the youngest generation in the workforce feels almost no loyalty and will move on from non-performers in the blink of an app.

Price hikes are likely in 2015 and 2016 as economies recover, with air travel likely to rise 5% and AV, room hire and bedrooms all coming in more expensive on average. The MPI Autumn Outlook research (2014) predicted overall business for meeting and event professionals in the US and Europe would grow 3.6% next year, so there is hope of better times ahead, provided the danger is not realised that costs rise faster than budgets.

And, on budgets, again according to MPI research, 55% of meetings professionals are predicting a budget increase, so the majority is a small one.

Wearable technology I expect to transform how we interact with each other during live experiences: and Google Glass, Oculus Rift and Apple watches are some bold first steps.

Moreover, what is pioneered in medicine today, with embedded microchips in the human body, will surely come to the conference hall within 10 years. The value of face-to-face will continue to be demonstrated at our trade shows, such as International Confex, where real people will come, under one roof, to discuss new technology and put it to the acid test. Some new technologies will fail when put to the stress test. I expect events management courses in the UK to blossom, with ever increasing numbers of graduates. I just hope a larger proportion than currently are from the UK. Oh, and one final prediction: Everton FC to qualify for the Champions League within 3 years if Roberto Martinez stays as manager!

14

Face to Face

PRAGUE vs. ISTANBUL A current comparison of the closest competitors on the 2013 ICCA scale according to the methodology of Kongres travelogues – meetologues.

PRAGUE Population: 1,257,000 ICCA Country and City rankings 2013 11th place, 121 meetings Mercer Quality of Living 2013 69 Sunshine hours 1,902

✚ The spirit of Central Europe is in the best way caught in this beautiful city, which is an excellent convention destination because of its cosmopolitanism, multiculturalism, liveliness and a tireless nightlife. What is the secret of the Prague congress tourism? What are they doing differently? It is a combination of circumstances and wise development policies. Elegantly and sustainably they are working to be among the top ten European congress cities. Prague has for a long time not been an Eastern European gem, but a true European tourist metropolis with a diverse and comprehensive offer, luxury hotels and sometimes too high prices. If we look at the position of Prague regionally, Prague will not take primacy in the region over Vienna, but it certainly has all the conditions to remain for a long time the first congress destination among East European capitals..

Prague meetings flashpoints: 1. Hotel Yalta - a modernist hotel 2. Dragonboating - rowing competition with dragon boats on the Vltava river 3. Tower Park Prague - crazy venue with a beautiful view of the city 4. Beer Tour - meet typical Prague pubs with a century of tradition 5. Driving with tanks - the taste of socialist times for real men

STAY: Four Seasons Prague

4.64 / 5

15

ISTANBUL Population: 14,160,467 ICCA Country and City rankings 2013 8th place, 146 meetings Mercer Quality of Living 2013 121 Sunshine hours 2,421

✚ Throughout history Istanbul has been at the crossroads of civilisations and some sort of a meeting point. It offers its congress product through seductive orientalism. Congress facilities are too many to set out here, but the city is easily capable of hosting the largest congress events. The main advantage of Istanbul is that it reorganised its meetings industry and took advantage of its strategic location at the crossroads between Asia and Europe. This is further complemented by exceptional air accessibility, since 50 airlines fly into the city daily. Cosmopolitan Istanbul has come back in full shine and has become one of the top global congress cities. The destination is back in the limelight and is the new global success story.

We believe that the meetings industry of Istanbul will be the new congress success story, for it has already fulfilled almost every condition and at the same time it is still relatively inexpensive.

Istanbul meetings flashpoints: 1. Hilton Bomonti - one of Europe’s largest convention hotels, which is setting new Hilton standards here 2. Basilica Cistern - unusal gala diner in the largest underground cistern in the world 3. Tea time a la Turca - a memorable enjoyment of drinking tea is unforgetable experience for your conference guests 4. Club scene at Bosphorus - a club with the most beauutiful views of the Bosphours Reina, Sortie, Suad and Super Club 5. Santralistanbul - a special venue in the restored electrical central STAY: Ciragan Palace, Kempinski Istanbul

4.71 / 5

AND THE WINNER IS

Who is Who

KATARINA HAUPTMAN, SALES MANAGER, M.I.C.E. Who si Who in Thermana Laško Q: What are you most proud of in your business and private lives?

In my business I am proud to be a part of the team I consider almost my family. In my private life I am most proud of my two beautiful daughters who bring meaning to life itself.

Q: Life wisdom/motto?

Life is a song - sing it.

Life is game - play it.

Life is a challenge - meet it.

Life is a dream – realize it.

Life is a sacrifice - offer it.

Life is love – enjoy it. (Sai Baba)

KATARINA HAUPTMAN SALES MANAGER, M.I.C.E. THERMANA LAŠKO

Life is a song – sing it.

Life is game – play it.

Life is a challenge – meet it.

Life is a dream – realize it.

Life is a sacrifice – offer it.

Life is love – enjoy it.

(Sai Baba)

Q: Where are you going to spend this year’s holiday?

We haven’t got any plans sorted yet but I think that we will visit Dalmatia as usual.

Q: What was your favourite vacation?

My favourite vacation was several years ago, Robinson Crusoe style…no electricity, running water, no internet, phones – just you and the nature. It does wonders to your body and mind.

Q: Where would you go if there were no time and financial constraints?

My dream is to go to Peru for a longer period of time.

Q: What is your favourite indoor/outdoor activity?

Indoor: badminton, reading, cooking Outdoor: skiing, running, picnicking

Q: What is your favourite dish and restaurant (anywhere in the world)?

I am a typical Slovenian so I absolutely love love love sauerkraut and blood sausages, homemade mushroom soup, therefore I like to visit Gostilna Francl in Zagrad, near Celje.

Q: What is your favourite gadget?

Tablet, due to my obsession with e-books.

Q: Which song do you most often play on your iPod? Lately I can’t get enough of MAGIC! - Rude. It makes my day.

16

Q: Which part of the day and of the week is your favourite?

Evenings and the weekends - it is the only time I get to enjoy in the company of my daughters and partner.

Q: What is your favourite mode of transport?

I walk to work every day, ride by train or bus to cities in vicinity. I try to pitch in my share to the carbon footprint reduction.

Q: If you could return to the past or hurry to the future, how old would you like to be and why?

I have no desire to travel into the future because I am already creating it today. Past is the past.

Q: If you could witness any event in history which one would you choose?

It is not a single event but…I would enjoy if I could live in Sparta and see firsthand how a community can be so advanced in comparison to others in the time being.

Q: What was the best party you have attended?

A surprise weeding nobody, accept the bride and groom, knew off.

Q: The last film, book, concert?

Film: Listy do M Book: Alice Clayton- Wallbanger Concert: 2 Cellos

Q: What fantasy character would you be?

I would be Yoda from Star Wars. Thai I be would.

Q: What did you learn last week?

That no matter how much effort I put into the study of business mathematics –there are certain things I will never completely understand.

Who is Who

METKA KRIVEC, DIRECTOR OF M.I.C.E. Who si Who in Thermana Laško Q: What are you most proud of in your business and private lives?

After 20 years of experience in tourism I ended up in M.I.C.E. industry. I am definitely proud of my experiences I got during this period working in marketing, sales department and hotel management. I am also very happy that I have a beautiful home in the country side, where I spend the rest of the day with my family.

Q: What is your favourite mode of transport?

My car.

Q: Life wisdom/motto?

See something positive in everybody!!!

Q: If you could witness any event in history which one would you choose?

Any event in Renaissance, in an era of cultural rebirth which gave the world artists, architects, books, knowledge…

Q: Where are you going to spend this year’s holiday?

I am going to spend it up in the mountains by a beautiful stream, where I will do a lot of fly fishing, hiking and cycling. Unspoiled nature inspires me.

Q: What was your favorite vacation?

Three months of travelling down the Nile, through Egypt.

METKA KRIVEC DIRECTOR OF MICE. THERMANA LAŠKO

“See something positive in everybody!”

Q: Where would you go if there were no time and financial constraints?

New Zealand.

Q: What is your favourite indoor/outdoor activity?

I love to swim and cycle.

Q: What is your favourite dish and restaurant (anywhere in the world)?

A fresh Adriatic sanpiero (John Dory) that my husband prepares when we are at the Adriatic coast, with a nice bottle of local white wine of course.

Best restaurant ? Granny’s kitchen, it is open 24/7.

Q: What is your favourite gadget?

Smart phone.

Q: Which song do you most often play on your iPod? Lou Reed – Perfect day.

Q: Which part of the day and of the week is your favourite?

I enjoy working any time with my clients and wonderful team. On weekends I love to visit galleries, because I am kind of addicted to art.

17

Q: If you could return to the past or hurry to the future, how old would you like to be and why?

I would like to be 20 years old, back in the 80ties. Those were the best days of my life. You can imagine why.

Q: What was the best party you have attended?

The famous Beer and Flowers Festival in Laško, surrounded by my best friends.

Q: The last film, book, concert?

Film: Limitless Book : Sleeping Tiger, Rosamunde Pilcher Concert: Laibach Q: What fantasy character would you be?

Hmmm… Mary Poppins?

Q: What did you learn last week?

Sometimes it is good to be patient.

Frankfurt 19–21 May 2015

Smile – you’re invited to Frankfurt What happens at IMEX? IMEX is the meetings industry’s largest show, where international events and meeting planners come to meet representatives from all areas of the supplier world: from airlines and destinations to hotels, venues and service providers. It’s a great opportunity to talk business face to face and get deals done right then and there. As well as making valuable new connections and fuelling up on inspiration, a trip to IMEX will remind you why you love your job.

Why should you be there?

No two IMEX shows are the same. Each year brings a fresh display of creativity, culture, information and new ideas. Just arrive with a comfy pair of shoes, and you’ll leave with a head full of inspiration, an address book full of contacts, and a checklist full of smiley faces.

Register now for IMEX 2015 imex-frankfurt.com/register Call +44 (0)1273 227311 Email info@imexexhibitions.com @imex_group

The worldwide exhibition for incentive travel, meetings and events.

18

19

Meetologue

Tartini square with the Venice house

20

Meetologue

PIRAN CITY OF SALT

M

edieval Piran is definitely one of the most portrayed cities on Slovenian tourist postcards. It stays in my memory as a place where many movies from my youth were filmed. During the 1950s, it was the centre of the Slovenian film industry and the movie scenes filmed there left an unforgettable impression in the memory of the viewers and awakened in them a desire to come visit it.

Personally, I see Piran as a cultural and creative Mediterranean city, as for many years it has been delighting visitors of the Golden Drum Advertising Festival and many other events, which are all represented in the statue of the Serbian advertising pioneer Dragan Sakan standing next to the Teater Café. Only a few places are capable of paying tribute to the legend and the advertising genius of the Balkans in such a manner as Piran did.

Top of the Adriatic

The lighthouse of Piran, the most exposed and attractive sight, represents a symbolic peak of the Northern Adriatic Sea and is known by all sailors. Together with St. George’s Church it is a symbolic centre of the Mediterranean. Piran and its surroundings feature many natural landmarks. The highest flysch wall on the Adriatic, the Strunjan cliff, with its peak 80 meters above sea level, olive groves in the hinterland and the famous Sečovlje saltpans are just a fraction of the rich natural and cultural heritage of this city. The list of cultural monuments is endless; to start off, there is Tartini Square, the Minorite Monastery, the famous “Benečanka”, a building that dates back to the era of the Venetian Republic, and the Tartini’s House.

Parenzana

For a long period of time Piran stood in the shadow of Trieste, which was due to its railway connection to Vienna the most important transport centre of the former Habsburg Monarchy. Therefore it is obvious that the city maintains a longstanding bond with Trieste. In 1902, after decades of planning, the railway between Trieste and Poreč was finally built, named the Parenzana. Until 1935, when it ceased to exist, the railway drastically improved accessibility to the cities next to it. In the following decades traffic was mostly roadbased due to the decision to close the railway. Today, the road link between both cities is adequate and of high quality, whereas accessibility by train is a far cry away from satisfactory and competitive. However, taking part in a special incentive cycling experience that connects three counties, namely Italy, Slovenia and Croatia, brings the memory of the Parenzana back to life.

Piran, the city of salt

The city owes its prosperity to the over a thousand-year long respectful coexistence between the saltpan workers and their natural environment. The salt fields of Sečovlje were formed on the alluvial deposits of the Dragonja river and are because of their exceptional landscape quite unique in the world. The warm moderate Mediterranean climate and the 21

high salt content in soil and saltpans create an unusual living environment. The entire area of the saltpans is included on the Natura 2000 sites list – this decision is, among other, based on the EU Directive on the conservation of wild birds.

Recently, attempts were made to obtain UNESCO world heritage status for the saltpans’ landscape and the city of Piran.

Piran Salt is an exceptional gift and is appraised by chefs from all around the world. The salt is registered as a Protected Designation of Origin, is not milled or refined, is rich in minerals and tastes extraordinary.

However, the saltpans hide another treasure. Where some parts of the saltpans are deserted but production is still taking place you will find the Lepa Vida Thallasso Spa, which is unique in the world. The seven hundred year old tradition of salt production is also related to the use of fango for curative purposes. A one-of-a-kind spa located in the open air that does business only in the summer months. Indulge yourself in a unique experience in the midst of a picturesque landscape park.

Touristic icon

Slovenian Istria is the most visited tourist region in Slovenia.

The present state of the region is the result of longstanding development of tourism, which started intensively already before the end of the 19th century. Since then the number of visitors in this area has started to increase gradually and was interrupted only during both World Wars and the Slovenian Independence War. The majority of tourist hotels are concentrated in neighbouring Portorož and Piran is the heart and soul of this destination. You have probably already experienced the flair of a Mediterranean city. Piran can be compared to some of the bestknown cities on the Adriatic coastline, which were marked by the years spent under the Venetian Republic. The only difference is that the summer crowds in Piran are bearable and the city is the most authentic of all. The colourful and playful city is full of restaurants, where lately fresh and also creative dishes made of local ingredients found their place. Thus the ordinary tourist culinary experience is complemented with various elements and impressions from the inner Istrian peninsula.

Meetings industry revolution

Where once a monastery stood, which came to an end in 1806 and was later used by the AustroHungarian army as a fortress, today you will find the St. Bernardin hotel located only a 10-minute walk away from Piran. The largest Slovenian hotel resort, which today has a capacity of 743 bedrooms, was established during the heyday of tourism development between 1974 and 1976. In 1995 the first true congress centre in the Adriatic region was opened. The congress centre could host up to 1,500 participants and served as a model for the development of similar centres in the region due to its functionality and features. In 2004, the centre was expanded and today it has 16 halls with a total of 2,600 seats. It is one of the largest congress hotels in this region, where each year over 200 large-scale congresses and events are organised.

Meetologue

Photograph: Church of St. George Photograph: The Piran Saltpans and the Lepa Vida Thallasso Spa Photograph: Culinary delights Photograph: Parenzana – a historic photograph Photograph: The Bernardin hotel complex Photograph: The cape of Piran Photograph: Monument dedicated to Dragan Sakan

Tartini square

Statue of a boy on Tartini square

The Mediterranean atmosphere

In Piran the Mediterranean tradition and history can be found at every step and this is exactly what excites visitors.

The spacious Tartini Square is a unique place to welcome guests, and the Tartini Theatre, a forerunner of meetings tourism, is even today an interesting meetings industry location, whereby the paved streets and squares form the most beautiful background for creative teambuilding programmes.

However, you will be surrounded by the most pristine Mediterranean flair on the cape of Piran. Fishermen used to live in this once poorer part of the city. Here Piran gets its full Mediterranean character and tradition, which makes it beautiful in a special way.

A city of creative ideas

Piran is a city of creative ideas – the squares, streets and different premises in the city form the heart of the Slovenian creative meetings industry. There are but few participants of various experts’ meetings on the Slovenian coastline who are able to resist the charm of the city, where culture, history, pleasure and the Mediterranean atmosphere intertwine.

Piran is special and exclusive, and such are the events organised at carefully selected places, e.g. the monastery’s atrium or the enchanting garden of the parish on the top of a cliff.

Destination grade: QUALITY MEETING DESTINATION Grades: 5 excellent convention destination 4 quality convention destination 3 recommendable convention destination 2 average convention destination 1 so so

3.92

INDIVIDUAL GRADES: Natural and cultural factors 4.82 Piran has always been a meeting point of different languages and cultures, due to its prestigious strategic location, and the centre of northern Istria. Because of the seabed formation and the diverse flora and fauna, the underwater world which surrounds the cape of Piran is probably the most beautiful and the most vivid part of the Slovenian sea. Despite the shallow waters, the short coastline and intensive urbanisation, the Slovenian sea is invaluable from the viewpoint of biodiversity.

General and transport infrastructure 4.15 As its window to the rest of the world, the Slovenian coast plays a crucial role for Slovenia. In terms of traffic connections, we cannot avoid the fact that this is the only part of Slovenian territory which is not only accessible by road and air but also by sea. With the rapid development of the airports in Venice and Trieste it is well connected to the rest of the world from the standpoint of congress guests.

Tourist infrastructure 4.02 One could say that the Bernardin hotels are the main hotel resort in Piran, although one could easily place them in Portorož. On the one hand the complex offers a wide enough and sufficiently comprehensive range of services for all tastes, and on the other there are quite a few boutique hotels in the city, among which the Piran and the Tartini hotel are the most popular. The destination is persistently trying to improve its tourist services, which have not yet reached their full potential, and that is probably what makes it so attractive.

Meetings infrastructure 4.15 The Bernardin Congress Centre is the first and the largest hotel congress centre in Slovenia. Its multifunctional design sets the standards for all similar centres in the region. The biggest hall can host up to 1,100 participants. In Piran, you 22

Meetologue

The power of the sea

will find a true treasure from the Secession period of architecture, the Tartini Theatre. Furthermore, it has to be pointed out that you probably will not find more picturesque openair venues elsewhere on the Slovenian coastline.

Subjective grade 4.26 The locals and everyone involved in organising events must realize that they live in a historically and culturally important environment, which is full of interesting stories. These make the city unique and the guest curious. Stories can be a source of inspiration for incentive programmes, some of which have already been successfully implemented. One such example is the innovative incentive programmes organised by the Fonda family.

Marketing buzz 4.66 The joint promotion of Piran and Portorož may seem logical at first glance; however, a different approach is worth considering because these are two quite different MICE stories.

The weakest link is the fact that Piran does not have an active office for the meetings industry which would summarise everything the city has to offer under one roof and place it on international markets. Besides, for an external observer, congress services seem poorly structured and stiff.

Comparison with the region:

Piran is probably the most inspiring Slovenian meetings destination. In the past, the people living in the city were inspired to discover things and to make more out of them, and therefore today Piran is full of artwork, marvellous facades and creative MICE stories. At each step exceptional encounters are waiting to be discovered and what they need is only a bit of a boost and some extra energy. For quite some time the city has been living in the shadow of its notorious tourist neighbour Portorož; the truth is, however, that in the future Piran will stand out if it decides for the right differentiation.

Narrow Piran alley

Incentive programmes do not have much competition in the Istrian region, and another big advantage is a fully developed meetings industry product and a tourist tradition. What is missing is better oriented destination management, which would ensure joint marketing with a stronger emphasis on Piran. To congress guests Piran can offer more than Portorož – the gastronomic scene is better and the spirit of the city is still largely untapped.

COOL MEETINGS Piran sea bass – it became a local culinary specialty owing to the Fonda family, which has been breading this “king of all fishes” with passion and commitment on a sea farm in the middle of the Piran gulf. Each sea bass bears a designation of origin and a quality guarantee.

BEST INCENTIVE IDEA Find the lost Tartini violin in Piran – this adventure will lead you through the hidden streets of Piran, Casa Veneziana, Monastery Cloister, to the many secrets of the past searching for pieces of violin. At the market place which will give you an introduction to the Istrain culinary delights the great final act will be performed – a music performance by the founder of the hidden violin. One idea with a triple remix: culture, culinary and active involvement of the whole team.

DID YOU KNOW The Tartini kiss – a kiss under the statue dedicated to the famous musician from Piran, Tartini – is a guarantee of luck and prosperity. Maybe you will find your luck on 6 July, International Kissing Day.

23

Hidden Congress Guest

GRAND HOTEL 4 OPATIJSKA CVIJETA ★★★★ PREMIUM A FINE TUNED STORY

4.38

Photo credit GRAND HOTEL 4

OPENED SINCE 2004 MEETINGS STAR A – resort meeting hotel STANDARD Hotel with conference facilities NUMBER OF ROOMS 223 rooms (superior, standard, deluxe) in four villas PRICE INTERNET 82 EUR (BB January 2015) ADDRESS GRAND HOTEL 4 OPATIJSKA CVIJETA V. Cara Emina 6, 51410 Opatija P: +385 51 27 80 07, F: +385 51 278 021 E: recepcija.grand@milenijhoteli.hr www.milenijhoteli.hr FACILITIES Camellia Restaurant, hotel bar, Tamaris Congress Centre, spa centre, fitness centre EXTRAS A combination of various accommodation capacities with a rich range of service.

RESULTS OF ANALYSIS Location 4.65 Accessibility 3.98 First impression 4.38 Lobby 4.13 Employee attitude 4.68 Reception 4.81 Hotel room 4.17 Hotel bed 4.12 Bathroom and restroom 4.19 Hotel breakfast 4.45 Bars and restaurants 4.02 Congress hall 4.57 Extras 4.74 Total: 4.38 FINAL GRADE Premium resort meeting hotel Luxury Premium Business Economy Budget

4.38 ★★★★★ ★★★★ ★★★ ★★ ★

LOCATION Opened in 2004, the Grand Hotel 4 Opatijska Cvijeta announced a new era in meeting tourism and set new hotel standards in Opatija. This hotel in the heart of Opatija is in perfect harmony with its surroundings, located on Lungomare Avenue, and wellpositioned as one of the most important congress and wellness hotels. A prestigious villa used to stand at this very location, which was built in 1880; the second part of the hotel was once the Continental hotel with its famous coffeehouse. Today, after reconstructions, the hotel consists of four luxurious villas, which are named after famous flowers from Opatija: Camellia, Wisteria, Melia and Magnolia.

ACCESSIBILITY This is a great location by the Lungomare Avenue and Angiolina Park, only a stone’s throw from downtown Opatija. Among regional and local congress organisers, Opatija is a well-established meeting destination and therefore most guests arrive to the city by road.

Its main advantage is that the city is only a fewhour drive away from all regional centres. In this respect, guests especially appreciate the hotel car park with 220 parking spaces. A few large airports are also a maximum of 2 hours away; usually, guests arrive from the airports in Rijeka, Zagreb, Ljubljana, Trieste, Pula and Venice.

COLD APPETIZER - Architecture and Aesthetics Architects were faced with the difficult task of taking into account the hotels’ architecture, which was built in the times of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and the new central hotel and to connect them into a new functional whole. As a matter of fact, a new heart of Opatija with a central square was created, which is elegant, pleasant and functional at the same time. Inside the hotel there is no design surplus; nevertheless, the space is thoughtfully used and very pleasing. Generally speaking, the entire hotel complex is extremely well maintained and does not show its age.

WARM APPETIZER - Personnel and Cuisine Hotel services are harmonised, balanced and ordinary; this fulfils the wishes of many congress participants.

It is apparent that they are always trying to raise the level of services, but somehow you get the feeling that quantity prevails over quality. The biggest advantage is the hotel’s breakfast with a bright variety of dishes, where even the guests’ special wishes are fulfilled.

Furthermore, the wide range of national dishes is inspiring; based on this the hotel was awarded the 24

Croatian national cuisine standard, which ensures that only national dishes are served.

The personnel is very professional; this especially holds true for barmen and reception staff. They make an effort to fulfil the wishes of every single guest and are considered to be the hotel’s particular strength.

MAIN DISH - The Hotel‘s Congress Services The hotel’s rooms are predictably designed in a classical style, but are by no means dull. The addition of a few pieces of designer furniture makes the rooms more luxurious. After a decade, some rooms already show signs of ageing and intensive use and are due to be renovated. In some parts of the hotel (Begonija) the rooms can be smaller than one would expect. WiFi works perfectly and without complications. Laudable is the Tamaris Congress Centre, which is functional, spacious, and due to its eight halls very popular among event organisers. Furthermore, the connection between centre and hotel square, which can be used for receptions and outdoor events as well, is exceptional.

DESSERT - Extras The marina right in front of the hotel is a starting point for sailing trips and sight-seeing excursions on the Adriatic Sea.

-

FLOP – negative surprises The hotel is composed of 4 separated buildings and therefore finding your way around can be problematic at times.

+

TOP – positive surprises Exquisite and by now legendary desserts created in the hotel’s confectionery named Milenij, which can be included in individual event menus.

Overall impression and credibility Renovation has changed this building into a substantial congress hotel, and although it was renovated ten years ago it still is in an enviable condition.

However, if you are looking for a more prestigious destination, the staff of the Milenij hotels will be happy to assist you in finding a better solution within their group. Due to the spacious ambience, the pools and the nicely manicured gardens you will not run out of ideas for finding a perfect outdoor location for your event.

A standard hotel of middle congress class, which attracts guests due to its price and how gracefully it defies age.

The section HIDDEN CONGRESS GUEST is not being paid for. Hotels, which are rated by a hidden congress guest, are selected by the editorial department. The hidden guest visits hotels unannounced.

CATEGORY ★★★★

Final Score

Hidden Congress Guest

GRAND HOTEL ADRIATIC ★★★★ PREMIUM BACK TO CONGRESS ROOTS

4.15

Photo credit GRAND HOTEL ADRIATIC

LOCATION The construction of the Grand Hotel Adriatic started in 1968 and was completed in 1971; at the same time the great congress hall was opened. In former Yugoslavia, this was one of the first hotels with congress halls and the hotel team was one of the few which was specialised for providing congress services. The hotel is located in the vicinity of downtown Opatija, 50 meters from the beach with a breathtaking view to the Kvarner gulf and the island of Cres. This hotel, under the brand name Lifeclass, is managed by the hotel company Istrabenz Tourism; however, according to the latest information the company is planning to sell it this year.

CATEGORY ★★★★ OPENED SINCE 1971 MEETINGS STAR A – resort meeting hotel STANDARD Congress hotel NUMBER OF ROOMS Adriatic I - 171 rooms Adriatic II - 136 rooms PRICE INTERNET 93 EUR (BB January 2015) ADDRESS GRAND HOTEL ADRIATIC Maršala Tita 200 P: +385 51 719 010, F: +385 51 719 015 E: info@hotel-adriatic.hr www.hotel-adriatic.hr FACILITIES Restaurant Adriatic, Garden Beach Restaurant, Nimfa Cafe & Restaurant Casino Adriatic, Tantra Spa & Beauty Centre, News stand and souvenir shop, Studio Aevum for aesthetic medicine EXTRAS Hotel Casino

RESULTS OF ANALYSIS Location Accessibility First impression Lobby Employee attitude Reception Hotel room Hotel bed Bathroom and restroom Hotel breakfast Bars and restaurants Congress hall Extras Total:

4.59 3.92 3.89 3.88 4.06 4.07 4.04 4.15 4.01 4.32 4.09 4.68 4.21 4.15

FINAL GRADE Premium resort meeting hotel

4.15

Luxury Premium Business Economy Budget

★★★★★ ★★★★ ★★★ ★★ ★

ACCESSIBILITY The hotel is easily accessible and the road signs are well positioned. Road access to Opatija is acceptable, but air access remains one of the biggest challenges for tourism policy planners, despite the relatively close proximity to the airports in Pula and Krk. Tourists generally arrive in Opatija by road. The city is squeezed between the slopes of the Učka mountain range, limiting the amount of space the city enjoys. Parking is therefore a problem, which is partially solved by the hotel car park.

COLD APPETIZER - Architecture and Aesthetics This compact hotel was built in the golden era of Yugoslav hotel modernism. The complex is composed of two buildings, the Adriatic I and the Adriatic II, which have a joint reception. Due to various renovations the hotel remains in good condition, although small wrinkles are beginning to appear in some corners, e.g. the outdated swimming pool area. In addition, colour choices and a few very dark parts of the hotel seem to be from another time (Adriatic II).

Furthermore, the interior is reminiscent of old times, as the space design reminds visitors of the last years of the 20th century, and is therefore due to be adapted to modern times.

WARM APPETIZER - Personnel and Cuisine The personnel are professional, but at times not overly friendly or attentive. One must accept the hotel with its positive and negative sides. One of the advantages is certainly the hotel’s culinary delights, especially the breakfast. For catering purposes lunch is offered as well, which undoubtedly exceeds hotels’ traditional board. It must be pointed out that nevertheless most guests are boarders and this comes at a price. Still, the meal which comes with full board is proper and delicious, sometimes even unique.

25

Final Score

The congress cuisine range is broad enough to satisfy even the most demanding congress guests.

MAIN DISH - The Hotel’s Congress Services Rooms in the Adriatic I hotel are spacious enough, the comfort is acceptable and the interior has been thoroughly renovated. Rooms in the Adriatic II building are older and of a lower category; they show their years. Quite ordinary, no real surplus and from the viewpoint of competitive hotels the interior is overly outdated.

The congress centre has a popular amphitheatre congress hall with fixed seating for 550 persons. Due to its acoustics and state of the art equipment it is considered to be one of the best halls in the Adriatic area.

DESSERT - Extras The Tantra Spa with 550 m 2 and a breathtaking view over the Kvarner gulf.

-

FLOP – negative surprises Very expensive parking and in the main tourist season a lack of parking spaces.

+

TOP – positive surprises A timeless design of the congress hall, which is still very fresh and modern.

Overall impression and credibility The hotel was once the epitome of a congress hotel and its philosophy. Despite its years, the Adriatic still delights with some unique solutions and the well-equipped congress area. Compared to the competitors, the hotel lacks some dynamics and details but nevertheless persistently proves that it has mastered the congress scene in exemplary fashion and that in regard of congress events it still is as interesting as at the day it started. This implies that the congress centre is spacious, well-equipped and that the team professionally masters meeting tourism, whereby it justifies a number of renowned references gathered since its establishment in 1971.

Cooperation with this hotel is worth considering; however, everything depends on the wishes and expectations of the client.

Behind the Scenes

26

Behind the Scenes

THE THRILL OF THE MILL Interview with Thomas SWIECA, General Manager at Radisson Blu Old Mill Hotel Belgrade Text by Gorazd Čad

“The Radisson Blu Old Mill Hotel, Belgrade is poised to become Belgrade’s premier meeting and events venue, with its impressive conference room and six flexible meeting rooms, perfect for board meetings, receptions and banquets. The largest conference room can hold up to 220 people.”

Thomas Swieca, the general manager of the Radisson Blu Old Mill hotel in Belgrade, was born in Germany. He graduated from WIHOGA Dortmund Academy of Operational Management in the Hospitality Industry and has many years of experience in the hotel industry. He has built his career based on various posts at the hotels Maritim in Cologne, Konigshof in Bonn and SportSchloss in Velen.

He joined the Rezidor group in June 2005, when he became general manager, responsible for opening the Radisson Blu Media Harbour hotel in Düsseldorf. In 2010 he became General Manager of the Radisson Blu Resort El Quseir hotel in Egypt, and in May 2011 he participated in opening the Radisson Blu Resort & Spa Cesme in Turkey as executive manager.

Since 2005 he has been a member of E.H.M.A. (European Hotel Managers Association) and since September 2013 he has been General manager of the Radisson Blu Old Mill hotel.

Q: When did you join Radisson?

I started my journey in 2005 in Dusseldorf, where I built a hotel, which was actually the first lifestyle hotel for Radisson. Now we already have 4 different brands all over the globe. The hotel in Belgrade is the first design hotel in the city, designed by Graft Architects.

Q: What are the vital statistics of the new Belgrade hotel?

The hotel has 236 fashion-inspired rooms, including 14 suites designed by the prestigious Graft Architects with brilliant artwork selected

by Strauss & Hillegart. The hotel’s OMB Larder + Lounge offers a unique dining experience, incorporating theatre, fun and an element of the unexpected into every dish. The atmosphere harks back to the mill’s authentic heritage, with an industrial-chic aesthetic.

Q: What sets the Radisson Old Mill apart and makes it attractive to the meetings market?

I think we are different because of our open mind and concept, our staff is very handy and also has some freshness, which gives us a whole new look.

Our meeting rooms are large and we have meetings for everyone. Here in Serbia I get the feeling that the people are very different than in most of European countries, because they are simple and friendly.

All in all, the hotel is specialised in offering services for business people, among which is also a modern conference centre with stateoftheart equipment and technology. The biggest difference can probably be found in the cuisine the hotel offers, which is opening new horizons with its team.

Q: Where is the greatest competition and how do you face it?

Before anything else Belgrade is at the moment a business destination in our category, in which we are all fighting for the same customers. We expect many guests to come due to our brand, which is recognisable, but also because we understand their needs and expectations. By and large we will, however, try to orient ourselves on key European and regional markets. It goes without saying that we cooperate with all other hotels as is appropriate and I believe that there is still enough room for development.

27

Q: Where would you like to see Belgrade in two-years time?

First of all we need to attract tourists to come to Belgrade. The culture, night life and restaurants are fantastic, but I feel like there should be more hotels and the connection between these things.

Also many countries are concerned about safety.

In the German newspapers there is constantly bad news about people in the Balkans and I think that is the main reason for fear in my country. The trend in the world right now is to go back to our roots and to nature, which Belgrade does offer, just out of town.

Q: How popular is Serbia as a destination for meetings and events?

Personally, I am confident that the future of the meeting industry will be positive. The number of topnotch hotels is growing, and with its rapid development and the expansion of its airways Air Serbia is creating optimism. Many companies are moving their headquarters to Belgrade. However, the Sava Centre needs to be restored and changed into a modern congress centre. A lot of work needs to be done in the fields of infrastructure and public transport, where we are still falling behind.

Q: What is the most positive thing about the meetings industry in Serbia?

In only a few years, the image of Belgrade has changed and the exponential growth in congresses did not go unseen. Moreover, media helped positioning the city as “the new capital of cool”, a city that is vibrant 24 hour per day. The local meeting industry is extremely positive and has lots of experience. Maybe it lacks in structure and a systematic approach. But it is economically attractive and if good use is made of its strategic position between east and west, it has a bright future. Probably the greatest assets of this destination are human resources and their competencies. Belgrade has high-quality personnel to offer.

Q: What do you enjoy most about being hotel manager of new hotel in Belgrade?

After one year spent in the amazing city of Belgrade, I am thrilled to finally open this inimitable property. Yes I Can! service, surrounded by the 19th century’s details, successfully combined with the latest designer touch. Belgrade is where you want to be if you want to drink Russian, drive German, wear Italian, kiss French and ... party Serbian.

Behind the Scenes

Business Class Room Wall

28

Behind the Scenes

RADISSON BLU OLD MILL BELGRADE OH MY GOD!

Photo credits RADISSON BLU OLD MILL & KONGRES MAGAZINE

INDUSTRIAL ZEN Intensive industrialisation reached its peak in Serbia at the end of the 19th century and was based on food and textile industry. In 1904, when development was in full swing, the first industrial mill was built in Belgrade. A fire interrupted the building’s simply charming and rich history in 1994. From that moment on the building started decaying in a sad manner until it ended up in the hands of the Austrian company Soravia.

AUTHOR’S SIGNATURE In Europe there are only a few hotels which have been constructed on the grounds of former industrial sites. Revitalising such buildings creates a hotel architecture of exceptional quality – an architecture which on the one hand gives the impression that time has stopped and on the other expresses a modern lifestyle. The owners

Front Office

29

entrusted the building’s architectural restoration to the renowned GRAFT architects from Berlin. The state in which the architects found the building can now be seen on the artistic photographs which are displayed in the hotel rooms. A new hotel architecture was created which excites at every step.

REVITALISATION OF THE AREA The Radisson Hotel gave new life to the industrial area located next to one of the most important roads in Belgrade. It can be found only a stone’s throw away from the Belgrade Fair and together these two sites have put a new venue on Belgrade’s map. If we are to believe the planners of the project “Belgrade on Water”, the hotel at the edge of the new city centre will also soon become part of a completely new appearance of this part of the city.

Behind the Scenes

Guest Elevator

OLD Try to imagine you find yourself in a house from a futuristic movie. The architects created a space which combines history, technology, art, fun, and relaxation with exquisite culinary art, and which seems to be both very modern and very traditional at the same time. Today, the old part of the former mill forms the impeccably restored central part of the hotel, decorated with a number of cleverly thought out details, such as the hotel sign on a copper wallcovering behind the reception desk. The central square is an integral part of the story. Ksenija Lubarda, the marketing and sales director, stressed that in warmer months the square in front of the hotel will turn into a special venue.

NEW Without exception, the Radisson Hotel understands the needs of its business and congress guests. The elegant hotel rooms attest to the fact that this is truly a first class hotel. The selected materials and the less-is-more approach will fascinate even the even the best-travelled congress guests. Artistic photographs portraying the old mill found their place in each room. The

Old Mill Coridor

30

Behind the Scenes

Executive Room

painted raw concrete walls seem like some sort of a reflection of the hotel rooms and highlight them even more. The authors of the paintings are Strauss & Hillegaart.

BRAINBOX The hotel’s congress premises were designed to stimulate the participants’ creative thinking.

This concept is embodied in a special room called the Brainbox, where select colours, specially designed chairs, and the general atmosphere contribute to promoting the creative process. The larger congress hall with natural daylight and a capacity of 220 delegates is currently one of the most beautiful conference centres in the city.

The beautifully refurbished premises of the old mill with a hint of modernism create a sense of wellbeing. As all other Radisson Blu hotels, the Old Mill hotel offers highspeed Internet access and the Brain Food programme, which is known for its sustainable approach and selected menus.

Brain Box

31

Behind the Scenes

OMB Larder and Lounge

THE OMB RESTAURANT – OH MY GOD! What a surprise! You won’t be able to enjoy such a culinary experience at other hotels in the region for a long time: a new culinary concept which is modern and outstandingly fashionable, with a blistering combination of new techniques and textures, and a blend of Serbian and international cuisine. The minimalistic menu available only in Serbian Cyrillic and English looks quite promising. Less is more and the Old Mill always finds the perfect balance.

To start off, there are creative appetizers each with select local cheeses on the side. Indulge yourself with a Serbian “Bašta”, with goat cheese from the mountain Stara planina and a tomato tartar. Or let the “Busa Burger” dazzle your taste buds with its “Lutenica”, a spicy vegetable spread, and grade-A ground meat, served on a beech tree board with an imprinted OMB logo for inspiration. The juicy mangalitza without cholesterol speaks for itself. Eating such pork is a once in a lifetime experience and is not to be forgotten easily. And for the grand finale sip a beer from the Kabinet craft brewery in Kosmaj.

A family brewery with large unfiltered beers and premium branding.

Fabrizio Bigi

32

Behind the Scenes

M1 and M2

AN OUTSTANDING CULINARY TEAM With the Old Mill, the hotel scene in Belgrade has gained a new passionate, dedicated and experienced culinary team that was born under a lucky star. It is characterised by a youthful determination and mastery that will attract culinary enthusiasts to the hotel and serve them culinary delights no one in the city can compete with. These are created using locally produced fresh and organic ingredients, which are in themselves a reason to visit this hotel.

Chef Fabrizio points out “local ingredients are my true inspiration. In order to maintain the quality of the hotel’s kitchen we bought a herd of sheep from the mountain Stara planina none can match.”

FABRIZIO BIGI - Executive chef He is responsible for one of the best young culinary teams in the local hotel scene. The wunderkind of cooking was born in 1974 in Modena.

He started his international career in Jordan, in the Kempinski Ishtar and Kempinski Aqaba hotels. He continued his professional path in China in the Westin Beijing Financial Street

MILAN LEKIĆ - Pastry chef A chef born in the Serbian province of Vojvodina, who started his professional career in the city of Somobor and moved to the capital shortly afterwards. He developed his enthusiasm for pastries at the Hyatt Regency hotel and has been creating delicious desserts ever since. In 2008, he collaborated in establishing the culinary story of the Zira hotel.

Fabrizio Bigi, Executive chef

hotel and as a chef established the cuisine of the Meridien hotel in Kuala Lumpur. Due to the fact that he was a member of staff when the prestigious JW Marriott hotel in Baku was opened, he has profound experience in opening new hotels.

He is the most creatively consistent chef with great respect for local cuisine.

Milan Lekić, Pastry Chef

Milan likes to experiment with new tastes and textures, and creates noble culinary creations such as the “chocolate retrospective”.

33

Behind the Scenes

Vanja Puškar, Souschef

VANJA PUŠKAR - Souschef Vanja’s culinary philosophy is as unusual as his path to the peak of the Serbian culinary scene.

At only 28 years of age he was already improving his knowledge at the Hyatt Regency hotel in Belgrade. Despite his youth, he contributed profoundly to the cocreation of Belgrade’s culinary landscape. In 2012, he opened the “Chefs Club Beograd” together with a couple of friends and set the goal of reconstructing Serbian cuisine and adapting it to modern trends known under the term “Soul Food”. This way of thinking has become a big hit in the city.

LESS IS MORE Radisson Blu Old Mill went right to the edge and succeeded. It seems as if they were able to find the right aesthetic measure. They don’t put any unnecessary frills on the premium ingredients and the space resonates with the mill’s past history. The concept of an elegant and authentic hotel, a cult restaurant and a dynamic lounge bar has been created, giving a new dimension to tourism in Belgrade and setting new standards.

What’s more, its innovative cuisine also makes it a mirror which reflects Serbian culture.

Ksenija Lubarda, marketing and sales director

Outside Night View

34

Behind the Scenes

RADISSON BLU OLD MILL HOTEL, BELGRADE Bulevar Vojvode Mišića, 15, Belgrade T: +381 (0)11 6 357 357 F: +381 (0)11 6 357 358 E: info.belgrade@radissonblu.com www.radissonblu.com/hotel-belgrade ACCOMODATION 236 rooms including 14 suites

• Currency exchange •V alet parking service • One-touch service •C onference centre (6 meeting rooms)

Rooms: Standard (34 m 2) Business Class Room (45 m 2) Executive Room (35 m 2) Executive Suites (54 m 2) Old Mill Suite (55 m 2) • Flooring is parquet or fitted carpet • Free WI-FI Internet access • Wireless telephone • Individual climate control • Mini bar • Bathrobe and slippers • Free daily newspapers • In-room coffee machine • Laptop-sized safe (17’’ laptop size) • Fully stocked large minibar • In Executive Rooms and suites access to the Executive Lounge RESTAURANT, BAR & LOUNGE • OMB Larder + Lounge • Radisson Blu Super Breakfast • Grab & Run Breakfast RECREATIONAL FACILITIES • Fitness centre SERVICES & FACILITIS • Free high speed Internet • Express checkout • 24-hour room service • 24-hour Concierge service • Express Laundry • Indoor parking

VISITOR INFORMATION Language: Serbian Currency: RSD (Serbian Dinar) Electricity: The hotel operates on 220-volt power Visas: Visa requirements are determined by nationality.

LOCATION The hotel is located near the city centre, the fairgrounds, and the Arena. Traveling to nearby attractions like the Belgrade Arena and the fairgrounds 35

POINTS OF INTEREST The hotel’s home in Belgrade, Serbia surrounded by history. The hotel is located in Belgrade, Serbia and lies adjacent to the Belgrade Fair, the city’s central trade show. Guests can easily access the array of historic and cultural attractions that dot the area, including the House of Flowers, the Royal Palace, and the Nikola Tesla Museum. The Topčider Park is Belgrade’s first public park and is within walking distance of the hotel.

Nearby attractions: Belgrade Fair – 300 m Museum of African Art – 1.7 km House of Flowers – 1.7 km Home of Archibald Reiss – 1.8 km Temple of St. Sava – 2.1 km Topčider Park – 2.1 km Residence of Prince Miloš – 2.2 km Monak’s House – 2.2 km Old Palace – 2.4 km Knez Mihailova Street – 2.7 km Nikola Tesla Museum – 2.9 km Skadarlija – 3 km Fortress/Kalemegdan – 3.5 km Museum of Vuk I Dositej – 3.7 km Royal Palace – 4.5 km TRANSPORTATION Bus and tram station – 300 m Belgrade-Glavna rail station – 1 km Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport – 16 km

is easy from the hotel’s location in the Belgrade city centre. In addition to being close to palaces, museums, and churches, the hotel is also just minutes from New Belgrade, the city’s upandcoming corporate area with a variety of businesses and Serbian government offices.

Additionally, the airport is only 16 kilometres away.

Travel Zoom zooms to Croatia!

The past four editions of Travel Zoom have successfully pointed out the gaps that occur as obstacles on the paths to achieving marketing goals in tourism. They have helped participants bridge those gaps by transferring new knowledge and showing them how to apply it to real-life business situations. More than 130 eminent speakers have helped with the education and more than 20 of the “hottest” experts coming from tourism, marketing, advertising and IT are now coming to Zagreb to show us how to become the true icons of tourism!

The 5th Travel Zoom is promising an excellent educational programme held over two days on the great Travel Zoom stage set in Sheraton Zagreb Hotel, in Zagreb, Croatia. Key-note speakers will share their years of experience and open the door to the treasure-trove of knowledge. Hoteliers will tell the stories of success, creative gurus will present the latest out-of-the-box tourism campaigns, marketing geniuses will demonstrate the proper use of the newest marketing tools, the most popular destinations will reveal the brilliant marketing strategies and delegates will be able to network every step of the way. Last but not least, Travel Zoom will award the most creative, strategically sophisticated and effective tourism campaigns of 2014.

Marketing secrets will be spilledt, the recipes for success will be told. Travel Zoom programme will satisfy the thirst for knowledge, while the competition will confirm the excellence. There are no more excuses. Gain the competitive edge, outshine your competition and BECOME AN ICON! Welcome to the 5th Travel Zoom conference held from 19 to 20 March 2015!

For more information about the event visit www.travel-zoom.si.

Salzburg Report

SALZBURG FOR MEETINGS AND EVENTS Salzburg - A charming cultural metropolis with worldwide fame Looking for the perfect destination to go for your next incentive or conference? Well, you have found it in the heart of Europe.

Salzburg is the stage of the world and offers great opportunities for professional events and meetings. The ideal setting between Alps and urban city life - the city and province of Salzburg.

37

Slazburg Report

SALZBURG FOR MEETINGS AND EVENTS Salzburg - A charming cultural metropolis with worldwide fame Looking for the perfect destination to go for your next incentive or conference?

Well, you have found it in the heart of Europe. Salzburg is the stage of the world and offers great opportunities for professional events and meetings. The ideal setting between Alps and urban city life - the city and province of Salzburg.

TOP 5 PLACES WHERE PEOPLE MEET The best places to meet, stay and incentivize in Salzburg Crowne Plaza Salzburg – The Pitter & Pitter Event Center The Crowne Plaza Salzburg – The Pitter & Pitter Event Center is located in the Salzburg city centre across from the Mirabell Gardens and the Salzburg Congress. In 2014, nearly € 15 million euros were invested in the brand new convention center, 13 rooms plus foyer areas on a total of 1,200 m², the newly built top floor, and 60 completely new rooms. Guests can enjoy top cuisine at fine dining restaurant “Imlauer”; the PitterKeller, Salzburg’s oldest beer cellar; or at the PitterGarden after their conference or seminar at the Crowne Plaza Salzburg – The Pitter. The IMLAUER Sky Bar & Restaurant offers an astonishing view over the city.

International Exhibition & Convention Centre Exhibition Center Salzburg is unique due to its geographical location in the heart of Europe and Austria. 10 exhibition halls with an overall exhibition area of 36,625 m² and the Salzburg Arena with an area of 2,545 m² attract more than 628,000 visitors annually. Last year 34

million euros were invested in building Hall 10 to provide the space needed for international congresses and trade shows.

Salzburg Congress

The Salzburg Congress convention centre is home to various event halls with modern equipment and furnishings. It offers 15 meeting and conference rooms for up to 2,500 guests, a ca-

tering service and 110 parking spaces on location. It is located just a stone’s throw away from Salzburg’s beautiful old town.

Saalfelden Leogang Region & Congress Saalfelden

This truly is a congress and incentive heaven.

The unique combination of the small town of Saalfelden and the village of Leogang create an unforgettable setting for a richly varied experience. The venue that stands out is the Congress Saalfelden conference and meeting centre, a fully-equipped event and convention centre with modern technology and a spacious conference area. The 400m² rooftop terrace and plenty of natural light are sure to take your next corporate event in Austria to a higher level!

Tauern Spa Zell am See – Kaprun**** This conference hotel at the foot of the Kitzsteinhorn mountain in SalzburgerLand is the perfect homebase for everyone who wants to reach high goals. The hotel’s four conference rooms can seat up to 240 people that can after a hard day’s work recharge their batteries in the hotel’s spa or in one of its 13 saunas.

38

Slazburg Report

ESSENTIAL MEETING EXPERIENCES

STAY LOCAL

Enter the World of Brewing Salzburg claims the title of ‘The Austrian Beer Capital’. With a history spanning over more than 500 years, Stiegl plays a significant part in this beer culture given, among other things, the huge variety of beer it offers. Over the years Stiegl has developed from a small local brewery into Austria’s largest and most successful private brewery. Visit the brewery, admire their beer-tasting and maturing cellar, and make the most of a unique opportunity to savour the seasoning and sample some Jungbier (young beer) in the traditional way to assess its progress. It’s a tour you won’t forget...or will you?

HIT THE STREETS

Classical Music capital Salzburg may be small at first glance, but it’s actually a metropolis of cultural happenings.

More than 4,000 events take place in Salzburg.

Max Reinhardt, Michael Haydn, Georg Trakl, Thomas Bernhard, Stefan Zweig, Hugo von

Hofmannsthal - they all have left their marks on Salzburg. The most impressive track record comes from an artist who has given the city its nickname: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Mozart’s musical heritage lives on in Salzburg. Not only when the Mozart-Week in January is celebrated, but over the entire course of the year his works of musical genius seem to be ubiquitous. And Mozart should certainly be part of your conference’s side event or social programme. Mozart’s ‘Geburtshaus’ has earned its status as one of the most frequently visited sights and places of interest in Austria.

PLAY THE GAME

Spice up your life Around 20 km away from Salzburg city, deep down underneath the ‘Salzberg’ mountain a secret world awaits your discovery. For many years, only the salt miners in Berchtesgaden were allowed to enter the complex tunnel system of Salt Mine Berchtesgaden. Today, part of the mine – which has been in operation for over 500 years now – is open to all fans of adventure who wish to get to know the place where the famous Bad Reichenhall brand salt originates.

ESSENTIAL INCENTIVE EXPERIENCES Alpine Olympics – Rustic and Fun

Medieval Festivities in Fortress Hohensalzburg

An entertaining evening of “Volksmusik”

The perfect combination of activities and culinary treats for an incentive. Try your skills in Alphorn blowing, Masskrugstemmen (beer stein holding competition), Alpine triathlon (made up of sawing, cow milking and an alpine game called “nageln”), Crossbow and Needle and thread.

Food, drink, pleasures and entertainment of the medieval period. It all starts with a welcome drink and leads on to plenty of typical rustic delicacies of the age such as knights’ lard spread, herb curd cheese and crispy bread, cream of potato soup with mushrooms and many more!

There are also plenty of old medieval activities, such as firing a crossbow, throwing the horseshoe or a wood tile race.

An evening programme of events in a traditional country inn or a rustic evening in a mountain lodge where you can try typical Salzburg cuisine accompanied by performers or musicians that provide typical traditional entertainment.

39

Slazburg Report

ANOTHER PERSPECTIVE

The Alpine Palace New Balance Luxus Resort***** This 5-star conference hotel is located at an altitude of 1,100m above sea level and directly next to the Reiterkogel cable car in the centre of Hinterglemm. Your event guests will truly enjoy the beautiful views of the surrounding Pinzgau mountains. This conference hotel has it all; 120 guest rooms and suites, six conference rooms for up to 160 people, Casino and Poker Academy in the hotel, 2,000 m² Spa and Institute for Vital Medicine and a ski lift located next to the hotel.

WHEN IN SALZBURG MUST TASTE – GASTRONOMY

CARRY ME HOME – GADGETS/GIFTS

Salzburg Nockerl

Mozartkugeln

Salzburg Nockerl is a sweet soufflé served as a dessert, a culinary speciality of Salzburg. The sweet dumplings are made of egg yolk, flour, sugar, and vanilla, mixed into a thin dough.

Then egg white is whisked until it is stiff and mixed carefully with the dough. Afterwards dumplings are formed and baked on low heat in an oven. Salzburger Nockerl are always freshly prepared and served warm with powdered sugar, sometimes with a raspberry sauce.

Mozartkugeln, originally known as the “Mozartbonbon”, was created by the Salzburg confectioner, Paul Fürst, in 1890 and named after Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Produced according to the original recipe and using the original technique since 1890,the round chocolate delight filled with nougat and marzipan is one of the most popular Austrian souvenir.

STRENGTH IN NUMBERS

TOP 3 ICCA 2013 219 Worldwide 111 Europe

of Austria’s most worth living cities.

Beds in 3 star hotels including superior hotels:

Beds in 5 and 4 star hotels including superior hotels

41.062 49.000 €

1707 SALZBURG

SUNSHINE HOURS Brandboxx Salzburg This perfectly equipped event venue has 6,500m² of space for as few as 50 or as many as 3,000 guests. Whether you’re looking for a modern, loft-like event hall or an elegant venue for your next corporate event in Salzburg – this venue’s flexible concept can be customised to create the exact setting you picture for any event.

COMPETITIVE PRICES OF HOTELS (Hotels.com)

Among Top 10 cities of the world by Conde Nast. The world-famous tourism journal Conde Nast has asked their readers, to name their favorite cities of the world 2013. Salzburg was chosen as forth best.

№2 Meeting Destination in Austria after Vienna with a high market share.

Access City Award In 2011 Salzburg won EU award for disabled-friendly cities.

PRO SALZBURG

Kavernen 1595: Special events in the mountain This former beer and wine cellar in Salzburg’s Mönchsberg mountain has been lavishly renovated and transformed into a unique 1,000m² event venue in Salzburg’s “stone heart”. The historic atmosphere, modern technology, catering facilities and additional rooms such as a dressing room for performers, make Kavernen 1595 the ideal “out of the box” event venue in Salzburg’s old town.

✔ A MODERN CULTURAL CENTER IN THE HEART OF EUROPE ✔ ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND POLITICAL STABILITY ✔ WORLD HERITAGE SITE BY THE UNESCO WHICH CHARACTERIZES IT AS „AN OUTSTANDING EXAMPLE OF AN ARCHITECTURAL ENSEMBLE” ✔ SURROUNDED BY ALPINE LANDSCAPES AND LAKES ✔ PROMINENT POSITION IN THE FIELD OF CULTURAL TOURISM

✔ E ASY TO EXPLORE THE CITY ON FOOT OR BY BIKE - OVER 100 KM OF BIKE PATHS ✔ GREEN MEETINGS - 38 MEETING AND INCENTIVE RELATED SUPPLIERS THAT ARE CERTIFIED WITH THE GREEN ECO-LABEL

BY THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT ✔ E XCELLENT QUALITY OF SERVICES PERSONAL INVOLVEMENT OF OPERATORS ✔ SHORT DISTANCES AND ROUTES BETWEEN CONFERENCE CENTRES, HOTELS AND VENUES

Contact: Mr. Gernot Marx, Head of Convention Bureau Salzburg Convention Bureau, Auerspergstraße 6, A-5020 Salzburg Tel: +43/662/88987-273, Fax: +43/662/88987-535 E-mail: g.marx@salzburgcb.com Web: www.salzburgcb.com 40

Istanbul Report

ISTANBUL FOR MEETINGS AND EVENTS Istanbul - Size does mater Cosmopolitan Istanbul has come back in full shine and has become one of the top global congress cities. Congress Bazaar of Istanbul offers everything that the heart of a meetings organiser could wish for, in addition to 7 convention centres, 3 fair grounds and almost 100,000 hotel rooms, and the excellently organised Convention Bureau of Istanbul.

41

Istanbul Report

ISTANBUL FOR MEETINGS AND EVENTS Istanbul - Size does mater Cosmopolitan Istanbul has come back in full shine and has become one of the top global congress cities. Congress Bazaar of Istanbul offers everything that the heart of a meetings organiser could wish for, in addition to 7 convention centres, 3 fair grounds and almost 100,000 hotel rooms, and the excellently organised Convention Bureau of Istanbul.

TOP 5 PLACES WHERE PEOPLE MEET The best places to meet, stay and incentivize in Istanbul Istanbul congress valley Congress Valley in the city centre, which combines the Istanbul Congress Centre and Istanbul Convention & Exhibition Centre, with the largest hall for 5,000 participants and 11 halls for sections. Around the valley there are 6,000 hotel rooms within walking distance.

Golden horn area

Golden horn includes a slightly more intimate Hallic Congress Centre with a plenary hall for 3,008 participants and a number of smaller halls.

Airport area

The Airport Area includes the Istanbul World Trade Centre and nearby hotels. The World Trade Centre has 11 halls, with a total area of over 162,000 m². An integral part of the cluster are the Grand Cevahir Hotel & Convention Centre, Istanbul Expo Centre and the WOW Conference Centre. Each cluster has in its surroundings enough hotel rooms to host mega-conferences with over 20,000 participants.

42

Hilton Bomonti

Also new is the huge Hilton Istanbul Bomonti hotel and convention center next to the 120year old Bomonti brewery. The largest hall has a capacity of 3,200 guests, thrilling with its exceptional elegance and excellent technical equipment and more than 30 rooms for parallel sessions.

Bosphorus area

A view of the Bosphorus from the hotel room is a dream many visitors of Istanbul may have.

Here are some of the best meeting hotels on the Bosphorus: W Hotel, Swissotel The Bosphorus, Conrad Istanbul, Ciragan Palace Kempinski Istanbul, Radisson Blu Bosphorus Hotel, FourSeason Hotel Istanbul and Sumahan on the Water.

Istanbul Report

ESSENTIAL MEETING EXPERIENCES STAY LOCAL

Tea time a la Turca An obsession, an addiction, a daily routine, a ritual, a welcome gesture, a conversation starter, a break from work, a Turkish breakfast companion, a pastime favorite and what not. A memorable enjoyment of drinking tea is an unforgettable experience for your conference guests.

Whirling Mevlevi Dervishes Another unique attraction to be found in Istanbul. The spiritual ideology and the life style of Dervishes have made a remarkable impact in Turkish music and folk traditions over centuries.

Istanbul is a great city to get a glimpse of the Dervish culture and Turkish music in general.

HIT THE STREETS

PLAY THE GAME

Istanbul meeting crossroads 1001 Direk Cistern Bringing together the East and the West, Istanbul has always been an exotic place in the crossroads of cultures. From palaces to cisterns, even Bosphorus mansions and historic venues in Istanbul are all available for your congresses, meetings, receptions, social gatherings, galas and events.

Unusual gala dinner in the largest underground cistern in the world. In the Cistern, which has the capacity of 1.200 guests in sit-down dinner set up and 3.000 guests standing cocktail, you can also entertain small groups easily as well.

ESSENTIAL INCENTIVE EXPERIENCES 007 - Skyfall

Remember the film Skyfall, the third film of James Bond in Istanbul with the music of Adele?

A film full of action as the previous series, with filming on the roof of the Grand Bazaar, Spice Bazaar, Eminönü up … Now it’s your mission!

You only have one weekend to successfully transfer the secret disk before meeting James Bond. Remember the mission is secret agent 007.

Treasure hunt in the Grand Bazaar

Dragonboat on the Goldenhorn

In this version of orienteering/treasure hunt game which is applied in Grand Bazaar (or in the old city) , there are two objectives: to develop team work and communication skills by inserting the group in a challenging environment and to provide that the group will visit and enjoy the basic historical places of the Grand Bazaar.

This is a traditional event that is organized for three years between teams of major companies in Turkey. You will first do a bit of physical training and have the necessary training from professional coaches. Then you can begin to row yourself.

43

Istanbul Report

ANOTHER PERSPECTIVE

Club scene at Bosphorus A club with the most beautiful views of the Bosphorus, Reina, Sortie, Suad and Super club.

WHEN IN ISTANBUL MUST TASTE – GASTRONOMY

CARRY ME HOME – GADGETS/GIFTS

Baklava

Lokum - Turkish Delight

When you say “dessert” to a Turkish person, baklava will probably the first thing that flashes before his eyes. Because in Turkish cuisine, it has the crown. Baklava is made of layers of filo. The thinner the layers are, the better the baklava is. Between the layers chopped pistachios or walnuts are filled and syrup is put on it after it’s baked.

Turkish delight must be the only sweet in the world that is so embedded in a country’s national identity. The royal confectioner to the Ottoman Sultan invented Turkish delight, or Lokum, more than 200 years ago. A gel of grain starch and sugar is boiled, and chopped nuts or fruit flavoring is added. As the gel sets, it gains a chewy consistency, and is chopped, dusted with powdered sugar, and sold by the kilo.

STRENGTH IN NUMBERS

ICCA 2013

8 Worldwide/ 146 meetings 7 Europe

94-five star hotels including international and Turkish chains

100.000

guestrooms

2 international airports

Santralistanbul A special venue in the restored electrical central

2421 ISTANBUL

SUNSHINE HOURS

METINGS STAR WINNER 2014 Istanbul won Meeting Star Award 2014 in the category of the best meeting destination of the region by Kongres Magazine.

244 destinations flies Turkish Airlines (202 international, 42 domestic)

TURKISH AIRLINES - BEST AIRLINE EUROPE In 2013, Turkish Airlines has been named Best Airline Europe for third consecutive year by Skytrax. Skytrax also named Turkish Airlines as “Best Business Class Catering” for its service in 2013.

BEST TRAVEL DESTINATION by TRIP ADVISOR 2014 Istanbul was named the top destination in Europe and the world, ahead of cities such as Rome, London, Paris and New York, in the sixth annual Travellers’ Choice awards for Destinations by Trip Advisor.

PRO ISTANBUL ✔ 8500 YEARS OF HISTORY, CAPITAL OF 3 GREAT EMPIRES. ✔ ONE OF THE MAIN AIR TRAFFIC HUBS CONNECTING MORE THAN 300 INTERNATIONAL AIRLINES FROM EUROPE TO MIDDLE-EAST, ASIA AND AFRICA. ✔ WITH ALMOST 100.000 GUESTROOMS, 94 FIVE-STAR HOTELS INCLUDING BOTH INTERNATIONAL AND TURKISH CHAINS, A VARIETY OF DELUXE HOTELS SITUATED IN THE BOSPHORUS SHORE AND ANCIENT PENINSULA, INCLUDING SUIT-

ABLE LOFTS NEAR THE CENTRAL AREAS ✔ ISTANBUL IS AN IDEAL CITY TO HOLD CONGRESSES WITH 100 TO 30,000 OR MORE PARTICIPANTS AS THE CITY IS HOME TO 7 CONVENTION CENTRES AND 3 EXHIBITION CENTRES EACH CAPABLE OF HOSTING MAJOR EVENTS WITH THOUSANDS OF DELEGATES. ✔ A WIDE RANGE OF UNIQUE VENUES FROM OTTOMAN PALACE’S TO CISTERNS, FROM MODERN FACILITIES TO MANSIONS ON BOSPHORUS SHORES.

✔ ONE OF THE MOST PRESTIGIOUS CAPITALS OF THE ANCIENT AND MODERN WORLD, ISTANBUL OWNS BOTH RELIGIOUS AND CULTURAL PHENOMENA OF CENTURIES AS IT IS THE ONLY CITY THAT HAS MARKED THE ENDING OF AN ERA IN HISTORY. ✔ ISTANBUL IS THE ULTIMATE DINING, SHOPPING, MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT CAPITAL OF TURKEY.

Contact: Özgül ÖZKAN YAVUZ, General Manager of Istanbul Convention & Visitors Bureau; ISTANBUL CONVENTION & VISITOR BUREAU. Istanbul Ticaret Odasi, Ek Hizmet Binasi . Resadiye Cad. No: 7, Eminonu 34112, Istanbul, Turkey. P: +90 212 522 55 55, F: +90 212 522 01 01, ozgul.yavuz@icvb.org 44

WWW.JOANNES.SI

Your own event app for only € 500?

With our special Conventa offer, there is no reason not to use an event app anymore!

Go to j.mp/conventa for more informaaon!

45

TOPICS AND DATES / Published  times per year

Kongres Magazine is far from being just a magazine. It is the only provider of integrated congress marketing communications, with which you can make effective dialogue with the meetings industry audience. Because we know what meetings industry players really need and how to ensure their long-term loyalty, we can make above-average, high-quality, relevant, independent, in-depth and interesting meetings industry stories.

In 2015 they will be dedicated to you and your customers even more.

EDITORIAL CALENDAR 2015 JANUARY

2015

CONVENTA DAILY

CONVENTA DAILY 1-2

Daily newspaper, which will be released during the Conventa trade show and which brings to exhibitors and hosted buyers daily news from Conventa.

SPACE CLOSE: 12.12.2014

MATERIALS DUE: DELIVERY: 19.12.2014 21. - 22.01.2015

2015

2015

In Focus: PERSONALIZATION

The old paradigm “size fits all” in the last year has radically altered in the direction of personalization in which the participants of your events are taking the initiative. In the issue, we are going to explore different methods of personalization - everything from CRM tools, match-making innovations and the creation of social and virtual communities for the events of the future. We will examine how to achieve events at which the event participants are in the centre.

Hot Spot: EVENT CREATION How to create creative experimental events

SPECIAL ISSUE 1

JANUARY

SPRING ISSUE MARCH

CONVENTA 2015

Special edition, published as a catalogue of Conventa together with extensive destination presentations and presentations of participating partners. In terms of content this is the most comprehensive overview of the meetings industry in the region of Central and Southeast Europe.

Themed supplement: CATERING SURVEY 2015

SPACE CLOSE: 13.02.2015

MATERIALS DUE: 20.02.2015

DELIVERY: 27.03.2015

SPECIAL ISSUE

MAY

SPACE CLOSE: 12.12.2014

MATERIALS DUE: 19.12.2014

DELIVERY: 21. - 22.01.2015

2015

MEETOLOGUE 2015

Since 2010, Kongres magazine has been publishing CONGRESS TRAVELOGUES, which were renamed MEETOLOGUES. International meeting planners thus discover little-known European convention destinations. All existing travelogues of the NEW EUROPE will be issued in a special issue of Kongres magazine, which will be released prior to IMEX trade show. With high-quality editorial content, travelogues completely replace the tedious and irrelevant catalogues of meetings suppliers. Digital versions of MEETOLOGUES are currently the most read sections of the Kongres magazine.

SPACE CLOSE: 10.04.2015

MATERIALS DUE: 17.04.2015

DELIVERY: 15.05.2015

KONGRES MAGAZINE Stihova 4, SI-1000 Ljubljana, T: + 386 (0)1 430 51 03, F: + 386 (0)1 430 51 04, M: +386 (0)40 530 112, E: gorazd.cad@go-mice.eu, www.kongres-magazine.eu

PRINT AUDIENCE

TOTAL AUDIENCE of 60.700 readers:

18.000

meeting planners

------------29,65 % of total number

SPECIAL ISSUE 3

2015

ONE2ONE AUDIENCE

meeting planners

34.000 meeting

1.200

------------1,98 % of total number

FALL 2015

KONGRES INCENTIVE GUIDE 2015

JUNE

TABLET AUDIENCE

SEPTEMBER

2015

Meeting planners wish for something new. You would like – for the same or lower price – to see the yet unseen places, taste un-tasted delicacies, unknown wines and experience undiscovered experiences. Central and South East Europe offers numerous pleasant incentive secrets in the worldwide meetings industry, waiting to be discovered.

In Focus: CO-OPETITION

One of the few truly outstanding destination strategies is the idea of strategic alliances which is a result of the realization that we live in a time of mutual co-operation and competition (co-opetition). We will investigate in what stages it comes to competition and co-operation for congress buyers and destination reputation.

Some practical examples will be presented which have survived the testing in practice.

Hot Spot: EVENT MARKETING How to make desirable events

SPACE CLOSE: 15.05.2015

MATERIALS DUE: 22.05.2014

DELIVERY: 19.06.2015

SUMMER 2015 JULY

2015

In Focus: CONTENT CURATION

Content marketing is changing understanding of the entire meetings industry. Through good content events communicate with the participants. We are going to examine the evidence on the effectiveness of content marketing in the organization of events. You will learn why top content is the core of positive experience of your congress participants Hot Spot: EVENT PRODUCTION How to organise viable events Themed supplement: ADVENTURE PARKS 2015 OUTDOOR VENUES 2015

SPACE CLOSE: 19.06.2015

MATERIALS DUE: 26.06.2015

Themed supplement: INNOVATIVE PEOPLE & EVENTS

SPACE CLOSE: 21.08.2015

MATERIALS DUE: 28.08.2015

DELIVERY: 18.09.2015

WINTER 2014

NOVEMBER

2015

In Focus: INDUSTRY REINFORCEMENT 2016

Who are the personalities that have marked the year 2015? What are the trends of the future, which controversial ideas will win in the area of event organization. In the editorial board of Kongres magazine we believe that the best way to predict the future of the meetings industry is to be inventing it.

Hot Spot: EVENT DIFERENTATION How to stand out from the crowd

DELIVERY: 24.07.2015

Themed supplement: KONGRES ANNUAL MEETING PLANNERS SURVEY KONGRES HOLIDAY & PARTY GUIDE

SPACE CLOSE: 16.10.2015

MATERIALS DUE: 23.10.2015

DELIVERY: 16.11.2015

(e-magazines and e-newsletters)

planners

------------56,01 % of total number

WEB AUDIENCE

appr. 7.500

meeting planners

------------12,36 % of total number

THEMED SUPPLEMENTS WITHIN THE MAGAZINE IN 2015

KONGRES GOURMET KONGRES WAW - WINES AND WINERIES KONGRES SPECIAL VENUES KONGRES ADVENTURE PARKS KONGRES OUTDOOR VENUES KONGRES INNOVATIVE PEOPLE & EVENTS KONGRES HOLIDAY & PARTY GUIDE

KONGRES MAGAZINE REGULAR SECTIONS

TELESCOPE – Congress destinations of the World according to the selection of our editor Robert Cotter MEETOLOGUE – Congress Meetologues of the New Europe VOICE FROM THE TOP – Interviews with key personalities of the meetings industry HIDDEN KONGRES GUEST – Hidden congress guests assess hotels, convention centres and catering providers WHO IS WHO – Presentations of meetings providers YOUNG TALENTS – Young promising meeting industry talents BEEN THERE – Reports from events TOP 10 - Rankings of the best in various categories CASE STUDIES - Examples of good practice

NEW CONTENT SECTIONS IN 2015

KONGRES BRIEFING – Short news from destinations presented in an interesting way DESTINATION SURVEY - Indepth collage presentations of congress destinations DESTINATION IN NUMBERS - Infographics with data of individual destinations BEHIND THE SCENES - Extended reportages of the best congress hotels

At a time when campaigns are taken over by our buyers, apart from content marketing there are few tools available that enable communication through various channels.

KONGRES MAGAZINE Stihova 4, SI-1000 Ljubljana, T: + 386 (0)1 430 51 03, F: + 386 (0)1 430 51 04, M: +386 (0)40 530 112, E: gorazd.cad@go-mice.eu, www.kongres-magazine.eu

MEETINGS STAR AWARD KONGRESNA ZVEZDA 2014

Meetings star 2014

MEETINGS STAR AWARD 2014 BEST MEETING DESTINATIONS 2014

E

ditorial Board of Kongres magazine again prepared an overview of the top meeting destinations in the region, which have been evaluated in the context of the project KONGRES MEETOLOGUE. Within the project we are discovering meeting destinations and compare them. To date, we have visited and evaluated 45 destinations in which we have throughly reviewed, analysed and evaluated: - Natural and cultural factors - General and transport infrastructure - Tourist infrastructure - Meetings infrastructure - Marketing buzz Each destination has also received a subjective grade.

At the end of the year due to the many changes and innovations were reassessed the destinations that they have already evaluated in 2010 and 2011. As an additional criterion, we have taken into account this year’s ranking on the ICCA Country and City Ranking 2013 and Mercer’s global scale of quality of life in individual capitals.

Cities were divided into three categories: - Large and medium sized cities with more than 150.000 inhabitants

- Smaller regional and local towns with less than 150.000 inhabitants - Small tourist destinations with less than 15.000 inhabitants Among larger cities in first places there were no surprises and in the lead remain Istanbul, Prague and Dubrovnik. The most advanced Belgrade, which due to new investments and improved accessibility ended up in fourth place.

Among smaller cities with a large assault the first is Dubrovnik, which is also in absolute terms the third best meeting destination of the region. To the tenth place then with minimal differences are listed famous tourist destinations, which are increasingly focusing on congress tourism. Most of these destinations and cities will be presented at Conventa as exhibitors.

In absolute terms final results are: 1. Istanbul total mark 4.71 2. Prague total mark 4.64 3. Dubrovnik total mark 4.57

Last year‘s winners at Conventa Welcome reception

49

Meetings star 2014

ISTANBUL

SIZE DOES MATTER

MEETINGS STAR AWARD BEST MEETING DESTINATIONS 2014

WHAT’S HOT 1. The Istanbul Convention & Visitors Bureau, which has been promoting Istanbul as a host city for conferences since 1997, will now be introducing the city’s touristic and cultural riches to the world via www.howtoistanbul.com.

2. Istanbul re-brands – “Istanbul: the best place to connect”: This was partly in response to the fact that Istanbul first broke into the world’s Top 10 Congress Destinations in 2010 and subsequently became the world’s number one congress destination for meetings with more than 500 delegates in 2011 & 2012 (ICCA statistics).

3. ICCA 53rd Congress held in Antalya, Turkey between 1st - 5th November 2014. Istanbul CAT Night hosted by Istanbul CVB and CAT Publications and attracted approximately 900 delegates and up to 100 accompanying guests.

4. New Hilton Bomonti Hotel was opened in 2013 – the city’s largest hotel ever.

5. Istanbul named the best travel destination in the World by tripAdvistor in 2014: Istanbul was named the top destination in Europe and the world, ahead of cities such as Rome, London, Paris and New York, in the sixth annual Travellers’ Choice awards for Destinations by TripAdvisor.

4.71 Final Score

Does size matter? ‘Absolutely’, argue the meetings industry representatives of Istanbul.

Distances and size are all relative in this city of superlatives where even five minutes, which is maybe a measure of distance from your destination, can easily be converted into a completely different travel experience.

Today Istanbul is some kind of a congress hybrid between regulated western destinations and more exotic congress destinations, and a hybrid between the old and the new that follows you in this incredible city at every step. Options for the organisation of social events are unparalleled elsewhere in Europe. Cosmopolitan Istanbul has come back in full shine and has become one of the top global congress cities. The destination is back in the limelight and is the new global success story. We believe that the meetings industry of Istanbul will be the new congress success story, for it has already fulfilled almost every condition and at the same time it is still relatively inexpensive.

Destination mark: EXCELLENT MEETING DESTINATION

INDIVIDUAL GRADES: Natural and cultural factors: General and transport infrastructure: Tourist infrastructure: Meetings infrastructure: Subjective tgrade: Marketing buzz:

4.79 4.29 5.00 4.99 4.25 4.92

Comparisons with the region Current support of local politics and the economy in the region is more an exception than a rule. Although the country has recently found itself in a whirlwind of protests and it seems that this does not affect the meetings industry and the Turkish congress tiger is relentlessly growling and overcoming everything set in front of it.

If personal hospitality could be combined with the proverbial German precision, the route to congress superstardom would be completely open. Professionalism and entrepreneurship when they are competing for international events is not lacking and they could be setting an example to other convention bureaus. Perhaps the biggest rival is Barcelona, which with its facilities and overall support is also able to host the biggest events.

BEST INCENTIVE IDEA Home to a diverse culture and vibrant crowd, Istanbul offers an infinite number of possibilities for incentive ideas. Having the Bosphorus dividing the city and the continents, a boat tour on a beautiful Istanbul evening promises breath-taking scenery for your guests.

DID YOU KNOW British author Agatha Christie wrote her famous novel “Murder on the Orient Express” at Pera Palas Hotel in Istanbul.

Marks: 5 excellent meeting destination 4 quality meeting destination 3 recommendable meeting destination 2 average meeting destination 1 passable 50

Meetings star 2014

PRAGUE

MEETINGS STAR AWARD BEST MEETING DESTINATIONS 2014

SLAVIC PARIS

WHAT’S HOT 1. Pentahotels – the Asian hotel chain has entered the Czech market last year. The new four-star hotel in Prague provides accommodation in 227 rooms. A device with the simple name pentahotel attracts clients, especially for its informal approach.

2. Hotel Emblem - the newest boutique hotel in Prague was opened in September 2013.

3. Forum Karlín – last year, the construction of the new multifunctional building Forum Karlín, which will offer the most modern space with a maximum capacity of 3000 pax, began.

The newest social venue, located in a popular Prague quarter Karlín just a few minutes from the city center, will be opened in May 2014.

4. Tower Park Prague – at the end of 2012, the Tower Park Prague with a 360 degree view of Prague, an interactive view, a restaurant complex and a One Room Hotel was reopened. Thanks to the reconstruction in 2011/2012, all premises were developed in a distinct style that will impress you with their unique design.

The spirit of Central Europe is in the best way caught in this beautiful city, which is an excellent convention destination because of its cosmopolitanism, multiculturalism, liveliness and a tireless nightlife. What is the secret of the Prague congress tourism? What are they doing differently? It is a combination of circumstances and wise development policies. Elegantly and sustainably they are working to be among the top ten European congress cities.

4.64 Final Score

Destination mark: EXCELLENT MEETING DESTINATION Marks: 5 excellent meeting destination 4 quality meeting destination 3 recommendable meeting destination 2 average meeting destination 1 passable INDIVIDUAL GRADES: Natural and cultural factors General and transport infrastructure Tourist infrastructure Meetings infrastructure Subjective grade Marketing buzz

Comparison with the region: Prague has for a long time not been an Eastern European gem, but a true European tourist metropolis with a diverse and comprehensive offer, luxury hotels and sometimes too high prices.

The story is reminiscent of Škoda, of which the Czechs are very proud and is one of the oldest automotive brands in Europe. Reputable, solid and reliable pre-war limousines were after the war changed by cars that were behind the times.

Today, Škoda shines again and again puts the Czech manufacturer where it once was. The same can be said for the meetings industry, where Prague began to seriously falter against the locations top of the European league. If we look at the position of Prague regionally, Prague will not take primacy in the region over Vienna, but it certainly has all the conditions to remain for a long time the first congress destination among East European capitals.

5. WONCA 2013 – In June 2013, Prague hosted the 20th World Conference of General Practitioners/family physicians - the “WONCA 2013”, which was organised by the Society of General Practitioners and attracted 3,628 doctors from 106 different countries. During the Prague Convention Bureau’s Ambassador Awards Evening, this congress was awarded in the category “Congress of the Year 2013” and the prize went to the congress ambassador, Doc. MUDr. Bohumil Seifert, Ph.D.

BEST INCENTIVE IDEA Glass Decoration - visit a famous glass gallery in Prague, where you can admire beautiful works of art and create your own piece of art using your artistic flair whilst painting a piece of glass.

DID YOU KNOW why Prague is called “Golden Prague”? This name was given to the city during the reign of the Czech King and Holy Roman Emperor, Charles IV, when the towers of Prague Castle were covered in gold. Another theory is that Prague was called ‘Golden’ during the reign of Rudolf II, who employed alchemists to turn ordinary metals into gold.

4.42 4.23 4.79 4.65 4,61 4,82

51

Meetings star 2014

DUBROVNIK

PEARL OF THE ADRIATIC

MEETINGS STAR AWARD BEST MEETING DESTINATIONS 2014

WHAT’S HOT 1. Dubrovnik declared ‘best port destination’ in the Mediterranean - Spanish Cruises News declared that Dubrovnik was the best port destination in the Mediterranean for 2013.

2. Dubrovnik to once again host HBO team of “Game of Thrones” - In 2011 American production company HBO chose Dubrovnik as the location for the filming of award winning hit series “Game of Thrones”, as a result of which the City has become the “King’s Landing”.

3. ICCA ranking - Dubrovnik climb on the list of popular meetings destinations. During the spring the large convention hotels in Dubrovnik – Rixos, Libertas, Valamar Lacroma, Dubrovnik Palace Hotel, Radisson Blue and others – hosted a series of major conferences with smaller meetings held in other hotels with convention facilities. It seems that 2014 is also shaping up to be very successful.

4. Dubrovnik’s Hotel renovations in 2014 - Exciting improvements in several of Dubrovnik’s most popular hotels, namely the Hotel Kompas, Dubrovnik President, Dubrovnik Palace and Argosy.

5. New Hotel openings announced for 2014 season - the Hotel Dubrovnik Riviera project, which will offer the Dubrovnik Riviera more than 730 units with accompanying facilities, encompasses a full reconstruction of the Hotel Astarea in Mlini, the existing Hotel Mlini, the Hotel Orlando and the “Češkebanje” beach bar.

4.57 Final Score

Dubrovnik is a city growing and developing due to the meetings industry. It will be a big part of the future of this industry for the entire region.

First, as the most successful Croatian and regional brand on the global meetings market.

With little exaggeration we can claim the destination brand of the entire region will hang on Dubrovnik.

It will lead the region as the first destination where international and local hotel chains are opening convention centres and performing intensive co-branding. The results are numerous incentives of international corporations to book up the season and convention centre openings one after the other.

I personally believe the meetings industry can change the image of Dubrovnik. It is possible new investments in meetings industry will change the sociological structure of tourists. I have to add, the key question is always the vision of the destination and the knowledge the infrastructure will be successfully marketed.

The wonderful setting of Dubrovnik is only a part of the story; the meetings industry is largely the logical industry for Dubrovnik. It is only missing some important investments into infrastructure and meetings infrastructure.

The meetings organizers can learn much from Dubrovnik, the inscription on the door to the Duke’s Palace: “Obliti privatorum publica curate” or “Forget your own gains and take care of the common ones”.

Destination mark: QUALITY MEETING DESTINATION Marks: 5 excellent meeting destination 4 quality meeting destination 3 recommendable meeting destination 2 average meeting destination 1 passable INDIVIDUAL GRADES: Natural and cultural factors General and transport infrastructure Tourist infrastructure Meetings infrastructure Subjective grade Marketing buzz

4.94 4.49 4.95 4,69 4.58 4.95

Comparison with the region: Dubrovnik is the flagship of regional tourism and is the first association of meetings organizers we meet daily. It has still not reached its full potential. It is the closest in the region to renowned Mediterranean convention destinations Cannes and Monte Carlo. It has the biggest potential in the area of corporate and other incentives; after the completion of the convention centre also in the area of international associations conventions.

52

BEST INCENTIVE IDEA The Dubrovnik polaroid treasure hunt. The programme has been adapted to Dubrovnik’s most attractive locations, where teams get the chance to explore, compete and have fun.

Tasks include answering a list of questions, as well as finding and photographing objects and situations inside the city walls.

DID YOU KNOW That Dubrovnik, back then an independent state, was the first nation to formally recognise the United States as a nation when it declared independence from Great Britain.

Travel_Zoom_CONVENTA_Katalog_204x255_t.pdf 1 30.12.2014 13:48:53

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

TOP 10

TOP 10 NATIONAL DESTINATIONS KONGRESNA ZVEZDA MEETINGS STAR 2014

01.

ISTANBUL, Turkey

4.71

02.

PRAGUE, Czech Republic

4.64

03.

BUDAPEST, Hungary

4.53

04.

BELGRADE, Serbia

4.42

05.

ZAGREB, Croatia

4.41

Turkish congress tiger is relentlessly growling and overcoming everything set in front of it. Professionalism and entrepreneurship when they are competing for international events is not lacking and they could be setting an example to other convention bureaus.

Congress Bazaar of Istanbul offers everything that a meetings organizer needs, in addition to 7 convention centers, 3 fair grounds and almost 94.000 bed capacity, and the excellently organized Convention Bureau of Instanbul. The quality of life in Istanbul is improving as well as the general infrastructure; Turkish Airlines as Europe’s Best Airlines flies more countries than any other airlines.

Prague has for a long time not been an Eastern European gem, but a true European tourist metropolis with a diverse and comprehensive offer, luxury hotels and sometimes too high prices. The story is reminiscent of Škoda, of which the Czechs are very proud and is one of the oldest automotive brands in Europe. Reputable, solid and reliable pre-war limousines were after the war changed by cars that were behind the times. Today, Škoda’s shine again and again puts the Czech manufacturer where it once was. The same can be said for the meetings industry, where Prague began to seriously falter against the locations top of the European league.

If we look at the position of Prague regionally, Prague certainly has all the conditions to remain one of the most popular congress destinations for a long time.

Budapest enjoys a very favorable position in Europe, at the crossroads between the East and the West. It is one of just a few cities in the world that literally lies on thermal springs and to which the Danube River gives a special experiential value. The city has no shortage of picturesque special venues nor the most luxurious hotels and crazy and diverse incentive locations. If Prague is love at first sight, then Budapest is love on the long run. In addition to the selection of 16 five stars hotels, from Intercontinental to Kempinski, and 61 hotels with fourstars, it impresses with unique historic spa resorts. All this has been for many years an excellent and well-established MICE destination with well-oiled congress machinery. In addition, Budapest is also a very pocket friendly and safe congress destination.

Belgrade bases its congress story on the rich culture at the crossroads of East and West, the central position in the South-East Europe and a lively social life. It is a city with remarkable cuisine, world-class nightlife, world events and positive vibrations, which makes it a very dynamic and attractive tourist destination. Belgrade is a city on the rise and a rough congress diamond, which has enormous development potential. With the establishment of the Serbian Convention Bureau in 2007, co-operation and promotion has thoroughly improved and now Belgrade has in terms of management a unique opportunity to take advantage of its benefits, provided so the complete infrastructure can be thoroughly renewed. With that the city can easily be geo-strategically placed by the side of world’s congress capitals.

It can be said that Zagreb has a great congress future. As well as Belgrade, Zagreb is also progressing steadily on the chart of development meetings destinations; the final breakthrough of the intire region is intertwined and dependent on the marketing of mayor regional congress cities in the international market. In the last ten years Croatia has radically improved road infrastructure and thus its accessibility. Significantly improved is also air accessibility via Zagreb Airport, which accepts over 40 % of all air traffic in Croatia. The hotel infrastructure with new acquisitions fully satisfies modern congress guests and is perhaps at this moment the best among regional capitals. Zagreb is a pocket-friendly destination that offers a lot for reasonable money.

54

TOP 10

06.

LJUBLJANA, Slovenia

4.40

07.

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia

4.27

08.

KRAKOW, Poland

4.19

09.

VILNIUS, Lithuania

4.17

10.

GRAZ, Austria

4.14

According to its conference and accommodation infrastructure, Ljubljana belongs to the group of capitals suitable for medium-sized and smaller meetings (up to 2.500 participants). It is positioned side by side with the new EU member states and geographically in the region of the Western Balkans. With two top-level convention centers and a very well developed hotel meetings offer, Ljubljana is the region’s leading congress destination. At the end of last year in order to give Ljubljana a new sales and promotional momentum, a partnership called Ljubljana Strategic Bidding Team (LSBT) was established; it is composed of interested partners from both the private and public area. The city is extremely safe and one of the region’s most sustainably-oriented.

The city of four rivers defines the Danube river with its tributaries and with the mighty Renaissance castle above the intimate and compact old town. Bratislava is undiscovered European congress capital which slowly and steadily penetrates into the congress market. It represents a novelty for international congress market which impresses due to the kind and sympathetic city center but also because of not excessive commercialization. The city is close to the congress organizers mainly due to a more personal congress experience – the city is very friendly and there are no problems with the safety. The city center is full of pubs, restaurants and shops and the hotel offer includes the best known hotel chains. Many special venues like Eurovea city center are the ideal choice for larger and scenic demanding events.

Of all Polish cities Krakow is the one with the greatest soul and is the most fraught with history. In Poland, Krakow will be the destination of the new generation, which will soon be recognized as a high quality, compact and most versatile meetings destination in Poland due to the cultural heritage, hospitality of the locals, new meetings capacities and because of its huge scientific potentials. Krakow has a variety of hotels services and an exceptional number of tourist attractions. Being the main tourist city it has excellent conditions in place for the development of congress tourism. With the construction of the new convention center ICE it has also received a real affirmation. Krakow’s recipe is successful and a case of good practice for other more traditional central European destinations.

Vilnius is a green and spacious city with a beautiful old city center where you can find over 40 churches. The three most important reasons for visiting Vilnius are architectural heritage, the city’s rich history and it’s specific urban atmosphere with very high air quality. Together with a very wide range of hotel accommodation and accompanying offer, which has developed in the recent years, Vilnius is an attractive tourist destination that is still largely undiscovered. Over the last few years Vilnius has polished its offer and was preparing for its entry into the international congress scene. The main congress provider in the city is LitExpo. With an active and well-organized convention bureau and broad-based marketing, Vilnius is becoming an important new European meetings destination.

Graz is a mature tourist destination, which is despite the crisis recording a steady growth of tourist arrivals and overnight stays in all tourism segments. Cultural diversity, rich history and the connecting Mura River have formed a high experiential diversity, which is reflected in the many opportunities for congress and incentive organizers and planners. In terms of infrastructure and transport, Graz is still the leading regional convention destination and can be also in this term described as modern, dynamic and internationally competitive. With more than 154 congress event and some 46.000 participants it achieves excellent results and is stable on the charts ranking international events. A very big focus in Graz is on environmental responsibility and tidiness of the surrounding areas and infrastructure.

55

TOP 10

TOP 10 REGIONAL DESTINATIONS KONGRESNA ZVEZDA MEETINGS STAR 2014

01.

DUBROVNIK, CROATIA

4.57

02.

SALZBURG, AUSTRIA

4.20

03.

KLAGENFURT, AUSTRIA

3.97

04.

PIRAN, SLOVENIA

3.92

05.

UDINE, ITALIA

3.81

Dubrovnik is the flagship of regional tourism and is commonly the first association of meetings organizers we meet daily. It is the closest in the region to renowned Mediterranean convention destinations Cannes and Monte Carlo, and it will be even closer after the completion of the convention center. So far the center is successfully replaced by modern and well-equipped centers at hotels such as Dubrovnik Palace, Excelsior, Bellevue, Grand Villa Argentina, Importanne Resort, Dubrovnik President, Valamar Lacroma and Radisson Blue.

Well-developed is the entire conference infrastructure including destination management and creative agency scene. The city is safe and one of the tourist icons of the Adriatic and justifiably the most painted tourist skyline with unprecedented experiential diversity for conference guests.

Salzburg offers all the characteristics of a congress destination and a cosmopolitan mix of visitors. With its location in the heart of Europe and because of the high quality of life, Salzburg has a great starting point in congress tourism. For current logistics and transport restrictions of the city, medium sized congresses with up to 2.500 participants are the best suited. Two top-quality, modern and high tech congress centers are together with a top quality conference hotel infrastructure a foundation for this congress destination. In this area they will offer you a superior product wrapped in superior packaging. Although you will find Mozart on every step of your way and it seems that the clock stopped in the times of the famous composer, Salzburg is a very modern and cool tourist destination with extraordinary culinary scene.

Klagenfurt is a likable alpine congress destination with rich cultural heritage and high experiential diversity. Key advantage is definitely fairy tale like well-maintained and pleasant environment, quality offer that is above average in regional sense, and professionalism of suppliers. Position at the crossroads of important routes is also an important factor in competitiveness of this destination. The city is an important inter social and European transit region that is easily reachable thanks to modern highways and rail connections. Klagenfurt as the center of Carinthia with its tidiness, safety and ratio between price and quality is one of the best convention destinations in the wider region. The city builds its meetings offer on a sustainable development.

Medieval Piran is definitely one of the most portrayed cities on Slovenian tourist postcards. The city owes its prosperity to the over a thousand-year long respectful coexistence between the saltpan workers and their natural environment.

Where once a monastery stood, today you will find the St. Bernardin hotel located only a 15-minute walk away from Piran. The Bernardin Congress Centre is the first and the largest hotel congress centre in Slovenia. Its multifunctional design sets the standards for all similar centres in the region.

For quite some time the city has been living in the shadow of its notorious tourist neighbour Portoro탑; the truth is, however, that in the future Piran will stand out if it decides for the right differentiation.

It is a unique world in which the Latin elements from the period of Roman Empire are mixed with those of Lombard, Venetian, Austrian and Slavic. History touches you at every step, which is the perfect backdrop for a variety of innovative incentive programs.

Udine has a rich quality of life, being one of the most economically developed Italian region. The city is perfectly accessible via highways, rail and air. There are plenty of hotel facilities in the city and the surrounding areas, which are a true shopping paradise with superb cuisine and some of the best Italian restaurants with Michelin stars. In the middle of one of the most important Italian wine regions you can organize you event in wineries, renovated industrial buildings or palaces. The whole offer is quality linked by the Friuli Venezia Giulia Tourist Board.

56

TOP 10

06.

ZADAR, CROATIA

3.70

07.

ŠIBENIK, CROATIA

3.67

08.

NOVA GORICA, SLOVENIA AND GORIZIA, ITALIA

3.60

09.

MARIBOR, SLOVENIA

3.58

10.

OSIJEK, CROATIA

3.18

Zadar with over 4000 beds, several campgrounds and resorts is a developed summer destination for leisure and a yachting paradise. The charming city with thousand years of cultural heritage, the proximity of the islands, five national parks and improving flight connections has a number of good reviews by foreign media describing it as a cool convention destination. The city is an ideal destination for organization of smaller conferences and incentives for up to 100 participants. Currently, the main drawback are congress facilities that are not offering enough space for bigger business events, as well as congress infrastructure which is not yet built and in function. Once everything is in place, Zadar will certainly be an important congress player.

It is a fact that Šibenik has excellent conditions and is somehow considered to be a hidden jewel of the Croatian congress offer. Because of the natural beauty, a mayor part of the area around the Krka is declared a national park, of which the geographical center is Šibenik. This gives the whole area an outstanding experiential value and numerous opportunities in the field of congress tourism. For ease of accessibility it may be a suitable location for small association conferences as well as a variety of incentive programmes. Virtually all of the convention centers are completely renovated as part of the strategy to fill capacities in the pre-season. In Šibenik there is no shortage of entertainment, festivals, world-class cuisine and also offers for the more discerning guests.

The two locations are the heart of the sunny and verdant Goriška plane. Due to their interesting position between the Alps and the Mediterranean, and the junction between the Roman and Slavic, it forms a historically attractive space with high experiential value and preserved natural as much as cultural landscape. In the transport sense it is a very easily accessible region with a high quality of living and excellent infrastructure. In 2006 a modern conference center at hotel Perla was created, which along with several smaller halls in hotels in Gorizia and a series of special venues forms the backbone of congress offer. Both Goricas have many good restaurants and will delight lovers of gastronomy, entertainment and gaming. The hospitality of the locals and the competitiveness of the destination is placing the region on the top of young, fresh and undiscovered convention destinations.

Maribor is one of the most promising meetings destinations in Slovenia. The city is historically, ethnically and culturally extremely interesting. It gives an impression of familiarity and warmth. Transport infrastructure, mostly because of the inactive Maribor Airport, is the weakest part of the Maribor meetings industry offer. Otherwise the city is safe and pleasant to live in. Its speciality is an extraordinary access to nature. The additional tourist offer is well developed, especially for sports and recreation. Congress offer of Maribor is concentrated in company Terme Maribor and their hotels Habakuk, Piramida (Pyramid) and Bellevue. The town is very rich with additional convention programmes suitable for incentives, but unfortunately a comprehensive offer of Pohorje and the town is under-utilised and not well presented.

Osijek is a town you can quickly fall in love with and has a great opportunity for development. The most typical Croatian Pannonian area is among the most blessed Croatian provinces. Together with its position at the crossroads of three nations create an extremely varied and socially attractive space. Despite the good road and rail infrastructure and also the lack of air accessibility, the majority of convention tourist arrive to the destination by air. The basic accommodation infrastructure is reasonably well developed and of good quality. Restaurants with above average cuisine stand out. Offer of bars and cafes and general eno-gastronomic offer is good. The destination has only one true convention hotel and there are no local specialized DMC agencies.

57

TOP 10

TOP 10 SMALL TOURIST DESTINATIONS

KONGRESNA ZVEZDA MEETINGS STAR 2014

01.

BLED, SLOVENIA

3.96

02.

ROVINJ, CROATIA

3.95

03.

HVAR, CROATIA

3.93

04.

SOČA VALLEY, SLOVENIA

3.91

05.

OPATIJA, CROATIA

3.90

Bled is definitely among the leading Slovenian meetings destinations. Tidiness, wonderful nature and entire infrastructure are ideal bases for development. As a recognisable brand Bled stands out among other meetings destinations in the region. The overall personal experience in Bled is a positive one, despite the feeling of low season sleepiness. The ratio of price to quality is mostly good. In Bled the saying ‘Less is more’ is very true. The potential for the meetings industry is immense, it just needs to be harnessed in the right way. Its advantages were traditionally built on congresses and conferences of international associations, which can once again fuel its development. It just needs to adapt to change faster.

Indented coast with over 22 islands of the Rovinj Archipelago, clear waters and rich historical and cultural heritage of this picturesque town are the main reasons that Rovinj is the leading Croatian tourist destination. Tourism is the main industry of the city, but it is highly seasonal. Efforts of the main hotelier Maistra and all tourism providers in recent years to promote tourism also in the low season, to which play a role mild climate and new world-class hotel facilities. Maistra has seriously focused on the development of congress offer, as evidenced by the recent large-scale investment in the Lone Hotel, with which is also at the same time rounded the offer of convention centre Cap Aureo, one of the largest convention centres in the region.

Over the beauty of the island, reminiscent of the Garden of Eden, there is no point in wasting words, since there is no shortage of various urban legends for approval.

Logistically the organisation of events on the island is certainly more complex than on the mainland. Despite the notoriety of the island and its visibility Hvar is still sweet, genuine and full of sincere, authentic Mediterranean experiences. Island culture fascinates and conquers even despite the more difficult access. It is worth it! None of the more than 1.000 Croatian islands has such karma and recognition as Hvar. Definitely a “must” Croatian destination, right behind Dubrovnik.

Distance from the mainland gives it a touch of boutique smallness.

The main advantage of the destination is the developed incentive product, gastronomy and a preserved natural and cultural heritage that is unequalled. In terms of marketing some other destinations are also better, despite significantly worse conditions. Given the capital of the destination, represented by a number of already developed stories and awards (EDEN European Destinations of Excellence), the incentive meetings product awaits a bright future. As an incentive pearl the Soča Valley is somewhat remote, so for a visit it requires a bit more logistics planning. However, the reward once there is so much bigger, because you find yourself in one of the European incentive epicentres that offers a complete infrastructure for adrenaline and active incentive programmes, from agencies to guide services and accompanying services.

An elegant tourist lady to which years are showing and appears at times a bit tired, but is still very charming. It will need a facelift as soon as possible and a vitamin treatment to be able to fully compete with the competitors on the Croatian Adriatic, and above all to fight for its congress place in the battle with Dubrovnik. 170 years of tourism tradition is based on the positive energy of the riviera and the exceptional natural conditions. The city already boasts the entire infrastructure, but it is beaten mostly by an unfavourable image and somewhat slow adjustment to the new market conditions. A change of the structure of hotels is also necessary, as ‘cosmopolitan’ Opatija today only boasts three hotels in the 5-star category, whilst in Dubrovnik there are now 14.

58

TOP 10

06.

PORTOROŽ, SLOVENIA

3.89

07.

KRANJSKA GORA, SLOVENIA

3.88

08.

BUDVA, MONTENEGRO

3.75

09.

BREŽICE – ČATEŽ, SLOVENIA

3.74

10.

UMAG, CROATIA

3.71

Portorož is unquestionably an appropriate destination for the meetings industry, given its climate, cultural diversity and range of social and leisure options. Expensive yet accurate and precise renovation of the secessionist hotel Palace and several historic buildings ensured we can also still enjoy a part of its historic glamour too.A rich congress history, tradition and the existing infrastructure are a competitive advantage. The meetings industry is by no means a tree to sleep under and simply harvest its fruit of wealthy congress participants. Despite that, Portorož has proven resilient and adaptable many times in the course of history, so some innovativeness and marketing opportunities should ensure it has a bright future.

Kranjska Gora is a worldwide brand known as the traditional Slovenian winter ski resort highly suitable for various possibilities of creating incentive products. The ethnographic treasure, legends and stories all call for the arrival of incentive programmes.

The best way from here to the valley of Soča over Vršič is very attractive in the summer time, where is possible to test a variety of adrenaline incentive programmes. It is easily accessible, lying on the borders of important tourist markets. Kranjska Gora throughout the year provides an interesting experience and with the accompanying incentive products seals itself as an active congress destination.

The fame of Budva eventually over grew the reality, but nevertheless this is a city worth its name and represents a solid meeting destination. Budva is one of the central incentive destinations on the Adriatic coast, with very successful marketing, despite numerous deficiencies in poor accessibility and current capacity selection. The development plans for the ‘Monte Carlo of the Adriatic’, openness to foreign investors and very liberal policies could position the Montenegro coast very high on the meetings industry map in the next few years, while it is already the leader in the area of incentive programs. If this “wild beauty” improves its accessibility, price competitiveness and infrastructure, it can be a worthy competitor as a meetings destination, even as one of the top destinations in the wider region of the Mediterranean.

Brežice and Čate are a part of the Krško-Brežiška basin, characterized by the specific landscape at this border location, with Gorjanci at the southern part and the vineyard-covered. Tourism in this region has developed thanks to the thermal springs by the Sava River, which were already discovered 200 years ago. Today, the main tourist and congress provider is Terme Čatež, which in addition to the Čatež spa also manages the Mokrice castle and is the largest natural spa in Slovenia. Čatež offers everything like much more developed congress destinations but in a very small area, from protocol meetings to a rich offer of teambuilding programmes. Together with the possibility of connecting with other authentic products of the Lower Posavje it is a true congress surprise.

Sometimes we inadvertently overlook destinations that we remember as leisure. With what has changed in recent years in Umag and north-western Istria, it gives a whole new dimension to the destination. Umag is primarily an incentive destination, where we were convinced by hospitable locals and employees in hotels. It provides security, comfort and a range of environmentally friendly outdoor activities. Among the competing congress destinations, Umag even a year ago would be easily overlooked, but today it is already hosting the most demanding events such as the most im- portant Microsoft event Windays. This proves that the destination is profiled as a congress and especially incentive location. To the good functioning a great destination management contributes a great deal, which in a form of a cluster from 2010 is promoted under the brand “Colours of Istria”.

59

MEETINGS STAR AWARD KONGRESNA ZVEZDA

TESTING TO THE LIMIT BEST HOTELS AND CONVENTION CENTRES 2014

Based on 87 hidden guests’ ratings, which have been published in the Kongres Magazine, we selected the winners of the MEETING STAR AWARD 2014.

5 categories 12 hidden guests 465 evaluation criteria 26 evaluated City Meeting Hotels 37 evaluated Resort Meeting Hotels 16 evaluated Boutique Hotels 8 evaluated Congress and Convention Centres

60

Meetings star 2014

C

ongress guests are the most demanding and at the same time they have the highest purchasing power, and in tourism, this has been a well known truth for a long time.

Generally, they spent a longer amount of time in the hotel, have greater levels of contact with personnel and avail themselves of more hotel services. As a rule, they expect a higher level of services and therefore they deserve the utmost attention.

The results for the year 2014 are known. On the upcoming pages you will find the results of the biggest regional testing of congress centres, hotels and destinations.

This award is being organised for the fifth time in a row, but the principle remains the same; the winners are selected by hidden congress guests.

An expert examines and evaluates the quality of restaurant, hotel and other services as a hidden guest.

WHO IS THE HIDDEN CONGRESS GUEST? An expert with several years of experience in the field of congress organisation, and with knowledge in hotel and restaurant management. For guaranteeing objectivity the following knowledge and competencies are required: • at least 15 years of experience in the field of congress and event organisation; • expertise in Slovenian and international meeting tourism standards with specific knowledge of standards’ control (DIN – Deutsche Industrie Norm, ICCA – International Congress and Convention Association, IAPCO – International Association of Professional Congress Organisers, APEX – Accepted Practice Exchange, AIPC – International Association of Congress Centres, MPI – Meetings Professionals International); • familiarity with trends in the meeting industry on the Slovene and international market; • recognition of specific needs and wishes of participants; • knowledge about key factors that influence the selection of a congress venue location; • familiarity with all elements required for successfully holding a congress (technical requirements, catering services, extras, security, protocol etc.);

Furthermore, our evaluators have verified references in assuring the quality of their own work in the meeting industry and this allows them to give an impartial opinion on behalf of the client and ensures a maximal reliability of the method.

Our hidden guests are objective, fair, precise and reliable, well organised and pay attention to detail.

WHAT IS THE COURSE OF THE EVALUATION PROCESS? The evaluator visits a randomly selected hotel or participates in one of the hotel’s or congress centre’s events, where they evaluate the performance of the hotel’s services using an evaluation rubric. At certain points of the evaluation rubric personal comments and pictures or video proof are added to the rating.

WHAT IS THE BASIS FOR COLLABORATION? The evaluation rubric includes over 456 measurable evaluation criteria, which are divided into the following categories: A. First contact with the customer B. General impression upon arrival at the hotel C. Entry hall – lobby D. Employees’ attitude E. Reception F. Hotel room G. Hotel bed H. Bathroom and restroom I. Hotel breakfast J. Hotel bar and restaurant K. Congress halls L. Extras M. Sales procedures and communication

Each category is evaluated based on the percentage of compliance with the prerequisites and an average score – this way individual criteria can be improved.

61

Moreover, in the framework of the evaluation rubric a subjective assessment is offered, which can be used to improve performance in the following areas: • Architecture and aesthetics • Reputation and credibility • Communication • Price • Extras • Location • FLOP negative surprises • TOP surpluses

The winners in individual categories for the year 2015 are: CITY MEETING HOTEL LUXURY: PARK HYATT VIENNA, Vienna, Austria / score 4.89 PREMIUM: CROWNE PLAZA BELGRADE, Belgrade, Serbia / score 4.49

RESORT MEETING HOTEL LUXURY: HOTEL BELLEVUE, Lošinj, Croatia / score 4.83 PREMIUM: VALAMAR LACROMA, Dubrovnik, Croatia / score 4.50 HOTEL SPLENDID, Budva, Montenegro / score 4.50

BOUTIQUE MEETINGS HOTEL BOUTIQUE: HOTEL TOWNHOUSE 27, Belgrade, Serbia / score 4.81

CONVENTION & CONGRESS CENTRE CONVENTION: SALZBURG CONGRESS / score 4.87

Meetings star 2014

MEETINGS STAR AWARD BEST LUXURY CITY HOTEL 2014

MEETINGS STAR AWARD BEST PREMIUM CITY HOTEL 2014

PARK HYATT VIENNA ★★★★★ LUXURY VIENNA’S ICONIC NEW FACE

CROWNE PLAZA BELGRADE 4.89 ★★★★ PREMIUM Final Score

4.49 Final Score

XL MEETINGS EXPERIENCE

Overall impressions and credibility A unique combination of tradition and modernity. A temple of exceptional hotel aesthetics, which is very intimate at its core, respectful to history and refined, and without the slightest bit of pretence. All this has inspired us during our visit and we strongly believe that this newly opened hotel has set new standards in the regional hotel industry, as nothing has been left to chance. A work-of-art hotel, truly unique.

RESULTS OF ANALYSIS Location Accessibility First impression Lobby Employee attitude Reception Hotel room Hotel bed Bathroom and restroom Hotel breakfast Bars and restaurants Congress hall Extras Total:

-

FINAL GRADE Luxury city meeting hotel

FLOP – negative surprises There is nothing to criticise, only maybe the high price, which is justified at every step.

+

TOP – positive surprises The image of a man with a good cigar in one hand and a glass of his favourite spirits in the other has long been the stuff dreams are made of. For such a “mancation” the Living Room lounge, which awakens all the senses and is among the better stacked in Vienna, is the ideal choice.

Luxury Premium Business Economy Budget

5.00 4.92 4.95 4.94 4.81 4.79 4.95 4.95 5.00 4.74 4.84 5.00 4.69 4.89

4.89 ★★★★★ ★★★★ ★★★ ★★ ★

Overall impressions and credibility The hotel is a true convention hotel that at the moment outperforms the rest of the Belgrade convention hotels. It stands out both in terms of size and functionality of meetings area, and it has extremely quickly become synonymous with being the congress hotel of Belgrade, a hotel that sets new standards and especially for the congress scene of the city.

-

FLOP – negative surprises When the adjacent Sava Centre will also be renovated this will be a truly winning congress combination.

+

TOP – positive surprises Endless possibilities of combining meeting rooms with the adjacent Sava Centre.

62

RESULTS OF ANALYSIS Location Accessibility First impression Lobby Employee attitude Reception Hotel room Hotel bed Bathroom and restroom Hotel breakfast Bars and restaurants Congress hall Extras Total: FINAL GRADE Premium city meeting hotel Luxury Premium Business Economy Budget

4.31 4.11 4.47 4.45 4.83 4.78 4.51 4.56 4.52 4.48 4.51 4.69 4.19 4.49

4.49 ★★★★★ ★★★★ ★★★ ★★ ★

Meetings star 2014

MEETINGS STAR AWARD BEST LUXURY RESORT HOTEL 2014

MEETINGS STAR AWARD BEST LUXURY RESORT HOTEL 2014

BELLEVUE HOTEL LOŠINJ ★★★★★ LUXURY EVERY DAY ZEN

Overall impression and credibility The hotel renovation created an elegant and extremely elaborate, almost timeless hotel, reflected in its exceptional and truly top-class logo. With its richness and diversity of content it acts as a mini-city into which the convention centre is also nicely and reasonably well placed. A team of Croatian architects, led by the legendary Andrija Ruslan, has done excellent work and created a space that the youthful team is filling with kindness, positive energy and a superior service.

The hotel stands out in many respects from the offer on the Adriatic and deserves the highest ratings.

-

FLOP – negative surprises Some smaller architectural issues with structures in the Čikat bay.

RESULTS OF ANALYSIS Location Accessibility First impression Lobby Employee attitude Reception Hotel room Hotel bed Bathroom and restroom Hotel breakfast Bars and restaurants Congress hall Additional offer Total: FINAL GRADE Luxury hotel Luxury Premium Business Economy Budget

SPLENDID CONFERENCE & SPA RESORT 4.83 4.50 ★★★★ PREMIUM Final Score

Final Score

MONTENEGRIN HIGH FASHION

4.79 3.42 4.99 5.00 4.98 4.87 4.95 5.00 4.97 4.99 4.92 5.00 4.85 4.83

4.83 ★★★★★ ★★★★ ★★★ ★★ ★

+

TOP – positive surprises Spa Clinic La Vie en Rose, with its wellness section and series of holistic treatments very impressive.

63

Overall impression and credibility For some years the hotel has been a jewel in the hotel offer of Montenegro. Tough competition awaits it this year, but given everything that it has demonstrated it defies time well. One could also say that the experience is considered. How high can we therefore place the hotel Splendid.

High, the hotel may no longer be the most advanced one on the Montenegrin coast, but it is still in top form, which delights guests among which Russians and many celebrities dominate. With materials, equipment, and the overall feeling they are still at the top of the Montenegrin hospitality.

-

FLOP – negative surprises Pretty cold breakfast room and restaurant La Busola is not the most pleasant place in the hotel. It is a challenge for a wide selection of food and friendly staff to counterbalance the impression made of the space.

RESULTS OF ANALYSIS Location Accessibility First impression Lobby Employee attitude Reception Hotel room Hotel bed Bathroom and restroom Hotel breakfast Bars and restaurants Congress hall Additional offer Total: FINAL GRADE Premium hotel Luxury Premium Business Economy Budget

+

4.85 3.49 4.06 4.68 4.39 4.26 4.81 4.94 4.85 4.12 4.49 4.98 4.63 4.50

4.50 ★★★★★ ★★★★ ★★★ ★★ ★

TOP – positive surprises The Conference Centre, which surprises with its superior equipment and congress service. At the same time this is the largest convention centre in Montenegro.

Meetings star 2014

MEETINGS STAR AWARD BEST LUXURY BOUTIQUE HOTEL 2014

MEETINGS STAR AWARD BEST PREMIUM RESORT HOTEL 2014

VALAMAR LACROMA HOTEL TOWNHOUSE 27 DUBROVNIK ★★★★★ LUXURY 4.50 THE GOOD SIDE OF 4.81 ★★★★ PREMIUM Final Score

FUSION OF NATURE AND MODERN ARCHITECTURE

Overall impression and credibility The hotel does not disappoint and in terms of hotel functionality it is difficult to criticize anything.

The thoughtful, functional and smartly designed convention centre is a rarity and the organisation of events in it is a joy. With the latest renovation of Dubrovnik President Hotel the resort offers a wide variety of capacities appealing to different sizes of participant pockets. The entire hotel-convention package could be placed a class higher, particularly due to the high practicality in the field of congress tourism. The overall impression is tarnished only by the slightly higher price, which then falls within the scope of decision making for organising an event in Dubrovnik.

-

FLOP – negative surprises Quite busy parking during major events.

RESULTS OF ANALYSIS Location Accessibility First Impression Lobby Employee Attitude Reception Hotel Room Hotel Bed Bathroom And Restroom Hotel Breakfast Bars And Restaurants Congress Hall Additional Offer Total: FINAL GRADE Premium hotel Luxury Premium Business Economy Budget

4.12 3.85 4.51 4.44 4.74 4.79 4.53 4.56 4.53 4.59 4.71 4.83 4.29 4.50

Overall impression and credibility A delightful and technologically advanced hotel different from the average. It is an urban hotel with true flair intended for all those guests who expect more than simply a hotel room. The hotel could easily be placed among designer hotels. An outstanding hotel with a designer interior and comfort almost impossible to be found elsewhere in Belgrade.

Above all that, the entire package is available at a very reasonable price.

– negative surprises 4.50 - FLOP It is hard to find anything to ★★★★★ ★★★★ ★★★ ★★ ★

Final Score

BELGRADE

criticize. Parking might be the only problem; however, this is a problem in all city centres and the hotel makes this up for it with its easy pedestrian access.

+

TOP – positive surprises Above standard professionally and friendliness of the staff.

+

TOP – positive surprises First class convention services and Mediterranean charm.

64

RESULTS OF ANALYSIS Location Accessibility First impression Lobby Employee attitude Reception Hotel room Hotel bed Bathroom and restroom Hotel breakfast Bars and restaurants Congress hall Extras Total: FINAL GRADE Luxury boutique meeting hotel Luxury Premium Business Economy Budget

4.95 4.31 4.89 4.97 5.00 4.99 4.92 4.91 4.85 4.39 4.75 4.69 4.92 4.81

4.81 ★★★★★ ★★★★ ★★★ ★★ ★

Meetings star 2014

MEETINGS STAR AWARD BEST CONVENTION CENTRES 2014

SALZBURG CONGRESS ★★★★★ LUXURY PLACE FOR SUCCESS

4.87 Final Score

the city makes an effort for every single congress and well-being of all participants. The city offers event organisers a pleasant gesture in the form of a free concert for the participants of international congresses, financial assistance if at least 250 international participants are brought to the city, and cheaper public transport tickets.

LOCATION The central location next to the Mirabell Palace is one of its many advantages. This architectural masterpiece offers not only a picturesque view over the gardens of the Mirabell Palace and downtown Salzburg; it also captures congress participants with its close vicinity to nature, its combination of modernity and tradition and the tidiness of the city itself.

ACCESSIBILITY Salzburg is easily accessible. Most downtown areas are accessible by foot or by the punctual and efficient public transport. Easy access by train is part of the city’s green tourism and sustainable development strategy. In this exceptionally wellregulated and clean city you will hardly find any mess. In terms of quality of living, this city ranks among the best in the world.

In close proximity to the centre you will find 1,000 parking spaces in the neighbouring Mirabell and Sheraton Salzburg car parks.

COLD APPETIZER Architecture and Aesthetics The architects did a fabulous job.

After all, they took six years to fulfil their task. The exterior is elegant, breezy, and in perfect harmony with the green surroundings; the interior is dynamic, minimalistic and oriented toward congress participants. This centre is the perfect example of combining spaciousness, highquality equipment and rational design. But it is by no means pretentious – pretentious design and playing with emotions is of secondary importance. The entire architectural design, which is complemented by a thorough construction, ergonomic design, and compared to its competitors, dominant integrated services, is elegant and pleasant to behold.

WARM APPETIZER Personnel and Cuisine Harmonised technical equipment and services are synonymous with this centre, whose services are predictable, but nevertheless extraordinary. Salzburg itself is in its core and its organisation one of the most sustainable congress destinations in the world. Furthermore, 65

MAIN COURSE – Quality of facilities Salzburg Congress is one of Salzburg’s main weapons in the fierce competition for international association congresses. The centre has a variety of systems that simplify congress guests’ life in many ways.

This ultramodern centre has the largest hall for 1,350 participants, including a sophisticated stage.

DESERT – Catering and Extras Exquisite catering is provided by the Sheraton Salzburg hotel.

This assures a top-quality international cuisine and a chance to become acquainted with local flavours. Especially inspiring is the use of local ingredients in accordance with the Green Meetings Certificate held by this hotel.

Overall impression and credibility A premium congress centre, which does not challenge its competitors with an extravagant exterior but rather with spacious, functional and effective comprehensive services. What counts is the whole package. This hotel is well aware of that and prepared to tackle even the biggest congress challenges and to pit itself against the harshest competitors in its class. The Salzburg Congress is determined to hold its market place and it is therefore virtually impossible to point at

anything specifically wrong. With its design, innovative technological solutions, interior, highquality materials and precise technical performance, it can be ranked among the best congress centres in Europe.

-

FLOP – negative surprises As a matter of fact, the only weakness is that city hotels are filled to capacity in peak congress season and arguably overpriced.

+

TOP – positive surprises In 2011, Salzburg Congress obtained the Green Meetings Certificate, which is awarded by the Austria Convention Bureau.

Obtaining this certificate is quite demanding, as a centre has to fulfil many sustainability criteria. This policy is a positive added value for this centre.

RESULTS OF ANALYSIS Location 4.95 Accessibility 4.27 Overall impression upon arrival 4.92 Quality – entrance hall lobby 4.96 Quality – conference space 4.97 Quality – conference inventory 5.00 Quality – lighting 4.89 Quality – acoustics and sound system

4.92 Quality – multimedia system 4.97 Quality – internet connectivity 4.95 Employee attitude 4.86 Access to power and com lines 4.99 Bussines centre 4.94 Customer service 4.92 Safety 5.00 Security and emergency 5.00 Extras 4.75 Catering 4.69 Sustainability practices 4.95 Communication & marketing 4.59 Total: 4.87 FINAL GRADE Luxury convention centre

4.87

TOP 10

TOP 10 CITY MEETING HOTELS KONGRESNA ZVEZDA MEETINGS STAR 2014

Today we have evaluated 26 city meeting hotels. The top 10 are: Vienna, Austria

01.

PARK HYATT VIENNA

02.

ESPLANADE ZAGREB

Zagreb, Croatia

4.81

03.

HOTEL MARK LUXURY

Prague, Czech R.

4.80

04.

METROPOL PALACE

Belgrade, Serbia

4.79

05.

HOTEL SAVOIA EXCELSIOR PALACE

Trieste, Italia

4.65

06.

SHERATON SOFIA HOTEL BALKAN

Sofia, Bulgaria

4.51

A unique blend of tradition and modernity, this is a temple of the best hotel aesthetics, which is essentially intimate, sophisticated, respectful of its history and not at all boastful. All of this inspired us during our visit and we believe that the newly opened hotel has set new standards in the regional hotel industry, where absolutely nothing has come about by chance. A superior hotel is one that is a remarkable storyteller of timeless stories, just as is the case of what we enthusiastically experienced in Vienna.

The hotel is an excellent choice for business and congress guests and is probably the regional flagship in terms of service quality, customer care, prestige and image. Staying at the hotel is a special experience, with a package that gives you a real feeling of luxury.

As a rule, luxury hotels must surprise us. In this respect The Mark is special because of its timeless elegance. In every sense there is nothing that disturbs the view; it seems that everything is in its rightful place and the hotel is proving that this kind of lifestyle is certainly still worth something. The Hotel Mark has two main advantages over other hotels: the first its garden and the second is being in one of the best locations in Prague, next to the Municipal House, the Czech National Bank and just a few steps away from the Prague triangle at the intersection of Hybernska, Na Prikope and Republic Square.

The legend has returned to Belgrade. After a long renovation the historic heritage of the hotel has been excellently restored and today it is flirting with premium hotels in the major metropolitan cities of the region. Warm colours, superior lighting, retro furniture and services at an appropriate level all place it among the best hotels in the Balkans. If you want to impress your conference guests then at the moment this hotel is your best choice in Belgrade. It is the hotel from which the memory of the good times, which many people are longing for today, is making a return.

The Savoia Excelsior Palace is definitely a good example of why such hotels are still a major selling hit and a glowing exception from the otherwise quite tired Trieste congress-hotel scene. The hotel is a good starting point for the re-launch of Trieste as a congress destination. ‘Less can be more’ is the ethos of what is probably the most stylish first category facility in Trieste and also in the wider region.

An extremely practical classic hotel, which has recently witnessed an increase in its competition. The question therefore remains as to what, in addition to its central position, differentiates the hotel from the contemporary competitors. If you’re a fan of minimalism and the latest hotel fashion then this hotel is not for you. It is a traditional hotel with a classic charm felt at every step from the hotel lobby onwards. However, for the hotel to keep pace with the competition it will need some cosmetic refurbishment in the guest rooms.

66

4.89

TOP 10

07.

CROWNE PLAZA BELGRADE

Belgrade, Serbia

4.49

08.

FALKENSTEINER HOTEL BELGRADE

Belgrade, Serbia

4.47

09.

KEMPINSKI HOTEL ZOOGRAFSKI SOFIA

Sofia, Bulgaria

4.46

10.

GRAND HOTEL UNION EXECUTIVE

Ljubljana, Slovenia

4.45

The HIDDEN CONGRESS GUEST section is not paid for. The selection of hotels, which are evaluated by the hidden congress guest, is left to the editorial board. The hidden guest visits the hotels without prior notice.

The hotel is a true convention hotel that at the moment outperforms the rest of the Belgrade convention hotels. It stands out both in terms of size and functionality of the meetings area, and it has extremely quickly become synonymous with being the congress hotel of Belgrade, a hotel that sets new standards and especially for the city’s congress scene.

First of all we assess a hotel with the eyes, then later comes the assessment from a range of other senses. Here the enthusiasm levels are high, thanks to the architect, Boris Podrecca, who has succeeded in redefining the urban business hotel.

The main feature of the hotel is its dynamic and attractive appearance and top quality of services tailored to business customers, which places the hotel at the top end of Belgrade’s current hotel offer.

Reasonable prices, a solid selection of restaurants, beautiful views from the rooms (especially to the Vitosha mountain) and a great convention centre are the main advantages of the hotel, yet it is far from reaching the standards of other hotels in the Kempinski chain. The lobbies and other public areas are urgently calling out for renovation, and the inconsistent services are also quite noticeable. On final evaluation the hotel better fits into the four star category and does not reflect the five star standard. However, with the diversity of the offer in combination with the cuisine, the large number of rooms and its overall spaciousness, it is still a very good choice for meeting planners.

The taste of meeting organisers can be unpredictable and difficult to follow, but the choice of Grand Hotel Union is definitely a right one, due to the excellent convention halls and, of course, the flexible and friendly staff. In the Ljubljana conference offer the Grand Hotel Union reigns. An excellent hotel for convention gourmets and a true flag bearer of the Ljubljana hotel conference offer since 1905.

TOP 10 CITY MEETING HOTELS 2014 - LUXURY

TOP 10 CITY MEETING HOTELS 2014 - PREMIUM

1.

PARK HYATT VIENNA

Vienna, Austria

4.89

1.

CROWNE PLAZA BELGRADE

Belgrade, Serbia

4.49

2.

ESPLANADE ZAGREB

Zagreb, Croatia

4.81

2.

FALKENSTEINER HOTEL BELGRADE

Belgrade, Serbia

4.47

3.

HOTEL MARK LUXURY

Prague, Czech R.

4.80

3.

KEMPINSKI HOTEL ZOOGRAFSKI SOFIA

Sofia, Bulgaria

4.46

4.

METROPOL PALACE

Belgrade, Serbia

4.79

4.

GRAND HOTEL UNION EXECUTIVE

Ljubljana, Slovenia

4.45

5.

HOTEL SAVOIA EXCELSIOR PALACE

Trieste, Italia

4.65

5.

HYATT REGENCY

Belgrade, Serbia

4.44

6.

SHERATON SOFIA HOTEL BALKAN

Sofia, Bulgaria

4.51

HOTEL WESTIN

Zagreb, Croatia

4.44

7.

Call Hidden Guest

7.

HOTEL LEV

Ljubljana, Slovenia

4.43

8.

Call Hidden Guest

8.

HOTEL BRISTOL

Sarajevo, BiH

4.35

9.

Call Hidden Guest

FOUR POINTS BY SHERATON LJUBLJANA

Ljubljana, Slovenia

4.35

Zagreb, Croatia

4.30

10. Call Hidden Guest

10. HOTEL SHERATON

Hotels are rated by the HIDDEN CONGRESS GUEST. These are professional people who have many years of experience in the meetings industry and the additional knowledge of hospitality management. The evaluation matrix contains over 450 measurable criteria, which are divided into different categories, such as the first contact with the customer, the general impression upon arrival, the behaviour of employees and a host of others.

Each category is assessed by the share of conditionality and the average rating, which allows the improvement of the quality of the individual criteria.

67

TOP 10

TOP 10 RESORT MEETING HOTELS KONGRESNA ZVEZDA MEETINGS STAR 2014

Today we have evaluated 35 resort meeting hotels. Here are our top ten: Lošinj, Croatia

4.83

Portorož, Slovenia

4.77

Rovinj, Croatia

4.76

04.

FALKENSTEINER SCHLOSS HOTEL VELDEN ★★★★★ Velden, Austria

4.73

05.

HOTEL LONE

Rovinj, Croatia

4.72

01.

HOTEL BELLEVUE ★★★★★

02.

KEMPINSKI PALACE ★★★★★

03.

HOTEL MONTE MULINI ★★★★★

Through renovation an elegant and extremely elaborate, in fact almost timeless hotel has been created. This is also reflected in its exceptional and truly top-class logo. With the richness and diversity of content it functions as a mini-city into which the convention centre is also nicely and reasonably well positioned. A team of Croatian architects, led by the legendary Andrija Ruslan, has done excellent work and created a space that the youthful team is filling with kindness, positive energy and a superior service. A hotel that in many respects stands out from the offer on the Adriatic and deserves the highest praise.

The Kempinski Hotel is the only five-star superior hotel in Slovenia. This means that the rooms are spacious and well-equipped, as befits a top hotel. The interior colour is subdued, of modern design and appears prestigious, whilst offering a lot of style and freshness. The technical equipment showcases the hotel’s technological sophistication.

The modern convention centre is prestigious and well-equipped. Six conference rooms have natural daylight and the largest hall can accommodate up to 220 participants. The heart of the convention offer is Crystal Hall, which post-renovation shines in full splendour and which in addition to the Union Hall in Ljubljana is the most prestigious conference and banquet hall in Slovenia. It opens onto a century-old park, which is an attractive venue for outdoor events.

This is a hotel to enjoy and for which the entire business philosophy is covered. There are only a few hotels that delight and thrill as fully as the Monte Mulini does; it looks good, is superbly equipped and offers a number of extras. The longer we stayed in the hotel, the better was the feeling that it is an extraordinary gastronomic oasis.

A real 5 star hotel in an excellent location, suitable for the most demanding and exclusive conference events.

The legendary hotel is undoubtedly one of the best hotels in the region. Managed with German precision and Austrian charm, it is the ideal of excellence in all areas.

Unfortunately, the town of Velden isn’t following the hotel standards and the rest of the tourist offer is also only average at best. After the takeover by the Falkensteiner hotel chain the hotel was slightly refreshed and is probably one of the best incentive hotels for the most demanding guests. It was established as the best hotel for elite guests in Carinthia and we consider the goal to be close, however, the Falkensteiner Team will still need to master a few more details. It sometimes happens that when a large hotel chain buys a boutique hotel, in their zeal to rationalise it is often overlooked that some things simply cannot be squeezed into a boutique hotel. ★★★★★

We understand design hotels as an experience that can include reflection and a very personal contact with culture, nature and the culinary art of the destination. The creators of the first Croatian design hotel, Hotel Lone, were probably thinking similarly. And we like it. Lovers of hotel glamour and kitsch will not like it, however, but we think that the luxury comes through in the small details, like the enormous room service menu and the hotel guide in broadsheet newspaper format, or even in the selected fabric for curtains and the numerous other small details. Being ideal for “DINKS” and young professionals and a totem of Croatian creativity, it is the zeitgeist of the new generation.

68

TOP 10

The HIDDEN CONGRESS GUEST section is not paid for. The selection of hotels, which are evaluated by the hidden congress guest, is left to the editorial board. The hidden guest visits the hotels without prior notice.

06.

HOTEL EXCELSIOR & SPA DUBROVNIK ★★★★★

Dubrovnik, Croatia

07.

HOTEL LAV MERIDIEN ★★★★★

08.

HOTEL MELIA CORAL ★★★★★

09.

SPIRIT HOTEL ★★★★★

10.

HOTEL & SPA IADERA ★★★★★

Split, Croatia

4.62

Umag, Croatia

4.58

Sárvár, Hungary

4.54

Zadar, Croatia

4.52

It is in a class of its own in Split’s current hotel and convention scene. The Starwood operators have done their homework excellently and are winners in the most sensitive areas - friendliness and the professionalism of the staff. This has in the past earned them a place among the best in the class. However, there are also some shortcomings, particularly in the areas of catering and hospitality, where one would expect a little more from a top hotel. Overall, though, this is a balanced congress hotel that is elegant, charming and a perfect choice even for the most demanding congress clients.

Hotel Meliá Coral stands out with the general quality of the offer, comfort and its spaciousness. The final grade is that this is a good hotel for good money. The prices are in fact very reasonable in relation to the nearby Istrian and Slovenian competition.

There are numerous options for organising receptions and outdoor activities. Without much bragging about it, Istratourist, together with the hotel chain Melia, have managed to make a great hotel and convention product, helping Umag on its path to becoming a serious and respected European incentive destination.

The hotel Spirit, which is currently the city’s “flagship” hotel, certainly represents a new chapter in the rich history and culture of Sárvár’s spa tourism. Its elegance and spaciousness make it an impressive hotel, although it is certainly not perfect. Anyone wishing to take advantage of everything the hotel has to offer will have to deal with a relatively high price for this part of Europe.

The overall impression of the new resort is an extremely good one. The hotel follows the known standards of the Falkensteiner group and is an excellent choice for incentive and product launches, as well as smaller conferences. It is important to avoid the high tourist season, go for less frequented dates and carefully plan the arrivals logistics.

From what we saw and experienced we can only give it a firm nod of approval.

TOP 10 RESORT MEETING HOTELS 2014 - LUXURY 1.

4.69

Dubrovnik’s high-flyer defies both time and its increasing competition in the city - the hotel’s myth is built on its reputation of being the best hotel in the city.

This traditional hotel still scores very high on the quality scale. However, there are currently several competitors breathing down its neck. ‘Excelsior is Excelsior’, though, and this is a sentence that you often hear in Dubrovnik. It would be difficult to place any other hotel in Dubrovnik into this thought that would command the same special meaning. This is not to take away from the value of other local competitors, however, which are continuing to build on other strengths.

HOTEL BELLEVUE

TOP 10 RESORT MEETING HOTELS 2014 - PREMIUM Lošinj, Croatia

4.83

1.

VALAMAR LACROMA

Dubrovnik Croatia

4.50

2. KEMPINSKI PALACE

Portorož, Slovenia

4.77

HOTEL SPLENDID

Budva, Montenegro

4.50

3.

Rovinj, Croatia

4.76

3.

HOTEL DUBROVNIK PALACE

Dubrovnik, Croatia

4.41

HOTEL MONTE MULINI

4. FALKENSTEINER SCHLOSS HOTEL VELDEN

Velden, Austria

4.73

4.

RADISSON BLU RESORT & SPA

Dubrovnik, Croatia

4.38

5.

Rovinj, Croatia

4.72

5.

WELNESS HOTEL SOTELIA

Podčetrtek, Slovenia

4.36

6. HOTEL EXCELSIOR & SPA DUBROVNIK

Dubrovnik, Croatia

4.69

6.

GRAND HOTEL TOPLICE

Bled, Slovenia

4.35

7.

Split, Croatia

4.62

HOTEL BALNEA SUPERIOR

Dolenjske tolice, Sl

4.35

HOTEL LONE HOTEL LAV MERIDIEN

8. HOTEL MELIA CORAL

Umag, Croatia

4.58

8.

AVALA RESORT & VILLAS

Budva, Montenegro

4.34

9. SPIRIT HOTEL

Sarvar, Hungary

4.54

9.

KEMPINSKI HOTEL ADRIATIC

Savudrija, Croatia

4.32

10. HOTEL & SPA IADERA

Zadar, Croatia

4.52

10. VITALITY HOTEL PUNTA

Veli Lošinj, Croatia

4.30

Hotels are rated by the HIDDEN CONGRESS GUEST. These are professional people who have many years of experience in the meetings industry and the additional knowledge of hospitality management. The evaluation matrix contains over 450 measurable criteria, which are divided into different categories, such as the first contact with the customer, the general impression upon arrival, the behaviour of employees and a host of others.

Each category is assessed by the share of conditionality and the average rating, which allows the improvement of the quality of the individual criteria.

69

TOP 10

TOP 10 BOUTIQUE MEETING HOTELS KONGRESNA ZVEZDA MEETINGS STAR 2014

01.

HOTEL TOWNHOUSE 27

Belgrade, Serbia

4.81

Opatija, Croatia

4.77

A modern hotel in a picturesque historic building dating back to 1929. It is beautifully furnished and has excellent room facilities. Everything is stylish about this hotel and the support and excellent service from all the staff makes it very special.

Thrills: Urban boutique experience

02.

HOTEL BEVANDA

It started out as a superb restaurant, to which a hotel offer was added in the last year. The prime location and superior design overlooking the Kvarner Bay can also be a venue for very special events.

Thrills: One of the most famous Croatian oeno-gastronomic brands

03.

HOTEL CUBO

Ljubljana, Slovenia

The hotel is perfectly located and feels brand new. Everything about the room and the hotel is very modern and beautifully designed. The standard of food and service is top notch. The hotel is elegant and über-modern, almost a design hotel.

4.76

Thrills: Small but very cozy in a good location

04.

SAN ROCCO

Brtonigla, Croatia

San Rocco was created from an old, restored Istrian family business, while at the same time maintaining the atmosphere of the medieval town. For four years running (2007-2010) the hotel was acknowledged and honoured as Croatia’s best boutique hotel.

4.74

Thrills: Top quality gourmet offer of Istria

05.

SQUARE NINE HOTEL

Belgrade, Serbia

Elegant, modern and sophisticated hotel in the heart of the Old City of Belgrade with an extremely good restaurant attached. The swimming pool is one of the coolest designed we know of. Finest food, elegant service and special attention to every detail.

4.79

Thrills: Modern luxury with incredibly attentive staff

06.

HOTEL VANDER

Ljubljana, Slovenia

This urban oasis offers tranquility right in the heart of Ljubljana’s Old Town.

The hotel is a modern reflection of the city and a completely new hotel experience unprecedented in Ljubljana. This is best confirmed by its recognition and classification on the prestigious list of the 154 best hotels in the world by the Conde Nast Traveller magazine.

Thrills: Superb cuisine of chef Benjamin in the gourmet restaurant 70

4.70

TOP 10

07.

Zagreb, Croatia

HOTEL 9

4.68

Trendy, quiet hotel in Zagreb. Rooms are well proportioned and decorated following a colour scheme. A stylish environment, breakfast on the roof terrace and smooth service.

Thrills: Breakfast is absolutely delicious and unique

08.

HOTEL PLESNIK

Logarska dolina, Slovenia

4.52

The hotel is set in the idyllic natural surroundings in one of Slovenia’s most beautiful alpine valleys and combines nature conservation with the life of the locals in a unique way. Solčavsko received the 2009 EDEN award.

Thrills: The Logar Valley natural landscape park

09.

Pag, Croatia

HOTEL BOŠKINAC

4.49

Beautifully situated on a hill in Novalja surrounded by a dense pine forest and close to a vineyard and an olive grove, Hotel Boškinac offers carefully decorated accommodation with handmade furniture. Unwind completely far from the urban noise and enjoy the scent of pine trees, bay plants, jasmine, sage, incense, mint and fresh hay.

Thrills: Harmony of flavour and scents in creative cuisine

10.

HOTEL SAN MARTiN

Goriška Brda, Slovenia

A modern and pretty special boutique hotel that is hard to miss.

The terrace with its amazing views grabs most of the attention and with the exceptional attitude of the staff, who excel at every turn, the hotel is very impressive overall.

4.28

Thrills: Electric bikes and scooters are a nice – and green – innovation

What is a boutique hotel?

The region is experiencing a real boom of small, boutique hotels. Among them are some that are more than suitable for smaller events. In the editorial board and with the help from our readers we have selected some of the best ones based on the following criteria: • Minimum 5 boutique guest rooms for a total of minimum 10 participants • Small meeting room or adequate space for minimum 10 participants • Specificity that makes the hotel a boutique one (authenticity, design, cuisine) • Private ownership / a family business • Excellent cuisine, selected drinks and individuality • Special, intimate atmosphere

71

Hotels are rated by the HIDDEN CONGRESS GUEST. These are professional people who have many years of experience in the meetings industry and the additional knowledge of hospitality management.

The evaluation matrix contains over 450 measurable criteria, which are divided into different categories, such as the first contact with the customer, the general impression upon arrival, the behaviour of employees and a host of others. Each category is assessed by the share of conditionality and the average rating, which allows the improvement of the quality of the individual criteria.

The HIDDEN CONGRESS GUEST section is not paid for.

The selection of hotels, which are evaluated by the hidden congress guest, is left to the editorial board. The hidden guest visits the hotels without prior notice.

TOP 10

TOP 10 CONVENTION CENTRES KONGRESNA ZVEZDA MEETINGS STAR 2014

01.

SALZBURG CONGRESS, SALZBURG, AUSTRIA

4.87

02.

CANKARJEV DOM, CULTURAL AND CONGRESS CENTRE LJUBLJANA, SLOVENIA

4.85

03.

BRDO CONGRESS CENTRE , BRDO, SLOVENIA

4.84

04.

CONGRESS SCHLADMING, SCHLADMING, AUSTRIA

4.69

05.

LJUBLJANA EXHIBITION AND CONVENTION CENTRE, LJUBLJANA, SLOVENIA

4.61

Salzburg Congress located in the center of the city, is a harmonious synthesis of appealing architecture, state-of-the-art congress technology and historic surroundings.

Over 1,200 beds in 4- and 5-star hotels within easy walking distance and the close proximity to the attractions in the historic city center make the location of Salzburg Congress so uniquely attractive.

Slovenia’s leading convention centre and a professional congress organiser, is located in the centre of Ljubljana neighbouring all the major institutions of the Slovenian state.

The cultural and convention focal point of Slovenia and a place where Slovenian history is happening.

One can not imagine Ljubljana today without Cankarjev dom; it and the Slovenian meetings industry were created together. On top of that Cankarjev dom is a perfectly oiled congress machinery, which does not show its age and which after recent renovations is in excellent condition.

Brdo Congress Centre is part of Brdo Estate. What is necessary to appreciate is what is hidden below the minimalist exterior. The centre is different, Zen-like and exudes elegant luxury. Today the centre is an important player in the field. We rate it as an all-round excellent convention centre, without any serious errors, which at the moment represents the pinnacle in its field.

Congress Schladming stands for modern architecture, environmentally friendly building technology, multi-functional use, gastronomic perfection and state-of-the-art technology, in the heart of Austria. The combination of “days in the mountains” and a diverse recreational offer in a pristine natural landscape lends the desired balance for mind and soul.

The Ljubljana Exhibition and Convention centre is positioned as a mid-sized regional exhibition and convention centre. As a result of a number of past investments and reforms and with the new administration in place they have really lifted the level of infrastructure and come in line with the highest international standards. After renovation, the centre functions in a very fresh and tidy way and gives the impression of a well maintained centre that is the equal of similar centres in Europe.

72

TOP 10

06.

MESSE CONGRESS GRAZ, GRAZ, AUSTRIA

4.60

07.

CONGRESS SALLFELDEN, SAALFELDEN, AUSTRIA

4.58

08.

CONGRESS UND MESSE INNSBRUCK, INNSBRUCK, AUSTRIA

4.55

09.

PRAGUE CONGRESS CENTRE, PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC

3.89

10.

SAVA CENTAR, BELGRADE, SERBIA

3.66

Congress Graz has been a certified ‘Green Meetings’ venue for over two years. Now, for the first time this year, Messe congress Graz is also on board – with three events in 2014. The first one was the gala ceremony for the Congress Awards Graz in May, followed by the congress of the ‘Österreichischen Schmerzgesellschaft’. It goes without saying, Messe Congress Graz believes it is essential to provide responsible and expert services, and to wholeheartedly provide for the wishes of clients in compliance with all environmental criteria.

This multifunctional congress facility can accommodate up to 1800 guests and is situated at the heart of the popular Saalfelden Leogang holiday region. The modern congress centre is particularly well known for its wide range of customisable rooms, and a conference floor that provides fantastic views of the surrounding mountains. The glass cube on the top floor of the venue in the Salzburg countryside is surrounded by a patio at a height of 14 metres.

In June 2004 the two companies Congress Innsbruck GmbH and Innsbrucker Messen GmbH merged to one company: Congress und Messe Innsbruck GmbH. By making use of numerous synergies and combining the power of two successful and now unified businesses, they have further extended Innsbruck as an international Congress, Exhibition and Trade Fair destination.

The Prague Congress Centre now ranks among the leading and best-known convention complexes in Europe. With beautiful panoramic views over the city is one of the most prominent landmarks of the Czech capital. The complex also includes the Vyšehrad Business Centre and the 4-star Holiday Inn Prague Congress Centre with 251 rooms.

Convention Centre was a pioneer in design, a trendsetter and the source for many centres to later evolve in Europe. Once the most technologically advanced centres is now in need of renovation. Nevertheless, it is still a vital part of the Belgrade conference scene.

73

Conventa 2015

CONVENTA DIRECT RESULTS 2009 – 2015 SEVEN years or results 1.686 HOSTED BUYERS FROM 45 COUNTRIES 887 EXHIBITORS FROM 17 COUNTRIES 21.240 ONE2ONE PRESCHEDULED MEETINGS

The development of Conventa:

76

2007

• First Simex, predecessor of Conventa show • The first trade show hosted 35 exhibitors and 40 hosted buyers • Development of One2One system for pre-scheduling meetings

2011

2008

• 50 exhibitors and for the first time over 100 hosted buyers • Decision to expand the project across borders • First catalogue Meet in SEE

• 23 % more exhibitors from 9 SEE countries • The launch of Conventa Wild Card programme • Conventa Hall of fame award granted for the first time • Record number of hosted buyers (271) • Conventa wins Sustainable Stand Award at EIBTM • Introduction of Eco day and Eco Village • Conventa hosted first IMEX-MPIMCI Future Leaders Forum

2009

2012

• The launch of the Conventa brand • Over 3000 One2One meetings • The start of Academy Conventa

2010

• Exceeding 100 exhibitors • Conventa starts to recognise outstanding achievements by granting awards • The launch of the Meeting services spot

• 10 SEE destinations presented at the show • Conventa TV – broadcasting live for the first time • The launch of Conventa mobile site • Conventa hosts Meeting Star Awards for the first time •

2013

• Expanding the borders – Turkey joins Conventa exhibitors • Hosting SEEPCO meeting • Celebrating 5 year anniversary – Conventa give me five!

• Inside award granted for the first time at Conventa • Introducing Conventa mingling

2014

• Introduction of 6 Es (Experience, Engagement, Education, Emotions, Energy and Entertainment) • The largest number of international meeting planners in the history of the show (over 200) • The highest quality hosted buyers (62,78 % were rated as good or excellent by exhibitors) • Congress destinations were presented in the highest number so far (12) • A record number of pre-arranged meetings (3.158) • The best and most extensive educational program was offered (over all 3 days) • First Conventa Ambassador

2015

• For the first time Conventa invites emerging destinations of New Europe • Congress destinations presented in the highest number so far (15) • Adding another E to the mix • Introducing Conventa Valley • Exhibitors at Meeting Services Spot get their own One2One system • More media partners than ever

Conventa 2015

77

01 Welcome to Conventa, 02 Conventa eco village (2011), 03 Conventa meeting services spot, 04 Conventa catalogue, 05 Conventa TV, 06 Feeling Conventa love, 07 Linda Pereira never misses Conventa show, 08 Sustainability is important to Conventa, 09 Press Conference for the 5th anniversary of Conventa, 10 Zoran Janković, Mayor of Ljubljana, 11 SEEPCO meeting at Conventa 2013, 12 Ljubljana pre-tour for buyers, 13 No one leaves Conventa hungry, 14 Culinary delights at networking dinner, 15 C onventa party 2012

Editorial

A WORD FROM THE ORGANISERS MORE CONTACTS – MORE CONTRACTS text by Gorazd Čad, Head of Marketing

C

reativity and efficiency go hand in hand, and efficient creative work changes the way we think. If we want to be effective we have to be creative.

Conventa was established based on this concept.

On the basis of the results we measured we can take pride in our seven positive years of existence, which are attested by numbers: 753 exhibitors, 1,436 invited guests, and a total of 17,240 meetings held.

At the beginning we imagined Conventa as a story you would relate to on an emotional level.

We understand it as a brand and a marketing platform, which by using a systematic approach attracts potential customers and turns them into promising ones.

Our hope is that by becoming a part of our

story your potential customers will notice, find and perceive you as a credible partner. I’m convinced that trade shows are one of the key tools for building relations with potential customers. In addition to selling, they also help you get your customers excited and make a good impression on them – a priceless element in the following conversion stages.

Year after year, we organise Conventa not only with our minds but also with our hearts, and we hope you will be able to experience a part of this energy by yourself!

I wish you plenty of optimism, positive thinking and a pleasant stay in our company.

IN THE FAIRY-TALE WORLD NUMBER SEVEN IS THE LUCKY NUMBER. WHAT ABOUT IN THE REAL WORLD? text by Miha Kovačič, Exhibition Director

A

s Walt Disney said: All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them. As Conventa creators, I am proud to say that we are pursuing our dreams.

The 7th edition calls itself New Europe and it comes big. We We broke all the records again this year. 15 countries with more than 130 exhibitors will present themselves to more than 170 carefully selected hosted buyers from 30 countries. And as many of you already know at Conventa its not about quantity but its all about quality.

Every year we carefully study feedback from hosted buyers and exhibitors to learn how to become better. The aim of Conventa is to offer the best possible Return on Investment (ROI) for all participants. Every activity is aimed for that goal. We are proud to present several novelties at this years show. Conventa Academy with top speakers and professionals will provide you the knowledge you need to be smarter and to stay ahead of the competition.

Socials Events in a new dimension. Conventa is all about creating new contacts and new knowledge in a professional but relaxed environment. You‘ll love it :) 78

And there is much more!

It is necessary to enlight all the partners that are cocreating the 7th Conventa experience.

Huge thank to all of them for making it happen.

I must repeat myself from the last year:

We have invested all of our knowledge, positive energy and passion into making this year‘s Conventa another success. Enjoy the moment and lend your energy to Conventa 2015. You can only really get it if you share it!

Dobrodošli! (Welcome)

Welcome Letter

ZDRAVKO POČIVALŠEK, MINISTER OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND TECHNOLOGY Fell Slovenia with all your senses and discover new opportunities

I 80

am very pleased to have the honour of wishing a warm welcome to Slovenia to all the participants of the 7th Conventa – New Europe exhibition for meetings, events & incentive travel. Over the past six years, Conventa has proven to be the leading business-to-business event in the MICE industry in the region, and the best event for meeting prime partners in the MICE business.

We are honoured to host participants from 30 countries over these two days and we will do our best to present our country as the perfect tourist destination for organizing meetings, conferences and congresses, as well as the best choice for your next vacation.

The MICE industry is a significant part of Slovenian tourism, which is one of the most interesting and important branches of the nation’s economy and which has great potential and many opportunities for development. It is a great business with a significant impact on tourism income and the overall economy, and is the engine that stimulates various activities and international relations. In my opinion, today regional and transnational cooperation is even more important than ever. It stimulates the development of new, attractive and competitive tourist products and services in accordance with global requirements. Innovations, attractive products, effective marketing and international co-operation are of vital importance for the growth of the tourism sector. One of the successful examples of regional collaboration is Conventa - the New Europe exhibition for meetings, events & incentive travel. During this event, to be held on 21 – 22 January 2015, there will be many opportunities to exchange experience, opinions, and best practices, many important agreements will be concluded, and many business relations will be born or strengthened.

Visitors to Slovenia and participants of various meetings, congresses and seminars are usually fascinated by the beautiful nature, delicious gastronomy and interesting new experiences our country has to offer. Due to our attractive and diversified tourist products and opportunities our country has already become a desired destination for short trips, but we strongly believe it has great potential to develop itself into one of the most popular tourist destinations on the global map.

I am confident that Slovenia and the region of Central and South-East Europe are more than capable of becoming one of the leading tourist and meetings destinations.

I sincerely hope that you will be able to feel Slovenia with all your senses according to our national brand “I feel Slovenia” and discover new opportunities. For the next few days I wish to all the participants successful and fruitful meetings, a lot of creative energy and a pleasant stay in Slovenia - the “green, active, healthy tourist destination”.

Last, but not least, I would like to express my warm thanks and congratulations to the organisers for the excellent work they have done in putting together this congress - the creative and enthusiastic Conventa team.

Plenty of success and a pleasant stay in Slovenia!

Zdravko Počivalšek Minister of Economic Development and Technology

Welcome Letter

ZORAN JANKOVIĆ, MAYOR OF CITY OF LJUBLJANA Welcome to Ljubljana, the most beautiful city in the world!

A

llow me to extend my greetings to yet another international crossroads of ideas and initiative in the industry of meetings, and welcome to the 7th Conventa!

The business exchange with high recognisability in the wider part of Europe and successful past events has become an indispensable entry in the calendars of professional event organisers and regional business tourism providers. The event is a great start to a new year, to personally exchange experience with supporters and potential partners, and get acquainted with trends and novelties in the area through quality educational programmes.

The event is of great importance to Ljubljana for it is offering numerous opportunities to establish relevant tourist and business connections as well as poses as a unique opportunity for you, dear participants of the meeting, to experience the beauty of our city first hand and witness the intertwinement of modern and rich cultural and historical heritage. I am convinced Ljubljana will not leave you indifferent. It is a green, clean, safe and a friendly city of coexistence and respect for the different. The city is proud to be the European Green Capital 2016 and to follow its sustainable mobility principles.

I would like to extend sincere congratulations to the colleagues at the Congress Department of the Tourism Ljubljana public

institute. They have been successfully keeping Ljubljana on the European conference map for over two decades with their extensive organisational knowledge and rich experience. It is the relaxed and friendly staff that contributes to the success besides the professionalism and detecting client needs. Ljubljana boasts a clear modern congress standardisation, which provides guests with a quick and simple search of their interests in the varied offer.

This year it is delightful to be presenting ourselves to completely new partners from Russia, Greece and Azerbaijan to reach beyond the standard borders with our recognisability.

And I would also like to greet each provider and visitor, who is returning to the meeting satisfied.

Allow me to invite you to take some time between your business meetings and indulge in the pleasures of the excellent Slovenian cuisine and interesting tourist offer, and step onto the city streets where you can stumble upon a citizen speaking your language. We are positive the rhythm of the city and the hospitality of our citizens will convince you to return to our city.

Welcome to Ljubljana, the most beautiful city in the world!

Zoran Janković Mayor of City of Ljubljana

81

Welcome Engage Letter

KARMEN NOVARLIČ, HEAD OF SLOVENIAN TOURIST BOARD, SPIRIT SLOVENIA Competitive advantage is in professionalism and hospitality of staff

D 82

uring the recent years, the Conventna Trade Show has earned its spot on the European MICE map as an indispensable event for key actors in meetings tourism, where each year over hundred congress service providers from southeastern Europe get the opportunity to present themselves to invited potential clients from all over Europe. At the same time, over the course of the past six years Conventa has become one of the key business events for tourism, which places Slovenia at the very top of professionally organized congresses and thus strengthens its image as an exquisite host of important business and touristic events. The Slovenian Tourist Board of the SPIRIT Slovenia public agency recognised Conventa’s great importance as early as during the first Trade Show, and therefore decided to participate in this ever more important business event as a partner of the Slovenian Convention Bureau.

I am delighted that this year the Conventa Trade Show will be held once more in our capital, and I am sure that Ljubljana will prove itself anew to be an excellent host of this im-

portant event. At the same time Conventa confirmed yet again that Ljubljana is and continues to be a destination for the most demanding business meetings. The figures show that Ljubljana provides 22% off all documented congress premises in Slovenia and hosts approximately 400 business meetings per month.

In times when digitalisation is becoming a key market and sales instrument in the tourism sector, personal contact between service providers and potential buyers remains indispensable.

Based on this and the fact that interest from stakeholders in Slovenia and abroad for taking part in the trade show is growing and Conventa is drawing more and more attention, ranks it among the top business events in Slovenian tourism. In this respect, I would like to highlight the growing significance of meetings tourism as a key product of Slovenian tourism, which is proven not only by the product’s added value and tourist consumption, but also by the high multiplicative effects.

Welcome Letter

PETRA STUŠEK, ACTING MANAGING DIRECTOR, LJUBLJANA TOURISM Happy seventh anniversary, Conventa!

A

s the host destination and a partner of the main organiser since its inception, we do not perceive the Conventa Show just as an important regional meetings industry business event that has established itself on the European market. Over these years we have strived to support Conventa’s development and growth and recognised it as one of our most important marketing projects at the destination level, through which Ljubljana is strengthening its brand and position on the international meetings industry market and wider.

The Strategic Development and Marketing Plan for the Tourist Destination Ljubljana 20142020, as well as the preceding document valid from 2007 to 2013, define the meetings industry as one of the main tourism product segments, and the Conventa Show also plays a role in achieving the set goals.

The meetings product in our city is well developed, however Ljubljana is still perceived as a “fresh” destination with untapped potential.

Therefore the opportunity during Conventa to showcase at least some of its qualities to over 160 Hosted Buyers coming from a host of countries is an opportunity not to be missed.

It is not a common thought that smaller cities, compared to metropolises, might have quite some advantages. With its compact size, Ljubljana is very convenient for organizing events that practically do not require any land transfers, since the majority of the venues and attractions are within walking distance. There is no city of our size (286,000 residents) in the wider region that can offer two flexible and efficient convention centres, providing plenary seating for up to 2,200 delegates in the largest hall, at ten to maximum twenty minutes walking from the Old Town and a good share of the city hotels. Quite a few among these are also well geared to welcome medium-sized and smaller meetings. The largest plenary capacity in the hotel sector features 800 seats theatre-style, the widest offer being for events with 200-300 delegates.

It should be pointed out that Ljubljana has an array of attractive special event venues in the downtown area, even in the Old Town, the crown being the Ljubljana Castle that reigns above the city. A general product development at the destination level is also visible, which is in-

creasing its overall attractiveness. This includes programmes that are suitable for incentives or team building activities that are proposed by creative and professional DMC’s and event agencies. Among our partners, there are also experienced PCO’s with an extensive track record in managing international association meetings.

Over the last years Ljubljana has won a number of accolades, two of which recently, in June 2014. Lonely Planet, the world’s leading travel guide book publisher, has listed Ljubljana at No. 2 out of 10 destinations on its Best in Europe 2014 list. Ljubljana made it to the list as ‘one of Europe’s greenest and most livable cities, with a vibrant cultural, café and nightlife scene that gives it the feel of a perpetual street party’.

This is actually what delegates can experience in their time at leisure.

Our city also received the prestigious title of European Green Capital 2016. Among the five finalists, Ljubljana convinced the jury with its sustainable development strategy focusing on the protection of the environment, sustainable mobility, sustainable energy provision, and electro-mobility. All of this is reflected in the quality of life, which can be appreciated by all visitors to our city, too.

In its distant history, Ljubljana has often been a bridge between East and West, North and South. Ever since the time of the Romans (and Ljubljana was a Roman city, named Emona, founded 2,000 years ago), it was at the crossroads of these important routes. Now, with the Conventa Show, our city is honoured to function as a meeting point again. Needless to say, Ljubljana Tourism and its Convention Bureau wish Conventa a great success and a bright, creative future in many years to come!

Petra Stušek Acting Managing Director, Ljubljana Tourism

83

Conventa Ambassador

STAND OUT ON THE SHELF Paul Kennedy MBE, Director and Owner of Kennedy Integrated Solutions Q: What inspires you?

On a professional basis its building businesses and events and helping de those I work with.

In particular I enjoy working new destinations where you often find incredible enthusiasm and professional passion not always the right political and physical infrastructure. On a personal level its much e straightforward my two daughters Laura and Emma (both of whom have spent holidays in Slovenia!).

84 Conventa Ambassador Paul Kennedy

Paul Kennedy is Director and Owner of Kennedy Integrated Solutions a meetings industry consultancy. His consultancy focuses on destination, event and venue strategic business development and his client list is principally international.

He is currently Strategic Business Consultant for the Vilnius Convention Bureau, Visit Denmark (London office), The Meetings Show UK and the Convene trade show and a non executive director of the CHS group. His recent clients have included the Slovenian and Sicilia Convention Bureau, the Conventa trade show, the Saudi Ministry for Tourism and Antiquities. He has also completed projects for the US travel association, the City Selection, Artexis (Belgium), Centaur communications, the one two four group and the QEII conference centre Paul is very well known throughout the global meetings industry having been Group Exhibition Director for Reed Travel Exhibitions global portfolio of meetings and incentive events. Paul restructured and expanded this business to become the leading group of industry B2B events in the world taking place annually in Europe, Middle East, Asia.

Q: What is the back-story to the UK Meetings show?

The meetings show was created to satisfy the UK inbound and outbound meetings industry. The UK is Europe’s largest outbound market so the show has been of great interest to many destinations which are keen to get more business from the UK-in essence much of Europe and many longer haul mice destinations. The show in 2015 will be 50% bigger than in 2013 and will feature 900+ hosted buyers and some 50 countries among the exhibitors-it’s the most effective way of getting to the UK market.

Q: What sets UK Meeting show apart from others on the scene?

It focusses only on meetings, conferences ( and all the different names these events are called!) and incentives and is the UKs largest ever gathering of fully hosted buyers. In 2014 over 10,000 pre scheduled appointments took place and the demand from exhibitors for 25 is very high.

Q: Why did you decide to bring Convene on the trade show market?

Convene is about one small region, the countries with a Baltic sea coastline which is largely not known by many, if not most international meeting and event planners in Europe so the Vilnius Convention Bureau believed in my vision for a not for profit regional event which has been heralded as a huge success. I believe small focused national and regional events will increase dramatically in number.

Q: What’s the state of International meetings industry?

Overall robust with underlying demand increasing but on the supply side it is becoming ever more competitor. It’s important for emerging or ‘newer’ destinations to remain focused and consistent in delivering high quality- destinations and venues take years to become established.

Q: What can international meetings industry do, to create a better world?

It is very well documented that meetings aid eco-

nomic performance and development and are keen in the distribution of education and scientific, medical and technological expertise. It should be self- evident for all governments of whatever political persuasion support the infrastructure development of the industry as the business of meetings which generates jobs, taxation revenue and a measurable percentage of Gross domestic product.

Q: Can meetings play a part in solving emerging countries problems?

For certain. The business of meetings uses some of the tourism supply chain but in different ways and on a per capita basis generates substantially greater economic benefit than leisure tourism. In addition by playing host to all types of event the transfer of knowledge can accelerate the overall education and professional standards across many industries. I believe that the holding of all types of meetings and events should become an integrated part of nation’s economic and social strategy.

Q: What does the future of meetings hold?

As individual freedoms across the world expand further membership of international associations of all types will increase and the thirst for meetings will follow-I believe these association meetings will continue to become more professional and business like and shorter in duration. For corporate meetings I believe as companies become more international through acquisition, amalgamation and through strategic alliances this sector will continue to demand greater value for money, look for destinations that can deliver a different experience but at the same time contribute directly to the required return on investments.

Q: What are the next steps for you?

I am currently working on some new developments including industry trade events in a number of countries. I am also in the process of forming a collaboration among a group of industry consultants and will be launching a menu of training programmes for destinations and venues covering sales and marketing.

TOP THREE TIPS 1. Keep you business delivery focussed and consistent- key to success is not just being innovative but in delivering what the clients need on a consistent basis.

2. Fish where the fishes are- don’t waste money chasing too many new markets-make sure you can deliver what you promise to clients who really are out there.

3. Get face to face with clients-the conversion rates of business are always higher when you can interact face to face with clients.

Conventa Hall of Fame

BRINGING THE ADRIATIC TO THE WORLD Tomaž Krušič, CEO, Intours DMC Q: How did your career in tourism prepare you to lead Intours into DMC? I have been in tourism since my student years.

Because of the situation in the region, we were in mostly working in the field of leisure tourism, where I gained lots of experience. I was familiar with destinations and their facilities, and I knew how leisure tourism functions very well. In a way it was a coincidence to start with a DMC. Some 14 years ago, at one of big tourist fairs, we met a lady who was very much involved in the MICE industry. She gave us a short introduction, she came to Slovenia few times, and so it started. But the MICE segment is totally different than leisure, so at the beginning I had to learn a lot of new things.

Conventa Hall of Fame Tomaž Krušič

Born on 29 June, 1964. Finished studies in business administration at the University of Ljubljana. My first connection with tourism was during my student years when I was worked as a guide and rep for two seasons on the Croatian island of Lošinj. After graduating I spent two years in the office working for tour operating company Kompas.

Soon I started my own business career. Of course, there were ups and downs. For the last 12 years INTOURS has successfully working only in the DMC business.

What does the CONVENTA HALL OF FAME mean to Tomaž Krušič This is a big honour, because Conventa is an important event, many renowned personalities from the business world are visiting it.

Since we were strongly supporting it from the very beginning it’s also an award for our persistence and vision. In a way I’m also taking it as an award for the whole Conventa project and its creators, an award for today’s status and the position of this business event.

Q: Do you have what some might call a DMC’s eye for details?

I guess so, because without this ability you cannot be successful. You must have an eye for details, either for setting up a gala dinner or for communication with a business partner. The second one is perhaps even more important.

Q: Where do you see Intours DMC’s best growth opportunities?

For the last few years we have become a regional DMC, because facilities in Slovenia are simply too limited for a serious market approach. And we are spreading our marketing activities around the world. USA is a huge market which needs to be convinced again that the Adriatic region is a great destination for MICE. And of course Asia, where we are very active and where the first results in the MICE segment are coming.

Q: What is the main thing you hope to accomplish as member of the Slovenian Convention Bureau?

The Slovenian Convention Bureau must become recognized and respected within the state’s bureaucracy. The government and the ministry must support SCB’s marketing and other activities, not only on paper but with facts and figures.

We are fed up with promises, excuses, etc. Years are passing and nothing happens and for us it is weird that those responsible within ministries still have not recognized the importance of a serious approach.

Q: What about the future of meetings industry?

It will grow, definitely. The numbers and statistics worldwide are impressive and this will influence our region for sure. And of course, also the suppliers’ side (hotels, restaurants, etc.) within the region is getting better and better, which is only good.

Q: What is your take on Slovenia and regional meetings today?

As mentioned, Slovenia is limited in terms of facilities. In a way Slovenia is already different and good. And it could become a true boutique destination for the most demanding clients. But to become a jewel beside breath-taking nature, short distances, excellent food and wines, the vibrant capital Ljubljana, and other benefits, the hotel must take a big step forward. Here Slovenia is not competitive, and good, innovative, fresh, design, whatever hotels are a decisive fact for high end events and groups.

Other parts of the region, especially Croatia, are making fast and big steps ahead with new accommodation facilities, a fact which makes us very happy. New flight connections to Zagreb, Zadar, Split and Dubrovnik are opening every year, so the two most important factors are being improved from year to year. Adding beautiful nature, the sea, sunshine, historical cities, gourmet experiences and party places all together creates a perfect destination.

Q: What is friendship like within the meetings industry?

It’s very important and I can say that in Slovenia we are friends within the industry. We and our suppliers are all becoming more mature and experienced, so many of problems are disappearing, we are together focusing on improving the level of services and on getting the business together.

Q: Do you have any regrets?

Quite a lot of energy sometimes is lost for things which should be done and are not, especially on “state” level. Lost opportunities because of unreasonable behaviour can be painful.

Q: Are there any meeting destinations you particularly like or leaders you admire?

Oh, there are many and I am definitely not familiar with all. Slovenia will always be in my heart and I promote it with same passion. The island of Hvar, for my opinion, is a great destination: beautiful, a bit exclusive, sophisticated, not too overcrowded, with great restaurants and venues, with exciting outdoor experiences, with great local food and wines and with a ton of possibilities for a party. Recently I was in Bangkok and I saw lots of incentive groups there. Positive vibes, stunning hotels, high end rooftop restaurants and bars, great food, affordable rates.

Out of the established European cities I’d still go for Barcelona. And for incentives, if the budget weren’t a question: New Zealand, Kamchatka, South Africa.

85

Conventa 2015

PARTNERS ABOUT CONVENTA

86

Karmen Novarlič, Msc, Tourism Division, SPIRIT Slovenia “Slovenian tourism boasts a number of excellent business events, characterized by professional execution and the complete satisfaction of domestic and foreign business partners. Conventa ranks at the very top of these events and in 2014, with more than 200 international hosted buyers from 25 countries, it once again proves that events carried out with quality each year attract the most important players from business and congress tourism in the region and beyond. Congress as a product with high added value and multiplicative effects is ranked among the key products of Slovenian tourism, so we are glad about the optimistic forecast of a positive global trend in business meetings and congresses for the year 2014. Also positive is the fact that the organisers of congresses and business meetings are increasingly looking for new destinations, often with accompanying “outdoor events”, where Slovenia can offer attractive tourism products with a good ratio between price and quality of the product offered.”

Iztok Bricl, M.Sc., Director of GR - Ljubljana Exhibition and Convention Centre “We have collaborated with Conventa from the very beginning. Every year we host it in the halls of the GR - Ljubljana Exhibition and Convention Centre.

We even “dressed” it: an imaginative, original and trendy “green” installation made of crates was awarded as the best exhibition space at the congress exchange EIBTM in Barcelona in 2011.’’

Tomislav Čeh, General Manager at Union Hotels “Conventa is a top-quality event to meet prime partners at. It is the best way to promote our products and show them Slovenian hospitality. Union hotels have hosted Conventa buyers from the very beginning and we are proud to be a part of it.”

Zoran Janković, Mayor of the City of Ljubljana “The Conventa Show has established itself over the past six years as an unmissable business event for showcasing SE Europe’s meeting-industry products to international clients. As a strategic partner of the organiser, the City of Ljubljana has lent its support to Conventa since the beginning and, hopefully, for the many years to come.”

Saša Zor, Director of Sales at Sava Hotels & Resorts “Academy Conventa is a series of enlightening events.

Hosting a comprehensive array of speakers, it is also the best way to keep abreast of all the latest industry trends. With eyes wide open it encourages participants to return to their offices with a valuable collection of new ideas, contacts and an actionable to-do list inspired by the some of the issues discussed.

From junior to senior, Academy Conventa is a refreshing experience for every MICE enthusiast.”

Sandi Kovačevič, General Manager at Hotel Cubo “I am very pleased that Conventa trade show takes place in Slovenia, because it is one of the largest MICE and congress trade shows in this part of Europe.

Besides the fact that it is developing year by year, it has a great potential to become even more recognizable and important trade show in the tourism industry. It is also one of the few shows, where new acquaintances with hosted buyers have a direct impact on the business.”

Conventa 2015

Gregor Jamnik, General Manager at Best Western Premier Hotel Slon “The Conventa trade show creates a successful start and brings important players of the industry together. It creates opportunities to host foreign hosted buyers in Ljubljana and Slovenia, and we are pleased to contribute to the hosted buyer program with BEST WESTERN PREMIER Hotel Slon.”

Dada Jerovšek, Director at Kaval Group “The Conventa is a great way how to connect people from whole world, how to educate, learn more, find networking opportunities and make new business concept in a clean, simple and very positive and effective way …

Conventa is a way … Where people meet people … and where a passion … there is a way … and Conventa …”

87 Matevž Matic Vozlič, Sales - Meetings & Events at Plaza Hotel Ljubljana “As event & meetings provider it is good to be at Conventa as you can get in touch with future partners and also to see what is on the market.

I would recommend it to my partners.”

Maja Vidergar, CD Congress Centre “Conventa is bringing CD Congress Centre and our services closer to a broader professional audience – to hosted buyers with interest already shown in the region. I would definitely recommend the show to my colleagues. It is business-oriented with an appropriate mix of quality suppliers and buyers.”

Martin Jezeršek, Managing Director, SORA Catering “For us Conventa means a boutique European meetings industry get-together. It is an opportunity to showcase our services to international market. SORA Catering operates in four countries and therefore proudly represents quality Central European services. Meeting numerous old and new partners in person at Conventa gives it a special friendly feel.”

Jerneja Kamnikar, General Manager at Vivo catering “Conventa, a junction of congress tourism in Southeastern Europe, is a very important link in the promotion of Slovenia as a congress destination. It is a combination of business and networking among people in one place and at the same time the opening up of new opportunities for the discovery of new and attractive destinations. These are increasingly sought by meeting organizers. Vivo takes part in Conventa and shapes them from the beginning.”

Marko Guček, CEO at GoOpti “Conventa can certainly be seen as one of the essential events in the MICE industry, offering interesting business opportunities and international connections. We are pleased to say that for the second year in a row, GoOpti will help make Conventa easily accessible to domestic and foreign participants by providing comprehensive logistics and transport services. We see the event as an excellent opportunity for presenting our brand and our range of services, not only in words, but also in practice: beside the actual meetings, where we can describe GoOpti in detail, our potential partners will also be able to try out our services and convince themselves of their quality.

Furthermore, Conventa is a place for exchanging fresh ideas and obtaining international recognisability, as it joins people from different parts of the world.”

Conventa 2015

CONVENTA A-Z text by Polona Simšič

A –D CONVENTA PARTICIPANTS

88

Exhibitors Conventa exhibitors range from convention bureaux, tourist boards, PCOs and DMCs to congress centres, convention hotels, special venues, event agencies, airline companies and more. Exhibiting companies from Albania, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Montenegro, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia and Turkey are presenting their meetings industry services to carefully selected buyers at the Conventa show.

Hosted buyers Hosted buyers are carefully selected meeting planners from associations, corporations and event agencies. They organise, influence or make budgetary decisions for international meetings, incentive travel, conferences, product launches, staff training initiatives and events. Hosted buyers have a unique opportunity to personally meet the suppliers to the meetings industry of New Europe under one roof, thus establishing new and maintaining existing business partnerships.

Invited buyers Invited buyers are meeting planners from the corporate, government and association segments with an interest in New Europe as a meeting and incentive travel destination.

From the hosted buyer programme they enjoy free entrance to the Conventa trade show and access to the social events.

Trade visitors Trade visitors are meeting industry professionals who attend the Conventa trade show to network with their colleagues and business partners. They are welcomed to the trade show and its social events, without the facility of arranging individual appointments.

Media Media representatives visit the Conventa trade show to report on its highlights, exhibitors’ innovative products, the latest news and the development of the regional meeting industry market. The media can therefore raise the profile of the trade show, its exhibitors and the meeting industry as a whole.

Guests Conventa guests are political, economic and diplomatic representatives with influence over the strategic development of the meeting industry, the tourism sector and/or the economy.

E–I ADDING VALUE TO YOUR SERVICES Meetings Services Spot Providers of information technologies and systems, technical equipment, congress and promotional materials and marketing and event production can present their offer to their potential business partners at Conventa’s Meetings Services spot. The ‘Meetings Services’ spot gives providers of technology and event solutions a unique opportunity to reach and develop personal relations with new clients from New Europe’s meetings industry.

Conventa wild card Conventa wild card programme aims to help new or emerging meeting industry providers to enter the global market and thus increase the competitiveness of the entire region. The Conventa free wild card grants the meeting industry providers coming from a South East European country with lower trade per capita, who had never before exhibited at Conventa, an opportunity to present their offer at the Conventa trade show free ofcharge. The winners of Conventa wild card programme 2015 are Carnet de Voyage from Croatia, Thessaloniki Convention Bureau from Greece and Tourist organization of Budva from Montenegro.

New Incentive Valley Incentive Valley is a chance for providers of incentive programmes to exhibit at Conventa for less. For the first time Conventa introduces a special exhibition floor dedicated solely to providers of out of the box adrenaline, active, culinary, cultural, historical, luxury and corporate social responsibility experiences.

J– M NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES Conventa social and networking events In addition to providing a business platform for prescheduled one-to-one appointments, Conventa offers a wide range of social and networking events. On 20 January 2015, Conventa invites the participants to attend the Welcome reception held in Grand Hotel Union. You never get a second chance to make a first impression! So to underline the main theme “It’s personal” and in order to facilitate first contacts, fun teambuilding activities led by TBA-Teambuilding academy will be held throughout the night.

Networking will be topped by celebration of the Meeting Star awards winners!

Conventa networking dinner will be held on the evening of 21 January 2015 at CDCongress Centre. Guests will be distinguished representatives of political and economic society in South East Europe.

Opening speeches and award ceremony will be accompanied by music, exquisite food, a good glass of wine and fun networking activities by TBA-Teambuilding academy that will deepen the newly created relationships. The evening festivities will continue at the after party. Don’t forget to bring your dancing shoes!

Conventa working lunches are the best place to network in a stress-free environment. On 21 January guest will be able to pamper their taste buds at lunch prepared by Sora Catering and sponsored by Dubrovnik Tourist Board, while Kaval Group will serve their culinary delights on 22 January. Bon appétit!

N–Q EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES Professional education Conventa has always followed the trends of the meeting industry and has dedicated a great deal of attention to professional education trying to transfer new knowledge to meeting professionals. The seventh Conventa offers a fresher, stronger educational programme tailor made for exhibitors and hosted buyers. On the first day of Conventa, 20 January 2015, participant will

Conventa 2015

be able to attend the traditional Conventa Academy. Two international stars will take the stage. Martin Ferro-Thomsen, Founder of Conferize.com and Co-founder of Issuu. com, will talk about events online and the digitalization of the meetings industry.

Claudia Koehler, Corporate Vice President of one of the leading event marketing agencies worldwide VOK DAMS, will explain why live campaigns are the next big thing in marketing.

Morning energy sessions intended for Slovenian audience will be held during the trade show days (21 -22 January 2015). Žiga Novak will speak about gamification in the organization of events, while Dani Polajnar will explain how edutainment is an innovative approach enriching events and encouraging teamwork.

Conventa Experts’ Corner, short one-to-one sessions hosted by experts covering different meeting industry fields will be held on Ljubljana Street at Conventa on 21 and 22 January. Key-note speaker, Kevin Kelly, internationally acclaimed motivational speaker and authority on the success principles underpinning entrepreneurship, leadership, sales and motivation, will explain why xceptional Execution is the key to breakthrough in the meetings industry and why building friendships not customer relationships is an xceptional approach. Short and refreshing presentations from Conventa exhibitors will follow.

IMEX-MPI-MCI Future Leaders Forum The IMEX-MPI-MCI Future Leaders Forum that encourages the best and brightest students to develop successful careers in the meetings and events industry will be held on 20 January 2015. The Forum presents a great opportunity for students from South East Europe to listen to top international

speakers, learn about the meeting industry and meet industry leaders. Over 100 forums have taken place globally since 2003 with more than 6,000 students participating in the forums to date.

Conventa Daily Conventa daily newspaper has become a must for all visitors of Conventa. It is issued on the first and second day of the trade show and brings fresh ideas and news. It is available in printed and digital form.

U –R

Conventa APP Sponsored by Superevent, Conventa app is a great way to follow Conventa on-the-go, locate exhibitor booths and get in touch with Conventa participants.

EXPLORING THE REGION Conventa fam trips Finding something new and different to offer to clients is easy at Conventa. Fam trips offer the opportunity for first-hand experience of the destination and a chance for hosted buyers to verify that the presentations given at one-to-one meetings are indeed accurate.

Hosted buyers are invited to attend fam trips to the following destinations of South East European region: Ljubljana, Bled, Portorož, Kranjska Gora, Zagreb and Island of Lošinj.

V –Z ENRICHING THE EXPERIENCE Conventa TV powered by Kongres Magazine During the Conventa trade show the programme will be enriched with updated videos, highlights, informative interviews with meeting industry professionals, personal presentations of destinations, meeting industry suppliers and planners from the New Europe region and much, much more. We invite you to follow us and watch Conventa TV, available on web sites www.conventa. info and www.kongres-magazine.eu.

Conventa Social Media Be among the first to read what’s new and hot at Conventa. Join the community to be linked with the meetings industry professional. Conventa team will keep you informed, interested and entertained.

Your job it to Like, Share, Post... Facebook (www.facebook.com/Conventa), Twitter (twitter.com/Conventa2015) and LinkedIn (w w w.linkedin.com/g roups?mostRecent=&gid=8193758&trk=my_groups-tileflipgrp) Conventa sustainable management Conventa is fully committed to reduce the negative environmental impacts of the trade show by implementing sustainable practices that add value to all participants and the local community.

Winning the Sustainable Stand Award at EIBTM 2011, global meetings & events exhibition, Conventa therefore considers as a special honour. The participants are again invited to take part in our sustainable endeavours and participate in Conventa sustainability programme. It doesn’t take a lot.

Participants can return their badges and lanyards at the end of the trade show to be re-cycled, use the recycling bins,...

89

Conventa 2015

MEET THE 007 TEAM

Miha Kovačič

Exhibition Director miha@conventa.info What is the one thing you are most excited to see/experience at Conventa 2015? After one year of working on the show to welcome over 400 professionals from all over Europe. There is a special buzz around during Conventa.

Your advice for the exhibitors presenting at the 7th Conventa: Know your product, know your clients, be original, be relaxed, be interesting, have fun and do business.

Your advice for hosted buyers exploring the meetings offer at the show: Use this fantastic opportunity where you can personally meet selected regional partners. Do engage in discussions, network, relax, have fun and do business.

Let’s get personal...

Three words that describe you best: Work hard, play hard, being me.

If you weren’t working in the meetings industry what other profession would you care to attempt? Global top innovative blue chip corporation.

If you could fly off to any destination in the world which destination would that be? Winter/spring/summer/autumn/alone/ with partner/family/friends/weekend/ week/month/year – How many answers may I give you?

What always makes you smile? Friends and some colleagues but also passionate people.

007 Conventa is killing it on the meetings industry floor this year. If you were a secret agent what would your meetings spy name be? Ahim Čičavok.

Gorazd Čad

Head of Marketing gorazd@conventa.info

Your advice for the exhibitors presenting at the 7th Conventa?

Establish as many contacts as possible and make yourself interesting for the hosted buyers. Everything should be oriented towards attracting customers’ attention.

Make sure you get enough media attention because Conventa offers many possibilities.

We like to say that Conventa is a 365-day content marketing machine which must be used wisely.

Your advice for hosted buyers exploring the range of meetings products and services at the show: Listen to our exhibitors’ stories. You will get to know one of the most interesting, authentic and undiscovered meetings industry regions in Europe. We will make our every effort to leave an impression on all your senses. The most successful events are based on stories and some of them will be presented during Conventa.

Let’s get personal ...

Three words that describe you best: Rock’n’roll.

If you were not working in the meetings industry what other profession would you care to try your hand at?

As a geographer by heart, I would probably travel around the world and write travelogues about the most unusual places I visited.

If you could fly off to any destination in the world which destination would that be?

I would travel through the length and breadth of Russia and explore the endless expanse of Siberia.

What always makes you smile?

The morning walks with my flatcoated retriever, whose name is Bodo.

007 Conventa is killing it in the meetings industry this year. If you were a secret agent what would your meetings spy name be?

007 – The Balkan Spy

What is the one thing you are most excited to see/experience at Conventa 2015?

The enthusiastic faces of the hosted buyers and satisfied exhibitors. I hope that everyone will see the effort and energy of the small organising team, which was working on the project all year long.

90

Natalija Bah Čad

Exhibitors and Social Programme Manager natalija@conventa.info What is the one thing you are most excited to see/experience at Conventa 2015? We have changed the concept of the evening receptions to provide best networking atmosphere for participants at Conventa.

Let us see how this will work!

Your advice for the exhibitors presenting at the 7th Conventa: If you think that evening social events are not important for the business, you are wrong!

Your advice for hosted buyers exploring the meetings offer at the show: Walk around with opened ears and eyes. Let the local people tell you the best stories about their hotels, cities, destinations. And have a cup of coffee or a glass of wine with them!

Let’s get personal...

Three words that describe you best: 3C: calm, creative, curious If you weren’t working in the meetings industry what other profession would you care to attempt? Hmm… if not a meeting planner, than I would probably try it as a designer.

If you could fly off to any destination in the world which destination would that be?

I am dreaming about Africa What always makes you smile?

Nice sunny mornings.

007 Conventa is killing it on the meetings industry floor this year. If you were a secret agent what would your meetings spy name be?

Cad… Natalija Cad

Polona Simšič

Content Manager marketing@conventa.info What is the one thing you are most excited to see/experience at Conventa 2015?

I am looking forward to seeing the exhibition hall which will be bursting at the seams this year buzzing with satisfied people and the smell of business talk in the air.

Your advice for the exhibitors presenting at the 7th Conventa:

Conventa 2015

First listen to what hosted buyers are saying and then present your offer in accordance to their demand. And don’t forget the golden rule: smile!

Your advice for hosted buyers exploring the meetings offer at the show: Stay open-minded. Meet with as many meeting providers as you can. More is more in this case!

Let’s get personal...

Three words that describe you best: Direct, organized and creative.

If you weren’t working in the meetings industry what other profession would you care to attempt?

If you want a serious answer than I would stay in marketing, but those who know me really well know that it is hard for me to stay serious so writing children’s science fiction stories would be great!

If you could fly off to any destination in the world which destination would that be?

Tokyo, Japan.

What always makes you smile?

Animals and the crazy things they do.

People and the crazy things they do J 007 Conventa is killing it on the meetings industry floor this year. If you were a secret agent what would your meetings spy name be?

January Connection.

Špela Jeruc

Hosted Buyer Manager Spela.jeruc@conventa.info What is the one thing you are most excited to see/experience at Conventa 2015?

I would like to see all participants happy, satisfied and in harmony.

Your advice for the exhibitors presenting at the 7th Conventa: Be punctual.

Respect your customers’ time.

Be talkative, especially about your work.

Don’t shy away from a great opportunity.

Your advice for hosted buyers exploring the meetings offer at the show: Be curious.

Be ready to do business.

Let’s get personal...

Three words that describe you best:

Charming, sociable and truly lovable.

If you weren’t working in the meetings industry what other profession would you care to attempt?

I would like to be a radio personality. I could talk for hours J If you could fly off to any destination in the world which destination would that be?

Definitely Tahiti and Bora-Bora.

What always makes you smile?

Good music, good coffee and good…..

007 Conventa is killing it on the meetings industry filed this year. If you were a secret agent what would your meetings spy name be?

According to a fun website my International meetings spy name would be Sass Intrigue.

My Code name: The Pirate I Reside in: Rio de Janeiro Why am I a good spy: I can talk my way out of anything :P

Ana Hotko

Content Marketing Manager ana@conventa.info What is the one thing you are most excited to see/experience at Conventa 2015?

For the first time I will experience Conventa from the organizer’s point of view, so everything is still new and exciting for me.

Your advice for the exhibitors presenting at the 7th Conventa: Point out the attributes that make you different.

Your advice for hosted buyers exploring the meetings offer at the show: You will get the best opportunity to hear untold stories, so listen carefully.

Let’s get personal...

Three words that describe you best: Ambitious, forward-thinking, always a child by heart J If you weren’t working in the meetings industry what other profession would you care to attempt?

Treasure hunter.

If you could fly off to any destination in the world which destination would that be?

Eternal Rome

91

What always makes you smile?

Watching my old videotapes.

007 Conventa is killing it on the meetings industry filed this year. If you were a secret agent what would your meetings spy name be?

Zephyr.

Tanja Smrzlić

Financial Manager Tanja.smrzlic@toleranca.eu What is the one thing you are most excited to see/experience at Conventa 2015?

New knowledge and connecting with other people from the region.

Your advice for the exhibitors presenting at the 7th Conventa: Make the most of the opportunity to be in the same room as high quality international and regional hosted buyers and organize as many one2one meetings.

Your advice for hosted buyers exploring the meetings offer at the show: Use your time at the show to meet with as many exhibitors as possible and discover beautiful destinations and offers to make profitable business decisions.

Let’s get personal...

Three words that describe you best: uf…persistent, reliable, energetic.

If you weren’t working in the meetings industry what other profession would you care to attempt?

Director of a Bank.

If you could fly off to any destination in the world which destination would that be?

Jamaica.

What always makes you smile?

My daughter.

007 Conventa is killing it on the meetings industry filed this year. If you were a secret agent what would your meetings spy name be?

Black Panther.

Conventa Energy2015

CONVENTA SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT Conventa is fully committed to reducing the negative environmental impacts of the trade show by implementing sustainable practices that add value to all participants and the local community.

Engaging interested parties Conventa promotes a close cooperation with key interested parties to together identify sustainable issues and determine key performance indicators. By engaging interested parties, Conventa strives to make sustainability integral part of the trade show management.

92

Keeping it local When it comes to organization of the trade show, Conventa focuses on local knowledge, suppliers, products and services.

Conventa therefore gives preference to local suppliers of food and beverage, transport, floral arrangements and signage.

The trade show thus encourages local economy, reduces travel miles and preserves culinary and cultural heritage.

4R Conventa follows the 4R principle of rethinking, reducing, reusing and recycling in designing the exhibition stands and setting up the trade show venue. Conventa uses wooden crates from naturally dried domestic pine for exhibitor stands. The crates are being reused every year. Signage at Conventa is made from recycled cardboard and in order to reuse it, almost all signage avoids printing dates. The organizers prepared sustainable guidelines for exhibitors and for hosted buyers to help them understand how to integrate sustainable actions into their exhibit and travel arrangements. The participants are invited to take part in Conventa’s sustainable endeavours.

They can participate in Conventa sustainability programme by return their badges and lanyards at the end of the trade show to be re-cycled, use the recycling bins, communicate with organizers in electronic form, use the on-line forms and surveys,...

Conventa’s sustainability practice has been awarded in the past Winning the Sustainable Stand Award at EIBTM 2011, global meetings & events exhibition, Conventa considered as a special honour. The award was given by an independent body, Sustainability Events Ltd, for demonstrating a real commitment to sustainability. Miha Kovačič, Conventa organiser, about the award: “The Sustainability Award acknowledged our efforts in introducing a strategic approach to sustainable management of the regional meeting industry show. It showed us Conventa is on the right track to drive market transformation toward sustainable meeting industry in South East Europe.”

Conventa organisers and partners continue to be committed to reduce the negative environmental impacts of the trade show.

With every edition of the show, Conventa continues to pursue its strategic goals that serve the interests of people, planet and profit. New sustainable practices are introduced to the show every year. To show how committed Conventa truly is to sustainability, this text has been rethought, reduced, recycled and reused as well!

03

01

02

04

05

01 Local apples take over Conventa, 02 On-line surveys, 03 Conventa wins EIBTM Sustainable Stand Award, 04 Recycling Conventa badges, 05 planting herbs

Conventa Conventa Results 2015

You are cordially invited to Kongres Magazine’s meetings industry Traffic Light Party!

A party where you will wear colours to show you’re availability.

Red

Taken or married to the meetings industry

Yellow

Undecided or still searching for my calling

Green

Single or ready to mingle

Where? In Club CD, Ljubljana.

When? Wednesday, 21 January 2015, starting at 10 p.m.

In the company of: Manca & The Substitutes Who’s invited? Everybody who is anybody in the meetings industry!

Stop, wait, goooooooo!

Put on your dancing shoes and show off your dance moves at the long awaited Conventa After Party.

93

Explore

EXPERIENCING CONGRESS DESTINATIONS AT FAM TRIPS Conventa encourages hosted buyers to create their own experience

Conventa 2015 is offering exciting fam trips to the region of South East Europe and a first-hand experience of these destinations:

LJUBLJANA pre-tour, 19 - 20 January 2015

BLED post-tour, 22 - 23 January 2015

ZAGREB post-tour, 22 - 24 January 2015

Ljubljana, often named a hidden gem, still has an aura of newness despite being on the European conference map for more than 30 years. This welcoming city of a compact size with 280,000 residents has the elements of a boutique destination, offering authenticity and a quality of life that both leisure and business visitors appreciate.

Bled charms visitors at first sight with its beautiful lake, the idyllic island in its midst and the majestic cliff-top castle overlooking the blue waters of the lake. The unspoilt countryside is a magnet and a perfect backdrop for “green” meetings, while the vicinity of the destination to the airport and the main thoroughfares is a further advantage. In addition, Bled has a longstanding tradition in organising events, so professional infrastructure and services are guaranteed.

Zagreb is easy to reach by air and road to all major European cities and beyond. It is a very compact, „people friendly“ city where all principal attractions, hotels, venues, museums and historical sights are within walking distance from each other and are centrally located.

“If you are crying out for a new and attractive destination which offers everything you need to host a conference or event that delegates will want to return to – don’t miss the chance to unveil the secrets of Ljubljana!”

Tatjana Radovič, Ljubljana Tourism / Convention Bureau

“We warmly invite you to relax your eyes on one of the most stunning places in Europe, view our beautiful meeting and event venues, speak with the welcoming local professionals, pamper your taste buds and be inspired by Bled.”

Eva Štravs Podlogar, Bled Tourist Board

“Allow us to present you Zagreb, one of the oldest European cities and since July 2013 the youngest metropolis of the European Union. By taking part in the Zagreb Fam Trip you will get a unique opportunity to explore and get to know Zagreb, its conference and events venues and facilities both historical and new, get fresh ideas for incentive programmes, see major landmarks, enjoy tasty local dishes, learn about Zagreb proverbial hospitality.

We take pride in being your hosts and are looking forward to welcoming you in Zagreb!”

Zlatan Muftić, Zagreb Convention Bureau

94

Explore

“Deciding to have your next Fam Trip in Portorož should be easy. We are awaiting you in the beautiful coastal area with top quality services, wide range of activities, tasty local food and intact nature. FEEL Portorož!”

Elena Šverko, Tourist Board Portorož

“Winter time in Kranjska Gora is really magical, with joining us on our Fam trip to Kranjska Gora, we will take you to our winter wonderland and offer you active time in Kranjska Gora with lots of outdoor activities, great food, casinos, hotels presentation,…

We designed the Fam Trip to show you all the secrets of organizing a great event in Kranjska Gora, surrounded by mountains, nature, great people and traditional culinary adventures.

We warmly welcome you to join us on our Fam trip to Kranjska Gora and discover 8 great reasons for coming to Kranjska Gora where business and nature go hand by hand.”

Tjaša Šuvak, HIT Alpinea

“Open your senses, inhale the scents of the century-old pine forest and relax as we have prepared for you a true oasis of pleasure. Located in Čikat, the most elegant bay of Lošinj with a long tradition of Austro- Hungarian elite holidays, Hotel Bellevue has been known since 1966 as a true place of hedonism.

Combined with the sun, the trees and the sea, it is an ideal destination to escape the busy everyday life that you live throughout the year.

Our spacious, bright and comfortable accommodation, with excellent service and a choice of various facilities, will allow you to enjoy your holiday or business meeting, with unique beauty and health treatments and gourmet experiences.

We are at your disposal to provide you with the most beautiful holiday and/or business moments. We wish you a warm welcome to Hotel Bellevue and the island of Lošinj.”

Milan Pejić, M.Sc., Head of Group & MICE Sales, Lošinj Hotels & Villas

PORTOROŽ post-tour, 22 - 24 January 2015 With its 130 years’ tradition in tourism, Portorož is a very popular and recognized MICE destination. It offers a range of different hotel accommodations, modern conference facilities, numerous event venues, delicious cuisine, relaxation facilities, cultural events and entertainment options. Besides all this, Portorož is characterized by the short distances between all the venues which allows visitors to reach all the activities, business, social and cultural sites on foot.

KRANJSKA GORA post-tour, 22 - 24 January 2015 pre-tour, 19 - 20 January 2015 Kranjska Gora is an ideal meetings and incentive destination. It features the best year round entertainment, sporting and recreational centre in the Julian Alps. This picturesque small town, surrounded by the impressive scenery of the mountains, lies on the outskirts of the Triglav National Park, very close to the intersection of three borders between Slovenia, Austria and Italy.

95

ISLAND OF LOŠINJ post-tour, 22 - 24 January 2015 The island of Lošinj is perfect for a healthy and active vacation, in every season. Lošinj inspires and empowers, it is a source of happiness and vitality where rich, green pine forests radiate tranquility, where a crystal clear blue sea invites you to jump in and refresh yourself, where aromatic herbs spread their relaxing scent.

Explore

CONVENTA EDUCATION PROGRAMME Tuesday, 20 January 2015

Thursday, 22 January 2015

IMEX-MPI-MCI FUTURE LEADERS FORUM GR, Povodni mož Hall

EXPERTS‘ CORNER GR, Marmorna Hall

Tuesday, 20 January 2015

Time Speaker

CONVENTA ACADEMY Best Western Premier Hotel Slon 17.00-18.45 Martin Ferro-Thomsen, Founder and CEO of Conferize. com: A brave new world of events onlinet Claudia Koehler, Corporate Vice President of VOK DAMS: Live Campaigns: Trends in Events

Wednesday, 21 January 2015

Amanda Marochko ICCA: What ICCA is all about

11.20 - 11.35

Mojca Gobina Bernardin Group

11.40 - 11.55

Maja Vidergar Cankarjev dom Congress Centre Ljubljana

12.40 - 12.55 Ana Rozman TBA-Teambuilding Academy 14.20 - 14.50 Kevin Kelly

15.45 - 16.00 Gorazd Čad

Time Speaker

Title

10.00 - 10.15 Žiga Novak

Orehov gaj / Team building lab

10.40 - 10.55 Nuša Šolar

Union Hotels

11.00 - 11.15

Saša Zor

Sava Hotels: Herbal Garden

11.20 - 11.35

Boža Robnik Brdo Estate: Special experiences in nature

Miha Kovačič

11.00 - 11.15

uild friendships - not customB er relationships; an xceptional approach

15.05 - 15.20 Andrea Leitner Kärnten Convention & Mitgesellschafter GsbR

EXPERTS‘ CORNER GR, Marmorna Hall

12.00 - 12.15

Title

10.40 - 10.55 Pierre Fernandez MPI: Key MPI research unveiled : Future of Meetings

Slovenian Convention Bureau

12.20 - 12.35 Pierre Fernandez MPI and EMEC conference: Key MPI research unveiled Future of Meetings 12.40 - 12.55 Matej Mejovšek

LifeEvents

12.55 - 13.00 Romana Vlašič

ubrovnik Tourist Board: D Sponsor of Conventa lunch-invitation

Kongres Magazine

CONVENTA MORNING ENERGY SESSIONS GR, Urška 4 Hall Wednesday, 21 January 2015 10.30 - 11.15 Dani Polajnar, Director TBA - Teambuilding Academy: Edutainment – inovativna timska popestritev dogodkov (in Slovene language)

Thursday, 22 January 2015 9.15 - 10.00 Žiga Novak, entrepreneur, lecturer and moderator: Igrifikacija v organizaciji dogodkov (in Slovene language)

14.20 - 14.50 Kevin Kelly Xceptional Execution - the key to breakthrough in the meetings industry 15.05 - 15.20 Christina Eder

Steiermark Convention

15.25 - 15.40 Alzbeta Ulicka

Slovak Convention Bureau

15.45 - 16.00 Tatjana Radovič 16.05 - 16.20 Amanda Marochko

Ljubljana Tourism ICCA: What ICCA is all about

Claudia Koehler

96

Martin Ferro-Thomsen

Kevin Kelly

Explore

EVENT PROGRAMME

Tuesday, 20 January 2015

17.00-18.45 Academy Conventa, Educational module, Best Western Premier Hotel Slon 19.00-22.00 Welcome reception, Grand Hotel Union

Wednesday, 21 January 2015 GR - Ljubljana exhibition and Convention Centre 08.00 - 09.00 Registration for exhibitors and set-up of exhibition stands 09.00 - 10.00 Registration for hosted buyers 10.00 - 13.00 One2one meetings 10.00 - 10.30 Press conference for Slovenian media, Forum hall 10.30 - 11.15 Conventa morning energy sessions, Urska 4 hall 11.00 - 11.30 Press conference for International media, Forum hall 13.00 - 14.20 Working lunch prepared by Sora Catering and sponsored by Dubrovnik Tourist Board 14.20 - 14.50 Kevin Kelly: „Xceptional Execution - the key to breakthrough in the meetings industry“, Expert’s corner 15.00 - 17.20 One2one meetings 19.30 - 22.00 Conventa networking dinner prepared by with Vivo Catering, venue: CD - Congress Centre 22.00 - 01.00 After party, Club CD

Thursday, 22 January 2015 GR- Ljubljana Exhibition and Convention Centre

09.00 - 10.00 Registration 09.15 - 10.00 Conventa morning energy sessions, Urska 4 hall 10.00 - 13.00 One2one meetings 10.30 - 11.00 Press conference for Skål International, Urska 4 hall 11.00 - 11.30 Presentation of Skål International, Urska 4 hall 13.00 - 14.20 Working lunch prepared by Kaval Group 14.20 - 14.50 Kevin Kelly: „Build friendships - not customer relationships; an xceptional approach“, Expert’s corner 15.00 - 17.20 One2one meetings 17.20 end of the show 17.30 Departure for fam trips (for hosted buyers only)

97

Meetings industry suppliers

Meetings industry suppliers

............................................................................ Stand Cat. ................................................................................... № №

ALBANIA

DMC - Destination Management Companies Albania Experience ....................................................................................... 95 103

AUSTRIA

CVB (National, Regional or Local Convention or Visitors Bureaus)

Carinthia (Kärnten) Convention .................................................... 120 104

Convention Bureau Lower Austria ................................................. 101 104

Saalfelden Leogang & Congress Saalfelden ........................... 108 108

Salzburg Convention Bureau & Salzburg Congress ........ 104 108

Linz City Tourist Board | Design Center Linz ..................... 103 106

Steiermark Convention ............................................................................. 121 109

Congress & Exhibition Centres

Crowne Plaza Salzburg - The Pitter / IMLAUER Hotels ....... 107 105

Congress Center Villach ......................................................................... 119 104 Int. Exhibtion & Convention Center Salzburg Messezentrum Salzburg GmbH....................................................... 105 106

Messe Congress Graz ................................................................................ 125 107

Congress Hotels & Hotels with Conference Facilities

Accor Hotels ..................................................................................................... 102 103

Alpine Palace ................................................................................................... 106 103

Best Western Central Europe ............................................................... 12 103

Falkensteiner Hotel & SPA Bleibergerhof ................................ 117 105

Falkensteiner Resort Carinzia ****S ............................................ 113 105

Hotel Karnerhof ............................................................................................ 116 105

Hotel NockResort ......................................................................................... 110 106

Hotel Novapark .............................................................................................. 123 106

Roomz Graz ...................................................................................................... 122 107

Seepark Hotel Congress and Spa ..................................................... 115 108

Sonnenhotel Hafnersee ........................................................................... 112 108

Tauern Spa .......................................................................................................... 109 109

VI Hotels & Resorts..................................................................................... 124 109

Werzer´s Hotel Resort................................................................................. 114 109

DMC - Destination Management Companies

MICE & more Wörthersee....................................................................... 111 107

PCO - Professional Congress Organisers Mondial Events & Incentives................................................................ 101 107

Spacial Venues Casino Velden/Casinos Austria ......................................................... 118 104

AZERBAIJAN

CVB (National, Regional or Local Convention or Visitors Bureaus) Azerbaijan Convention Bureau .......................................................... 61 110

BULGARIA

Congress Hotels & Hotels with Conference Facilities Hilton Sofia ......................................................................................................... 88 110

CROATIA

CVB (National, Regional or Local Convention or Visitors Bureaus) Croatian National Tourist Board / Convention Bureau......... 62 110 Dubrovnik Tourist Board Convention Bureau.........................64 111 Zagreb Convention Bureau....................................................................... 63 115

............................................................................ Stand Cat.

................................................................................... № №

Congress Hotels & Hotels with Conference Facilities

Hilton Croatia Cluster.................................................................................. 67 111

Hotel Katarina..................................................................................................... 78 112

Hotel osijek - Centar Škojo d.o.o. .........................................................81 112

Hotel Rixos Libertas .....................................................................................69 112

HUP-Zagreb Inc - Starwood Hotels Zagreb..............................66 112

Importanne Hotels & Resort...................................................................68 113 Istraturist .............................................................................................................. 71 113

Kempinski Hotel Adriatic ..........................................................................76 113

Lafodia Sea Resort****................................................................................. 79 114

Le Meridien Lav.................................................................................................80 114

Losinj Hotels & Villas by Jadranka hoteli LTD.......................70 114

Olympia Vodice d.d. - hotel Olympia................................................ 73 114

Plava Laguna d.d...............................................................................................82 115

Veladrion resort................................................................................................. 77 115

DMC - Destination Management Companies Carnet de Voyage - tailormade Croatia..........................................

DT Croatia ............................................................................................................

DT Slovenia & Croatia..................................................................................

Intours DMC Croatia ...................................................................................

72 110 74 111 74 111 10 113

FINLAND

Other Congress Services Providers MPI in EUROPE ......................................................................................... 126 138

CVB (National, Regional or Local Convention or Visitors Bureaus) Thessaloniki Convention Bureau ...................................................... 83 115

GREECE

HUNGARY

CVB (National, Regional or Local Convention or Visitors Bureaus) Hungarian Convention Bureau............................................................. 87 116

Congress Hotels & Hotels with Conference Facilities Danubius Hotels Group...............................................................................84 116 Spirit Hotel Thermal Spa*****superior..........................................86 116

DMC - Destination Management Companies Tour East Tour Hungary Ltd ................................................................ 85 116

ITALY

CVB (National, Regional or Local Convention or Visitors Bureaus) Agenzia Turismo FVG ................................................................................ 94 117

MONTENEGRO

CVB (National, Regional or Local Convention or Visitors Bureaus) The Tourism Organisation of Budva................................................. 53 118

Congress Hotels & Hotels with Conference Facilities Hotel Podgorica – Normal Tours.........................................................54 117 Montenegro Stars Hotel Group ............................................................57 117 Regent Porto Montenegro......................................................................... 56 118 Hotel Ramada Podgorica .......................................................................... 55 138

DMC - Destination Management Companies EastWest Voyage............................................................................................... 55 117 Talas-M DMC .................................................................................................... 75 118

98

Meetings industry suppliers

............................................................................ Stand Cat. ................................................................................... № №

QATAR

Other Congress Services Providers Qatar Airways .................................................................................................... 65

118

ROMANIA

CVB (National, Regional or Local Convention or Visitors Bureaus) National Tourist Authority of Romania......................................... 58 119

DMC - Destination Management Companies S.C. Palomatours S.R.L................................................................................ 59 119 Ultramarin DMC ............................................................................................ 60 119

Congress Hotels & Hotels with Conference Facilities Athenee Palace Hilton Bucharest.......................................................88 119

RUSSIA

CVB (National, Regional or Local Convention or Visitors Bureaus) Moscow Convention Bureau ................................................................. 93 120

SERBIA

CVB (National, Regional or Local Convention or Visitors Bureaus) Belgrade Convention Bureau.................................................................. 47 120 Serbia Convention Bureau.........................................................................46 121 Subotica / Lake Palić Destination ..................................................... 52 121

Congress Hotels & Hotels with Conference Facilities Crowne Plaza Belgrade.................................................................................51 120 MK Mountain Resort Kopaonik...........................................................48 121 Radisson Blu Old Mill Hotel, Belgrade...........................................50 121

DMC - Destination Management Companies DMC Vekol d.o.o............................................................................................... 49 120 Talas- S DMC ..................................................................................................... 75 122

SLOVAKIA

CVB (National, Regional or Local Convention or Visitors Bureaus) Bratislava Tourist Board ............................................................................ 97 122 Slovak Convention Bureau / Slovak Tourist Board..............96 122

DMC - Destination Management Companies Enjoy Slovakia DMC ..................................................................................... 97 122

SLOVENIA

CVB (National, Regional or Local Convention or Visitors Bureaus) Bled Convention Bureau............................................................................. 32 125 DMO Soča Valley...............................................................................................42 126 Institute for tourism, culture, youth and sport Brda..........42 129 Ljubljana Tourism / Convention Bureau.......................................... 3 132 Slovenian Convention Bureau....................................................................1 133 SPIRIT Slovenia, Slovenian Tourist Board....................................2 134

Congress & Exhibition Centres Brdo Estate.............................................................................................................30 126 CD Congress Centre Ljubljana................................................................. 7 126 GR - Ljubljana Exhibition and Convention Centre.................. 5 127

Congress Hotels & Hotels with Conference Facilities Austria Trend Hotel Ljubljana................................................................17 124 Bernardin Group............................................................................................... 35 124 Best Western Premier Hotel Slon..........................................................11 124 Bohinj Park ECO Hotel................................................................................29 125 Four Points by Sheraton Ljubljana Mons.......................................15 126 Hit Alpinea d.d.................................................................................................... 33 128 Hotel CUBO..............................................................................................................6 128 99

............................................................................ Stand Cat.

................................................................................... № №

Hotel San Martin..............................................................................................43 128

Hotel Sava Rogaška d.o.o...........................................................................40 129

Hotel Triglav d.o.o. Bled..............................................................................31 129

Kempinski Palace Portorož...................................................................... 36 130

Kompas Hoteli Bled..........................................................................................11 131

Krajc Hoteli, City hotel Ljubljana .......................................................19 131

LifeClass Hotels & Spa...................................................................................37 131

Plaza hotel Ljubljana.......................................................................................13 133

Sava Hotels & Resorts...................................................................................34 133

Terme Čatež d.d................................................................................................. 39 134

Terme Maribor d.o.o.......................................................................................41 135

Terme Olimia d.d..............................................................................................44 135

Thermana d.d...................................................................................................... 38 135

Union hotels.............................................................................................................8 135

DMC - Destination Management Companies

Adria Potovanja d.o.o. - Carlsonwagonlit travel...................... 25 123

BLED TOURS Travel agency..................................................................28 125 Blue ..............................................................................................................45 125

iDMC ...............................................................................................................18 129

Intours DMC Slovenia.....................................................................................9 130

Kompas ...............................................................................................................16 131

Palma Tour Operator & DMC................................................................. 23 132

PCO - Professional Congress Organisers CD Congress Centre Ljubljana................................................................. 7 126 GO.MICE / Toleranca marketing .......................................................22 127

Spacial Venues Bled Castle ............................................................................................................. 24 124 Ljubljana Castle...................................................................................................21 132

Other Congress Services Providers

ABC Tourism, Europcar Slovenia.......................................................28 123

Adria Airways ........................................................................................................4 123 GoOpti ..............................................................................................................20 127

Kaval Group............................................................................................................14 130

SORA Catering....................................................................................................24 134

Teambuilding Academy...............................................................................26 134

Vivo catering ....................................................................................................... 27 136

THE NETHERLANDS

Other Congress Services Providers ICCA .......................................................................................................... 100 136

TURKEY

CVB (National, Regional or Local Convention or Visitors Bureaus) Antalya Convention Bureau.................................................................... 90 136

Congress Hotels & Hotels with Conference Facilities Susesi Luxury Resort Hotel ....................................................................92 137

DMC - Destination Management Companies AquaMICE ............................................................................................................ 91 137

Tunes Travel Istanbul ................................................................................ 89 137

UNITED KINGDOM

Other Congress Services Providers The Meetings Show........................................................................................98 137 IMEX Exhibitions ........................................................................................ 99 138

Meetings industry suppliers

Media Partners

Meetings Services Spot

Media ....................................................................................... Cat.

....................................................................................... №

Organization........................................................................ Stand Cat.

................................................................................... № №

AUSTRIA

BELGIUM

DVProductions bvba .......................................................................................... 142

CROATIA

UT Ugostiteljstvo i Turizam .......................................................................

Turizam.info ............................................................................................................

PoslovniTurizam/CroatiaMeetings .....................................................

Putovanja za dvoje ...............................................................................................

145 144 144 144

GERMANY

CIM

GREAT BRITAIN

.................................................................................................................... 142

Conference & Meeting World magazine, part of

Mash Media Group Ltd ................................................................................... 143

International Meetings Review ............................................................... 142 Balkans.com .............................................................................................................. 142

HUNGARY

Turizmus Trend .................................................................................................... 145

INDIA

Travel And Tour World ................................................................................... 145

ITALY

DENMARK

News4travel.com .................................................................................................. 143

SLOVENIA

GREAT BRITAIN

Eventyco Ltd..................................................................................................... IV 139

HUNGARY

Mobilessence ........................................................................................................ V 140

SLOVENIA

Kristina Smodila, s.p. ................................................................................ III 140

Gropik d.o.o. ........................................................................................................ II 139

Proevent d.o.o. ................................................................................................. IX 141 Santomas ................................................................................................................. I 139

Studio 37 ............................................................................................................ VI 140

MC sistemi d.o.o. ............................................................................................ X 141

Zavod Big .......................................................................................................... XI 141

Incentive Valley

The Slovenia Times ............................................................................................ 144 Kongres .................................................................................................................... 142

Organization................................................................................... Cat.

....................................................................................... №

SLOVENIA

Life Events ................................................................................................................. 146

MICE d.o.o. ................................................................................................................ 146 Clutch .................................................................................................................... 146

SPAIN

Conferize .......................................................................................................VIII 139

Ediman srl (Meeting & Congressi) ........................................................ 143

PORTUGAL

Superevent ......................................................................................................... VII 140

Grupo eventoplus ................................................................................................. 143

TURKEY

ACE of M.I.C.E. EXHIBITON 2015 ...................................................... 145

100

Meetings industry suppliers

What you didn’t know about Conventa In six years Conventa hosted Conventa is 753 exhibitors and always the first!

1.436 hosted The first to open the buyers. trade show season, that is.

Over the years 17.240 one2one Only at Conventa meetings were held during the show. an investment of

CONVENTA APP We are happy to announce that Conventa has an app! Together with Superevent we created an app that enables you:

55 EUR brings hosted buyers a VIP treatment worth 1.200 EUR. The farthest distance a hosted buyer will travel to come to Conventa 2015 At Conventa is 7.690 km.

• v iew up-to-date event details such as the program schedule, session information and speaker biographies • see who is attending the Conventa and connect with them directly throught the app • rate sessions and speakers on the spot; and vote on topics in real time And, most importantly, we will use Superevent to curate Q&A in advance for our keynote conversations!

every year around 82 % of buyers are new. In 2015 around 90 % of buyers will It takes around be first-timers. 3200 wooden crates to set up all the Conventa stands.

Instructions for use: 1.) Download the Superevent app and navigate the program.

1.) Login with your credentials (see mail), if you want to see who else is at Conventa and send a reach-out message.

1.) A sk questions during the session: go to the program, find the session and click on the question mark sign: <?>

The idea of Conventa was not born while drinking The number of coffee, but while drinking beer. countries meeting

providers come from doubled over the years.

101

List of exhibitors by country

Marmorna hall 128

127

114

126

115

125

116

124

117

123

118

122

119

121

61

120

113

112

111

110

109

108

107

100

101

102

103

104

105

106

Expert’s Corner

60

59

58

57

56

55

54

47

48

49

50

51

52

53

46

45

44

43

42

41

40

35

36

37

38

39

33

32

31

30

29

99

98

97

96

95

94

93

86

87

88

89

90

91

92

85

84

83

82

81

80

79

72

73

74

75

76

77

78

71

70

69

68

67

66

65

LJUBLJANA STREET

102

Media Corner

LJUBLJANA STREET

34

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

21

20

19

18

17

16

15

10

11

12

13

14

7

6

9

8

CONVENTA TV

5

Incentive Valley

64

63

62

1

2

3

4

NOSILNOST T SEJEMSKA POVRŠI POVRŠI VIŠI

SEJEMSKA

NOSI

Marmorna hall Lunch

Urska hall forum

Toilets

Wardrobe

XI.

X.

Registration

Refreshement area

Meeting point for transfer

Meeting services spot

I.

II.

III.

IV.

V.

VI.

VII.

VIII.

IX.

Marmorna lobby

Wardrobe

List of exhibitors by country

ALBANIA EXPERIENCE Albania experience operates as full conference services provider, offering wide range of logistic services. We can organize conferences and conventions for over 1000 participants in Albania and Balkan capitals. Alternatively we as well manage small meetings and seminars in resorts, national parks and villages. A wide choice of catering options and after-hour activities will delight the participants and will help to melt them together for productive work during the conference. Pre – & post conference tours, programs for accompanying persons and social programs will introduce the cultural treasures of the region.

Contact Rr.”Themistokli Germenji” Sh.1, K1 Po.Box 1430 Tirana Albania www.albania-experience.al

ACCOR HOTELS Accor is present in the Austrian market with 32 hotels. From Low Budget to Luxury - Sofitel, MGallery, Novotel, Suite Novotel, Mercure, Adagio, Ibis, Ibis Styles and Ibis Budget. In Vienna Accor can offer you a range of 16 hotels from 2* to 5* Superior. Esther Maninger, the exhibitor from Accor Austria is your main entry point for Meeting & Event requests.

Garry Loefgen, co-exhibitor at Conventa, is representing Sofitel Vienna Stephansdom, a 5* Superior Design Hotel by Jean Nouvel in the city center of Vienna.

Contact Am Europlatz 1 1120 Vienna Austria www.accorhotels.com

ALPINE PALACE HOLD YOUR CONFERENCE IN DIFFERENT DIMENSIONS The Business Center in the Alpine Palace in the town of Hinterglemm in the beautiful province of Salzburg is the ideal venue for hosting exclusive conferences, seminars, product presentations and incentives in the greatest comfort. In our five seminar rooms, the realm of communication unites with comfort and enjoyment in stylish elegance.

Contact Reiterkogelweg 169 5754 Hinterglemm Austria www.hotel-alpine-palace.com

BEST WESTERN CENTRAL EUROPE With over 4.000 hotels in more than 110 countries Best Western is the worldwide biggest hotel group of privately owned hotels and the biggest single brand in hotel business which guarantees strictly controlled quality standards at all levels, starting with a 3-star hotel via BEST WESTERN PLUS® through to BEST WESTERN PREMIER® Hotels.

As regional service center Best Western Central Europe is in charge of 70 hotels in Austria, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia and Kosovo offering individual conference hotels for Conventions, Meetings & Events.

Contact Bösendorferstrasse 5 1120 Vienna Austria www.bestwestern-ce.com

Contact person: Mr. Stavri Çifligu E: stavricifligu@albania-experience.al T: 0035 5 674011810

Contact person: Ms. Esther Maninger E: esther.maninger@accor.com T: 0043 6 645256312

Contact person: Ms. Manuela Wolf E: m.wolf@wolf-hotels.at T: 004365416346

Contact person: Ms. Marlies Rogen E: mr@bestwestern.at T: 0043 1 505470611

103

List of exhibitors by country

104

CARINTHIA (KÄRNTEN) CONVENTION Our services – your advantages from a single source We support you free of charge: • when choosing suitable seminar hotels, and locations for meetings and events • when obtaining non-binding offers – from vacancy enquiries in hotels and locations to the whole package • when establishing contact with competent suppliers • when organising supporting programmes in the most diverse areas • when organising and supporting site inspections • in congress bids (congress service, subsidies)

Contact Voelkermarkter Ring 21-23 9020 Klagenfurt Austria www.convention.kaernten.at

CASINO VELDEN/CASINOS AUSTRIA Casino Velden: your event wins!

Gambling meetings on the lake With its incomparable location on the Lake Wörthersee Bay (located in Carinthia, in the south of Austria), Casino Velden is fascinating because of its mix of seeing and being seen, high-profile congresses, gourmet cuisine with numerous outlets and a gaming area which thrills all the guests.

Contact Am Corso 17 9220 Velden Austria www.velden.casinos.at

CONGRESS CENTER VILLACH Congress Center Villach (CCV) is Carinthia’s largest and most modern conference and event center. With 20 different kind of meeting and event halls we are very flexible for each request. A direct connection to the 4*Superior Hotel with 130 rooms and 4 suites as well as a high gastronomic level offers a big comfort and an All inclusive package for our quests. Situated at the very heart of the City, with a big direct parking Garage, the CCV offers a panoramic view of the surrounding mountain landscape. Villach can be reached quickly and easily. The nearest international Airport is Ljubljana.

Contact Europaplatz 2 9500 Villach Austria www.congress-villach.at

CONVENTION BUREAU LOWER AUSTRIA Lower Austria, the land round Vienna, offers not only a perfect setting for your meetings, events and incentives in an exclusive ambience, but also cultural and gastronomic treats, a sense of joie de vivre and warm hospitality. The Lower Austrian Convention Bureau is your competent partner for finding the right location for your event. You are planning a business meeting in a royal palace? An event beyond compare in a modern event hotel? Or an elegant banquet in a romantic Baroque castle? The Lower Austrian Convention Bureau and its top Partners can suggest you the perfect Location!

Contact Niederösterreich-Ring 2, Haus C 3100 St. Pölten Austria www.convention-bureau.at

Contact person: Ms. Andrea Leitner E: andrea.leitner@kaernten.at T: 0043463300095

Contact person: Ms. Karin Obkircher E: karin.obkircher@casinos.at T: 0043 4274 2064 112

Contact person: Ms. Kerstin Fritz E: kerstin.fritz@hi-villach.at T: 00434242225225865

Contact person: Ms. Edith Mader E: edith.mader@noe.co.at T: 004367681219825

List of exhibitors by country

CROWNE PLAZA SALZBURG - THE PITTER / IMLAUER HOTELS The brand-new PITTER EVENT CENTER at the Hotel Crowne Plaza Salzburg – The Pitter OPEN since Oct. 2014 After an Investment of € 15 Mio. DISCOVER STATE-OF-THE-ART FACILITIES: a multi-purpose venue of 1,200 sqm which can cater for both meetings and gala dinners, Breathtaking architecture, 450 sqm “Pitter Saal” dividable and flooded with daylight thanks to 6 magnificient GLASS DOMES, ceiling heights of up to 7m, a perfect space for your event with up to 1.000 guests, 13 function rooms, 300 bedrooms.

On TOP: NEW “IMLAUER SKY - Bar & Restaurant” & THE VIEW of Salzburg

Contact Rainerstr. 6 5020 Salzburg Austria www.pittereventcenter.com

FALKENSTEINER HOTEL & SPA BLEIBERGERHOF You are only as old as you feel! And the Hotel & Spa Bleibergerhof has the perfect formula, with a quiet location in an unspoilt natural setting, revitalising thermal waters, and plenty of fresh mountain air. The hotel’s unique cuisine ensures that there is plenty of enjoyment on offer for everyone.The naturally-lit seminar rooms engender a feeling of wellbeing in groups of all sizes. Our dedicated on-site support team works to ensure that every event is a great success.

Contact Drei Lärchen 150 9530 Bad Bleiberg Austria www.falkensteiner.com/de/ hotel/bleibergerhof

FALKENSTEINER RESORT CARINZIA ****S The Falkensteiner Hotel & Spa Carinzia is one of 31 Falkensteiner Hotels in Europe. It is located in the south of Carinthia in the ski and adventure area Nassfeld. The hotel´s own conference centre offers 6 seminar rooms with natural light and air condition. With your Carinzia event coordinator you profit from the professional know how for the organisation of your seminar and also your individual program during the free time. No matter if ski race, flying fox, your personally teambuilding program or a rustic cottage evening, with this program your stay will become an unforgettable experience

Contact Tröpolach 156 9631 Hermagor Austria www.falkensteiner.com/en/ hotel/carinzia

HOTEL KARNERHOF As a one of its kind conference location Hotel Karnerhof offers comfortable rooms, an exquisite Spa, reward-winning cuisine and unlimited outdoor possibilities. 4 conference rooms with daylight and electronic darkening accommodate up to 140 participants. The lakeside terrace can be accessed directly from all conference rooms. We offer personalized service from the time of booking to organizing all requests and demands on location.

Whether you are looking for a special dinner, a wedding location, transfers or outdoor activities, we will help you to organize your perfect event!

Contact Karnerhofweg 10 9580 Egg am Faaker See Austria www.karnerhof.com

Contact person: Ms. Julia Weber E: julia.weber@imlauer.com T: 0043662 88 978-808

Contact person: Mr. Thomas Stranner E: thomas.stranner@falkensteiner.com T: 0043 6649667137

Contact person: Ms. Sabrina Slamanig E: sabrina.slamanig@falkensteiner.com T: 0043 664625063

Contact person: Ms. Ursula Melcher E: ursula.melcher@karnerhof.com T: 0043676844218832

105

List of exhibitors by country

106

HOTEL NOCKRESORT Hotel NockResort is a 4-star alpine hotel in the south of Austria. In winter it is situated directly next to the slopes, whereas in summer the hotel is surrounded by a hiking and biking paradise. Besides an awarded kitchen, a generous spa area and a variety of leisure activities, the hotel offers conference facilities hosting more than 300 people and being equipped with modern technology. Furthermore, a special restaurant/bar/lounge venue is provided for exclusive dinner/evening/socialising events.

Contact Maibrunnenweg 27 9546 Bad Kleinkirchheim Austria www.nockresort.at

HOTEL NOVAPARK The Hotel Novapark is located in the North of Graz. Situated in a peaceful surrounding it offers relaxation and recreation for everybody. The centre of Graz as well as the main train station can be reached easily and the public transport station is just a few minutes away. About 300 parking lots are free of charge for hotel guests and for conference and spa guests.

The Hotel offers 20 conference rooms with a total surface of 1.400 m².

The size of each room can easily be adapted to the requested capacity.

All rooms offer day light and air-condition. 135 rooms are available for an overnight stay.

Contact Fischeraustrasse 22 8051 Graz Austria www.novapark.at

INT. EXHIBTION & CONVENTION CENTER SALZBURG - MESSEZENTRUM SALZBURG GMBH The Int. Exhibition and Convention Center Salzburg impresses with modern architecture, sophisticated infrastructure and state-of-the-art technology. Its 10 halls are laid out in a circle and together with the conference area and the Salzburgarena, they are available for all kinds of events offering ideal combination potential for exhibitions, congresses and events with up to 5.000 participants in an area of 39.170 sqm.

Contact Am Messezentrum 1 5020 Salzburg Austria www.messezentrum-salzburg.at

LINZ CITY TOURIST BOARD | DESIGN CENTER LINZ LINZ.CHANGES, - the motto of the European Capital of Culture echoes boldly throughout the city, creating an inspiring atmosphere that is ideal for conferences an conventions. Many event organizers know how to cleverly utilize this aura. Linz offers everyone a unique flair - exciting, alive and vibrant. Formerly known only as an industrial city, Linz has evolved into a successful and radiant cultural metropolis. Here, vigour, success and dynamism can be felt everywhere, reflected in Linzâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;z new urban architecture of steel, glass and luminous facades.

Contact Adalbert-Stifter-Platz 2 4020 Linz Austria www.linz.at/tagung

Contact person: Mr. Michael Sammer E: marketing@nockresort.at T: 00436602212008

Contact person: Ms. Sabine Schiffermayer E: schiffermayer@novapark.at T: 0043 316 682010-621

Contact person: Ms. Elisabeth Pfoess E: pfoess@messezentrum-salzburg.at T: 0043 6 6224040

Contact person: Ms. Luzia Bauer E: luzia.bauer@linztourismus.at T: 0043 732 7070 2924

List of exhibitors by country

MESSE CONGRESS GRAZ Flexible and multifunctional rooms with high-tech facilities are all benefits that ensure your event is a resounding success. And the congress centre team is here to do everything possible to make sure everything runs according plan. From the very first consultation meeting and tour of the facilities to the day of the event - we make sure every microphone is in the right place at the right time, and that you’re in good hands. You can rely on top quality advice and support! further information: www.mcg. at and see the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kbukc0_VZg

Contact Messeturm 1 8051 Graz Austria www.mcg.at

MICE & MORE WÖRTHERSEE MICE & more Wörthersee provides a FREE OF CHARGE service: Whether you are looking for a hotel accomodation for your group, an appropriate venue for your congress or business meeting, or an extraordinary location for an unforgettable incentive. MICE & more Wörthersee will support you in finding YOUR PERFECT location in the region of Lake Woerth (Carinthia, Southern Austria).

Contact Villacher Strasse 19 9220 Velden am Wörthersee Austria www.mice.woerthersee.com

Contact person: Mr. Stefan Ettl E: stefan.ettl@mcg.at T: 0043 316 8088245

Contact person: Ms. Petra Nestelbacher E: nestelbacher@woerthersee.com T: 0043 660 2828164

MONDIAL EVENTS & INCENTIVES At Mondial (www.mondial.at), five divisions are united under one roof: • Location Finder • Congress Management • Destination Management • Corporate Events & Incentives • Travel Management. Our clients benefit from specialist know-how and the complete range of services of a tourism company. Since its founding in 1966 in Baden - Lower Austria, Mondial has grown into the largest privately owned travel company in Austria, with numerous branch offices all across Europe. The family owning Mondial still acts in person to guarantee continuity, reliability and quality out of the HQ in Vienna.

Contact Operngasse 20b 1120 Vienna Austria www.location-finder.at/en

ROOMZ GRAZ roomz Graz is a Budget design Hotel , perfectly located directly oppisite the civic Center and Close to the City Center. We offer a perfect Price/ Performance Ratio in Graz, for our Business guests. the rooms are perfectly equipped with an inviting ambience, fresh design and carefully selected materials, as well as flat Screen tv, free wlan, air conditioning - just to mention few Details. Our conference facilities offers the ideal venue for seminars, conferences and other Events. Our a la carte Restaurant “Atelier” offers a great variety of styrian, austrian & international cuisine.

Contact Conrad von Hötzendorfstrasse 96 8051 Graz Austria www.roomz-graz.com

Contact person: Mr. Benjamin Codet E: codet@mondial.at T: 0043 6 76845880877

Contact person: Ms. Margret Prettenthaler E: margret.prettenthaler@roomz-graz.com T: 0043 664 825 7271

107

List of exhibitors by country

SAALFELDEN LEOGANG & CONGRESS SAALFELDEN Fascinating mountains â&#x20AC;&#x201C; inspiring events The chalky mountains of the Mitterpinzgau range in the Salzburg region form a fascinating and inspiring area. So inspiring that Saalfelden Leogang is becoming increasingly popular among the business community for hosting conferences, seminars and corporate events. Another reason is that the local tourist board, boasts extensive experience in the organisation of meetings, congresses, events and other corporate days â&#x20AC;&#x201C; not least due to the annual jazz festival. The Saalfelden Congress and four partner hotels offer ideal event locations for max. 900 pax.

108

Contact Stadtplatz 2 5760 Saalfelden Austria www.saalfelden-leogang.at Contact person: Mr. Alfred Wieland E: alfred.wieland@congress-saalfelden.at T: 0043 6582 76700

SALZBURG CONVENTION BUREAU & SALZBURG CONGRESS Salzburg boosts Alpine &amp; Urban contrasts between baroque fa&ccedil;ades, design architecture and snow covered peaks. Easy access with many direct flight connections and close proximity of venues safes time and money. The Salzburg Convention Bureau is your official and onestop-shop contact for any matters in Salzburg&rsquo;s meeting industry.

Salzburg Congress is a harmonious synthesis of appealing architecture, modern conference technology and historic surroundings. Over 1,200 beds in 4- and 5-star hotels within walking distance and the close proximity to the attractions make the location so unique.

Contact Auerspergstrasse 6 5020 Salzburg Austria www.salzburgcb.com

SEEPARK HOTEL CONGRESS AND SPA Located in the exquisitely beautiful lagoon on the shore of the lake Woerthersee, Seepark Hotel - Congress & Spa combines business and holiday life in the most fascinating way and offers hotel guests a perfect position between the city of Klagenfurt and the lake. Happy seminar customers are important to us. Yawn. You`ve heard it a thousand times. We`ll rather let the facts speak for us. Our 5 seminar rooms can host up to 200 attendants, further there is a 3000 sqm park outside (we rather regard it as a business playground) and our 142 rooms a perfectly suited for business customers. Welcome in the heart of Carinthia.

Contact Universitaetsstrasse 104 9020 Klagenfurt am Woerthersee Austria www.seeparkhotel.at

SONNENHOTEL HAFNERSEE Modern, bright and comfortable. Thats how you experience the 4* Sonnenhotel Hafnersee in the wonderful countryside of Carinthia. A Mediterranean lifestyle and the natural enviroment dispense the love of life and give your event something special. The Sonnenhotel Hafnersee is a suitable Partner for demanding meetings, seminars, workshops, presentations or company celebrations.

Contact person: Mr. Gernot Marx E: g.marx@salzburgcb.com T: 0043/662/88987271

Contact person: Ms. Karolin Struger E: karolin.struger@seeparkhotel.at T: 0043 463 204499710

Contact Plescherken 5 9074 Keutschach Austria www.sonnenresorts.at Contact person: Ms. Natalie Pomykala E: natalie.pomykala@sonnenresorts.at T: 0043 42 73/23 75 500

List of exhibitors by country

STEIERMARK CONVENTION “Steiermark Convention” is the central service agency within the provincial tourism organization “Steiermark Tourismus” for all questions regarding convention organization in Styria. “Steiermark Convention” supports all interested parties free of charge concerning the planning and organization of conventions, conferences, events and incentives. In addition to its function as a service agency, it is also the platform for international conferences and convention marketing.

Contact St.-Peter-Hauptstrasse 243 8042 Graz Austria www.steiermark-convention.com

TAUERN SPA Our 4-star-superior resort hotel contains meeting facilities for up to 240 people, comprising four conference rooms each with over 60m2 of floorspace, which can be combined as required. Every room boasts magnificent views of the Kitzsteinhorn mountain and provides plenty of space to focus and let the creative energies flow. Meanwhile, the two 31m2; break-out rooms are ideal for group work. All of the hotel event rooms are equipped with the latest conference technology, as well as wireless Internet access, full airconditioning and adjustable blinds.

Contact Tauern Spa Platz 1 5710 Kaprun Austria www.tauernspakaprun.com/de

VI HOTELS & RESORTS VI Hotels & Resorts (VI) is the largest Austrian hotel group abroad operating 38 hotels including 6.683 rooms & 254 meeting rooms with over 23,000 m² room for your congress, meeting, event or incentive. The hotels are located in 9 European countries: • Austria – Salzburg, Loipersdorf & Dornbirn • Czech Republic – Prague, Pilsen & Karlovy Var • Poland – Cracow, Katowice, Łódź & Miedzyzdroje • Russia – Ekaterinburg & Shelkovo • Slovakia - Bratislava • Croatia – Opatija & Mali Losinj • France - at Disneyland Paris • Romania – Bucharest • Germany – Berlin, Munich + 10 more destinations

Contact Dresdner Strasse 87 1200 Vienna Austria www.vi-hotels.com

WERZER´S HOTEL RESORT The three hotels Werzer’s Hotel Resort Pörtschach, Werzer’s Seehotel Wallerwirt and Werzer’s Hotel Velden stand out for their impeccable service, personal and intimate ambience and a stunning setting. Sheer business meetings bliss and pleasure go without saying in all three enchanting hotels on the shores of the picturesque lake Wörthersee. Find out more about the three Werzer Hotels directly on the lake Wörthersee, in Velden, Pörtschach or Techelsberg! You will be taken aback by your stay in the south of Austria - all over the year!

Contact Werzerpromenade 8 9210 Pörtschach Austria www.werzers.at

Contact person: Ms. Christina Eder E: christina.eder@steiermark-convention.com T: 0043 316 40030

Contact person: Ms. Petra Hofmann E: petra.hofmann@tauernspakaprun.com T: 0043 6547 2040 3133

Contact person: Mr. Tobias Bauer E: tobias.Bauer@vi-hotels.com T: 0043 664803737345

Contact person: Ms. Claudia Konic E: claudia.konic@gmail.com T: 0043 427222310

109

List of exhibitors by country

110

AZERBAIJAN CONVENTION BUREAU If you have never been to Azerbaijan - prepare to be astonished. Imagine yourself climbing a fortress tower so old that historians have lost track.

Stare out across an ancient citadel ringed by crenulated walls. Watch yachts bobbing across an azure vista of the fabled Caspian Sea. Observe a hectically mushrooming skyline sprouting fanciful 21st century architecture. Stroll back to a pampering at one of Baku’s gamut of dazzling new five star hotels or to a modest hospitable family pension in Baku’s medieval warren of old-city alleys. Welcome to the world`s new business destination!

Contact Ashiq Ali St.4A Shahar Baghlari B3 1072 Baku Azerbaijan www.azcb.com

HILTON SOFIA Set in the heart of Sofia and surrounded by the city’s South Park,Hilton Sofia offers contemporary accommodation in 245 rooms. Sofia Airport is just 25 minutes away, whilst the capital’s boutiques, restaurants, bars & commercial district are all within walking distance.Hilton Sofia offers modern, flexible meeting spaces, dedicated support and a full-service catering team. 6 multifunctional meeting rooms accommodate up to 50 guests– each features natural daylight & high speed internet access. The ballroom caters for up to 320 guests.

Contact 1 Bulgaria Blvd.

1421 Sofia Bulgaria www3.hilton.com/en/hotels/ bulgaria/hilton-sofia-SOFHIHI

CARNET DE VOYAGE - TAILORMADE CROATIA Carnet de Voyage is a team of experts who have spent years organising events, incentive and corporate hospitality programmes and luxury tailormade tours in Croatia. We are passionate about Croatia as rising star on event map of Europe and are always trying to find the right place for our clients to meet their expectations. Our goal is to develop and plan the incentive experience according to our clients expectations – be it a luxurious premium event, an outdoor and off-road adventure or an exclusive trip with insights into the traditions and culture of a country. The only limit is the budget.

Contact Petrinjska 38 10000 Zagreb Croatia www.carnetdevoyage.hr

CROATIAN NATIONAL TOURIST BOARD / CONVENTION BUREAU THE CROATIAN NATIONAL TOURIST BOARD (CNTB) is a national tourist organization founded with a view to promoting and creating the identity, and to enhance the reputation of, Croatian tourism. The mission also includes the planning and implementation of a common strategy and the conception of its promotion, proposal and the performance of promotional activities of mutual interest for all subjects in tourism in the country and abroad, as well as raising the overall quality of the whole range of tourist services on offer in the Republic of Croatia.

Contact Gosposvetska 2 1000 Ljubljana Croatia www.croatia.hr/en-GB

Contact person: Ms. Ayan Zeynalova E: ayan@azcb.com T: 0099 4 506220527

Contact person: Ms. Hristina Nedkova E: hristina.nedkova@hilton.com T: 00359 2 933 5021

Contact person: Ms. Katarina Maric E: katarina@carnetdevoyage.hr T: 00385 1 4839 453

Contact person: Mr. Goran Blažić E: goran.blazic@hts-slovenija.si T: 00386 1 2307400

List of exhibitors by country

DT CROATIA DT is a leading DMC and Professional Conference Organizer based in Croatia celebrating more than 15 years in the industry. Specialized in the organization and execution of meetings, incentives, exclusive groups, cruise charters, product launches and events. Offering assistance throughout the South East Europe region with our Croatian offices in Dubrovnik, Zagreb and Split; Sister Offices in Montenegro and Serbia and soon to be open Slovenia. DT promises to provide memorable, fairly priced, tailor-made solutions for your next event!

Learn more about DT at www.dt-croatia.com

Contact Obala Stjepana Radica 25 20000 Dubrovnik Croatia www.dt-croatia.com

DT SLOVENIA & CROATIA Slovenia – An Undiscovered Meeting & Event Gem Nestled In The Heart Of Europe Slovenia is a compact country ideally situated between Austria, Italy, Hungary and Croatia; Nestled between the Alps with their glacial valleys, rivers, and lakes, many forests, mysterious caves and the Adriatic Sea with its crystal clear blue waters. Its compact size and diversity make it an ideal meeting and event destination. DT Slovenia DMC, provides a wide variety of services in Slovenia: shore excursions; day trips; gala events; meetings and more activities discovering beauties of the country.

Contact Obala Stjepana Radica 25 20000 Dubrovnik Croatia www.dt-Slovenia.com

DUBROVNIK TOURIST BOARD CONVENTION BUREAU The Convention Bureau within the Dubrovnik Tourist Board was established aiming to assist the organisers of business meetings, congresses and incentives and facilitate the realisation of their projects. The bureau offers assistance and advice in the organisation of your gatherings and special events. It helps in the choice and booking of venues and locations, in the preparation of offers and in the organisation of inspection trips, and also provides free promotional materials on Dubrovnik.

Contact Brsalje 5 20000 Dubrovnik Croatia www.tzdubrovnik.hr

HILTON CROATIA CLUSTER Exclusive elegance of historical HILTON IMPERIAL DUBROVNIK, breathtaking beauty of this Pearl of Adriatic; city of culture, history and natural beauties. • Closest to historic city center • 147 guest rooms • 7 meeting rooms, to 250 guests • Mediterranean cuisine with contemporary twist • catering to Dubrovnik historic venues Award-winning DOUBLETREE BY HILTON ZAGREB ideally situated in the heart of Zagreb’s business district: • 2 kilometers from centre; 20 min. from Intl.Airport • 152 guest rooms • 6 meetingrooms, to 300 guests • Fitness center, pool, and panoramic sauna

Contact Ulica grada Vukovara 269a 10000 Zagreb Croatia www.zagreb.doubletree.com

Contact person: Ms. Alexandra Bozovic Marlais E: alexandra.bozovic. marlais@dt-croatia.com T: 00385 91 313 5570

Contact person: Ms. Karmen Kutnjak E: alex@dt-croatia.com T: 00385 20 313 555

Contact person: Ms. Romana Vlasic E: info@tzdubrovnik.hr T: 00385 2 0323725

Contact person: Ms. Nataša Langus E: natasa.langus@hilton.com T: 00385 99 2666420

111

List of exhibitors by country

112

HOTEL KATARINA Hotel Katarina is a modern decorated and highly equipped hotel with 181 accommodation units and 403 beds, 4 star hotel category hotel, located in Dugopolje close to the exit of the highway Zagreb - Split. Our elegant and multifunctional halls are ideal for your conferences, meetings and various events. Large NEWLY BUILT multi-purpose conference hall , 1.250 m2, is an architectural and infrastructure adapted to maintain three independent events simultaneously.This hall with a capacity of 1,200 seats in the theater set and 900 seats in banquet set, ideal for your conferences, seminars..

Contact Matice hrvatske 4 21204 Dugopolje - Split Croatia www.hotelkatarina.hr

HOTEL OSIJEK - CENTAR ŠKOJO D.O.O. Accomodation and organization of seminars, congresses and conferences with a high quality service.Congress halls are spread over 480 m² with the capacity for up to 450 people which makes them the biggest in this part of Croatia.Great conference hall can be divided into 5 smaller ones, which enables smaller and bigger meetings, but it can also sustain more simultaneous events. Hotel Osijek has 140 rooms and 7 apartments. According to their quality, all accommodation units are classified as Classic, Superior and Deluxe.

Contact Šamačka 4 31000 Osijek Croatia www.hotelosijek.hr

HOTEL RIXOS LIBERTAS Hotel Rixos Libertas is located in Dubrovnik, Croatia only a 15 minutes walk (1.6 km) from the historic Old Town and 24 km from the Dubrovnik International Airport. The hotel offers 254 rooms and suites contemporarily designed most of them with inspiring sea view. In addition, we offer 7 meeting rooms of different sizes with a main conference room for up to 1000 delegates.

Contact Liechtensteinov Put 3 20000 Dubrovnik Croatia www.rixos.com

HUP-ZAGREB INC - STARWOO3OTELS ZAGREB Starwood Hotels Zagreb/HUP-ZAGREB Inc. hotel management, catering and tourism has been founded during the fifties of the last century. Today, it is one of the most significant companies in Croatia. HUP-ZAGREB Inc. features more than 1,200 luxury rooms and suites to offer to the visitors of Zagreb. For the last 2 decades, HUP-ZAGREB Inc. has been successfully working with Starwood, intorducing an array of innovations and unique products to the domestic market. With the Sheraton and the Westin the high level standards and variety of offers have been introduced to the regional market.

Contact Trg Krešimira Ćosića 9 10000 Zagreb Croatia www.hupzagreb.com

Contact person: Ms. Matilda Kežić E: info@hotelkatarina.hr T: 00385/21 712-333

Contact person: Ms. Marina Zovkić E: marina.zovkic@hotelosijek.hr T: 00385 31 230342

Contact person: Ms. Laura Mandic E: laura.mandic@rixos.com T: 00385 20 200 129

Contact person: Mr. Mario Susak E: mario.susak@sheratonzagreb.com T: 00385 1 455 3535

List of exhibitors by country

IMPORTANNE HOTELS & RESORT The Importanne complex links 4 hotels: the Ariston Hotel 5*, the Neptun Hotel 4*, the Royal Palm 5*, Royal Princess Hotel 5* and the magnificent Villa Elita 5*. Situated on the Lapad peninsula, it boasts spacious and lavishly decorated rooms combined with the top quality service and friendly staff. The charm of our hotels can only compete with the spectacular views from the terraces of our two restaurants as well as a wide range of specialties and excellent selection of Croatian wines. Hotels are located only 24 kilometers from Dubrovnik Airport, and just 4 kilometers from the Old Town.

Contact Kardinala Stepinca 41 20000 Dubrovnik Croatia www.importanneresort.com Contact person: Ms. Debora Petrovic E: debora.petrovic@importanneresort.com T: 00385 91 4619 576t

INTOURS DMC CROATIA With local offices in Dubrovnik, Split and Ljubljana, Intours DMC offers corporations, agencies and associations extensive DMC expertise. The team of events specialists prides itself in designing impressive incentive and corporate meeting programs that meet the clientâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s objectives and deliver return on investment. With its in-depth knowledge, passion and experience, Intours DMC remains your trusted partner in organizing meetings and events in Croatia.

Contact BihaÄ?ka 2a 21000 Split Croatia www.intours-dmc.com

ISTRATURIST Istraturist is a Croatian company with 50 years tradition in rendering tourist services in hotels, apartment resorts and campsites. The recognisability and success of Istraturist are results of its long-standing orientation towards high quality tourism. Istraturist manages some of the best congress hotels in the region and offers a wide range of services and accomodation, for a complete and high quality MICE experience.

Melia Coral - a 5* Adults Only hotel Sol Garden Istra****- Bike and Activities hotel Sol Umag**** - Halal certified hotel

Contact Jadranska 66 52470 Umag Croatia www.istraturist.com

KEMPINSKI HOTEL ADRIATIC The Kempinski Hotel Adriatic is the first Croatian 5 star luxury seaside Golf &amp; Spa Resort. The hotel boasts 186 exclusively furnished rooms and suites, two gourmet restaurants, three bars, a 3000 sqm Spa with Gym, a Kempi Kids Club, a private chapel surrounded by a Mediterranean garden, a serviced beach, and various conference facilities as part of a separate conference centre directly overlooking the Adriatic Sea. The Golf Club Adriatic represents the first championship 18-hole golf course in the Istrian region.

Contact Alberi 300 a 52470 Umag Croatia www.kempinski.com/istria

Contact person: Mr. Ante Lacman E: ante@intours.hr T: 00385 21 486 549

Contact person: Ms. Natasa Kovacevic E: natasa.kovacevic@istraturist.hr T: 00385 719 104

Contact person: Ms. Jelena Krnic E: jelena.krnic@kempinski.com T: 00385 52 707 010

113

List of exhibitors by country

114

LAFODIA SEA RESORT**** Lafodia Sea Resort, situated on the peaceful, traffic-free island of Lopud, is a four star accomodation with 182 modern and stylishly-decorated rooms and suites which all boast fantastic sea views and offer a wide range of amenities. The Hotel includes a modern and fully equipped congress hall, swimming pools, outdoor whirlpools, a luxurious new Waterhill Spa, a variety of restaurants and bar lounges, a bakery & pastry shop and since has an travel agency,offers also boat tours, transfers and other services giving you the possibility to visit, navigate and explore the southern cost.

Contact Obala Ivana Kuljevana 51 20222 Lopud, Dubrovnik Croatia www.lafodiahotel.com

LE MERIDIEN LAV Le Meridien Lav is a five star hotel in Split that features 381 modern rooms, 9 of which are seaview suites. Located 25 km from Split International Airport (SPU), only 1 hour flying time from most European cities. Our Conference Centre boasts 2500m² on one level, hosting 850 guests in natural daylight, with panoramic sea views and latest technology. Enjoy convenient parking in a covered garage on two floors. Garage is monitored 24/7 an has space for 350 vehicles.

Contact Grljevačka 2a 21312 Podstrana Croatia www.lemeridienlavsplit.com

Contact person: Ms. Suncana Alunovic E: sales@lafodiahotel.com T: 00385 91 2759050

Contact person: Ms. Brankica Marić E: brankica.maric@lemeridien.com T: 00385 21 500 615

LOSINJ HOTELS & VILLAS BY JADRANKA HOTELI LTD LOŠINJ HOTELS & VILLAS is a hotel brand of Jadranka hotels, a member of one of the oldest Croatian tourist company - JADRANKA GROUP of Mali Lošinj. Relying on more than 60 years of tradition, it confirms its leading role in the development of its islands on daily basis: by expanding its offer, by the quality of its service, and constant investments. We operate 6 hotels, villas and apartments that can accommodate more than 3.500 guests. All of our properties are located by the sea surrounded by the green centuries-old pine-wood in the immediate vicinity of the sports facilities.

Contact Drazica 1 51550 Mali Losinj Croatia www.losinj-hotels.com

OLYMPIA VODICE D.D. - HOTEL OLYMPIA 215 rooms and 26 apartments.Business center with a computer and a souvenir shop with Croatian and foreign newspapers, basic hygienic necessities, sweet and salty snacks, cigarettes; exchange office, ATM. Olympia hall - 506 seats in theater format; for major conferences, congresses, banquets and concerts. Athens hall - 70 seats in theatre format; for lectures, presentations and formal meetings Artemis hall - 120 seats in theatre format; various combinations, using different layout of chairs and booths, making it adaptable to different numbers of participants.

Contact Ljudevita Gaja 6 22211 Vodice Croatia www.olympiavodice.hr

Contact person: Mr. MilanPejic E: milan.pejic@jadranka.hr T: 00385 99 706 49 36

Contact person: Ms. Katarina Pelajić E: prodaja@olympiavodice.hr T: 00385 0 22 452 484

List of exhibitors by country

PLAVA LAGUNA D.D. PLAVA LAGUNA - Laguna Poreč is one of the largest hotel companies in Croatia. Our 13 hotels have conference halls and meeting rooms which can accommodate 10 to 600 people, providing audiovisual and other equipment. Here you will find everything you need for a professional organization of business events while pleasant Mediterranean climate and natural environment will ensure you get the piece and comfort you need. A combination of the pleasant and the useful - this might just be the essence of our message for the organization of congresses, work meetings, sports events, gala dinners...

Contact RADE KONČARA 12 52440 Poreč Croatia www.lagunaporec.com

VELADRION RESORT Veladrion resort is positioned on northern Adriatic coast of Croatia. Just an hour and half from Zagreb, Pula, Zadar airport and 45 minutes from Rijeka airport. Private transfer can be arranged from every airport. The resort consists of two hotels and two villas. Hotel Vila Velebita 4* is the largest hotel with 17 deluxe rooms and a multifunctional meeting room for 45 guests. Hotel Almaris 4* is the second hotel with 10 deluxe rooms and a meeting room for 24 guests. Villa Gacka 4* has 3 apartments and a multifunctional meeting room for 80 guests. Villa Degenija 3* has 3 superior rooMs.

Contact Žrnovnica bb 53285 Sveti Juraj Croatia www.veladrion.hr/en

ZAGREB CONVENTION BUREAU Zagreb Convention Bureau is a non profit organization promoting Zagreb as an ideal destination for city breaks, leisure and business travelers. Our members are subjects of Zagreb travel and meetings industry ranging from hotels, PCOs/DMCs, to historical venues, incentive facilities. Our goal is constant improvement of Zagreb meetings industry which results in growing number of international meetings and events taking place in Zagreb.

Our free services: • venue finding • bid documents preparation • hosting fam trips/site inspections • PCO/DMC suggestions • promo kit

Contact Kaptol 5 10000 Zagreb Croatia www.zagreb-convention.hr

THESSALONIKI CONVENTION BUREAU Thessaloniki Convention Bureau - TCB, is a newly founded non - profit organization set up by the Metropolitan Developing Agency of Thessaloniki S.A. in association with a group of public and private companies. The aim of the bureau is to promote Thessaloniki as an appropriate destination for the national and international MICE industry.

Contact 154 Egnatias Street (TIF HELEXPO) 54636 Thessaloniki Greece

Contact person: Ms. Iva Baldaš Pucko E: iva@plavalaguna.hr T: 00385 52 410222

Contact person: Mr. Alan Račić E: alan.racic@veladrion.hr T: 00385 1 20 30 210

Contact person: Mr. Zlatan Muftic E: zmuftic@zagreb-convention.hr T: 00385 1 48 98 500

www.thessalonikiconventionbureau.gr Contact person: Ms. Efi Koudeli E: welcome@thessalonikiconventionbureau.gr T: 0030 2313 053355

115

List of exhibitors by country

116

DANUBIUS HOTELS GROUP Largest hotel group in Hungary and one of the leading regional hotel companies in Europe with over 40 comfortable spa&wellness, city&business and resort hotels and excellent meeting&conference facilities in Hungary (Budapest and country side), Czech Republic (Marienbad), Slovakia (Piestany&Smrdaky), Romania (Sovata/Transylvania) and United Kingdom (London).

Contact Szent István tér 11.

1051 Budapest Hungary www.danubiushotels.com

HUNGARIAN CONVENTION BUREAU The Hungarian Convention Bureau – HCB – has been established to help meeting planners from all over the world to get acquainted with Hungary and its conference and incentive facilities, to provide assistance in finding local partners and staging really memorable events. The Hungarian Convention Bureau – a not-for-profit organisation – has been working as a department of the Hungarian National Tourist Office since the 1st of January 2000. Its aim is to assist meetings and convention industry professionals planning events in our country by providing free information, promotional materials and valuable contacts through its network of the best conference hotels and convention, exhibition and special events’ venues.

Contact Kacsa u. 15-23., 4th floor 1115 Budapest Hungary www.hcb.hu

SPIRIT HOTEL THERMAL SPA*****SUPERIOR The Spirit Hotel ***** in Sárvár- the five-star-hotel of Hungary- lies on the shores to the seven lakes, approx. 120 km from Vienna. One of the unique spa hotels in Europe, offering 271 in boutique style furnished hotel rooms and suites, fit to the demands of international five star guests. There is an outstanding spa and relaxation area offers more than 10.000 m² with 22 pools and a large health, beauty and medical spa centre..The modern conference and event centre (740 m²)-can be devided into 6 section roomwith a pool view, fit up to 500 visitors, are perfect venue for any event.

Contact Vadkert krt.5.

9600 Sárvár Hungary www.spirithotel.hu

TOUR EAST TOUR HUNGARY LTD Tour East Tour Budapest -since 1992- is one of Hungary’s leading Incoming Tour Operators and Destination Management companies, handling group, incentive, and corporate meeting programs for a wide range of travel trade clients around the world. Based on our long term, reliable contacts to the providers, the scale of services is wide and individual. The creative team of Tour East Tour will present you HUNGARY as a new and exciting destination.

Contact Király utca 51.

1077 Budapest Hungary www.traveltohungary.eu

Contact person: Ms. Zsofia Somogyi E: zsofia.somogyi@danubiushotels.com T: 0036 1 889 4156

Contact person: Ms. Júlia Csesznok E: csesznok.Julia@gotohungary.com T: 0036 1 4888644

Contact person: Ms. Krisztina Kovács E: salesdirector@spirithotel.hu T: 0036 95 889 500

Contact person: Ms. Ágnes Drégely E: dregely.agnes@toureasttour.hu T: 00361 34 34 851

List of exhibitors by country

AGENZIA TURISMOFVG Almost numberless possibilities, created by means of a modular offer which meets everyone’s needs. In Friuli Venezia Giulia you will find what is necessary for the success of your initiatives. High-level venues all over the regional territory can host conferences, meetings, workshops and incentives attended by different kinds of participants. Design, functional places with state-of-the-art conference technology and the staff’s high professionalism guarantee the success of any event. Excellent spaces in more than 50 hotels and many historical venues, which offer the highest comfort for special

Contact Via Carso, 3 33052 Cervignano del Friuli Italy www.turismofvg.it

EASTWEST VOYAGE EASTWEST VOYAGE provides complete organization of seminars, workshops, round tables, conferences and congresses, including: hotel and restaurant reservations,providing certain space or room for work, presentation, all types of cocktail parties, the provision of highly professional and qualified conference interpreters, simultaneous and consecutive interpreting, printing and supply of all types of materials including conference folders, notepads, pens, photocopying materials, preparation of badges;rent-a-car /boat services;guided tours, organizing hiking/trekking tours active vacations…

Contact Pilota Cvetkovica i Milojevica 14 81000 Podgorica Montenegro

HOTEL PODGORICA – NORMAL TOURS Hotel Podgorica offers 44 rooms and suites, equipped according to the high standards, specialized in sports, business and MICE tourism. It was built in 1967 on the bank of river Moraca. The greatest uniqueness is that the river stone is carved into the exterior walls of the hotel. It disposes of conference rooms ideal for meetings, conferences and other events, while the aperitif bar is one of the popular venue of business people. The hotel’s restaurant „Three centuries“ with the terrace overlooking the river is the place where you can taste traditional and international specialties, and sushi.

Contact Svetlane Kane Radevic Podgorica Montenegro www.hotelpodgorica.co.me

MONTENEGRO STARS HOTEL GROUP The Montenegro Stars Hotel Group, founded in 2003, is a hotel management company that owns and operates three hotels in Montenegro, on the Budva Riviera. Our properties include: Splendid Conference and SPA Resort 5* - the most well-known hotel on the Budva Riviera and within 600 km around, Montenegro Beach Resort 4* - a comfortable hotel in Bečići, famous for being a great place for family vacations and Blue Star Hotel 4* - a modern hotel in Budva city center, designed for short-stay travelers and businessmen.

Contact Becici BB 85310 Budva Montenegro www.montenegrostars.com

Contact person: Ms. Brenda Lee Fabbro E: brenda.fabbro@turismo.fvg.it T: 0039 0431 387122

Contact person: Ms. Zorka Raicevic

Contact person: Ms. Nevenka Lekić E: hotelpodgorica@t-com.me T: +382 20 402 500

Contact person: Ms. Andrija Pesic E: events@montenegrostars.com T: 00382 33 773 444

117

List of exhibitors by country

REGENT PORTO MONTENEGRO Regent Porto Montenegro offers a choice of 51 rooms and 35 residences, providing sophisticated, contemporary living spaces notable for their multifunctional design. All rooms are designed to bring about the feeling as if guests are staying on a luxury ship – tribute to the hotel`s location in the heart of the luxury Porto Montenegro yacht marina.

Contact Obala bb, Porto Montenegro Village 85320 Tivat Montenegro www.regenthotels.com/en Porto-Montenegro Contact person: Ms. Marija Delibasic E: marija.delibasic@regenthotels.com T: 00382 32 660 660

118

TALAS-M DMC Talas-M DMC is specialised in organising incentives, corporate events, conventions and team-building activities. We offer complete programmes and on-site management services in Montenegro. An exploring spirit will lead you to Montenegro, the pearl of the Balkans in Europe, where the Adriatic sea meets high mountain tops, crystal lakes and exciting canyons.

In our beautiful country, where a treasury of secrets lie, you will see Montenegro in a completely different way than the others – because we know places that hide real surprises.

Contact Zrtava Fasizma 22 85310 Budva Montenegro www.talas-montenegro.com

THE TOURISM ORGANISATION OF BUDVA The Tourism Organisation of Budva creates and promotes the identity of Budva and enhances the reputation of Budva’s and Montenegrin tourism.

We are responsible for marketing and promotion of Budva’s tourism product in Montenegro and abroad. Through our global reach and organisation of various cultural, entertainment and sporting events we aim to attract more potential visitors in our destination, raise the overall quality of the whole range of tourism services, improve Budva’s ranking in the eyes of international visitors.

Contact Mediteranska 8/6 85310 Budva Montenegro www.budva.travel

QATAR AIRWAYS Qatar Airways, World’s 5-star Airline, has rapidly expanded into the MICE business. Promoting exciting corporate business tourism year round, the airline is capitalizing on the burgeoning hospitality business in the State of Qatar, encouraging Meeting & Incentive planners, Conference and Exhibition organizers, to extend their business opportunities to Qatar, and any other of more than 140 destinations within the airline’s rapidly growing network.

Contact P.O.Box 22550 22550 Doha Qatar www.qatarairways.com

Contact person: Ms. Nadezda Dajkovic E: nadezda@talas-montenegro.com T: 00382 69 12 90 90

Contact person: Ms. Jelena Gluscevic E: jelenag@budva.travel T: 00382 3 3402814

Contact person: Mr. Alen Mlekuz E: amlekuz@qatarairways.com.qa T: +974-33685340

List of exhibitors by country

ATHENEE PALACE HILTON BUCHAREST A lovingly restored belle ĂŠpoque, up-town property, situated within easy reach of government offices, embassies, and banks. Main city attractions are all around, while the airport is 20 minutes away. Built in 1914 and situated within the heart of the city this Bucharest hotel provides spectacular views of Revolution Square. 272 spacious bedrooms, including 60 luxurious suites, executive floor and lounge. The recently refurbished conference centre boasts 10 meeting rooms for up to 60 guests (up to 200 combined) and 2 ballrooms including the national heritage monument Le Diplomate Ballroom.

Contact 1-3 Episcopiei str 10292 Bucharest Romania www.bucharest.hilton.com Contact person: Mr. Konstantin Yonchev E: konstantin.yonchev@hilton.com T: 0040 731 305724

NATIONAL TOURIST AUTHORITY OF ROMANIA The National Tourism Authority implements national tourism development strategy, tourism product development strategy and tourism destinations. It´s the national body for tourism information and worldwide marketing and promoting activities of the destination Romania.

The National Tourism Authority is facilitating contacts and cooperation between Romanian organizations and international business companies.

Contact Bd. Dinicu Golescu 38 Bucuresti Romania www.romania.travel

S.C. PALOMATOURS S.R.L Paloma Tours is a well - established Romanian Business Travel Company with over 20 years of experience in the market. As a customer oriented PCO (Professional Congress Organizer) & MICE Company (Meetings, Incentives, Conference & Events), we are specialized in offering, worldwide, completely customized business travel solutions as well as logistical and operational assistance in the delivery of congresses, designed to meet the most demanding expectations, in a cost effective way.

Contact 60 Vasile Lucaciu Street 30695 Bucharest Romania www.palomatours.com

ULTRAMARIN DMC We are the exclusive partners of Ovation global DMC in Romania. http:// ovationdmc.com/country/romania/ ULTRAMARIN is an independent DMC specialised in incentives, meetings and conferences.

We are working on the Romanian market for 13 years.

Our Vision is to centre our services around our clients and our staff to provide excellence in our tailored made services.

Contact person: Mr. Simion Giurca E: rumaenien@aon.at T: 0043 1 317 31 351

Contact person: Ms. Claudia Badiu E: claudia.badiu@palomatours.com T: 0040 7 44549746

Contact Str. N. Paulescu, Nr.2 Timisoara Romania www.ultramarintm.ro Contact person: Ms. Gabriela Petcana E: andrei@ultramarintm.ro T: 0040 7 22467192

119

List of exhibitors by country

120

MOSCOW CONVENTION BUREAU The Moscow Convention Bureau is the city’s official representative in the international meetings’ industry. Accumulating information on Moscow’s convention and exhibition opportunities, we promote the Russian capital as a prominent international meetings’ destination and attract important and promising events.

Legal organizational form: Autonomous, non-commercial organization Established by Moscow City Government represented by the Department of Science, Industrial Policy and Entrepreneurship

Contact 5, Maliy Golovin lane 107045 Moscow Russian Federation www.moscowcvb.org

BELGRADE CONVENTION BUREAU The Belgrade Convention Bureau (BCB) is a department of the Tourism Organisation of Belgrade. As such, it is a non-commercial entity that markets Belgrade as an international meetings destination and provides assistance to organizations who are bidding for, or organizing, congresses, corporate meetings, incentive groups or exhibitions. All of Belgrade’s leading hotels, venues and meetings supplier businesses are partners to the BCB. As a result, Belgrade Convention Bureau can help meeting planners to access a broad choice of the best meetings products and services available.

Contact Masarikova 5/9 11000 Belgrade Serbia www.tob.rs

CROWNE PLAZA BELGRADE The Crowne Plaza Belgrade is located in the central business district of New Belgrade.Only 13 km from the Belgrade Airport Nikola Tesla and only 5 minutes drive away from the city centre.Hotel offers 416 guest rooms and free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel. Crowne Plaza is the ideal venue for convention guests, as the hotel connects directly into Sava Centre, the biggest convention centre in Belgrade.With 12 distinct function rooms, a total of 1.300 sqm/14.000 sqft flexible meeting space, the hotel has the largest event capacity in Serbia for important corporate functions or memorable social events

Contact Vladimira Popovica 10 11000 Belgrade Serbia www.ihg.com/crowneplaza/hotels/us/en/belgrade/ begcp/hoteldetail

DMC VEKOL DOO DMC Vekol is the leading destination management and special event service provider in Serbia. Our experience at local market starts at 1998.

That makes us different. With real knowledge of destination we are offering new ideas and the best of the event planning and management resources all under one roof, giving us the ability to develop and produce flawless, cost effective meetings and events every time as well as conference services in Serbia. Whether you need a special event, meeting, incentive or team building scenarios, let our expert team of professionals plan the perfect program

Contact Vuka Karadzica 6/IV 11000 Belgrade Serbia www.vekoldmc.com

Contact person: Mr. Julie Troyanova E: yulia.troyanova@moscowcvb.org T: 00898 5 3836035

Contact person: Ms. Dragana Babovic E: dbabovic@tob.co.rs T: 00381 1 13061400

Contact person: Ms. Ivana Sajkovic E: ivana.sajkovic@ihg.com T: 00381 64 810 40 54

Contact person: Mr. Dejan Bogdanov E: dejan.bogdanov@vekoldmc.com T: 00381 11 3282 689

List of exhibitors by country

MK MOUNTAIN RESORT KOPAONIK MK Mountain Resort is located in Kopaonik, the most prestigious ski resort in Serbia and one of the most popular in the region. The resort features of Grand Resort Hotel & Spa ****, Family Hotel Angella **** and Apartments Konaci****. All hotels are located in the very heart of the tourist center, and the National Park, at 1770 m above sea level. MK Mountain Resort is open since 2008 as a part of MK group company, one of the most successful business systems in Serbia, which comprises more than 35 connected companies which operate in the country and abroad.

Contact Bul.Despota Stefana 101, lokal1 11000 Belgrade Serbia www.mkresort.com

RADISSON BLU OLD MILL HOTEL, BELGRADE Radisson Blu Old Mill Hotel, Belgrade enjoys a prime city location. It is located next to the Belgrade Fair and above one of the city’s most important thoroughfares,offering excellent access to the traditional “Old Belgrade” neighbourhood as well as to the “New Belgrade” business district. Hotel features 236 contemporary rooms and 14 impressive suites with thoughtful amenities like selected furnishings, Free high-speed, Wireless Internet access, individual climate control, and coffee machine.

Property also comprise a restaurant and bar,500 square meters of meeting space, wellness, and parking.

Contact Bulevar Vojvode Misica 15 11000 Belgrade Serbia www.radissonblu.com/ hotel-belgrade

SERBIA CONVENTION BUREAU Let us introduce Serbia, major economic hub in SE Europe, in Top50 World MICE destinations: • Unmatched flight connections • Main conference facilities • Diversity of new hotels • Variety of special venues • Excellent value for money • History of successful events Spectacular incentive & team building programs: • Belgrade - the New Capital of Cool! • Danube - The Iron Gate spectacular river gorge • Numerous archaeological sites, medieval fortresses & monasteries • Luxurious train rides • Serbian gastronomy & wine tasting • Locals` unrivaled hospitality and generousness

Contact Cika Ljubina 8 11000 Belgrade Serbia www.scb.travel

SUBOTICA / LAKE PALIĆ DESTINATION Just between Budapest &amp; Belgrade, Subotica/Lake Palic offers you charming atmosphere of buildings in the art nouveau style and pristine nature of largest and most beautiful lake in Vojvodina. Originally a spa in the mid 19thcentury, destination became a popular health &amp; vacation resort for the affluent citizens of the region. Cute and convenient with all hotels and venues located very close to each other, multi-ethnic city of Subotica is teeming with culture and offers a plethora of activities for visitors like sailing, carriage/horseback riding and wine tasting.

Contact Trg slobode 1 24000 Subotica Serbia www.meetinsubotica.rs

Contact person: Ms. Jasna Radoja E: jasna.radoja@mkresort.com T: 00381 1 16557590

Contact person: Ms. Ksenija Lubarda E: ksenija.lubarda@radissonblu.com T: 00381 11 6357357

Contact person: Mr. Mladan Miskeljin E: scb@serbia.travel T: 00381 1 16557101

Contact person: Ms. Branka Banjanin E: branka.banjanin@visitsubotica.rs T: 00381 64 64 64 212

121

List of exhibitors by country

122

TALAS- S DMC The DMC Company Talas-Serbia is one of the leading Destination Management Companies in Serbia. We specialize in organization of congresses, meetings, incentives, team building and other events of any size.

We deliver a full range of services to our clients, always trying to bring the best innovative ideas. We cover every aspect of the program development and execution from the earliest planning stages through to the final day of the event. Intimate knowledge of the country and region together with personal attention result an impeccable service. Our professional team provide sensitive budget

Contact Kralja Milana 10 11000 Belgrade Serbia www.talas-serbia.com

BRATISLAVA TOURIST BOARD Bratislava Tourist Board is an umbrella organization of tourism in our city.

One of its sections is the MICE Section (Bratislava Convention Bureau), which will happily provide information about local quality suppliers, hotels, venues and destination management companies.

Contact Primacialne namestie 1 82102 Bratislava Slovakia www.bratislavaconventionbureau.com

Contact person: Mr. Aleksandar Jovanovic E: mice@talas-serbia.com T: 00382 69 12 90 90

Contact person: Ms. Agata Mikulova E: mikulova@bratislava.sk T: 00421 907980927

ENJOY SLOVAKIA DMC ENJOY SLOVAKIA DMC is the leading Bratislava-based Destination Management Company that ensures satisfaction to you and your customers. We are a creative local Slovakia specialist whose enthusiastic and professional team seeks solutions tailored to meet the demands of our clients. Our inventive, high-value products, organized with attention to detail, are the key to our success. We present a wide range of opportunities for meetings and incentive groups, centered in two major geographic hubs: Bratislava, and the Tatra Mountains.

ENJOY SLOVAKIA DMC is Ovation Strategic Partner for Slovakia

Contact Kollarova 16 90201 Pezinok (Bratislava Region) Slovakia www.enjoyslovakia.com

SLOVAK CONVENTION BUREAU / SLOVAK TOURIST BOARD Slovak Convention Bureau is your partner and one stop shop for any and all meetings, incentives, conventions and events you plan to hold in Slovakia. The main goal of SCB is to actively promote Slovakia and its congress potential thus ensuring a growth of events in the specific regions of Slovakia, supporting tourism in regions and supporting promotion of individual member subjects. Slovak Convention Bureau is part of Slovak Tourist Board, the official tourist board of Slovakia.

Contact Dr.Vl.Clementisa 10 82102 Bratislava Slovakia www.slovakconvention.sk

Contact person: Mr. Maros Borsky E: incentives@enjoyslovakia.com T: 00421 33 6409026

Contact person: Mr. Robert Vincze E: vincze@sacr.sk T: 0042 1 918336259

List of exhibitors by country

SLOVAK CONVENTION BUREAU / SLOVAK TOURIST BOARD Slovak Convention Bureau is your partner and one stop shop for any and all meetings, incentives, conventions and events you plan to hold in Slovakia. The main goal of SCB is to actively promote Slovakia and its congress potential thus ensuring a growth of events in the specific regions of Slovakia, supporting tourism in regions and supporting promotion of individual member subjects. Slovak Convention Bureau is part of Slovak Tourist Board, the official tourist board of Slovakia.

Contact Dr.Vl.Clementisa 10 82102 Bratislava Slovakia www.slovakconvention.sk

ABC TOURISM, EUROPCAR SLOVENIA ABC tourism DMC is specialized for services to incoming tourists in Slovenia and adjacent countries.

We provide: • Rent a car and Transfers services • Organization of Bussiness events (conferences, seminars, meetings, incentive trips, team buildings..) • Railway adventures (steam train rides and rides with regular trains) • Farm and Countryside Holidays • Organization of Tours and Short Breaks with emphasis on local characteristics

Contact Celovška cesta 268 1000 Ljubljana Slovenia www.abc-tourism.si www.europcar.si

ADRIA AIRWAYS Adria Airways boasts more than fifty years of experience in charter and scheduled services. We connect Slovenia to numerous European cities, and we offer excellent connections to Southeast Europe. As a Star Alliance member, we provide access to a global network of flights to 193 countries. Our registered office is Jože Pučnik Airport in Ljubljana, and we have offices in Brussels, Frankfurt, Moscow and Zurich, and sales offices in almost all European countries. We have 170 scheduled flights from Ljubljana a week, while most of our charter flights connect Slovenia to holiday destinations.

Contact Zgornji Brnik 130h 4210 Brnik Slovenia www.adria.si

ADRIA POTOVANJA D.O.O. - CARLSONWAGONLIT TRAVEL CWT company mission: CWT delivers efficient and innovative solutions for business travel and meetings and events management, by leveraging our global reach with the best people and superior service. The company also provides best-in-class service and assistance to travelers.

Contact Jalnova 70 1000 Ljubljana Slovenia www.carlsonwagonlit.si

Contact person: Ms. Alžbeta Ulická E: ulicka@sacr.sk T: 00421 918336213

Contact person: Ms. Ajda Perko E: ajda.perko@europcar.si T: 00386 59 070 510

Contact person: Mr. Tomaž Tolar E: tomaz.tolar@adria.si T: 00386 4 2594543

Contact person: Ms. Ana Raunig E: ana@carlsonwagonlit.si T: 00 386 1 4744 161

123

List of exhibitors by country

124

AUSTRIA TREND HOTEL LJUBLJANA Our 214 rooms await you with understated, elegant design and offer every conceivable comfort. For our guests, who stay in our Executive room or in a Prestige or Presidential suite, we offer a free shuttle service to the Ljubljana city centre and complimentary access to the “Sense Wellness Club”. At the Hotel Ljubljana we offer eight extraordinary conference rooms on a total area of 830 m², suitable for any kind of event ranging from smaller meetings, over conferences with up to 600 guests.

Contact Dunajska 154 1000 Ljubljana Slovenia www.austria-trend.at/ hotel-ljubljana

BERNARDIN GROUP Bernardin Group Resort & Hotels provides a complete range of services for those wishing a perfect combination - to enjoy business and feel pleasure at the top of the Adriatic Sea. Bernardin Group offers accommodation in 3 categories and apartments, convention centre which houses 19 multi-purpose halls, casino and wellness centres. Promoting Istria and the Slovene Riviera under the newly established brand Enjoy Local, the Bernardin Group ensures the supply of services of the highest quality.

Contact Obala 2 6320 Portoroz Slovenia www.bernardingroup.si/mice

BEST WESTERN PREMIER HOTEL SLON The Best Western Premier Hotel Slon is situated in the very heart of the Ljubljana city centre. The modern 4-star superior hotel offers 168 comfortable and well-appointed rooms with all modern facilities and amenities.

The CONVENTION CENTER is located on the 1st floor and comprises 5 multifunctional conference rooms, all with natural daylight, air-conditioning and parquet (wooden) flooring. They are also partitionable and therefore suitable for various meetings and events with sizes ranging

Contact Slovenska cesta 34 1000 Ljubljana Slovenia www.hotelslon.com

BLED CASTLE BLED CASTLE, one of the oldest and most visited castle in Slovenia (more than 300.000 visitors in 2014), perched atop a steep cliff rising 130 metres above the glacial Lake Bled. Bled Castle offers two courtyards for outdoor receptions, restaurant, coffee shop, museum, wine cellar, printing works and castle forge.

BLED CONVENTION CENTER, situated on the lake shore and within easy walking distance of all major hotels, the center seating 512 is ideally located for all types of top-level corporate and entertainment events. It offers 3 smaller halls for work in sections and exhibition hall.

Contact Cesta svobode 11 4260 Bled Slovenia www.bled-castle.si

Contact person: Ms. Sanja Tesanovic E: sanja.tesanovic@austria-trend.at T: 00386 51 681 263

Contact person: Ms. Mojca Gobina E: mojca.gobina@bernardingroup.si T: 00386 5 6907302

Contact person: Ms. Helena Kotolenko E: helena.kotolenko@hotelslon.com T: 00386 1 4701 156

Contact person: Ms. Špela Repnik E: spela.repnik@zkbled.si T: 00386 4 5729 779

List of exhibitors by country

BLED CONVENTION BUREAU Its main tasks include the marketing and promotion of Bled as an inspiring and refreshing destination for medium-sized corporate, governmental and association meetings, larger international sports events and incentive travel. Furthermore, it acts as a source of objective information on meeting,venues and service providers in Bled, supporting planners in the selection of the most suitable partners, as well as assisting them with expert advice and material.

Contact Cesta svobode 11 4260 Bled Slovenia www.bled.si/en/meetings

BLED TOURS TRAVEL AGENCY Bled Tours is privately owned travel agency with long-time experience in tourism.

For groups and individual guests we provide Vip & TAXI transportation, shuttles, excursions, guiding service, sport activities with our own cars, minivans and buses. We are specialists for different events (weddings, proms, concerts), congresses and conferences organized with personal approach and 24 hours support. We offer diverse accommodation in hotels, pensions, private apartments, holiday houses. Bled Tours agency is therefore the synonym for reliable and high quality service with excellent reference.

Contact Ljubljanska cesta 19 4260 Bled Slovenia www.bledtours.si www.bled-taxi.com

BLUE BLUE is a one-stop shop for your boutique meetings in South East Europe.

BLUE offers complete support for any kind of incentives, events and meetings.

Contact Stihova 4 1000 Ljubljana Slovenia www.meet-blue.com

Contact person: Ms. Lili Ošterbenk Janša E: lili.osterbenk@dzt.bled.si T: 00386 4 5780 500

Contact person: Ms. Cvetka Ulcar Jug E: info@bledtours.si T: 00386 31 321 100

Contact person: Mr. Marko Zidar E: marko.zidar@blue-red.si T: 00386 1 430 51 03

BOHINJ PARK ECO HOTEL In the heart of Alps you will find Slovenia’s premier 5star ECO retreat with 102 rooms, 7 conference rooms, cinema, bowling and wellness. The hotel was built in 2009 with highest awareness of the environment and is, at the moment, one of the most advanced and energy efficient hotels in CEE. In 2010 it has also been certified by Green Globe sustainability organisation. Our efforts target all areas of sustainability: energy-water-waste consumption and re-use, working with locals, promoting local culture, heritage, landscape. Welcome to the green and active destination only 50km from the airport.

Contact Triglavska cesta 17 4264 Bohinjska Bistrica Slovenia www.2864.si Contact person: Ms. Nataša Andlovec E: natasa.andlovec@2864.si T: 00386 51 828288

125

List of exhibitors by country

126

BRDO ESTATE The Brdo Estate is an enchanting combination of picturesque nature and local aristocratic history. It is located in the heart of Slovenia, a boutique country of great contrasts & one of Europes prettiest jewels. The destination is a great opportunity for MICE business and is distinguished by its closeness to the Slovenian capital city of Ljubljana, and several nearby international airports. The venue also offers the MICE sector a distinctive advantage of elegantly designed venues for a range of functions. Brdo also offers its services in nearby Strmol Castle and the four star hotel Vila Bled.

Contact Predoslje 39 4000 Kranj Slovenia www.brdo.si

CD CONGRESS CENTRE LJUBLJANA The largest convention centre in Slovenia, CD is a world-class venue with a vast array of auditoria, halls and meeting rooms, making it suitable for a diverse range of events, from conferences, trade fairs, congresses and seminars to smaller corporate or private gatherings. CD is situated in the heart of Ljubljana, Slovenia’s capital, only 21 km from the airport. It offers: 22 halls of varying sizes (the main plenary room with a capacity of up to 2,000 seats) with 4,000 m2 of exhibition space. All halls feature stateof-the-art technequipment. CD is a proud member of ICCA and IAPCO.

Contact Prešernova 10 1000 Ljubljana Slovenia www.cd-cc.si/congress

DMO SOČA VALLEY Soča Valley is an outstanding outdoor destination, famous for the emerald Soča river and known for its natural beauties (Triglav National Park), historical role (World War I.) and excellent restaurants.

We provide: - all necessary informations of the destination; - assists you in finding the ideal location for your event; - connects you with the most suitable partners; - organize meeting venues; - forwards your requests to providers.

Contact Petra Skalarja 4 5220 Tolmin Slovenia www.dolina-soce.com

FOUR POINTS BY SHERATON LJUBLJANA MONS Starwood’s Four Points by Sheraton brand’s “best for business” approach provides travellers with everything that matters the most - timeless design, uncomplicated comfort and a genuine and friendly approach to hospitality and service. Four Points by Sheraton Ljubljana Mons has a convenient location 10 minutes from the city centre and 15 minutes from the international airport, and boasts great woodland surroundings.

Contact Pot za Brdom 4 1000 Ljubljana Slovenia www.fourpointsljubljanamons.com

Contact person: Ms. Darja Remic E: darja.remic@brdo.si T: 00386 4 2601780

Contact person: Ms. Maja Vidergar E: maja.vidergar@cd-cc.si T: 00386 41 320 258

Contact person: Ms. Tatjana Humar E: tatjana.humar@lto-sotocje.si T: 00386 31 658 303

Contact person: Ms. Tina Bricelj T: tina.bricelj@fourpointsljubljana.com E: 00386 31 666720

List of exhibitors by country

GO.MICE / TOLERANCA MARKETING GO.MICE is a Professional Congress Organizer, active in the region of South-East Europe. Its team of event managers contributes creative ideas on how to enrich the contents of each event and to generate even greater return on investment. Go.Mice can take over the organization of the complete event from the bidding, start-up strategy to the on-site execution. Special attention is being paid to sustainable management of events.

Go.Mice is proud to have developed the concept of Conventa trade show together with Slovenian Convention Bureau!

Contact Stihova 4 1000 Ljubljana Slovenia www.go-mice.eu

GOOPTI GoOpti is the first LOW-COST ground transportation company. Inspired by low-cost airlines we try to offer the lowest price for reliable transportation services with possible extra payments for greater comfort. GoOpti takes care everyone can easily and for low cost reach main Slovenian destinations (Ljubljana, Maribor, Slovenian Coast) from nearby airports (Venice, Trieste, Milan, Bologna, Zagreb, Graz, Vienna, Salzburg, Munich,...). GoOpti transfers are appropriate for individual and business passengers and also for other closed groups. We also organize transfers for Meetings & Events.

Contact Tehnološki Park 18 1000 Ljubljana Slovenia www.goopti.com

GR - LJUBLJANA EXHIBITION AND CONVENTION CENTRE GR – Ljubljana Exhibition and Convention Centre is the leading events centre in Slovenia comprising 20 multifunctional halls that occupy a surface area of 12,323 square metres, which are complemented by 8,844 square metres of external exhibition space.

Contact Dunajska cesta 18 1000 Ljubljana Slovenia www.gr-congress.si

Contact person: Ms. Natalija Bah Čad E: natalija@go-mice.eu T: 00386 1 430 51 03

Contact person: Ms. Urška Kozamernik E: urska.kozamernik@goopti.com T: 00386 40 200702

Contact person: Ms. Ana Božič E: ana.bozic@gr-sejem.si T: 00386 1 300 26 39

GR - LJUBLJANA EXHIBITION AND CONVENTION CENTRE Ljubljana Exhibition and Convention Centre is the leading events centre in Slovenia comprising 20 multifunctional halls that occupy a surface area of 12,323 square metres, which are complemented by 8,844 square metres of external exhibition space.

Contact Dunajska 18 1000 Ljubljana Slovenia www.gr-sejem.si Contact person: Mr. Miha Gartner E: miha.gartner@gr-sejem.si T: 00386 1 3002 627

127

List of exhibitors by country

128

HIT ALPINEA D.D Kranjska Gora features the best fourseason entertainment in the Julian Alps.This picturesque town, surrounded by the impressive scenery of the mountains, is located very close to the intersection of three borders between Slovenia, Austria and Italy. Congress tourism has long tradition in the Hit holidays hotels. Five hotels with more than 600 rooms have as many as 17 conference halls and smaller meeting rooms that can host up to 1200 participants. Kranjska Gora offers business guest great venue with personalized services in combination with different activities and spending time in pure nature.

Contact Borovška 99 4280 Kranjska Gora Slovenia www.hitholidays.si

HIT ALPINEA D.D. Kranjska Gora features the best fourseason entertainment in the Julian Alps.This picturesque town, surrounded by the impressive scenery of the mountains, is located very close to the intersection of three borders between Slovenia, Austria and Italy. Congress tourism has long tradition in the Hit holidays hotels. Five hotels with more than 600 rooms have as many as 17 conference halls and smaller meeting rooms that can host up to 1200 participants. Kranjska Gora offers business guest great venue with personalized services in combination with different activities and spending time in pure nature

Contact Borovška 99 4280 Kranjska Gora Slovenia www.hitholidays.si

HOTEL CUBO Hotel CUBO is a small design hotel located in the heart of the city centre.

We are offering 26 luminous and spacious rooms, decorated with particularly good taste in a warm contemporary style using only the highest quality materials and amnesties. In addition, we also offer conference facilities - 2 meeting rooms with minimalistic design, strategically placed lighting and latest audio-visual equipment. Larger conference hall can accommodate up to 100 participants. All services are held by the hotel.

Contact Slovenska cesta 15 1000 Ljubljana Slovenia www.hotelcubo.com

HOTEL SAN MARTIN The Hotel San Martin is a new and stylish boutique hotel located on the edge of the village of Šmartno, in the region of Goriška Brda. The hotel facilities include twelve double rooms of which four can be used also as twin rooms, two family rooms, two suites and one family size apartment.

For business events, we have one large conference suite and a meeting room. Our other hotel facilities include a luxury spa for private hire, a wine cellar stocked with a superb collection of locally produced wines, a fantastic restaurant and a bar with an outside terrace.

Contact Šmartno 11 5211 Kojsko, Goriška Brda Slovenia www.sanmartin.si

Contact person: Ms. Tjaša Šuvak E: tjasa.suvak@hitholidays-kg.si T: 00386 45 884 548

Contact person: Ms. Ines Kunsic E: ines.kunsic@hitholidays-kg.si T: 00386 45 884 548

Contact person: Mr. Luka Ocvirk E: luka@hotelcubo.com T: 00386 1 425 6000

Contact person: Ms. Vesna Valentinčič E: info@sanmartin.si T: 00386 41 335 660

List of exhibitors by country

HOTEL SAVA ROGAŠKA D.O.O. The modern business world has crossed office boundaries. Contact with nature, soothing effects of thermal mineral water, as well as modern wellness-center services, complement and add variety to business meetings.

Grand Hotel Sava ****superior is the ideal choice for business meetings, presentations, training and other events. Congress Centre Rogaška can accommodate up to 300 people, each of three halls can accommodate up to 100 people.

Contact Zdraviliški trg 6 3250 Rogaška Slatina Slovenia www.rogaska.si

HOTEL TRIGLAV D.O.O. BLED Hotel Triglav Bled, first opened in 1906 and after extensive renovations newly opened in April 2009. All rooms and suites are tastefully furnished and decorated with artwork and selected antique furniture. The rooms boast lake views and most have a balcony. The hotel features the á la carte restaurant 1906 Bled which is one of the best in Bled, a wine bar, a wine cellar and a fireplace lounge. Guests may use indoor pool, Finnish sauna, relaxation and reading room. Hotel Triglav can organise meetings for up to 70 people, weddings, anniversaries, business lunches and culinary workshops.

Contact Kolodvorska cesta 33 4260 Bled Slovenia www.hoteltriglavbled.si

IDMC iDMC stands for reliable, knowledgeable and experienced DMC in region of Slovenia, Croatian Istria and Serbia. It stands for a business partner that will handle your project with energy, passion and smile. That will handle your challenges with care and add ideas to make your event unforgettable. MICE industry is a stressful job and it takes a lot of your time. That is why it is important to have a friend on your side, one that will be there for you, ready to assist in any professional matter. Events are not a walk in the park. But we love it. And we will make sure your group will love it too

Contact Stegne 3 1000 Ljubljana Slovenia www.idmc.eu

INSTITUTE FOR TOURISM, CULTURE, YOUTH AND SPORT BRDA Institute for tourism, culture, youth and sport Brda operates in the region of Brda and provides operational support to tourism, culture, youth and sport activities in the region. The institute runs the regional Tourist information center and manages the regional tourist board “www.brda.si”.

The institute will be managing the new cultural, congress and educational center Vila Vipolže starting in June 2015.

Contact trg 25.maja 2 5212 Dobrovo Slovenia www.vilavipolze.eu

Contact person: Ms. Žan Sekirnik E: zan@hotel-sava-rogaska.si T: 00386 3 8114393

Contact person: Ms. Sonja Primozic E: sonja@hoteltriglavbled.si T: 00386 4 575 26 10

Contact person: Ms. Jelena Petković E: jelena@idmc.eu T: 00386 59 017746

Contact person: Mr. Aljaž Filej E: aljaz.filej@brda.si T: 00386 31 699 458

129

List of exhibitors by country

130

INTOURS DMC SLOVENIA Established in 1995, Intours DMC is recognized as one of the most influential DMC in the Adriatic region. Our mission is to create exceptional client experiences in Slovenia and Croatia. With a proven track record of success, Intours DMC designs meetings, conferences, incentives, teambuilding’s, car launches and other types of events. Having the buying power with our network of partners, Intours can assure you to receive the highest level of service within budget.

Contact Dalmatinova 3 1000 Ljubljana Slovenia www.intours-dmc.com

INTOURS DMC SLOVENIA By offering first-class destination management services, Intours DMC has earned a reputation as a trusted partner in organizing meetings and events in the Adriatic region. We are proud of having an extensive network of providers throughout the region and representative offices in Benelux, France, Germany, Scandinavia, United Kingdom, United States and Brazil.

With our buying power, years of experiences and extensive DMC expertise, Intours can assure you to receive the highest level of service within budget.

Contact Dalmatinova 3 1000 Ljubljana Slovenia www.intours-dmc.com

KAVAL GROUP Kaval Group is a restaurant chain in Ljubljana. At Kaval Group, we pride ourselves on providing a distinctive experience to our guests. The typical Tuscan cuisine combines classic preparation from Italy infused with flavors of Slovenia. Our guests will find the experience to be both enlightening and memorable. Kaval Group mission is to be a reliable partner that provides creative culinary journey for everyone.

Contact Tacenska 95 1000 Ljubljana Slovenia www.kaval-group.si

KEMPINSKI PALACE PORTOROŽ The Kempinski Palace enjoys a unique location in the very heart of Portoroz with a fantastic view of the Adriatic Sea. Close to medieval pearl, the town of Pirano and just a short drive from Trieste, Ljubljana and Venice, the hotel is ideally positioned for leisure, business and adventure. The 5 star Superior hotel boasts 164 Superior and Deluxe rooms and 17 exclusive suites. With six meeting rooms, a selection of breakout rooms, a unique ballroom and private park it is ideal for conferences, seminars and car launches.

Contact Obala 45 6320 Portorož Slovenia www.kempinski.com/en/ portoroz/palace-portoroz/welcome/

Contact person: Mr. Miro Hribar E: miro.hribar@intours-dmc.si T: 00386 1 430 35 50

Contact person: Mr. Tomaz Krusic E: tomaz.krusic@intours-dmc.si T: 00386 1 430 35 50

Contact person: Ms. Dada Jerovšek E: tina.jenko@kaval-group.si T: 00386 41 684248

Contact person: Mr. Tomislav Hrala E: tomislav.hrala@kempinski.com T: 00386 5 692 7661

List of exhibitors by country

KOMPAS With more than 60 years of experience and the highest customer satisfaction scores in the industry, Kompas business and incentive trips are a smart choice for you. We aim to organize programmes, that are creative, original and memorable. All our suppliers are carefully chosen and our staff is with you throughout all the programme. We are commited to quality and excellence. We have built up a strong reputation to manage and execute a number of important and high profile events, meetings, conferences and incentives. Our highly qualified friendly support staff ensures the success of your event.

Contact Prazakova 4 1000 Ljubljana Slovenia www.kompasmice.com

KOMPAS HOTELI BLED We offer two hotels in the centre of Bled, Kompas Hotel and BEST WESTERN PREMIER Hotel Lovec, as perfect venues for meetings, conferences and congresses. Both hotels offer 6 conference halls and 3 meeting rooms all together. We also offer superb facilities to relax and recover after a hard day’s work as well as culinary experience, such as working breakfasts, business luches, gala dinners, receptions etc. Our customer service is further enriched by our attentive staff, always happy to assist and relieve you of the burden of event management.

Contact

Cankarjeva cesta 2 4260 Bled Slovenia www.kompas-lovec.com

CITY HOTEL LJUBLJANA City Hotel Ljubljana boasts with perfect location, warm atmosphere, and variety of hotel amenities. Hotel situated in the heart of the city offers 202 rooms and two luxury apartments overlooking the old town, fully equipped Conference centre with four bright meeting rooms, comfortable library with Slovenian and foreign literature, free internet corner and summer terrace full of flair restaurant and restaurant full with exquisite culinary offer that follows hotel’s tradition.

Contact Dalmatinova 15 1000 Ljubljana Slovenia www.cityhotel.si

LIFECLASS HOTELS & SPA In the centre of Portorož, in the heart of events and in the immediate vicinity of the sea, LifeClass Hotels & Spa offer its guests top-quality accommodation, excellent cuisine, first class congress venues and a diverse offer of thermal and wellness services. The LifeClass Congress center Portus offers an excellent working experience in a relaxing environment. The ten meeting rooms cover an area of 1,600 m2, feature state of the art audio and visual equipment and can host up to 1,200 delegates.

Contact Obala 33 6320 Portorož Slovenia www.lifeclass.net

Contact person: Ms. Irena Smrkolj E: irena.smrkolj@kompas.si T: 00386 1 2006 386

Contact person: Ms. Andreja Palhartinger E: andreja.palhartinger@kompas-lovec.com T: 00386 41 658 460

Contact person: Ms. Tina Možina E: tina.mozina@cityhotel.si T: 00386 1 239 01 39

Contact person: Mr. Mitja Žnidaršič E: mitja.znidarsic@lifeclass.net T: 00386 40 457 397

131

List of exhibitors by country

132

LJUBLJANA CASTLE Ljubljana Castle, a mighty medieval fortress, a symbol of the Slovenian capital Ljubljana is an interesting tourist point, the idyllic grounds for long strolls just a glance away from the lively city centre. The Ljubljana castle offers many cultural, historic and entertaining events throughout the year.The Ljubljana Castle offers halls and premises for rent intended for various occasions in an idyllic castle environment.You can organize press conferences, presentations, fashion shows, receptions, gala dinners, weddings, diverse cultural and artistic exhibitions, etc., above and away from all the city bustle.

Contact Grajska planota 1 1000 Ljubljana Slovenia www.ljubljanskigrad.si

LJUBLJANA TOURISM / CONVENTION BUREAU Ljubljana Tourism / Convention Bureau is the prime contact for professional support concerning meeting venues, suppliers and services in the capital of Slovenia. This attractive Central European city of a compact size provides a perfect combination of modern infrastructure and urban lounge atmosphere to international meeting planners and delegates alike.

Ljubljanas conference venues provide a choice for events with up to 2,200 delegates. Among them are two congress centres, several convention hotels and a selection of special venues.

Contact Krekov trg 10 1000 Ljubljana Slovenia www.visitljubljana.com /en/meetings/

LJUBLJANA TOURISM / CONVENTION BUREAU Ljubljana Tourism / Convention Bureau is the prime contact for professional support concerning meeting venues, suppliers and services in the capital of Slovenia. This attractive Central European city of a compact size provides a perfect combination of modern infrastructure and urban lounge atmosphere to international meeting planners and delegates alike.

Ljubljana&rsquo;s conference venues provide a choice for events with up to 2,200 delegates. Among them are two congress centres, several convention hotels and a selection of special venues.

Contact Krekov trg 10 1000 Ljubljana Slovenia www.visitljubljana.com /en/meetings/

PALMA TOUR OPERATOR & DMC PALMA DMC is Slovenian Tour Operator & DMC and a reliable professional partner specialised in land services for Slovenia and other countries in the region. Providing a complete event management solution and also considering the best value for the available budget, PALMA takes the stress away from the Client from the planning stage onwards by suggesting the perfect solution and providing full on-site management support to put all the pieces together. PALMA is especially proud of having been appointed as the official DMC for the EuroBasket 2013, which took place in Slovenia.

Contact Verovškova 55a 1000 Ljubljana Slovenia www.palma-travel.eu

Contact person: Ms. Maja Pangršič E: maja.pangrsic@ljubljanskigrad.si T: 00386 51 335654

Contact person: Ms. Tatjana Radovic E: tatjana.radovic@visitljubljana.si T: 00386 1 306 45 84

Contact person: Ms. Vesna Klemenčič E: vesna.klemencic@visitljubljana.si T: 00386 51 622 393

Contact person: Mr. Rok Švab E: rok.svab@palma.si T: 00386 1 2443689

List of exhibitors by country

PLAZA HOTEL LJUBLJANA Plaza Ljubljana offers 236 spacious guestrooms, including 25 junior suites, 2 business suites and an astonishing 155 m2 Plaza executive suite. The rooms include a sizable working area, a comfortable deep-sleep bed, and a fully stocked refreshment bar with a coffee making facility. On the 15th floor of this prestigious building, Plaza Hotel Ljubljana proudly presents a modern congress centre. Adjustable congress halls with a capacity of up to 250 people, astonishing views and extraordinary food and beverage service make it a perfect place to hold meetings and host various events on the first-class level.

Contact Bratislavska cesta 8 1000 Ljubljana Slovenia www.plazahotel.si

SAVA HOTELS & RESORTS Sava Hotels & Resorts is the umbrella brand of Sava Turizem Plc., the largest tourism company in Slovenia. The Sava Hotels & Resorts encompasses 4 MICE destinations: Sava Hotels Bled and three Thermal resorts in the North Eastern part of the country: Ptuj, Moravske Toplice and Radenci.

Contact Dunajska 152 1000 Ljubljana Slovenia www.sava-hotels-resort.com

SAVA HOTELS & RESORTS Sava Hotels & Resorts is the umbrella brand of Sava Turizem Plc., the largest tourism company in Slovenia. The Sava Hotels & Resorts encompasses 4 MICE destinations: Sava Hotels Bled and three Thermal resorts in the North Eastern part of the country: Ptuj, Moravske Toplice and Radenci.

Contact Dunajska 152 1000 Ljubljana Slovenia www.sava-hotels-resort.com

SLOVENIAN CONVENTION BUREAU Slovenian Convention Bureau is a non-profit organization and acts as a professional intermediary to assist clients in finding objective information on destinations, meeting venues and service providers. Bureau acts as an independent guide and provides a free of charge service to all interested clients. Slovenian Convention Bureau has currently 66 members. SPIRIT Public Agency and Adria Airways are its strategic partners.

Contact Dunajska cesta 156 1000 Ljubljana Slovenia www.slovenia-convention.com

Contact person: Mr. MatevĹž Matic VozliÄ?

E: matic.vozlic@plazahotel.si T: 00386 30 605708

Contact person: Ms. Sasa Zor E: sasa.zor@sava.si T: 00386 4 206 6033

Contact person: Ms. Janette Poglajen E: sasa.zor@hotelibled.com T: 00386 4 206 6033

Contact person: Ms. Azra Botonjic E: azra.botonjic@slovenia-convention.com T: 00386 1 5691260

133

List of exhibitors by country

134

SORA CATERING SORA Catering is an international event catering company providing multiple hospitality products and services. SORA Catering is the international brand of a renowned, family-run Slovene company Jezeršek Catering, which holds its position as the market leader until today. With more than 30 years of experience it provides innovative and personalized solutions with a dedicated human touch to create memorable experiences. While ever more events are held in Italy and Austria, the majority is still run from SORA Catering offices in Ljubljana, Slovenia, and Zagreb, Croatia.

Contact Sora 1a 1215 Medvode Slovenia www.soracatering.com

SPIRIT SLOVENIA, SLOVENIAN TOURIST BOARD The Tourism Division within the scope of the SPIRIT Slovenia public agency is the leading strategic partner of Slovenian tourism tasked with the development, marketing and promotion of the sale of the Slovenian tourist offer on European and overseas markets. Cooperation and partnership with the tourism industry and other entities is of key importance in this regard. Slovenia is a land of green diversity, offering endless yearround outdoor activities and healthy relaxation.

Contact Dimičeva 13 1000 Ljubljana Slovenia www.slovenia.info

Contact person: Ms. Kristina Jurjevec E: kristina@soracatering.com T: 0038613619421

Contact person: Ms. Vesna Mojsilović E: vesna.mojsilovic@spiritslovenia.si T: 00386 1 5898 544

TEAMBUILDING ACADEMY Teambuilding Academy is an expert with the proven track record in organizing inspiring and innovative incentive events within the Central and Eastern Europe. We offer more than 300 different modern incentive programs, appropriate for any number of participants, with the aim to energize and foster cooperation and networking among participants.

Our experienced international team of trainers together with our reliable strategic partners ensure the highest quality of the events execution.

We are licensed partner of Catalyst Global, the international network of worldwide teambuilding providers.

Contact Vodnikova cesta 252 1000 Ljubljana Slovenia www.tbaeurope.com

TERME ČATEŽ D.D. Terme Čatež d.d. is the largest Slovenian natural health resort. Its range and diversity of tourist products rank it among the most attractive tourist destinations in Europe. Terme Čatež is present on four locations &ndash; at Čatež, Mokrice, Koper and Portorož, all of them offering a broad range of choice of a quality holiday arrangement with accommodation in hotels, lovely holiday apartments and the camp. Terme Čatež company follows the world tourism trends... Terme Čatež ... Where Every Event Narrates a Different Story ... Including Yours...

Contact Topliška cesta 35 8251 Čatež ob Savi Slovenia www.terme-catez.si

Contact person: Ms. Dani Polajnar E: ana.rozman@tba.si T: 00386 59 072 071

Contact person: Mr. Nataša Mihajlović E: natasa.mihajlovic@terme-catez.si T: 00386 7 6207 086

List of exhibitors by country

TERME MARIBOR D.O.O. The company Terme Maribor d.o.o. is an important tourist service provider in Slovenia. A rich and versatile tourist offer enables us to satisfy even the most demanding wishes and needs. The eight (8) hotels: Habakuk***** with Convetin Center, Best Western Plus Piramida****, Arena****, Bellevue****, Bolfenk**** , Orel***, Videc***, and Uni hotel.

We also provide catering service at the oldest Restaurant in the town, congress activities, medical activities, wellness, catering service and shopping opportunities.

Contact Ul. heroja Šlandra 10 2000 Maribor Slovenia www.termemb.si

TERME OLIMIA D.D. Terme Olimia has always been an excellent incentive and holiday spot for all those curious, adventure-loving and culinary-oriented tourists who like to take a look beyond the edge of the swimming pools, the biggest world of saunas and excellent staying in wellness hotel Sotelia**** superior. The Congress Centre Olimia incorporates eight halls and conference rooms equipped with the latest technology, suitable for the organization of conferences, consultations, meetings, seminars. Guests will find the most beautiful village in Europe – Olimje & will get pampered in unique Wellness Orhidelia.

Contact Zdraviliška cesta 24 3254 Podčetrtek Slovenia www.terme-olimia.com

THERMANA D.D. Thermana d.d. Hotels and Resorts is situated in in the very heart of Slovenia. It is one of the most established among the 15 natural spa resorts in Slovenia. Thermana is formed of two hotels (Thermana Park Laško, Zdravilišče Laško). Location is exceptional. The Congress Centre offers ten function rooms, with large number of exterior and underground parking spaces with direct access to hotel facilities. All halls have natural daylight as well as the ability to provide complete shading of the space.

Wireless internet is available throughout the entire hotel without extra charge.

Contact Zdraviliška cesta 6 3270 Laško Slovenia www.thermana.si

UNION HOTELS TRUST OUR EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE TO MAKE YOUR EVENT A GREAT SUCCESS For over a century, the hotels in the centre of Ljubljana have helped shape the history of the city. The Union Hotels group comprises four hotels Grand Hotel Union, Grand Hotel Union Business, Hotel Lev and Central Hotel - located in the very heart of Ljubljana. Altogether the group offers 574 elegantly furnished hotel rooms of the various categories and 30 conference halls and meeting rooms with modern technical equipment. Prime location, rich history and immaculate service - welcome to THE hotels of the city.

Contact Miklošičeva 1 1000 Ljubljana Slovenia www.union-hotels.eu

Contact person: Ms. Mojca Juhart E: mojca.juhart@termemb.si T: 00386 2 234 43 20

Contact person: Ms. Maja Jahn E: maja.jahn@terme-olimia.com T: 00386 31 390174

Contact person: Ms. Katarina Hauptman E: katarina.hauptman@thermana.si T: 00386 3 4232007

Contact person: Ms. Nuša Šolar E: nusa.solar@union-hotels.eu T: 00386 1 308 1198

135

List of exhibitors by country

136

UNION HOTELS TRUST OUR EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE TO MAKE YOUR EVENT A GREAT SUCCESS For over a century, the hotels in the centre of Ljubljana have helped shape the history of the city. The Union Hotels group comprises four hotels Grand Hotel Union, Grand Hotel Union Business, Hotel Lev and Central Hotel - located in the very heart of Ljubljana. Altogether the group offers 574 elegantly furnished hotel rooms of the various categories and 30 conference halls and meeting rooms with modern technical equipment. Prime location, rich history and immaculate service - welcome to THE hotels of the city.

Contact Miklosiceva 1 1000 Ljubljana Slovenia www.union-hotels.eu

VIVO CATERING Vivo catering is on the top of Slovene catering services with successful tradition. We boast of international experiences, and we prepare catering in Slovenia and also abroad. We are specialised in organising an event catering and catering at the congresses. We can feasts thousand guests or more on different locations at the same time. Vivo is also owner of D125 - a Centre of Innovations for events. A multi-functional hall on two levels can accommodate up to 400 people.

Contact Pot na Fužine 2 1000 Ljubjana Slovenia www.vivo.si

ICCA ICCA represents the main specialists in organising, transporting and accommodating international meetings and events, and comprises almost 1,000 member companies and organisations in over 90 countries worldwide. ICCA specialises in the international association meetings sector, offering unrivalled data, communication channels, and business development opportunities.

Contact Alpha Tower, De Entree 57 1101 BH Amsterdam The Netherlands www.iccaworld.com

ANTALYA CONVENTION BUREAU Being a host for only 54 international congresses in 2013, bull’s-eye in congress and meeting sector is to obtaining 53rd ICCA Congress. Antalya has much confidence in itself than before and it is believed that nothing will be the same after the congress as being in a constant development in manner of congress, incentive and meeting sector. Antalya has been pushing further to make introduce and represent the masses in its delightful venues.

Contact Goksu Mah. Gazi Bulvarı No 531 7310 Antalya Turkey www.antalyaconvention.org

Contact person: Mr. Mario Čolić E: mario.colic@union-hotels.eu T: 00386 1 308 1042

Contact person: Ms. Milena Predovnik E: milena.predovnik@vivo.si T: 00386 1 54 61 657

Contact person: Mrs. Amanda Marochko E: amanda@icca.nl T: 0031 654 99 5006

Contact person: Mr. Sinan İnan E: sinan.inan@antalyaconvention.org T: +90 242 314 38 06

List of exhibitors by country

AQUAMICE AquaMICE is the destination management company that is located in Antalya and has branch office in Istanbul. It is established in 2009 to give specialized services for Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Events all over Turkey. AquaMICE is a part of AYT Tourism Group (est. 2003) that has also an Event Management Company - AYT EVENTS and a travel agency - GOLF&WELLNESS TURKEY. AquaMICE is able to provide avia charters, accommodations, ground services, event management, professional conference organization and team buildings with its own sources.

Contact Kiziltoprak Mh. 920 Sk. 20A Muratpasa 7300 Antalya Turkey www.aquamice.com

SUSESİ LUXURY RESORT HOTEL SUSESİ LUXURY RESORT HOTEL & CONVENTION CENTER Located 40 km’s to Antalya Airport, 3 km from Belek city center, Susesi Luxury Resort is one of the best equipped hotels in the Mediterranean region in terms of convention center, and has the most comprehensive conference center in Belek region. The foyer of the Convention Centre has a total area of 3600 m² where there are 13 halls, which the largest covers an area of 2000 m².

Contact İskele Mevkii 7000 Belek Turkey www.susesihotel.com

TUNES TRAVEL ISTANBUL INCENTIVE TRAVEL & YACHTING IN TURKEY & GREEK ISLANDS; Tunes Travel Istanbul is a full service and innovative destination management company with extensive experience and progressive ideas. Provides exclusive organization and implementation of incentive programs with the highest level of personal attention, professionalism, creativity and flair. Endless possibilities to view and sample the diverse culture, 2000 year history, cuisine & entertainment.

Contact Bagdat Cad. 191 Ciftehavuzlar 34730 Istanbul Turkey www.tunestravel.com www.babosch.com

THE MEETINGS SHOW Organised by meeting professionals for meeting professionals, The Meetings Show is a major event for the UK inbound and outbound meeting industry. For 2015 The Meetings Show has refreshed, redefined and reinvented the platform for those that are truly serious in doing business within the meetings industry. By combining a proven hosted buyer programme, unrivalled education sessions and numerous daytime and evening networking opportunities, The Meetings Show has become the must attend event.

Contact 79 Wells Street W1T 3QN London UK www.themeetingsshow.com

Contact person: Mr. Ferhat Saday E: ferhat@aquamice.com T: 0090 2 423222400

Contact person: Ms. Yasemin Tunc E: ytunc@susesihotel.com T: 0090 2 427102400

Contact person: Ms. Serra Tunaman Parlakisik E: serra@tunestravel.com T: 0090 5 322158704

Contact person: Mr. Gordon Kirk gordon.kirk@centaur.co.uk 0044 20 7970 4410

137

List of exhibitors by country

138

IMEX EXHIBITIONS IMEX in Frankfurt is the efficient, one-stop-shop for planners looking to book and organise worldwide meetings, events and incentive travel programmes. Run by meetings professionals for meetings professionals, we’re committed to providing outstanding business opportunities for exhibitors and buyers alike. And of course, our hallmark Hosted Buyer programme is at the core of the show. 3,500 exhibitors come to IMEX each year (including tourist boards, convention bureaus, international hotel chains, airlines and destination management companies). They’re poised to do business with the 9,000 visitors.

Contact The Agora, 1st Floor, Ellen Street BN3 3LN Hove United Kingdom www.imexexhibitions.com

HOTEL RAMADA PODGORICA Ramada Podgorica is the situated in the heart of the city, a three minute drive from the city center and a five minute stroll from the lush riverside.

The hotel is adjacent to the Mall of Montenegro and only 15 minutes away from the Podgorica international airport. This city hotel is the first international chain hotel in Podgorica, and as such it plays host to key business, government and media figures from around the globe.With over 550 m2 of conference and meeting space, Ramada Podgorica is the city’s most sought after venue for conferences, meetings, incentives and celebrations.

Contact Bul. Save Kovacevica 74 Podgorica Montenegro www.ramadapodgorica.me

MPI in EUROPE MPI—founded in 1972—believes that meeting and event planners serve a critical role in the success of business, and is committed to giving its members the very best in professional development, business opportunities and a vibrant industry community.

Contact PO BOX 21 Helsinki Finland www.mpiweb.org

Contact person: Ms. Mary Rodgers E: mary.rodgers@imexexhibitions.com T: 0044 1273 224955

Contact person: Ms. Patricia Pobrić E: patricia.pobric@ramadapodgorica.me T: +382 (0)20 622 623

Contact person: Mr. Pierre Fernandez E: pfernandez@mpiweb.org T: 0033 6 28838482

List of exhibitors by country

MEETING SERVICES SPOT

GROPIK d.o.o.

The company GROPIK was founded in year 1990 with the purpose of producing our own leather goods. Soon they added products from import and rapidly expanded their offer in range of business and promotional gifts.

Today, they offer a very wide range of business and promotional gifts of many foreign suppliers and carefully selected Slovenian ethno – manufacturers. They print logos to different equipment. Their offers are always custom tailored to costumer individual needs and wishes.

Contact: Orla vas 13 3314 Braslovče Slovenia www.gropik.si info@gropik.si

EVENTYCO Ltd. For OrganisersThrough the website we (Eventyco) provide an online platform for Event Organisers through which all types of event registration (for example, registration fees, accommodation, seminars, congress dinner, collectively the registration”), can advertise their event services, and through which visitors to the website can make such reservations.

For AttendeessFrom the point at which you make your reservation, we act solely as an intermediary between you and the Oragnisers, transmitting the details of your reservation to the relevant Technical Organiser and sending you a confirmation email for and on behalf of the a Technical Organiser.”

Contact: Eventyco Ltd. Suite 312a, Cotton Exchange, Bixteth Street, L3 9LQ Liverpoo Great Britain www.eventyco.com E: sales@eventyco.com

Conferize Conferize is an online platform that connects the world of professional events. We’re helping event organizers build communities to increase quality and attendance of their events, and provide unique ROI for sponsors. We already have 5 million event seekers on our platform and have worked with LeWeb, The Guardian, International Confex, Big Data Week and are official partners of TEDx and Eventbrite.

Contact: Njalsgade 19 D, 1st floor 2300 Copenhagen S Denmark www.conferize.com

SANTOMAS - LUDVIK NAZARIJ GLAVINA The Santomas wines are the fruit of the wine district of Slovenian Istria in the hills of Slovenian coast, extending over 25000 acres of vineyards.

In the Santomas estate we are devoted to growing autochthon sorts such as Refosco and Istrian Malvazija. Beautifully matching the local Istrian fish and meat culinary specialties these wines are also the most popular wines in this area. In Santomas wine cellar about 120.000 bottles (0.75 L) of wines are bottled each year. Also about 144 rehoboams are bottled in exceptional years, with the best wine of Santomas wine cellar – Grande cuvée.

Contact: Šmarje 10 6274 Šmarje Slovenia www.santomas.si

Contact person: Ms Tjaša Grobelnik E: tjasa.grobelnik@gropik.si T: 386342536400

Contact person: Mr Mihael Fugaj E: mihael.fugaj@eventyco.com T: 385914171171

Contact person: Mr Martin Ferro-Thomsen E: martin@conferize.com T: 4525120570

Contact person: Mr Koni Marchesan E: santomas@monteko.si T: 051 399 755

139

List of exhibitors by country

140

STUDIO 37 Studio 37 is an independent full service advertising and production agency, specializing in event management, production and Multidata touch screen units. Our event management services include complete project management, from concept creation to execution and support. Our most advanced projects in production include 3D video mapping on several buildings in Ljubljana. The company’s latest challenge is Multidata, a network of interactive Digital Signage Systems, especially useful for congresses and conferences, such as Conventa, where you can try out 5 devices.

Contact: Dunajska cesta 119 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia www.studio37.si www.multidata.pro E: office@studio37.si

SUPEREVENT Superevent is the ultimate app for event organisers, being a single, easy to use app with extensive features to meet, learn and collaborate with peers either at one or multiple events. Superevent evolves from being an app for one event to supporting all events within your community, providing news feeds and creating a vibrant community where events are recommended by good references to their peers within the community.Working across all mobile devices, Superevent puts all event information – invitations, programme booklet, speaker and attendee lists, sponsor brochures, maps, floor plans, practical information, pictures, videos, social media and reminders - into one easy to access app. And it’s all managed and updated in realtime.

Contact: Alszeile 72a 1170 Vienna Austria www.superevent.com/site

MOBILESSENCE Mobilessence is a mobile app platform for varius events, such as conferences, trade shows, music festivals and unviersity open days.

Contact: Canecom Ltd. 10. Montevideo street 1037 Budapest Hungary mobilessence.com

Contact person: Ms Barbara Randić E: barbara.randic@studio37.si T: +386 1 56 55 126

Contact person: Mr Marcel Wassink E: marcel@superevent.com T: 436643148434

Contact person: Mr Mark Kubatov E: info@canecom.com T: 36302029205

KRISTINA SMODILA S.P. designlicious – Kristina Smodila s.p. Under the name designlicious, Kristina Smodila combined her favorite activities: graphic design, art craft, developing products for business gifts, sewing, baking. This year continues with special project - deliš’s (Cookies from the jar). More on references and projects you can see at: www.designlicious.si or facebook: Darilo iz kozarca and designlicious.

Contact: Kristina Smodila s.p.

Reševa 3, 4000 Kranj Slovenia www.designlicious.si Contact person: Ms Kristina Smodila E: kristina@designlicious.si T: +386 417 608 10

List of exhibitors by country

MC SISTEMI d.o.o.

MC sistemi d.o.o. is hospitality software solution provider with emphasys on protel PMS – property management system, a backbone for all other software solutions in typical hotel . Our primary strategy has been to present, market and support a customized software solutions for the perfect hotel management in the Adriatic area (Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Bih, Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania). Protel hotel management systems are complex, yet cost-effective tools that enable central collecting, integrating and multiple utilizing of data, providing all areas of operation in the hotel with the needed information at the push of a button. Protel PMS can be fully integrated with most of online reservation systems, F&B solutions, ERP systems and other hotel systems in the target markets. All solutions are localised regarding translation and local legislation demands.

Contact: MC sistemi d.o.o.

Dražgoška 21, 1000 Ljubljana Slovenija www.mcsistemi.com info@mcsistemi.com

VIDEOPRODUKCIJA KREGAR d.o.o.

VPK is company where creativity, culture, art and technology become one.

Multimedia presentations of moving pictures and sounds are done with care and creative inspiration of our team members. We wish to stay the biggest and most penetrative Slovenian company in our business. Our goal is to grow and expand in other countries and to stay in touch with all new technological solutions. For us investing in people efficiency is as much important as our technical progress. Our knowledge is our competitive advantage. All activities are oriented in satisfaction of customers, viewers and all other users of our services.

Contact: Videoprodukcija Kregar d.o.o.

Kranjčeva ulica 22 1000 Ljubljana Slovenia www.vpk.si vpk@vpk.si

PROEVENT d.o.o.

In almost 20 years of its activity PROEVENT d.o.o. has grown from a leading company in installation and equipment rental for fair constructions in Slovenia to a company with a long-term vision - from idea to performance. In 2006 we extended our prime activity into organization of all sorts of events and fairs, which have till this day become recognisable brand names. Along with the existing activities, linked to the organisation of different events, the company has successfully extended its business to accounting services. It thus offers its partners a wide range of services, performed by an experienced and professional team with a clear vision.

Contact: PROEVENT d.o.o.

Dunajska 10 1000 Ljubljana Slovenia www.proevent.si info@proevent.si

ZAVOD BIG Those who wish to think about the future today, need to know how to think historically. This is the reason why Zavod Big and its friends and partners think and work towards bringing together social and natural sciences, global economy and individual life. If it the (po-)ethical experience that fundamentally shakes one’s view of life, then cultural and creative industries know how to socialize this experience and incorporate it into our daily existence and conceive a new experience of the creative eco-system’s big picture. Zavod Big encourages design thinking and processing that lead to better services and nicer products, and for this reason it goes well with forward thinking as a permanent invention of a better present.

Contact: Dunajska cesta 123 1000 Ljubljana Slovenia www.mestooblikovanja.com info@zavodbig.si

Contact person: Mr Matej Cvikl E: matej.cvikl@mcsistemi.com T: +386 1 510 2690

Contact person: Mr Mitja Kregar E: mitja.kregar@vpk.si T: + 386 123 628 30

Contact person: Ms Melita Remškar E: melita.remskar@proevent.si T: +386 130 032 19

Contact person: Mr Zmago Novak E: novak@zavodbig.si T: + 386 143 122 22

141

List of exhibitors by country

MEDIA PARTNERS

142

KONGRES MAGAZINE/INTERNATIONAL MEETINGS REVIEW The Kongres Magazine is leading communications medium in the field of meetings industry. It gathers and distributes know-how related to the organisation of meetings for the world’s top professionals and analyses the development of meetings industry in Central and Southeast Europe. Kongres Magazine is member of IMRN – International Meeetings Review.

Contact: Address Štihova 4 1000 Ljubljana Slovenia www.kongres-magazine.eu www.internationalmeetingsreview.com

CIM CIM - Conference & Incentive Management is a leading European trade magazine for the convention, incentive and event industry. With a print run of 20,500 copies it addresses planners in companies, associations and agencies. CIM is bilingual (German/English) and is published six times a year.

It reports about trends, destinations, technologies et cetera in our business segment. Its competent and independent journalists have built a reputation for their critical reflections on industry topics. Website www.cimunity.com provides daily news and is complemented by our newsletter CIMnews every two weeks. CIM is available as app for iPads and Android tablets.

Contact: T & M Media GmbH & Co. KG Hilpertstr. 3 64295 Darmstadt Germany www.cimunity.com

BALKANS.COM Balkans.com Business News is a prominent and recognized voice for business globally. As a Balkans business resource, we provide up-to-date daily news and weekly reviews, market research, financial reports, company news linking and database of companies who do business in Albania, BosniaHerzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, FYR Macedonia, Greece, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia and Turkey.

In addition, our notable industry news section provides detailed information on business happenings for over 30 specific industries. Our readers are high-level executives, business leaders, educational institutions, investors, business owners and government institutions throughout the world. The business-only website in English, Serbian and Greek keeps our readers up-to-date with its comprehensive coverage of the region, in-depth analysis of industries and business opportunities, interviews with business leaders, special reports and a searchable database.

Contact: 27, Old Gloucester Street, London, WC1N 3AX England www.balkans.com

DVPRODUCTIONS BVBA DVProductions is the sole publishing house in Belgium to edit a title for every segment of the travel industry: travel2 for leisure travellers, businesstravel2 for corporate travellers and mice2 for meeting organisers. This gives added value on the Belgian market of B2B magazines.

Contact person: Mr Gorazd Čad Job title Editor-in-chief T: +386 143 051 03 F: +386 143 051 04 Contact gorazd.cad@toleranca.eu

Contact person: Ms Ellen Hellbusch Advertising Director E: e.hellbusch@cimunity.com T: +49 6151 39 07 921 F: +49 6151 39 07 929

Contact person: Mr Manos Ioannidis Executive Vice President T: +44 203 371 1151 E: manos@balkans.com

Contact: Willem Lepelstraat 28 B-2000 Antwerpen, Belgium www.travel2.be Contact person: Mr Danny Verheyden, Publisher F: + 32 475 944 972, F: + 32 323 764 68 E: danny@dvproductions.be

List of exhibitors by country

CONFERENCE & MEETING WORLD MAGAZINE, PART OF MASH MEDIA GROUP LTD Conference & Meetings World (CMW) magazine is the international quarter magazine for the global meetings community published in London. The magazine offers news, features, destination reports and analysis of the key issues affecting the sector. Read what industry thought leaders have to say, as well as the latest association and corporate research.

CMW provides a broad platform for all involved in the business of international conferencing. Check out also the c-mw.net website for blogs, galleries and a full rolling news service. Let CMW be your guide to action in the world of international conferencing. CMW is published in English

by Mash Media Group, owners of International Confex and publishers of the UK’s broadest portfolio of events industry titles.

Contact: Mash Media Group Ltd Sterling House 6-10 St George’s Road, London SW 19 4DP United Kingdom www.c-mw.net Contact person: Ms Teodora Jilkova International Account Manager E: tjilkova@mashmedia.net T: + 44 208 971 828 2 F: + 44 208 971 828 4

143 EDIMAN SRL (MEETING & CONGRESSI) Meeting e Congressi is the leading Italian magazine devoted to the meeting industry. For over 40 years its goal has been to inform all those who organize and promote meetings, incentive, events and conventions on the key issues, trends and the best suppliers of this constantly developing market. But not only. Meeting e Congressi soon shed its role as a mere channel to become a full-blown communication player and opinion leader in this industry. It’s website, www.MConline.it provides the comprehensive venue and agency finder for meetings and incentives in Italy utilized by more than 20,000 unique visitors per month.

Contact: Address Via Ripamonti 89 20141 Milan, Italy www.ediman.it www.mconline.it

GRUPO EVENTOPLUS Since 2000, Grupo eventoplus brings together, informs and inspires the Spanish meetings and events industry in Spain: from the first event portal in Spain to the leading trade magazine (eventos Magazine), from the leading Spanish trade show (evento Days) to the industry’s job search … the group has gathered the industry’s finest community of meetings and events professionals. It also edits the official EIBTM Show Daily, in a partnership with Reed Travel Exhibitions.

Contact: Diputació 256 5 1 08007 Barcelona Spain www.eventoplus.com

NEWS4TRAVEL.COM News4travel.com is an e-magazine, which is currently undergoing a facelift and it is being optimized in terms of its design, technology analytics and distribution, to provide unrivaled tourism and business news coverage. This delivers to target media the consumer with the latest information from travel companies and organizations worldwide, and not forgetting the trade. With over 5 years of operation is headquartered still in Lisbon, but based in São Paulo (Brazil), and soon in California (USA), the News4Travel.com produces information also for the professional trade, working with the entire production chain.

Contact: Rua Francisco Andrade 5 1700-197 Lisboa Portugal www.news4travel.com

Contact person: Ms Graziella Corbari Senior sales Manager & Corporate Clients T: + 39 025 731 153 9 F: + 39 025 523 148 6 E: graziella.corbari@ediman.it

Contact person: Mr José G. Aguarod Director E: info@eventoplus.com T: + 349 327 209 27

Contact person: Mr Salvador Alves Dias Chief Editor T: +351 917 824 746 E: salvadordias@gmail.com

List of exhibitors by country

144

POSLOVNITURIZAM/CROATIAMEETINGS PoslovniTurizam.com – CroatiaMeetings.com Croatia is one of the most popular tourist destinations in SEE, but also an attractive meeting and incentives destination. If you are planning your next business event in Croatia, PoslovniTurizam.com - CroatiaMeetings.com is the best starting point of searching information about Croatian congress offer.

PoslovniTurizam.com is a leading specialized web portal for Croatian meetings industry. As one-stop-shop concept it gives a comprehensive overview of the Croatian conference venues, specialized MICE agencies and related services. PoslovniTurizam.com provides meeting planners with efficient search tool and easily sending RFPs. This saves time and helps to find appropriate partners and business solutions. Besides detailed congress offer, you can find information about the most important Croatian tourist and meetings destinations, read the news and interviews, tips, researches, announcements of business events, etc.

Contact: Krvarić 20/2, Zagreb, Croatia www.poslovniturizam.com

PUTOVANJA ZA DVOJE Putovanja za dvoje – magazine for a modern traveller is a quarterly travel magazine (February, May, August and November) published since 2006.

The first franchise for publishing the magazine was sold in 2008 for Slovenian edition – Potovanja v dvoje. So far five other franchises were sold (for France – Horizons Monde, Germany – World Horizons, Serbia – Putovanja za dvoje, Bosnia and Herzegovina – Putovanja za dvoje and Italy – Orizzonti Travel). Putovanja za dvoje readers are sophisticated, active travelers who look to the magazine for planning both pleasure and business trips. The magazine gives first-hand information and travel tips about domestic and international destinations, current trends, airlines and other carriers, prices and currencies, hotels and resorts. With their somewhat emotional approach, contributors in their reportages offer a direct experience of the destination accompanied by exceptional original photographs.

Contact: Place2go d.o.o.

Višnjica 16, 10 000 Zagreb, Croatia www.putovanjazadvoje.com

The Slovenia Times The Slovenia Times is the central newspaper in the English language in Slovenia since 2003 and it offers a critical, in-depth and vivid analysis of the social and economic image of Slovenia. It covers promotional very interesting groups with higher that average personal income. The Slovenia Times is also an organizer of the finest business events in Slovenia with the FDI Summit Slovenia as one of the business highlight of every year.

Contact: Domus d.o.o.

Dunajska 5, 1000 Ljubljana Slovenia www.sloveniatimes.com

Turizam.info B2B magazine for hotel, gastronomy and travel professional.

Contact: A. Stangera 32 51410 Opatija, Croatia www.turizaminfo.hr

Contact person: Ms Daniela Kos, director E: daniela@poslovniturizam.com T: +385 912 638 282

Contact person: Mrs Damjana Domanovac Editor-in-Chief E: petra@putovanjazadvoje.com, damjana@putovanjazadvoje.com, roberto@putovanjazadvoje.com T: + 385 146 188 98, F: + 385 145 723 97

Contact person: Mr Goran Mladenović Marketing Manger E: goran.mladenovic@sloveniatimes.com T: +386 314 468 08

Contact person: Mr Adriano Požarić, Editor in Chief T: +385 51 271 190, F: +385 51 718 351 E: adriano.pozaric@turizaminfo.hr

List of exhibitors by country

TRAVEL AND TOUR WORLD Travel And Tour World is one of the largest circulated B2B digital travel magazine with more than 250,000 readers worldwide. Travel And Tour World is also the media partner of than 90 international travel trade shows including WTM London, ITB Berlin, AIME, Arabian Travel Market, IMEX America, etc. Our readers include travel and hospitality trade industry professionals like Tour Operators, Travel Agents, Destination Management Companies, MICE Planners and Luxury Planners.

Contact: S-303 Ideal Plaza11/1 Sarat Bose Road, Kolkata 700020 India www.travelandtourworld.com

TURIZMUS TREND Hungarian travel trade magazine is published 10 times a year, on 64 pages.

In 2013 its design and content was renewed. The magazine is supported by a daily newsletter sent out to 17000 addresses and a news website, www. turizmusonline.hu. Their goal is to make an analytic, professional magazine which points forward and can forecast the trends of the tourism sector. The magazine gives comprehensive outlook for tourism abroad and domestic as well with high quality articles, researches. Turizmus Trend focuses on issues concerning travel agencies, tourism marketing, hospitality and public transportation. Our readers are tour-operators, travel agents, managers and employees, professionals in hospitality industry, sales managers, guides, airline and other transportation corporations’s employees, TDM-organisations.

Contact: H-1037 Budapest, Montevideo utca 3/b Hungary www.turizmusonline.hu

UT UGOSTITELJSTVO I TURIZAM Ugostiteljstvo I Turizam (catering and Tourism) is a monthly professional publication with 62 years of tradition. Magazine serves as an official voice for the associations of hoteliers, catering professionals, camp site owners and managers, restaurateurs and travel agencies. UT is also place for communication between all segments of tourism and it is very good and successful media for companies which offer their products or services to tourist industry in Croatia and some other countries.

Contact: UTM Revija d.o.o.

Bosijevska 32, Zagreb Croatia www.utm.hr

ACE OF M.I.C.E. EXHIBITON 2015 MICE sector’s biggest international gathering ACE of M.I.C.E. Exhibition is getting ready to open its doors for the 2nd time this year. The exhibition will be held in Istanbul Congress Center between 26 - 28 February 2015 and will bring together sector professionals from Turkey and from the four corners of the world. Tourism Media Group organizes the ACE of M.I.C.E. Exhibition to raise awareness on the MICE sector. This year, the event will gather event planners and congress organizers from 25 different countries. This is the one and only M.I.C.E. Exhibition which is organized in MICE sector of Turkey. Many interesting panels, seminars, conferences and networking will be hold during the show.

Contact: Turizm Medya Grubu Fuarcılık A.Ş.

Kavacık Mahallesi Fatih Sultan Mehmet Cad. Akbey Sok. Kardeşler İş Merkezi No:10 K:5 D:13-14 Kavacık – Beykoz Istanbul, Turkey www.ameistanbul.com

Contact person: Ms Shreyoshi Dey International Correspondent E: shreyoshi@travelandtourworld.com T: +913 330 583 353 F: +101 767 784 34

145

Contact person: Mr Gergő Mráz Sales Manager E: szantoz@ttrend.hu T: +361 430 450 0 F: +361 430 456 9

UGOSTITELJSTVO I TURIZAM

Contact person: Ms Silvana Jakus Contact Manager T: + 385 137 057 50 F: + 385 137 057 55 E: silvana.jakus@utm.hr

Contact person: Ms Beyza Aksit, Vice General Manager E: beyza@turizmmedya.net T: + 902 164 659 556 F: + 902 164 659 558

List of exhibitors by country

Incentive Valley

146

LIFE Events LIFE Events is Creative Event Management and Incentives Agency. We provide creative, customized and unique corporate events, incentives, promotional events and team buildings. We assure motivation and team spirit for those, who want to experience new things, believing that a unique and powerful business solution helps create and strengthen a winning team. Through our carefully planned business event programs you can discover true Slovenian Alps or magical Croatian Coast and at the same time inspire and motivate your people. Having run over 550 events around Slovenia and Croatia, we have the experience, knowledge and expertise to ensure that your event will run smoothly from start to finish. LIFE Events mission is to provide unique human experiences and adventures coexisting with nature.

Contact: LIFE Events Bleiweisova cesta 30 4000 Kranj Slovenia www.lifeevents.si E: info@lifeevents.si

MICE d.o.o.

The Team Building Lab is an experiential and edutainment agency with our own catering service and a home venue in Ljubljana. We specialize in engaging and playful events for any target group. Our flagship programs are culinary experiences (such as Cooking, drinking, dancing and InVinoVegas), funny Slovenian-themed events (Slovenian Olympics), green events (Eco Race) and amazing team buildings such as the Chain Reaction or Escape the Barn. Our home venue is the Walnut Grove – a unique 4-seasons event venue for corporate and other special events for up to 300 people. The story behind the venue is green and sustainable.

The venue re-cycles most of the waste, re-uses and up-cycles old objects (wait till you see the toilets), works with local suppliers and promotes initiatives greener events.

Contact: MICE d.o.o. c.13. julija 32 1261 Ljubljana-Dobrunje Slovenia www.teambuildinglab.si E: info@teambuildinglab.si

CLUTCH South Eastern Europe from Dubrovnik to the Dolomites in Central Europe with Slovenia in the middle is one of the most beautiful travel destinations in the world. Offering exhilarating roads, unspoilt scenery, cultural diversity, generous and hospitable people, fabulous meals and delicious wines.

Clutch’s tours have been carefully designed to give you fabulous Harley Davidson rides. Stopping at the best cafes, restaurants and attractions. The roads are designed for bikers and you will want to return for more. Clutch’s employees are professional, enthusiastic riders and travelers. Guides with many years of experience in the motorcycling touring business, give an insight into customers needs, and promise to make your trip unforgettable.

Contact: Clutch Vojkova cesta 91 1000 Ljubljana Slovenia www.clutchharleytours.com info@clutchharleytours.com

Contact person: Mr Matej Mejovsek E: matej@lifeevents.si T: +386 4 20 14 875

Contact person: Mr Žiga Novak E: info@ziganovak.com T: +386 31 834 513

Contact person: Mr Rožle Verhovc E: rozle@clutchharleytours.com T; +386 31 560 697

Explore

147

The best culinary experience in Ljubljana...

Culinary indulgence... In all... For all...

Who is Who

WHO IS WHO AT CONVENTA 1. What do you love about meetings?

Jasna Jašič,

Marketing Communications at Brdo Estate

2. Your tips for the perfect event?

3. Why organise meeting in your city/hotel?

4. The most memorable event for you?

5. Food for thought?

1: Every meeting is its own story. e ready for things to go wrong and keep 2: B your spririt up when they do - in this business perfection isn’t a reality but a state of mind.

3: Because we’ve got a great location, a pristine green setting and a tradition of credibility, all of which makes us a major player in the regional MICE industry, and we’ve managed to parlay these traits into a strong and well positioned brand. It might sound like a cliché, but the beauty of Brdo, a protected Natura 2000 site, is something that has to be seen to be believed.

4: One involving a smaller corporate group of 25 persons who visited us for a 3-day cluster meeting witin the framework of our MICE offer. We prepared an exciting teambuilding program that featured photo hunting on the Brdo hunting grounds, an entertaining culinary showdown, a fish-smoking course in our log cabins, and a wine tasting dinner in the spirit of the ancient Zois family.

5: The Hobbit Village! Sometimes I daydream of consolidating my ideas, interests and passions into a fabulous concept micro tourist destination, somewhere in the charming natural environment, Trenta valley perhaps, where fairytail-esque atmosphere, highend design and sustainable concepts could walk hand in hand with outstanding hospitality services.

Debora Petrović

MICE Manager at Importanne Hotels & Resort

he positive adrenaline when something 1: T you worked on for months turns into a perfect event.

2: Learn what client wants to achieve with the 148

meeting, prepare a check list and check, check, check.

3: Get business going just steps away from the sea and the magical Old City.

Every event that results with return 4: customer 5: Put your heart, mind and soul into even your smallest acts. This is a secret of success.

Tatjana Humar,

Manager DMO Soča Valley

1: Personal contact with business partners. riginality, uniqueness, professionalism, 2: O value for the price.

3: Nature with 5 *, friendly and professional hosts.

4: Outdoor Show Kobarid.

5: The path from idea to realization.

Alan Račić

Key Account Manager at Veladrion

1: I like the positive energy of a meeting when attendants express their professional opinions and are being passionate about the subject at hand.

2: Stay focused, never assume, triple check everything, think out of the box, adapt fast to the current situation.

3: Because Veladrion resort offers a unique concept on the Croatian Adriatic coast and that is being exclusive for one event at a time. Positioned on a northern Adriatic peninsula it offers diverse possibilities whether it’s for business or incentive - just an hour and half away from major Croatian airports like Zagreb, Pula and Zadar it is easily reachable. In two 4* hotels and two villas there are 3 multifunctional meeting rooms equipped for the most demanding tasks.

Who is Who

With our own fleet of boats we organize incentive programs like night fishing, diving and trips to nearby islands, or we make programs in the national parks like the famous Plitvice lakes.

4: It was an incentive trip to Cappadocia region in Turkey – during dinner in a cave restaurant I performed a belly dance and after that knife throwing from my mouth, without any injuries J 5: A brave person acknowledges the strength of others.

Ana Božič

Sales Manager of Events & Congress Department at Ljubljana Exhibition and Convention Centre 1: I n the first place I love meeting people.

That’s how it all started. Since Grammar school I was responsible for all the events and trips for the class. I really enjoyed organizing it all so I feel very happy that being part of the meetings industry has become my job.

2: Professional attitude and positive energy within the organizing team are always rule number 1.

A s we are the largest Exhibition and 3: Convention Centre in Slovenia, there are numerous options of organizing different kinds of events with different layouts and different numbers of participants. And Ljubljana is the city people immediately fall in love with – there is no other option at all 4: Probably the farewell party at the EAAE congress we were hosting this summer – the party was almost as good as Conventa after party J 5: When it’s not easy, think of how easy it will be when it’s over.

Nadežda Dajković

Project Manager Assistant at Talas-M DMC

ost people don’t enjoy working alone, they 1: M want contact and relationships with other

2:

3:

4:

5:

people. Meetings make them feel part of a community, and give them an outlet for sharing their personal feelings and opinions. I am passionate about what I do, every time I learn more, do more which I enjoyed.

I love the variety, the opportunity to travel.

Running a near perfect event is all about organising the detail around what it is you want the event to do. The main idea behind maximizing event revenue is pretty straightforward. If something has the potential to bring in more sales - go for it! To make sure you are making the most of your event you need to explore all possible sources of income.

Montenegro is an upper-middle-income

country with enormous growth potential and also with a rich history and beautiful nature. It is one of those countries which has all the ingredients one needs to be a perfect incentive destination. Our country offers excellent conference and events opportunities.

Private party with our Norwegian partner and the culmination with one of the greatest world’s tenors, José Carreras coming to the stage, accompanied by the angel voice of Mrs Sissel Kyrkjebø. The end result was beyond words.

Learning new information that you never thought was important to think about.

Matilda Kežić

Sales coordinator at Hotel Katarina

1: I love the meetings industry. And I love the creativity and competitive spirit I get to embrace and experience. Best of all, we have fun and I get to work with many great people in this industry.

2: 1. Set an intention 2. To be interested and interesting 3: Leave aside the city rush, invite your business partners to the hotel Hotel Katarina in Dugopolje.With its two conference rooms and three smaller meeting rooms and four stars, guaranteeing a high level of service, Katarina Hotel will satisfy all your needs and desires. Regardless of whether you organize a large conference or small business conference or gathering , meeting , seminar, team building or exhibition requirements 149

of clients are always the same and come down to the flawless organization, professionalism of staff, technical support at any tim , substantiality entire supply - gastronomy, sports, wellness, nightlife. Large newly built multi-purpose conference hall, 1.250 m2, is an architectural and infrastructure adapted to maintain three independent events simultaneously. Conventa colud be in our hotel next year J 4: Conventa 2014 J, it was our first business trip and first trip to Slovenia-Ljubljana from Croatia-Split with the car and the smile on our faces not knowing anything else but how to archive our goals with new opportunities.

5: There is nothing wrong with dreaming big dreams, just know that all roads that lead to success have to pass through Hardwork Boulevard at some point.

Katarina Marić Managing Director at Carnet de Voyage

1: Creativity, energy and people!

2: Keep calm and you will solve any problem. agreb is a very charming central European 3: Z city with mediterranean lifestyle, new capital on the map of European Union. Very pleasant , green and walkable with lots of “alfresco” activities.

4: Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra open air concert for celebration of Zagreb City Day in a beautiful park of King Tomislav. If you happened to arrive to Zagreb by train you were wowed with a maginificent scenery.

5: “The secret of the travel book’ is to make essayistic points seem to emerge empirically from material data intimately experienced”.

(Paul Fussel)

Who is Who

1. What do you love about meetings?

Luka Ocvirk,

Front office manager at Hotel Cubo

2. Your tips for the perfect event?

3. Why organise meeting in your city/hotel?

4. The most memorable event for you?

5. Food for thought?

he creation of a meeting is always chal1: T lenging, exciting and gives you a lot of free space to implement and realize your ideas.

2: There are 3 crucial steps to plan perfect event: detailed plan (determine purpose, main speakers, audience, timeline; form a great team; find a perfect place which will perfectly suite to your event concept), action (inform potential participants, advertise, use marketing tools for a promotion), evaluation (get feedback, evaluate target audience, publish news about successful execution in media).

3: Organising a meeting in Ljubljana / Hotel CUBO has several advantages: centralized location in a green Capital of Slovenia, professional organisers, modern meeting and conference facilites, great accommodation, cultural and historical attractions are within a walking distance, superb culinary specialities, friendly and hospitable domestic people, business and social life are lving from hand to hand.

4: First time, when I participated at Conventa few years ago.

5: Nothing is impossible.

Brenda Lee Fabbro

Product manager at Agenzia Turismofvg

he possibility of surprising participants 1: T with original ideas, offering them an experience they will always remember.

2: The organization of a successful event requires two things: goals and creativity.

Coordinating the various support activities, where reliability is a key issue (catering, location, etc), the attention paid even to minor details as well as the care in customer relations, these are undoubtedly the assets to guarantee a successful result 150

ecause any meeting or conference can take 3: B place in different settings, that may suit any needs: castles overlooking the sea, historic hotels in the city centre , farms or charming dwellings ion the hills 4: Gala dinner at the airbase of the “Frecce Tricolori”, the Italian National Acrobatic Flying Team. We organised the event during 2012 BuyFVG, a fam trip dedicated to over 180 buyers and journalists. We have been the very first to set up an event in this location, since entrance to the military area is forbidden to civilians. Thanks to our cooperation with the air forces for the organisation of thematic tours, we have been able to ensure a really unique experience to our guests and of course to us.

5: From the Alps to the Adriatic sea, from cities to historical villages, from luxurious gourmet restaurants to traditional and small “osterie”..a small destination ready to surprise you with big opportunities. Ready to discover Friuli Venezia Giulia?

Sanja Tešanović

Director of Sales at Austria Trend Hotels

eeting new people and learning some1: M thing new every day.

2: Plan every detail and always be prepared for plan “B”.

3: Because we left nothing to chance. We can proudly say that many international conferences were organized in our hotel (SEE Annual Conference, Innovation reforms by European Commission, ITF Fund …) and the organizers trust us and keep staying with us. Our partners know that we are trustworthy and reliable so they are never concern about the organization.

4: P&G World Cup 2014 with more than 800 participants - 30 male and 13 female teams from 17 different countries.

5: Removing the barriers is key to success.

Who is Who

Tina Bricelj

Sales Specialist at Four Points

by Sheraton, Ljubljana Mons

rganising meetings and events is not just a 1: O job, it is a life style. And one must live their life in a fulfilling and enjoyable way. For me, organising a client’s event and later seeing the client pleased with its end success is something to look forward to each and every day.

2: The 3 golden rules: Strong team work, good communication and flexibility.

3: Four Points by Sheraton Ljubljana Mons works by their promises – do the right thing, go the extra step and play as a team. This allows us to offer you an unforgettable experience at our hotel, together with a convenient location, vast combination of meeting rooms and efficient service.

4: No two events are the same, and this is the charm of working in this field. Every event is memorable in its own unique way!

5: “ Where the willingness is great, the difficulties cannot be great.” (Niccolo Machiavelli)

Alexandra Bozovic Marlais

Director of Sales at DT Croatia

1: I love that no two are alike and the challenge of organizing all the elements around the meeting. And of course who does not love when an event is a success.

2: Do not assume anything, ask lots of questions and do not be afraid to get into the details of each aspect of the event no matter how insignificant something may seem.

Excellence is in the details.

3: A side from the fact that Croatia is rich with natural beauty and culture heritage. It also offers friendly people, great value for money, and perfect hotels for meetings and incentives. With more and more flights being added for season 2015 it has never been more accessible.

here have been so many over the years 4: T both small and large that will forever stay with me. The most challenging one was privatizing an Island in Dubrovnik for a Corporate Event that has never been privatized before or since.

5: I live by the following quote “Never stop learning because life never stops teaching.”

With each event I take away with me a new experience that will help me in the future.

Jelena Petkovic,

Project manager at iDMC d.o.o.

eetings industry shaped my way of life 1: M quite a bit. I love the fact that I get to meet new people and places, to put concepts and ideas into life and shape events.

2: Treat every group and participant as your own personal guest. It will help you understand their needs much faster and find sollutions to their challenges even faster.

3: Meetings are more and more managing and communication emotions. We are more than lucky to present two great destinations - sLOVEnia and Ser<3ia. For me one of them is a country of love and the other country with a heart. Both are guaranteed to make a memorable scenery for your meeting.

4: When you love what you do every event is memorable. They all carry a story or a challenge that I will always remember, or a partner that is now a personal friend.

Dare and good things get a chance to 5: happen.

Benjamin Codet

Managing Director at Mondial Events & Incentives

ow different each Meeting/Event is to one 1: H another and how rewarding the success of such Meetings/events can be as organizer.

2: Try to perfectly understand what the dele151

gates experience/journey should be and be creative and pragmatic in bringing solutions.

3: Because our region (Vienna and Lower Austria) is ideal for Meetings - due to its Hotels and Locations Capacities, the internationality and the easy access to its Airport and also due to all the different professional program possibilities that exist within that region.

4: Would be a combination of several highlights from different events: The logistical complexity of a city wide congress combined with the creativity needed for a Presse event of a new special car and with the innovative technical requirements of an IT “future lab” conference. All this rounded up with an unforgettable “Austrian feeling” throughout the event.

5: “Coming together is a beginning, keeping together is progress, working together is success.” (Henry Ford)

Marlies Rogen, Sales Manager at Best Western Central Europe

ach meeting is different and there are 1: E thousands of reasons to meet people. A meeting cannot be replaced by any electronic device.

2: The most important thing is the detailed planning before and always “doublecheck”!

3: At our Best Western Hotels worldwide professional teams prepare tailor made offers according to our clients’ special requirements. Our slogan: “stay with people who care”.

4: Our recent Annual Meeting which took place at the Best Western Premier Hotel Slon (Ljubljana) and Best Western Premier Hotel Lovec (Bled).

5: “ What goes around comes around.”

Who is Who

Kerstin Fritz

1. What do you love about meetings?

Sales & Marketing Manager at Congress Center Villach

2. Your tips for the perfect event?

3. Why organise meeting in your city/hotel?

4. The most memorable event for you?

5. Food for thought?

1: I like the creative ideas, further education, the teambuilding effect and in best case the positive results.

2: When you organize an event, look about only one contact person – who is responsible for everything – like you find it in Villach!

3: The Congress Center Villach is perfectly situated for your event. Next to the most flexiblest congress offer, you find many possibilities for incentives. Mountains, lakes, cities, sport, fun, culture... in a few minutes you’ll get everything!

Cabrio presentation in the middle of a 4: snowscape!

5: Every work you start with a good mood will be achieved easily!

Slovenia you can combine different venues and experiences to make your event truly memorable for good value of money. Slovenia is a fantastic destination for outdoor activities. Capital Ljubljana, Alpine area or Mediterranean coastal area can all be reached in one day. The short driving distances within the country are ideal to include different localities with rich selection of fascinating places in your programms. One of the advantages are also friendly, hospitable and highly professional staff who are passionate for their client’s success.

4: Icca congress in Florence in 2009.

5: “ Dream big dreams, but start small. A journey of thousand steps begins with a step.” (Israelmore Ayivor)

Hristina Nedkova,

Sales Executive MICE at Hilton Sofia

Azra Botonjić, Marketing Manager at Slovenian Convention Bureau

1: I love meetings because they give us a chance to meet lots of different interesting people and we can learn a lot one from another. Cooperation and joint planning create bonds.

2: You have to prepare a good plan (who, what, where, when, and why), do the research, clarify the objectives of the event, be clear on key message of the event, have a good communication strategy, have a risk plan, define priorities, stick with the timeline and budget, have a good team, don’t forget to evaluate at the end. Do the best in all 3P: planning, preparation and performance.

3: You simply have to visit Slovenia to be able to Feel it. Slovenia is country of diversity in landscape, climate, culture, history, architecture, gastronomy and offer. It has exceptional geographical position in Central Europe, its easily accessible, green, clean and is one of the safest countries in the world. In 152

he opportunity to turn every event in an 1: T exceptional experience both for organizers and attendees.

2: Creativity, top venue, professional partners, good food, outstanding service 3: Sofia is a vibrant city, offering an unique mixture of the old and the new- an absolute must-try destination! And of course, for the perfect event you need the best hotel Hilton Sofia!

4: Still to come ...

5: “ To accomplish big things you must first dream big dreams.” (Conrad Hilton)

Saša Zor

Director of Sales – MICE at Sava Turizem d.d.

1: I may have contracted a permanent “MICE virus”, as I am passionately taking my job as a lifestyle. Every day is filled with dynamic

Who is Who

2:

3:

4:

5:

variety, challenges and the opportunity to build strong relationships. It is also the traveling factor that drives me in the sense of constant personal and professional development together with the freedom to be creative and to implement daring out of the box ideas as practical solutions.

The definition of a “perfect event” is as various as are our clients – event organisers with different objectives, profiles, themes, budgets, etc. Being able to actively listen to the clients, provide them with best possible solutions, consider and intelligently transmit potential improvements and spice up the whole experience with a special “wow” factor are crucial to making a certain event a story of success.

Bled makes an ideal destination for blending business and pleasure and for re-connecting – with yourself, with your clients and with your team of co-workers. You have to feel it to fall in love with it and as you do it is just a question of time before you seek for more.

Every event is special and memorable in terms of being unique. However, I would highlight our last three hosted FAM Trips with clients from France, Hungary and Italy. In all three cases, it was their first visit to Bled; they came on Friday formally as potential business partners, but left us on Sunday as friends. Establishing such strong ties creates the best reward for the work we do.

If it is important to you, you will find a way.

If not, you will find an excuse.

Ursula Melcher Hotel Karnerhof manager

o see how organizers start to relax once 1: T they enter our hotel and are given a warm welcome by myself and my team.

2: To plan the event carefully and thoroughly - like that the guests will get the impression that they are in good hands and feel welcome. Also, to come up with something special, to give the event an extra turn, something the guests did not expect.

3: At Hotel Karnerhof you will find the perfect combination of professional hotel and meeting services, a helpfulness and friend-

liness of a perfect team that goes above and beyond to make YOU happy and a wonderfully green setting with panoramic views that will inspire you.

4: In the past year it was a lovely wedding. We had a reception on our terrace with lake view, a 6 course dinner which was really a wonderful composition, a state of the art wedding cake and to wrap it all up delightful fireworks.

5: Give yourself one hour of reflection and silence per day, except when you are super busy you should give yourself two.

(Unfortunately I rarely get to do that ...).

tion of this event by PCO Mondial, the visitors also had a chance to explore the region and admire the cultural treasures along the Danube.

5: Creative ideas can only come when I’m open to new things and can feel the power of nature.

Žan Sekirnik Marketing at Hotel Sava Rogaška d.o.o.

Edith Mader

Convention Bureau Lower Austria Manager

or me, meetings are an opportunity to 1: F share experiences and transfer knowledge.

When basic factors such as venue and service are good, I remember meetings fondly for a long time. In this regard, Lower Austria can count on professional partners who satisfy the customers’ high aspirations.

2: A n extraordinary venue of the kind you find in great abundance in Lower Austria.

Conference Center Laxenburg and Grafenegg Castle are both good examples, as are Congress Casino Baden or Landesmuseum St. Pölten. The perfect social program can be worked out in collaboration with our partners and geared to the customers’ requirements.

3: Lower Austria is the province surrounding Vienna and can be easily reached by air via the Vienna International Airport. Visitors can look forward to fascinating landscapes.

The Wachau Valley and the Semmering Railroad are both on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Impressive excursions to both sites can be readily incorporated in a meeting. Lower Austria, the biggest wine producer in Austria, boasts excellent wines and enriches every meeting with culinary delights.

4: That would have to be the World Congress of Music Therapy, held this year in Krems/ Wachau. It attracted more than 1,000 participants. Along with the perfect organiza153

he word meetings, which already says a lot 1: T to meet, get to know ... new faces, business partners, new cultures, preferences and friendship ... I think that are the greatest advantages, not only do you have an appointment, but to Increas number of people - friends, acquaintances and business partners.

2: Be what you are, follow their principles, components happiness, true to the agreement and the “scenario” and using the experience and knowledge. Make small things in a great significance in a different way than the other, services that what you offer and guests will remember the event forever.

3: Rogaška has been known for its healing mineral water for centuries, but there is more to it. Rogaška has been making history for hundreds of years: with its people, nature, water, health ... A quiet place far away from the hustle and bustle of the city, surrounded by rich vegetation and unspoilt nature. A magnificent park soothes with beauty and elegance, the nearby forest tempts with a comforting shade. The hotel has preserved its historic charm, but at the same time it can meet the highest expectations of a modern guest. Let it seduce you with its majestic appearance and rich offer.

The first TED Women’s Ministry 4: Conference 22-28.9.2014 – 300 ladies from all over the world and they raised 3336 euros and 221 pounds to help two local children, one of whom suffers from a debilitating illness.

5: Self-confidence is a solid foundation of trust in yourself and your abilities. Thus, moral and creative.

Who is Who

1. What do you love about meetings?

Mojca Juhant

MICE Sales Manager at Terme Maribor

2. Your tips for the perfect event?

3. Why organise meeting in your city/hotel?

4. The most memorable event for you?

5. Food for thought?

lanning, meet interesting clients and 1: P checking the last check list.

2: Do not underestimate any detail when organizing your event.

3: • Years of international experience in organising events.

• Annually, we prepare 400 events.

•For planning and the implementation of the event, there will be a personal event planner at your disposal (24/7/365).

• The largest and the most versatile provider of hotel and conference services in Maribor.

• Free wireless access to the Internet for all participants.

• Sufficient number of parking spaces.

4: Perhaps will hear like a cliché, but for me and my co-workers is it important each and every event, because of that I cannot give you exact answer.

5: The Secret is in the Details.

that the general and individual needs of people are given more attention than previously. Blue Meeting® is a Linz invention.

Developed by Linz Tourismus, it takes up the „Blue Architecture“ concept of sustainable construction and advances it further for organisers.

3: Linz is successful: a cultural city, a strong economy and the fact that two-thirds of the municipal area is green space creates a combination that can‘t be found anywhere else.

Linz is practical and affordable: manageable yet urban – a perfect balance.

Linz is beautiful: whether in the fantastically maintained Old Town, by the Danube or on the hills above the city: Linz is simply charming.

Linz enjoys an ideal location: airport, motorway network or railway – a journey is not often so fast and uncomplicated.

4: It was my first self-organized congress.

5: „ New ideas emerge when you step out of everyday life and onto new paths.”

Dada Jerovšek

Director at Kaval Group

Luzia Bauer

Meeting and Convention department of the Linz City Tourist Board

1: I n general, meetings help to share information, encourage teamwork and assist in overcoming difficulties due to communication. Personally spoken I enjoy meetings because of the individual character. It is always a different working atmosphere if you have the chance to discuss topics face to face. Even coffee breaks are useful.

Participants get to know each other, do some small talk and develop sympathy for each other.

2: Blue Meeting® - a format that centers quality of life and the creation of meaning. As the logical development of green events, Blue Meeting® focuses on people and the environment. As concerns meetings, this means 154

eeting new people in countries and 1: M thereby expansion of knowledge and moving boundary line.

2: Good vibration, good energy & excellent food.

3: We are experts in culinary at the highest level. We have excellent Chefs and beautiful places. We proudly announce that the Strelec Restaurant - Kaval Group (Ljubljana Castle) was the highest rated Restaurant in Ljubljana and received 5 Q – Ljubljana Quality Mark.

4: Congress of the European Association of Agricultural Economist in Ljubljana. Kaval Group has prepared for 700 participant a culinary journey throughout the Slovenian traditional food and wine.

5: Leisure time with loved ones.

Who is Who

Karolin Struger

Sales Manager at Seepark Hotel

he meeting space is so exciting, because 1: T each event itself is individual and cannot be compared with other events. So daily challenges are standards.

2: There is no secret recipe for a perfect event.

You should begin with the planning in time.

3: Our hotel offers the perfect location for a meeting, because we have the best connections. On one hand a top transport connection and on the other hand we offer the perfect combination between city and lake.

And for every claim we offer a perfect solution.

4: There are many events and major events in Klagenfurt directly in the surrounding of the hotel. Every year a highlight in the event calendar is the Ironman Austria. This event take place probably in front of our house. An event with more than 3000 participants and many thousands of visitors. Always a hightlight.

5: The meetings industry is a very fast-changing industry. The challenges of the next months and years will be to meet these challenges in a flexible way - moving with the times.

meeting planners in designing creative programs. On the other hand, it is great when meeting planners are curious, looking for new ideas and of course have a generous budget to realize their desires.

While Intours DMC Croatia organises 3: meetings and events throughout Croatia, I would like to draw meeting planners’ attention to the Island of Hvar. Crowned as the sunniest island in Europe and the only island in the world with four UNESCO heritages, Hvar is the place to see. Hvar’s glamorous legacy for having the best of everything is well deserved - from the best beach parties in Europe to fabulous free climbing, sea kayaking and off road adventures.

4: In my … years career, two memorable events stand out. The first is a Renaissance Dinner Event we organised for 145 guests who enjoyed 17th century Hvar, with traditional music, artists and dance. The second is the first gay weeding in Croatia that was disguised as a birthday party. I found out its true purpose from national press discussing the first gay wedding in Croatia.

5: Fresh seafood with bogdanuša white wine J On a slightly more serious tone, what drives me is passion for adventure. As Jon Krakaue said “The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences.”

Tomaž Krušič Director at Intours DMC Slovenia

Ante Lacman Intours DMC Croatia

he meeting industry is creative and 1: T dynamic business, which suits my character. By designing innovative incentive and corporate meeting programs throughout Croatia, I can demonstrate my professional knowledge, international experience and of course my creative side.

2: To organise a perfect event, it is first important to select a great, unusual venue.

Experienced DMC with extensive local expertise and a network of partners can assist

1: Working in a DMC agency, gives me the opportunity to meet interesting people and discuss the variety of possibilities in organising incentives, team buildings, product launches and conferences in the Adriatic region. With new challenges arising, which always happens in event management, I can demonstrate my creativity and flexibility.

2: Having organised a number of events, I have come to realize it is most important for meeting planners to listen to local experts when sharing their destination knowledge and highlighting local particularities. When working with a trusted local partner, the event runs smoothly.

3: Established in 1995, Intours DMC has a 155

wealth of experience in organising events in the Adriatic region. Still for three compelling arguments, I need to draw attention to Ljubljana. Firstly, Ljubljana is unexpectedly charming. It is easy to handle. And despite its petite seize, Ljubljana can offer even more than many large cities.

4: For a Belgian client, the Intours team designed a crazy off-road adventure with jeeps, spiced up with unusual outdoor experiences. We perfectly orchestrated culinary delights and an unforgettable party, all within three days.

5: To find pleasure in everyday work is a guarantee for success. And this hold true for our Intours team.

Katarina Hauptman

Sales Manager for M.I.C.E. at Thermana d.d.

1: I love the dynamics of event planning. Every event, meeting is different from the previous one and every event is unique on its own. It is the fact of not knowing what awaits and what skills will you have to develop alongside that keeps me going.

2: Simple. Good coordination and vision on the event. Everything else comes along.

Exceptional location, contemporarily 3: equipped congress halls and meeting rooms daylight in all the halls, exquisite cuisine, professional staff and individual consideration of clients.

4: The event of the company Real Security called RISK. IT event of great proportions.

From artistic performances to technical complexity of event execution.

5: “Success is simple. Do what’s right, the right way, at the right time.” (Arnold H. Glasgow)

Who is Who

1. What do you love about meetings?

Maros Borsky,

Product manager at Enjoy Slovakia DMC

2. Your tips for the perfect event?

3. Why organise meeting in your city/hotel?

4. The most memorable event for you?

5. Food for thought?

t Enjoy Slovakia DMC we love, when the 1: A delegates leave happy and inspired from our destination.

2: Glide down the Danube stream on speedboats to the Danubiana built on the artificial peninsula encircled by the mighty river. It is one of the most unique art museums in Europe. After welcome drink and viewing the art show, enjoy the gala dinner.

3: Bratislava has excellent access through two international airports (VIE, BTS). The city is compact and safe, with a lot of heritage and excellent gastronomy. Bratislava embodies a success story of Slovakia that passed through remarkable transformation in the past two decades. It is surely place to come and getting inspired.

4: A n evening party organized at the anchored ship under the majestic Bratislava Castle and the SNP Bridge. It was summer evening with Danube breeze, life music, and World Cup Brazil football match on large screens, excellent catering and tab beer …

Marina Zovkić Sales representative at Hotel osijek - Centar Škojo d.o.o.

eetings are great way to change experi1: M ences, great way to match your supply with somebody´s demand. By asking and answering questions, meetings can provide You instant feedback.

2: For successful event you need to listen all client´s requests and fulfill them, but for the perfect event You have to offer your client something that is not expected, some additional value which will make his stay memorable.

3: The traditional Slavonian hospitality is a comparative advantage of the Hotel Osijek.

Meeting planners say that in our hotel 156

guests get much more than what they payed for, added value is the courtesy of our staff.

Despite its impressive design and luxurious interiors, the hotel considers its smiling and kind staff to be its biggest treasure. Our hotel is completely equipped for hosting conferences, business meetings and all kinds of events, with a top quality service.

4: We hosted many memorable events. Looking back, what probably stands out the most was one opening of a shopping mall. Party was on the roof of the building where we proudly served a gastronomic feast fore more than 2500 people. It was very challenging and definitely memorable.

5: People are key element in a chain of success, in that order we should nurture their abilities, knowledge, creativity and motivation.

Matic Vozlič

Sales - Meetings & Events at Plaza Hotel Ljubljana

he main point about meeting is to get in 1: T touch with presenet and future business partners. You increase your business market. I still think that meeting person live is still the best way.

2: To be prepaired 120%, go through all little details with your client and be ready if anything happen - to have always plan B. 3: To have meeting in the sky - on 15th floor with breathtaking view of Ljubljana and what is most important with day light.

4: Live streaming of operation, from university clinical center to our hotel where we had 3 days congress (endoskopska kirurgija) and wedding ceramony outside on 16th floor with breathtaking view.

5: A lways try to be the best. Plaza Team

Who is Who

Vidergar Maja

Marketing Projects Manager at CD Congress Centre Ljubljana

hat they provide a platform for exchange 1: T of ideas, opinions, views and are an excellent opportunity for meeting people.

2: A lways listen to your clients and encourage them to be a little bolder than usually. But aim to a perfect execution.

Because we are dedicated to organising 3: events, meetings etc. We have the knowledge, tradition, staff and space designed for it.

4: A ll of them - we treat each one of our meetings as a unique event.

5: “Believe you can and you’re halfway there.”

I think that was said by Theodore Roosevelt.

Kristina Jurjevec

Marketing Manager at SORA Catering

spectacular evening reception at the airport hangar.

5: Oysters!

Tomislav Hrala Director of Sales & Marketing at Kempinski Palace Portorož

he feeling of accomplishment after a 1: T meeting well organized.

2: Be thorough, be prepared - never assume anything!!

3: There are so many, but lets single out some: amazing location on the Adriatic Sea between Italy and Croatia, unique combination of traditional and modern design, cultural heritage of the Palace, magnificent Crystal Ballroom for exclusive events, unique private park for car launches and weddings, roof top terrace for events overlooking the Adriatic Sea. The only 5 star superior hotel in Slovenia.

4: There are too many to single out any.

5: Again, never assume anything!

hey are a reason to leave the comfort of our 1: T offices. Even though we have difficulties in finding time to attend them, we usually get surprised by the positive feelings they awaken in us.

2: Having reliable and experienced partners.

What looks good on paper does not necessary look good in practice. Hungry guests are not happy guests.

Guests will not have high expectations 3: before coming to our destination since few actually know it. This means that meeting planners will not have a hard job trying to impress them. The destination will do it for them.

4: A irport events always! This May a bus of celebrity clients from Ljubljana were taken to a surprise event which was held at Zagreb airport. Upon arrival they were invited to check-in to a private flight. During their one-hour flight they were served with SORA Catering delights and then surprised by a plane concert of a famous Slovene and Croatian singers. After landing they had a

Andrea Sajben Manager of Steiermark Convention

3: I n Steiermark (Styria), you‘ll find all the attractions of Austria in one province.

Between the unspoilt nature of the Dachstein glacier and the enchanting scenery of the wine region, there is an abundance of lovely scenic spots and many impressing cultural treasures. Guests enjoy culinary delights, exercise & nature, wellness & health and culture!

4: The “Long table in Graz” is always a highlight for me, when the historic centre of Graz turns into a giant open air restaurant.

Aljaž Filej

Professional assistant at Institute for Tourism, Culture, Youth and Sport Brda

1: I love the creativity in the air and how different points of view come together into one great idea.

2: Invest much effort in hospitality, make a great venue even greater by creating a homely atmosphere.

3: The beautifullnes of the venue in combination with the magic enviorment of the Brda region and the world-known local fruit & wine, excellent olive oil and delicious cuisine is a perfect spot for a successful & memorable experience. Small & unique venue offers an exciting perspective on congress activities based on the experience of the region.

4: Is yet to come.

5: I f you cannot do great things, do small things in a great way. Small event, big experience - Vila Vipolže.

here are many benefits of attending (inter1: T national) meetings. On the one hand you have the chance to present your offer and new information face-to-face. On the other hand people from all over the world open your eyes to new cultures and international perspectives.

2: We think that a good combination of professional aspects and regional highlights are important. That’s why Steiermark Convention is proud to present “Making Meetings a delight”. For guests this means regional and seasonal delights during their entire stay!

157

Robert Vincze Head of Slovak Convention Bureau

very meeting may be source of energy and 1: E inspiration. I love finding the right balance to make this happen.

Who is Who

1. What do you love about meetings?

2. Your tips for the perfect event?

3. Why organise meeting in your city/hotel?

4. The most memorable event for you?

5. Food for thought?

or me a successful event makes you happy 2: F at least twice: once you arrive and once you leave J 3: Slovakia is a destination ready to be discovered, with lots of unexpected features and a motivated and dedicated meetings industry to care for your needs.

4: From professional point of view I enjoyed the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi most in the past decade and noticed a few remarkable professional solutions. Slovakia co-hosts Winter Universiade in Jan/Feb 2015 and the learned lessons were useful.

5: Meetings industry potential of Central and Eastern Europe still far from being fully used.

Andreja Palhartinger

Sales department at Best Western Premier Hotel Lovec & Hotel Kompas

he fact that we, as organisers, have the 1: T possibility to create memorable events that won’t be easily forgotten. On the one hand, we make people’s wishes come true, and on the other hand, we advise them and provide ideas.

2: Combine business with pleasure, go local.

It’s a fact: people love to socialise, and informal networking and teambuilding can be even more important than the formal part of an event. In terms of the contents of accompanying activities, I would recommend to always link them to the local environment.

3: Precisely for the combination of business and pleasure. Bled blends meeting expertise and excellent facilities with an absolutely stunning natural setting and plentiful options for getting to know the local environment, may it be through its cuisine, culture or outdoor sporting activities.

4: We have recently organised the gala dinner in the framework of the Best Western meeting, which was a great success. We managed to pack a lot of programme into a very tight schedule of hoteliers who only came to Bled for the dinner, and succeeded in giving the participants a good feel of the local environment through the selection of venues, the music and the choice of menu and wines.

158

oming together is a beginning, keeping to5: C gether is progress, working together is success. (Henry Ford)

Renata Nevidal Managing Director M&E at Globtour Event

1: I love creating a new unique experience for our clients, with every new meeting.

Striking the balance between ROI, achieving goals while running seamless memorable meetings with a different local story.

2: A lways have at least 2 back up options. Very detailed briefing with clients, setting the objectives, applying project management methods using latest technology to prepare, deliver and follow up event, but remember people are key to success!

3: We operate in 3 countries and every country has its advantages. Croatia is attractive well connected with excellent hotel infrastructure, stunning nature. Slovenia has mountains and lakes and Bosnia & Herzegovina is vibrant cultural melting pot.

4: It is difficult to single out one, but I was very proud when we turned a garage in a Ferryboat (plying between Croatia and Italy) into a gala venue for awards ceremony and had a play written just for that. I also love our Event Express! We turn a regular train in to special venue - Event Express.

5: We are in the business of creating solutions, unique experiences and stories people will remember long after they return home. This accomplishment keeps me going.

Mitja Žnidaršič

Sales Executive – MICE at Live Class Hotels and Spa

he diversity and the dynamic environment 1: T which demands a lot of creativity and flexibility. Co-operating with different companies from various industries which requires

Who is Who

2:

3:

4:

5:

innovative thinking to deliver unique and memorable events.

There is no such thing as the perfect event.

What one should be focusing on is what is the perfect event for YOU. The client should keep in mind at all time the purpose of the event. The organiser should know that purpose in detail and always provide concrete solutions and suggestions for achieving the event’s goal.

LifeClass has a great location and excellent infrastructure, appropriate for hosting all kinds of events. We are introducing new and innovative ways of organizing meetings that through different approaches and activities help organizers increase the ROI of their events.

A n evening in mid of January 2013 was a really hot one. It was the launch of the new luxury SUV - Range Rover Vogue. Exclusive English brand, Indian ownership and Mediterranean location blended in a fusion of English, Indian and Istrian cuisine. ”Wonder what your customer really wants?

Ask. Don’t tell.” (Lisa Stone)

Milan Pejić

Urška Kozamernik Key Account Manager at GoOpti

here is always the challenge of how to 1: T impress potential partners.

2: Definitely perfect logistics support, organization of interesting excursions and good catering on one side, and, of course, many satisfied partners on the other side.

3: Ljubljana is a city with a special charm … and GoOpti, with its logistics support, makes Ljubljana accessible to all kinds of visitors.

4: The most memorable event for me was Slovenian Incoming Workshop 2014, which was held in Nova Gorica with the topic “Moving borders” and had a special note: people from two countries living together.

5: “Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.”

(Oscar Wilde)

Head of Group & MICE Sales at Lošinj Hotels and Villas

Gernot Marx

Head of Salzburg Convention Bureau

alzburg was IAPCO’s host council city 5: S 2014. The International Association of PCOs invited us to an educational session speaking about how smaller destinations work for international meeting business. IAPCO members also mentioned great communications and identification of suppliers and public authorities with the event and its delegates.

Zlatan Muftič

Zagreb Convention Bureau Director

1: I love to exchange ideas with other people.

I love the dynamics, I like the way meetings change us, our environment, our behaviour, our perspective…

2: Only one thing: Pay attention to details! xcellent location, excellent value for 3: E money, well trained professionals dedicated to you and your event. Zagreb is very safe and friendly city, easy to explore. It is a vibrant place of events all year round.

4: It is always the last one J alking much about oneself may be a way of 5: T hiding oneself. (Friedrich Nietzsche)

pportunity to meet directly with new 1: O people and to exchange views and ideas with other from the MICE industry.

Quality over quantity, simplicity and 2: professionalism.

3: Outstanding travel connections combined with geographic isolation make Lošinj attractive as a refuge from the everyday grind of urban life to an inspiring natural oasis (3.5 hrs from Zagreb and Trieste and 4 hrs from Ljubljana by car). The unique natural energy of Lošinj creates an ambience where fresh business ideas emerge.

4: European Inter-Parliamentary Conference after party we were hosting this summer.

5: It’s not always easy, but it’s usually simple.

o get new ideas and think out of the box. I 1: T find it very important that you mix your delegates with new people they haven’t met before. This creates a melting-pot of cultures and new ideas you might not have thought about in your daily mind set.

2: Oval tables instead of the big round tables for gala dinners. It gives a better possibility for communication as delegates sit closer to each other and they take less space to fit more delegates in the same room.

3: Great value for money, easy access and logistics due to close proximity and variety of designer and historical or baroque venues make the destination a living stage itself.

4: It was the European Dealership Event of a German based car company which had the claim “Let the star shine”. Also the European Society of Veterinary Dermatology was a great congress in Salzburg.

159

Krisztina Kovács

Director of Sales & Marketing at Spirit Hotel Thermal Spa

very occasion has its specialty. If an event 1: E organised perfectly, it will give memorable moments to everyone involved in it.

2: If perfect planning, five star quality service and a unique venue meets, than satisfaction is guaranteed.

3: Discover our wonderful and unique, multi-award winning Spirit Hotel Thermal Spa*****, and you will have just one question: “When do you have availability...?”

5: Events, experience, value = Spirit Hotel Thermal Spa*****

Who is Who

1. What do you love about meetings?

Brankica Marić Sales manager at Le Meridien Lav

2. Your tips for the perfect event?

3. Why organise meeting in your city/hotel?

4. The most memorable event for you?

5. Food for thought?

y participation to the ICCA Congress in 4: M Antalya.

5: Be quick but don´t hurry. Work hard, wait patiently. Underpromise, overdeliver.

Karin Obkircher 1: I feel like Drew Barrymore in one of her classics, 50 first dates. Every meeting is a new experience.

2: Details, details, details ... they make all the difference whether you are going to have an ordinary event or an amazing one.

3: Great facilities, excellent staff and a matchless location.

Cisco annual conference. It was a true 4: adrenaline rush.

5: People remember experiences not objects.

Be positive!

Efi Koudeli

General Manager at Thessaloniki Convention Bureau

1: I have the chance to represent my city abroad and at the same time develop our Convention Bureau in Greece. I really love the bidding procedure. Every bid is a new challenge and is unique. Bidding is an exciting process and eather you win or loose, at the end you gain experience and knowledge.

The MICE industry is a sector that is rapidly evolving. Is about creating unforgetable experiences. It´s about being creative and having passion for what you do... and J love what I do.

2: Listen to the client. Ask and never assume anything. Plan while thinking out of the box.

3: Thessaloniki is a not just a historic port, it´s a city by the sea with an annual average of 300 days of sunshine. My city stands out as the business hub for the Balkans, offering excellent infrastructure. Thessaloniki is easy to explore on foot and it puts you at ease. Last but not least, it shimmers with its own brand of easy-living spirit -all you need to do is let yourself go and enjoy.

160

Marketing & Sales at Casino Velden

o create a unique event and to meet inter1: T esting people.

2: Perfect location and preparation, competent staff and comprehensive support and care in organisational and technical issues.

Guests enjoy the special atmosphere of 3: Casino Velden as a venue, with the vibrant ambience directly at the lake, a diverse event programme, perfect congress facilities and the regional culinary delicacies.

4: Bal du Circque Fantastique – the first casinoball on 3th of may 2014.

5: Less bureaucracy – more creativity.

Natalija Bah Čad

Project manager at Go.Mice/ Toleranca Marketing

very meeting is a new and different chal1: E lenge. You have to be creative, flexible, open-minded and always one step ahead of the client.

2: Listen carefully and set the goals together with the client. Than try to exceed them with the “out of the box” solutions.

3: As I am from Ljubljana, this is always my first proposal for the congresses and other bigger events. It is live, romantic city, compact and well organized on the other side. For the events with less participants there are many hidden, boutique places with the “new luxury” concept that has to surprise the client and participants.

4: You are as good as your last event…The 14th European Congress of Agricultural

Who is Who

Economists in Ljubljana was a great success to remember.

5: “Srečanja” is a Slovenian word for meetings.

“Sreča” means happiness. My food for thought: “Try to make at least one person happy every day”.

Claudia Badiu

General Manager at PALOMA TOURS

e are in the “idea business”, so what I enjoy 1: W most, is the constant challenge of creating each event from the ground, up and striving to give each one of them, a unique touch.

2: Setting your key objective, early planning, find the common ground between the client’s needs and the set budget, in order to get the best quality/price rappor, find the key factor that will help the event fulfill its purpose, check, double-check and rehearse.

Bucharest is a fast-emerging high class 3: European Capital and the new top destination for M.I.C.E. travel in Eastern Europe, with an excellent quality/cost ratio.

UEFA Final, bucharest 2012 (Atletico 4: Madrid – Atletic Bilbao). We have organized transfers, accommodation and customized tours, for more than 7000 people.

5: I would like to leave you with a beautiful thought by Henry Ford, in which I firmly believe: “Coming together is a beginning, keeping together is progress, working together is success”.

Ágnes Drégely Managing Director at Tour East Tour Hungary Ltd

s the goal of a meeting is to make a project, 1: A a future plan successful, we are love to be part of this success with ensuring all the professional background for it.

2: Now we are here in Budapest as one of the leading DMCs of Hungary, for no other

reason than to help bring the MIC travelers to Hungary. As the head of the Tour East Tour company, I want to do everything I can to get the word out about how amazing a trip to Hungary can be.

3: The secret is out. Have you heard? It changes everything, and that’s a good thing.What’s the secret? Budapest is hot, Hungary is trendy.

Budapest Aquaworld Resort, swimming 4: pools area, which was built in Angkor style Event’s Itinerary: Welcome drink and finger-food, guests on the balconies over the swimming pool, in the water 8 ladies- water ballet show.

Gala Dinner served at tables over the swimming pool. On the tables the photo of each guest in lighting frame. Fire acrobats, laser show, light-painting, black & white theatre “Attraction” Hungarian winner of Britain’s got talent show.

5: Hungary & Budapest is more, than expected.

“Our experience is your success”

Laura Mandic

Corporate Sales Representative at Rixos Libertas Dubrovnik

Each event is different and unique in the way of communication, presentation and organization.

If you are interested into organizing a 5: meeting in Dubrovnik come and see us.

Branka Banjanin

Program organizer at Tourist Organization of Subotica

lanning. Communicating. Thrill. Buzz. A 1: P job well done.

2: Everybody doing their job well. And in a good spirit.

3: It’s a boutique destination. Charming and convenient. Not big. Has extraordinary special venues in Art Nouveau buildings.

Local food and wine, of course. And a lake.

Sorry, two lakes.

4: Usually those when you have to work hard but mostly every event with satisfied guests.

5: “Comedy is simply a funny way of being serious.” (Peter Ustinov)

Nuša Šolar

Event manager at Union Hotels 1: I love meeting and working with new people and getting to know different companies and agencies from different countries.

2: For the perfect event it is important first to have as much information as possible in order to plan it in detail. Therefore, communication is an important factor for preparation of an event. In the end performance of professional staff is not a less important factor for making an event successful.

3: Dubrovnik is very nice UNESCO town with a nice combination of history, nature, tradition and sea. Hotel Rixos Libertas is located in walking distance of the Old Town and with a great view directly to the sea.

Whether you are organizing a meeting or a banquet, our hotel offers distinguished facilities and exceptional services, tailor made of your needs. Our team of professional meeting and social function planners will ensure that you get the finest event planning and on‐site assistance available.

4: We had a lot of memorable events as every event has its nice moments and experiences.

161

1: I definitely love meeting new people, organizing events and seeing satisfied clients. You simply have to love this job. I’m passionate about what I do, I have the opportunity to travel and each day brings something new.

2: A perfect event can be organized anywhere.

It is just important to understand the client’s needs and make them happen.

3: Union hotels in Ljubljana with perfect location are a top venue to organize a meeting in.

The most beautiful is the Grand Union hall which has hosted events from 1905.

4: Last Conventa reception I attended in Grand hotel Union, since it’s a perfect venue for different kinds of events.

5: Do as much as you can today, because tomorrow brings new challenges.

Ljubljana Experience

TOP LJUBLJANA FOODS

T

op Ljubljana Foods are walking food tours that are especially appreciated by short term visitors of Ljubljana who are limited with time. Our food tours last 3 to 4 hours and give our guests insight into Slovene gastronomy, history of our nation and our culture in a short amount of time. Apart from the most popular traditional food tour other types of food tours are also available on our website as well as organization of end consumer and professional cooking workshops. Corporate tours are available as well.

Top Ljubljana Foods is part of Roundabout travel agency, which is Ljubljana’s #1 DMC. www.topljubljanafoods.com www.roundabout.si

ROLLBARKARTING CENTER BTC LJUBLJANA

E

xclusive electro indoor Go kart racing circuit with brand new go karts (August 2014) is inviting you to make “The fastest fun in town!”. Organize racing for your company, family and for different kind of events – corporative events, birthday parties, stag parties … for kids and adults. Bunch of eco electric go karts with top speed of 65 km/h (restricted for obvious reasons) will ensure you the best race in town!

The BTC Indoor Karting Center is an ideal entertainment for your business partners, teambuilding and various presentations. Next to Karting Center is Rollbar where you can have all kinds of presentation (equipped with screen and projector) and of course celebrate your victory after the race. Adrenaline challenge will help you relax, compete and get to know each other better. Open 365 days per year!

NAJHITREJšA ZABAVA V MESTU ZA VSO DRUžINO 365 dni adrenalina in prijazne postrežbe v rollbaru lahko izkusite v edinem indoor elektro karting centru v Sloveniji. www.indoor-karting.com, info@indoor-karting.com m: 051 603 333, t: 01 585 25 70

www.indoor-karting.com/

162

Ljubljana Experience

JB RESTAURANT

JB

Restaurant in downtown Ljubljana is the closest interpretation of a sophisticated pallet you will ever experience in this region. The menu, prepared by world renowned chef Janez Bratovž, is based on a relationship between the four elements: Earth, Water, Air, and Fire, representing four tastes – sweet, salty, sour, and bitter. This family-owned restaurant is listed as one of S. Pellegrino’s Top 100 World’s Best Restaurants.

JB Restaurant is place for those who want to try a distinct and sophisticated taste of extraordinary plates. They accept reservations for special private occasions, such as birthday celebrations, weddings, PR events and business meetings. www.jb-slo.com/en

Foto Marijan Močivnik

PATISSERIE LOLITA

T

he patisserie Lolita in the centre of Ljubljana has diverse offer from precious cakes to special chocolates. Everyone can find something for their taste.

Lolita seduces and satisfies all senses. If you will enter into Lolita’s environment, you will succumb to its charms and smell of almonds, chocolate, fresh biscuits, vanilla, tea and coffee. Seated in a warm sofa, staring through the large

windows you can follow the movie that city center will play for you. You can stay even longer, and plunge into the novel

by Vladimir Nabokov, Lolita. Definitely best choice for free hour in Ljubljana! www.slascicarna-lolita.si/

163

Advertorial

KARNERHOF

T

he Karnerhof is situated on a gentle incline, overlooking the crystal clear waters of Lake Faak, surrounded by 100.000sqm meadows and gardens. Where concentrated work is necessary, a calm environment can only be favorable!

As a one of its kind conference location Hotel Karnerhof offers comfortable rooms, an exquisite Spa, reward-winning cuisine and unlimited outdoor possibilities. 4 conference rooms with daylight accommodate up to 140 participants.

The lakeside terrace can be accessed directly from all conference rooms.

After a hard dayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work your participants will enjoy exploring 3 indoor saunas, steam bath, fitness room, indoor and outdoor pools and

whirlpools and the beautiful lakeside sauna including cooling off in the lake!

The area around the hotel offers plenty of possibilities for your incentive program - guided canoe tours, nature walks, herbal workshops, a treetop canopy tour or various options for excursions.

The Karnerhof team will provide personalized service from the time of booking to organizing all requests and demands on location. Whether you are looking for a special dinner, a wedding location, transfers or outdoor activities, the friendly staff will help you to organize your perfect event! www.karnerhof.com

164

Advertorial

WWW.KONGRES-INCENTIVES.NET THE BIGGEST COLLECTION OF INCENTIVE IDEAS IS HERE! 200 INCENTIVE IDEAS / 8 COUNTRIES

A

“Whether you are looking for an adrenaline, active, CSR, cultural, historical, culinary or luxury experience, the Incentive book has it all. The Book is full of interesting and new Incentive programs from 8 countries and more than 40 providers.

With these Incentive programs you will be able to see the yet unseen places, taste un-tasted foods, unknown wines, hear unintelligible languages and experience undiscovered experiences.”

fter a positive response to the issue of Kongres Incentive Ideas Book in 2014, Kongres magazine now launches a brand new web site dedicated to seekers of incentive programmes in the region of South East Europe.

The aim of the web site is to simplify the search process and to in one place offer the biggest database of South East European incentives.

With www.kongres-incentives.net, the magazine offers an overview of the most creative incentive ideas for the year 2015. The site already offers more than 200 incentive programmes with new programmes being added on weekly basis. Gorazd Čad, Editor-in-Chief of Kongres Magazine: “The region of South East Europe offers so many great incentive programmes. With the incentive guide and the new web site the search for that perfect one is over.”

165

He continues: “The new web site offers a wide overview of programmes throughout the region with the possibility of search by category. You can now save a lot of time searching for the right fit for you. In just a couple of clicks you come to a shortlist of programmes tailor-made for your needs.”

The Kongres Incentives web site is also a great opportunity for agencies offering incentive programmes to increase their visibility and promote their programmes. Four different packages and a number of possibilities to advertise are available to them.

For more information visit www.kongres-incentives.net or write to gorazd.cad@toleranca.eu

Advertorial

LJUBLJANA’S HALLMARKS: A FRESH, GREEN AND FUNKY MEETINGS DESTINATION ITS COMPACT SIZE: the downtown area and the picturesque Old Town are within easy reach from many hotels, conference- and special event venues. This is very convenient for organizing events that practically do not require any land transfers once delegates are in the city, since the majority of the points of interest are at a walking distance. That’s already a first step to greening your events!

QUALITY MEETING VENUES: in the wider region, no city of our size (286,000 residents out of 2,062,000 in Slovenia), or even a tad larger, can offer two larger, flexible and efficient convention centres at ten to maximum twenty minutes walking from the historic Old Town and a good share of the city hotels. Maximum plenary capacity: 2,200 seats. A good number among the hotels are well geared to welcome medium-sized and smaller meetings. The largest plenary capacity in the hotel sector is 800 seats theatre-style.

AN ARRAY OF SPECIAL EVENT VENUES: leaving aside some attractive options in convention centres / hotels, there are a dozen of special event venues of a very different type in the radius of max. 15 minutes walking from the Triple Bridge ­often defined as the most central downtown spot. One of the most sought-after is

the Ljubljana Castle, which reigns above the city.

And there’s no hassle to reach them, as they are either a short stroll (or a funicular ride) away from several hotels / conference venues. You are still on the green side of life!

CREATIVE PRODUCTS: as nature invisibly blends with the urban tissue, Ljubljana offers a span of very diverse experiences and activities that can be incorporated into incentive or team building programmes adapted to a different number of attendees. A brunch while elegantly cruising along the Ljubljanica river or kayaking across town? Baking a traditional cake or learning to do pottery in a museum? Photo safaris and treasure hunts with an “intellectual twist”? CSR programmes or wine tasting? “taste Ljubljana” at a standing lunch under the colonnades of the central market or…. ? The list could be much much longer – check it out with local DMC’s, event agencies or the Ljubljana Convention Bureau.

INTERNATIONAL ACCOLADES: Lonely Planet, the world’s leading travel guide book publisher, has listed Ljubljana at No. 2 on its Best in Europe 2014 list among ten destinations considered by LP editors as the most worth visiting.

Ljubljana made it to the list as ‘one of Europe’s greenest and most livable cities, with a vibrant

PLAZA HOTEL LJUBLJANA (4*)

E

nter the brand new Plaza Hotel Ljubljana and indulge in the luxury of the most up to date and largest hotel in the capital. Upon arrival, you will always receive a warm and a welcoming reception by our kind and professionally trained personnel. You can choose between 236 rooms and luxurious suites which, in addition to aesthetic perfection, are also distinguished by their exceptional comfort and spaciousness. We can provide true relaxation by offering you a free entrance to the 100 m distant Water Park Atlantis and on-going discounts on relaxing massages. In addition, we also prepared a special discount on timeless elegant jewellery in the nearby Zlatarna Celje stores.

Congress center: Plaza Hotel Ljubljana proudly presents a modern congress center.

Adjustable congress halls with capacity of up to 150 people, astonishing views and extraordinary food and beverage service makes it a perfect place to hold meetings and host various events.

Your Plaza Hotel Ljubljana, where you are always welcome! www.plazahotel.si 166

cultural, café and nightlife scene that gives it the feel of a perpetual street party’.

The ultimate one: Ljubljana received the prestigious title of European Green Capital 2016.

Among the five finalists contending for the title, Ljubljana, with its sustainable development strategy document ‘Vision 2025’, was the one that the jury, chaired by the European Commission, found the most impressive. The many visible improvements are already reflected in the quality of life, which can be appreciated by all visitors to our city, too.

THE PEOPLE & THE DESTINATION SPIRIT: Dedicated and connected professionals in all the segments of meeting industry providers are the backbone of a destination, which we are aware of in Ljubljana. And many clients underline this as one of our assets.

Slovenians in general are described as affable, open, fluent in languages, helpful, hospitable in a genuine way.. Your feedback is welcome!

AND SO ARE YOU – FEEL MOST WELCOME IN LJUBLJANA! Ljubljana Tourism / Convention Bureau www.visitljubljana.com/meetings

Advertorial

INNOVATIVE CATERING SOLUTIONS

T

o stand out event caterer needs to have the ability to work with clients and take their ideas through to delivering exceptional events. Catering innovations mandatory to keep the company competitive depend on technology investments, implementing new techniques and knowledge and content creativity.

Technology innovations are a big financial challenge for any catering company but are necessary to optimize mainly labour costs. By this we mean investment in hardware and software catering support.

New cooking techniques are very attractive to wider audiences. ‘Miniature’ cuisine, molecular cuisine food pairing or fusion cuisine are likely to be presented by famous chefs. However items that may look really attractive in fine dining may not translate well when serving large-size groups.

Current trends ask for innovative catering concepts that complement event message.

Usually organisers theme their event and expect no less from culinary offer. It is of great value to find a catering partner able to tailor each event according to clients needs. Not to forget that creation of individual culinary concepts presents additional costs. It is an investment

of time, knowledge and technology. Since not many clients are interested in covering this type of cost, this priviledge usually remains in hands of bigger catering companies.

New lifestyles bring unusual twists to traditional event concepts. SORA Catering brought a food truck TAMnjam to a variety of events as a surprise. Street food in form of a dessert or midnight snack was just an add-on to ‘normal’ dinner party. Guests were overwhelmed by the experience.

www.soracatering.com

GR - LJUBLJANA EXHIBITION AND CONVENTION CENTRE REMAINS CONVENTA’S NESTING PLACE

M

eetings industry can be compared to the world of birds. Like birds, meetings industry professionals know no borders, migrating to several nesting destinations, and some of them coming back. Just like Conventa. The GR -Ljubljana Exhibition and Convention Centre has remained Conventa’s loyal nesting destination since the beginning in 2009. However, Conventa is not the only bird returning here.

Kenes International, which in 2010 brought to the GR - Ljubljana Exhibition and Convention Centre the world congress on autoimmunity with 1200 participants as the congress of the year in Slovenia, is coming back in September 2015 due to its excellent experience. Will the congress from the field of medicine, ESRA – European Society of Regional Anaesthesia Congress, with its 1400 participants from all over the world, again resound from the GR -Ljubljana Exhibition and Convention Centre as the congress of the year in Slovenia? We are keeping our fingers crossed.

Speaking of the ‘world’ format, the recognised World Scout Conference should be mentioned. Over 1200 delegates from 130 167

countries attended the event in August 2014, which makes it not only the last year’s largest congress in terms of delegate numbers, but also the most international event ever held in the capital of Slovenia. Among remarkable events we hosted last year were also the Congress of the European Association of Agricultural Economists with 700 participants and an annual conference of ABTA, the largest British tourist association, with 400 participants in September. ‘If the GR staff could fly,’ said Tracy Phillips, Head of Event & Marketing at ABTA, ‘it would be great to pack up the GRLjubljana Exhibition and Convention Centre and take it with us to each destination as we have worked so well together. Alas, as that isn’t possible, we look forward to returning to beloved Ljubljana one day!”

Birds know why they keep coming back.

So do you. When you enter Conventa you enter the GR - Ljubljana Exhibition and Convention Centre. It might become the place you remember. Your next nesting place. www.gr-sejem.si

Advertorial

Thailand’s Meeting Industry Moving with Confidence into 2015

D

espite the challenging year in 2014, Thailand has proven it is a meeting destination that can successfully cross the bridge over troubled waters and makes a quick return to “business as usual”.

The proven record is the country launching a successful bid in July to host One Young World Summit in November 2015 in Bangkok. The event will see will see around 2,000 delegates in the Thai capital. The bid was a collaboration between Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) and Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB). This followed the successful bid in May to host The Asia Pacific Regional Conference of the World Organization of Family Doctors in 2017.

In the meantime, the 74th FIP World Congress of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences 2014, which ran between August 31 and 4 September in Bangkok, attracted 2,002 overseas delegates, above the target of 2,000.

Likewise, UNICITY Global Convention 2014 hosted in October affirmed the confidence in Thailand with the attendance of 20,000 delegates, making it the largest MI group in Thailand in 2014.

Business as usual in Thailand was reaffirmed, when IT&CMA and CTW Asia Pacific, the world’s only double bill event hosted in Thailand for 13th consecutive year in 2014 during September 30 and October 2, attracted 2,524 registered delegates from 55 countries worldwide. It represents no dramatic changes from the previous year.

In 2015, Thailand will repeat its preferred destination status with two confirmed conventions and over 35,000 overseas participants.

FDI Annual World Dental Congress to be hosted 22-25 September in Bangkok will bring in 20,000 participants, while Herbal Life Extravaganza Asia Pacific 2015, which is to run between 11 and 14 June, will be attended by 20,000 distributors across Asia Pacific, following its previous three-time success in Bangkok in 2008, 2011 and 2013.

TCEB Joins Hands With Asean To Drive Regional Mice Venue Standard

H

ighlighting the importance of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) in 2015 and its implications, advantages and challenges for the MICE industry, Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB), together with the Ministry of Tourism and Sports has been assigned by the ASEAN Secretariat to develop the ASEAN MICE Venue Standard (AMVS), as well as to host the First Special Meeting on ASEAN MICE Venue Standard - Category: Meeting Rooms.

By collaborating closely with all ASEAN member countries, TCEB aims to showcase the Thailand MICE Venue Standard (TMVS) as a model to create a unified regional MICE Venue Standard for wider regional application.

According to ASEAN Business Travel Marketing Strategies, in 2012, over 87 million international tourists travelled to the ASEAN region, and 46 per cent were tourists from ASEAN countries. The number of ASEAN travellers is expected to increase to 118.63 million in 2017, representing a 35 per cent increase from 2012.

If the MICE industry were to contribute in a similar proportion to current levels, that would equate to 12 million arrivals in 2017 with 20 per cent growth in revenue from tourism. Focusing on Thailand’s MICE industry, in 2014 Thailand welcomed a total of 919,164 international MICE travellers, earning the Thai economy 80,800 million baht.

Among the Top 10 source markets were several within the ASEAN region including Malaysia (69,034 MICE travellers), Singapore (66,956 MICE travellers), and Indonesia (33,325 MICE travellers).

168

Advertorial

VIVO125 CENTRE OF INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS

I

f the saying “the way to a person’s heart is through their stomach” holds true, then only the greatest masters deserve our trust when it comes to the perfect catering. In the past, the Vivo Catering team has already taken care of the hungry stomachs of many congress guests – even those of famous stars from all over the world.

Since 2014 they have been creating their culinary masterpieces in the unique, heritage protected D125 building. The manager of Vivo Catering, Jerneja Kamikar, allowed us to take a peek behind the scenes of the new centre of culinary innovations.

THE MODERNISTIC MERKUR SHOWROOM Once D125 was a famous department store known by the citizens of Ljubljana as Merkur.

Today it awaits you in a new culinary form.

In the former warehouse you will now find a modern kitchen, where a whole range of culinary creations are coming to life. The premises, which were designed by the architect Savin Sever, represent an urban bridge between generations.

THE MONTH OF DESIGN This year the Month of Design, the annual festival of knowledge and creativity in the field of design, will be held for the 20th time in a row. The festival will be held in the City of Design, located in the former printing works of Mladinska knjiga in Bežigrad. During the festival there will be many lectures, conferences and exhibitions. Nonetheless, the festival’s energy can be felt throughout the whole year due to the interior design of the D125 building and its mobile demonstration furniture.

D125 HALL If there is no space left in the urban centres, people start looking around. Every city has buildings which hide unusual stories behind their dusty windows. One of such buildings was discovered by Jerneja Kamnikar, who brought new life to it with her team and other creative workers.

The D125 multifunctional hall is built on two levels and can accommodate up to 400 people.

After the renovation the building’s modernistic interior is exceptionally flexible and refreshing.

It turned out that its architecture is of outstand-

169

ing quality and that it is particularly suitable for events and congresses. In only a short time it justifiably became a centre for creativity.

COOKING WORKSHOPS The premises of creative industries are perfectly fit for culinary teambuilding programmes.

Slovenian cuisine is an amazing mixture of different cultural influences and quality ingredients, and the easiest way to get to know it is at a pleasant and playful workshop. It is even suitable for foreigners who would like to learn how to prepare local specialties. Participants will acquire new skills, which they can incorporate into preparing their own dishes. In only a couple of hours you will get to know the tasty side of Slovenia.

THE TASTES OF LJUBLJANA The daily restaurant operates as a living room with perfectly functioning Wi-Fi. The menu features typical dishes from Ljubljana, known under the brand Tastes of Ljubljana, as for example frogs’ legs, fried chicken drumsticks, stews, štruklji or cheese-filled dumplings, and tarragon crêpes, are preferred.

170

Advertorial

GOOD PRACTISE CASE HOTEL CUBO

S

ince the grand opening in 2011, Hotel CUBO has managed to become recognised and valued, not only among tourists, looking for a chic and modern accommodation in Ljubljana, but also among corporate guests and clients with an eye for quality of services.

An award winning restaurant, located on the first floor of the hotel is among business guests well known as a relaxing place with high class atmosphere for meeting, great quality of food and professional service. However, restaurant is also capable to provide a full support to diverse meetings, conferences and various events. When organising a small meeting or large conference, quality food with high standard of service has always played an important role and have therefore made a tremendous impression on partners and all those who participate at such events.

One of our last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most successful and unique events has happened on festive December. It was an extraordinary catering / finger food that we helped to carry out for our valued partner Interrier BDT. The main concept was to present a Slovenian cuisine from a different dimension, while using only natural materials such as wood boxes and bamboo plates.

It was very challenging because we had to take in consideration a very unusual venue area. The whole event was kept in a showroom, which had to be incorporated in a presentation, combining bathroom accessories by renowned designers with home-made delicacies. Various cold snacks, desserts and drinks were served from bathroom utilities, such as sinks, bath tubs, toiletries, sauna, etc. In addition, lightening and DJ booth set a unique tone and made a whole event even more special and vibrant.

171

Advertorial

ROMANIA THE SPECIAL MICE DESTINATION IN EUROPE

R

omania experienced significant growth of the MICE but is still as much a future market as a new destination. Ranked among beloved European-business travel destinations in a high position, we seek to increase the number of participants in conference segment. Our aim is to become one of the top-five-destinations, in the East-Europe, for corporate events. For the next years, we are expecting some of the biggest names in meetings and conventions.

Romania is a fast growing business travel market and we are willing to secure a long-term development as a successful MICE destination. The demand in the MICE segment has known a quickly and constant development. Year by year many Medical Conferences for various size of groups had took part in Romania, completing a diverse plethora of big events such as the NATO Summit, the Universal Postal Union Congress and the Francophonie Summit or big sport events.

Professional Conference Organizers are prepared to offer adding value to your conferences and meetings by combining creativity and smart functional technology aimed to deliver excellence, in terms of service and quality. Romania is a diverse destination, offering many places, which are popular for their natural beauty, famous historic and cultural cities and top tourist resorts in the Carpathian Mountains or at the Black Sea Side. Our attempt is to give our guests the possibilities to explore the garden of Carpathians while they have the opportunity to have some activities in terms of conferences but also purely leisure purposes.

All the big cities of Romania have a convention center to host annual convention for medium and large size groups, offering good conference facility, high-tech meeting rooms, free Wi-Fi and other good quality services just like very good translating personal.

Experiencing the history and culture of our country our MICE partners can choose us for diverse Conferences, Round Table

Meetings, Incentives; Meetings for various size groups, Corporate & cultural events, Product launches, Award ceremonies, Annual days, Sales meetings, Film shooting, Music & concerts, to name just a few of them.

Romania presents more than 20 destinations with several convention centers where medium and large size groups can be accommodate are prepared to host any kind of international event and the most attractive incentives travels. Good qualified professionals offers endless options for unique pre- and post-trips and motivational experiences. Friendly, welcoming people and countless authentic experiences makes Romania the ideal choice for business travelers and MICE consumers.

New convention & exhibition centers have been build and the old ones renewed. The number and capacity of the meeting venues shows significant growth in the last years combine with improvement of the airports and the transportation infrastructure (the logistics and flights).

Incentive tours corporates are mainly looking for destination where activity is possible throughout the day. Therefor we paid a special attention to achieve an important increase in the development of the after-hours offer. We´re able today to offer a diverse, exclusive and high qualitative after-hours entertainment options, a vibrant nightlife and excellent shopping, thrilling adventures and outdoor activities just like facilities to team-building activities.

We proudly can say that Romania has today the ability to offer corporates, considering their different budget categories, the kind of experience that makes us unique. For stag travelers looking forward to visit casinos and enjoy nightlife we are offering a plethora of possibilities to make a beyond-ordinary experience in Romania.

172

Advertorial

173

Think out of the box. Surprise your clients. Exceed your goals. THINK BLUE.

www.meet-blue.com

Advertorial

ZAGREB - A SMART PLACE TO MEET

Z

agreb is the capital of the Republic of Croatia and one of the oldest European cities, with a history stretching back to the 11th century. Since Croatia’s accession to the European Union in July 2013, Zagreb has also become the new metropolis of the European Union.

The secret recipe for a successful meeting or a conference, a memorable incentive, or a fascinating event, includes a rich variety of carefully selected historic and modern venues, world class hotels, exciting gastronomic adventures, top quality PCOs and DMCs, highly professional staff and excellent service. Combine them according to your preferences and wishes and what you will get will be a unique, tailor-made Zagreb experience.

For that as well as many other reasons Zagreb has increasingly been chosen by business executives from all over the world as the perfect destination for their conventions, conferences, meetings and incentives.

You can also spice it up with a great number of cultural and historic attractions, all centrally located and within walking distance - take a break and stroll through a string of green parks and promenades right in the city centre, or just enjoy a delicious cup of coffee in one of the open terraces on the many squares downtown.

The pulse of this administrative, economic, diplomatic and cultural capital of the country will carry you everywhere you go, from its Gothic churches, Baroque palaces, the Art Deco buildings, the numerous museums and galleries, beautiful city parks, picturesque open-air markets to the many charming places in its beautiful surroundings.

Conveniently, “the city of a million hearts” as Zagreb is called by the locals, is very centrally located, making it easily accessible from all parts of Europe.

Simply put, Zagreb boosts the energy levels, motivates and brings out the best in every event and its participants. Welcome!

175

Enjoy business. Feel pleasure.

Bernardin Group. Perfect combination.

Hoteli Bernardin d.d., Obala 2, SI-6320 Portoro탑, Slovenia

Tel . +386 5 690 70 00 congress@bernardingroup.si

www.bernardingroup.si/mice

dt-conventa-2015.indd 1

05.01.2015. 14:19

WE COVER THE WORLD WITH OVER 130 DESTINATIONS. Explore the world onboard one of the youngest fleets. Fly via Doha, your gateway to journeys as rewarding as the places you visit.

visit qatarairways.com Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 5-star airline.

7

th

TRADE SHOW OF SPA AND WELLNESS TOURISM IN CENTRAL EUROPE

Where new ideas for relaxed and g healthy way of livin come to life!

“

”

1 – 3 October 2015 |

info@spa-ce.si

|

T: 386 1 430 51 03

Partner

www.spa-ce.si

Technical Organiser

Information for exhibitors and hosted buyers:

Organiser

Place of venue will be announced soon

W O H S E D A R T D N th TRAVEL A 9 S Y A D I L OVENIA O L S , H Y E L E L ŠALEK VA D N A A OF ACTOTBIEV J AVIN R 2015, S 15 – 17 OC

Organiser

Information for exhibitors and hosted buyers:

www.natour-alps.eu | info@natour.si | T: +386 1 430 51 03

Local partner

Technical Organiser

Partner

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

MY

K

YOU ARE INVITED TO TURKEY’S UNIQUE MICE INDUSTRY EVENT

ACE OF M.I.C.E. EXHIBITION 2015 We take great pleasure for inviting you to participate in the 2nd Int’l ACE of M.I.C.E. Exhibition which will be organized between the dates of

26 – 28 February 2015 in Istanbul, Turkey.

According to ICCA report, Turkey is ranked in 23rd and Istanbul in 9th place on number of meetings.

Turkey’s and Eurasia’s unique MICE industry event ACE of M.I.C.E. Exhibition has achieved to gather 9856 visitors and 579 hosted buyers from 24 different countries in 2014

Total Number of Visitors

Total Number of Exhibitors

9.856

3.725

170

567

P: (+90) 216 465 95 56 - 57 F: (+90) 216 465 95 58 E: info@ameistanbul.com A: Fatih Sultan Mehmet Cad. Akbey Sk. Kardeşler İş Merkezi No:10 K:5 D:13-14 Kavacık-Beykoz / İSTANBUL

Total Number of B2B Appointments Total Number of Hosted Buyers

www.ameistanbul.com

SLOVENIA MEETINGS Feel the people.

Taste fresh ideas.

www.slovenia.info

www.slovenia-convention.com

ORGANIZERS:

OFFICIAL PARTNERS:

REGIONAL PARTNERS:

INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS:

MEDIA PARTNERS:

UGOSTITELJSTVO I TURIZAM

Wireless LAN network (Wi – Fi) GR - Ljubljana Exhibition and Convention Centre Wireless access: Download official Conventa app here:

SSID:

GR

WPA2 – network key:

11110000

ca ee pi tin ta gs l

ol

re at m

co fo

rg

A

www.visitljubljana.com/meetings