WWW.CONVENTA.INFO

2
SOOLNUA
MEETING STAR
AWARD
NEW HOTEL
OPENINGS
30 MOST INFLUENTUAL
PEOPLE
2
6
16
18
8 TH NEW EUROPE EXHIBITION FOR MEETINGS, EVENTS & INCENTIVE TRAVEL 21. 01. 2016
THE CONVENTA EXPERIENCE AT ITS 8 TH EDITION
Tina Ramujkić
“
My experience here in Slovenia
has been every bit of what we
call “incentive quality.” The genuine
authenticity of the experience here is
one of the most important element of
a unique travel experience.
The food and wine experience has
been exquisite and the sophistication
of the local and regional industry
provides the foundation for what will
surely be a growing invective market
and region in the near and distant
future.
Here are some of the adjectives and
attributes our board members have
expressed based on their experience
so far.”
Kevin M. Hinton, SITE‘s CEO
Don’t miss a lecture by Johanna
Fischer, managing director of
tmf-dialogue marketing in Europe
and India, 21 January 2016,
from 11.00 - 11.45
At GR - Ljubljana exhibition and Convention
Centre, Urška hall
Learn what it takes to build up an efficient
communication system that can help you
to stand out from competition and allows
many synergies and an economic use of
money and resources. Use multiple channels
for a worldwide dialogue with the
meetings industry and the planners and
see some case studies from destinations
or organizations who successfully apply
content marketing which is in-line with
what planners need and search for.
CONVENTA 2017
Don’t miss the leading business-tobusiness
event for NEW EUROPE!
See you in Ljubljana, at Conventa,
from 18 to 19 January 2017.
WWW.CONVENTA.INFO

CONVENTA SPECIAL
2
SoolNua
AOIFE MCCRUM
Who am I?
I’m Aoife McCrum and I am the Social
Media & Digital Marketing Manager at
SoolNua.
What do we do?
SoolNua is a boutique consultancy that
works with destinations, venues and hotels
on MICE-related projects in the areas
of strategy, marketing and training.
Who are we?
SoolNua is owned and run by Patrick M
Delaney and Pádraic Gilligan, two experienced
#eventprofs who have worked
across the full spectrum of the meetings
industry as buyers and vendors as well
as playing leadership roles in industry
associations such as SITE, MPI and ICCA
and on the advisory boards of FICP, The
Special Event Magazine, Reed Exhibitions,
EventAlley, InterContinental Hotel Group
(IHG), Washington DC Convention & Visitors
Bureau.
SoolNua & Slovenia
The SoolNua team is proud to be working
with the Slovenia Convention Bureau on
an exciting and extensive project to help
grow business from the MICE sector. We
have all fallen in love with this friendly,
charming and picturesque emerging destination,
with special thanks to Slovenianpassionate
Miha Kovočič for showing us
the local’s way.
What’s my passion?
I love all things digital and have a certain
knack for video editing. I’ve produced and
directed all the destination videos that
you can find on our YouTube channel. I
also love Yoga and attend classes 3 days
per week.
3 things about me you wouldn’t
believe …
• I’ve competed at the highest level with
the Discus.
• I run an on-line business GreenMan
Clothing which sells funky tee shirts.
• I make amazing cupcakes.
How did I get here?
I studied Marketing & Advertising at College
in my hometown, Dublin. Through
the four years of study and projects, my
love for all things digital grew rapidly.
We ran large scale events and advertising
campaigns for clients with that naive
wackiness and freedom you are allowed as
a student. I had ample opportunity to experiment
with and integrate Social Media
& Digital Marketing into these projects.
Conventa Communication
Platform
powerd by KONGRES MAGAZINE since 2007
I also have extensive experience in the
hospitality industry having worked throughout
college at the Milano/Pizza Express
franchise.
After my college years, I interned at Ovation
MCI, with their Global Sales & Marketing
team in Dublin. It was there that
I met Patrick & Pádraic for the first time
before becoming SoolNua’s first employee
in January 2014.
CONVENTA DAILY
Editor-in-Chief: Gorazd Čad
Design: Premedia, Andrej Juvan
Printing: Demat d.o.o.
Circulation: 200 copies
Publisher, Production and Marketing:
Toleranca marketing d.o.o.
Štihova ulica 4, SI- Ljubljana
T:+386 (0)1 430 51 03, F:+386 (0)1 430 51 04
www.conventa.info
Issue date: January 2016-01-21
Daily is free of charge for all participants of Coventa
Conventa publications are printed on Xerox recycled paper, using environmentally friendly
multifunctional printer Xerox ColorQube with revolutionary solid ink colours Solidink. Conventa
publications thus reduce the adverse effect of waste on the environment by 90%, while
cutting down on costs by 62%. As a sign of respect to the environment, we encourage you to
recycle … and consider the ways in which it can be reused.

CONVENTA SPECIAL
2
Social Media & Digital Marketing
USING IT AS A
MARKETING TOOL
Social Media is a marketing team’s dream
– where else would you find your target
market all in one place? Facebook has
1.55 billion registered users… the World’s
population is 7.3billion. But, with such a
large potential audience, it also lends itself
to what can look like a very cluttered noticeboard.
Your aim as a marketer is to make
your piece of paper stand out more than
everyone else’s.
When developing your strategy to use
Social Media as a marketing tool, keep the
following in mind…
Social Media shouldn’t be thought of
as a place you need to be just because everyone
else is there. Do you have the time
and resources to maintain these channels
daily? Until you are ready to invest extra
personnel or outside agency services don’t
start building a community online. If you
can’t look after them with a level of customer
service you believe in and respects
that Social Media a global, online and a
24/7 responsibility, you need to wait.
When you are ready to invest time and
resources, the first thing you need to look
at is your company’s Sales & Marketing
goals and objectives for the year ahead.
Your Social Media Marketing Strategy
should be driven by the same overall aim.
All of your campaigns, ideas and thought
process for creating content to post on social
media need to go through the overall
aim filter first. Would you create a print or
TV campaign with out going through this
process? Probably not!
While Social Media is a great sales tool
asset, it is definitely a place that suits a
soft sell rather than a hard sell approach.
There are 500million tweets sent globally
every day - people start to get a little
choosy about what they invest their time
in reading so don’t make all your content
about you and your product. Think of
platforms like Twitter, more as a place to
exercise all those notes in your CRM system
rather than free ad spot in a magazine
to quote rates and deals. There is a real
opportunity to develop relationships with
clients, suppliers, competitors and your
wider community to help raise an overall
brand awareness.
Social Media dares us all to be a little bit
spontaneous with the possible reward of
something going spectacularly viral – go
on, live a little!
3 Quick Tips to becoming a MICE
Tweeter:
1. Don’t use it as a reactive marketing tool
– start the conversation first!
2. Tweet your opinions on a subject / article
publication rather than just sharing
the title + link – thought leadership status
can help share your business’s ideas and
culture.
3. Seek engagement from your fellow
#meetingprofs #eventprofs by using tools
like Twitter’s new Polling feature – ask
questions as well as making statements.
@aoifemccrum
CONVENTA
EXPERTS
CORNER
PROGRAMME
Short (15 minutes) presentations hosted
by convention bureaus, meeting
providers and spcial guests are held
throughout the two Conventa days.
Participants have the possibility to in
between meetings listen to some of the
best presentations and catch a one-onone
Q&A session with the presenters.
Location:
GR - Ljubljana Exhibition and
Convention Centre, Marmorna Hall
Thursday, 21 January
12.00 - 12.15
Making it possible
Emir Haskić, Director of Sales, Austria
Trend Hotel, Slovenia
12.20 - 12.35
Zagreb - Ssmart place to meet
Zlatan Muftić, Director of Zagreb
Convention Bureau
12.40 - 13.00
Presentation of Best Event Award
short-listed entries:
BMW GRAND TOURER WORLD
PREMIER & Secret Destionations
Daniel Marušić, CEO, Dubrovnik
Travel DMC
CurioCitySI@CurioCitySI
We’re @Conventa2016 today. Wanna
grab coffee & chat about experiencing
#Ljubljana as a local? #conventaexperience
-------------
Zev Edgar, MBA@ZevEdgar
Day 1 #conventaexperience #Conventa2016,
Lublijana an impressive
destination both for MICE and Congresses
Conventa Trade Show and
IMEX
-------------
SoolNua @SoolNua
We visited the winning ICECREAM
store again - we couldn’t get
enough #Conventa2016 #ConventaExperience
-------------
Patrick Delaney @supergreybeard
If you haven’t got your hands on
the @Conventa2016 daily yet - grab
one! #Conventa2016 #conventaexperience
3

EVENT REPORT
2
CONVENTA NETWORKING DINNER
WITH THE TASTE OF LJUBLJANA
Tina Ramujkić
4

EVENT REPORT
2
KONGRES MAGAZINE’S
MEETINGS INDUSTRY PARTY
5

CONVENTA AWARDS
2
MEETINGS STAR AWARD PHOTO REPORT
Tina Ramujkić
6

CONVENTA AWARDS
2
CONVENTA HALL OF FAME
Conventa wants to encourage stakeholders
in the field of tourism to
contribute with their work, knowledge
and ideas to the development of the meetings
industry of South East and Central
Europe. With the award “Conventa Hall of
Fame” organisers each year reward an individual
who, with his extraordinary and
invaluable efforts, made his mark and
affected the development of the meetings
industry.
Conventa
Hall of Fame
This year Conventa Hall of Fame is
Ksenija Lubarda, Director of Sales and
Marketing at Radisson Blu Old Mill Hotel
Belgrade. Her strong support within the
industry and policy in Serbia did not go
unnoticed.
CONVENTA AMBASSADOR
Conventa Academy for the third time
grants an award AMBASSADOR OF
CONVENTA, an award dedicated to the
longstanding partner and the greatest ambassador
of the trade show Rok Klančnik,
former Head of the Slovenian Tourist
Board representation in Brussels (1966 -
2013).
The Ambassador of Conventa award goes
this year to Stella Ariadni Constantinou,
Professional Meeting Planner PCO, Strategic
Communications Consultant, CEO.
Stella has been the voice of Conventa for
a long time. She has played a crucial and
important part in the international integration
of the show.
Conventa
Ambassador
Stela Ariadni Constantinou: “Conventa
is a true experience! The unique
trade show in MICE industry where
the quality of all services seems to be
something extraordinary to me. Once
you are in CONVENTA, you can feel
not only the warm welcome offered
by the organizers who meantime they
love take care of everything to the detail
to all those attending and particpating
: speakers, exhibitors, hosted
buyers, journalists. In fact it is about
of what hospitality seems to be. Conventa
organizers every year do simply
the best. Be a Conventa Ambassador
it‘s really an honor to me. It is a great
opportunity introduce Conventa and
beloved Ljubljana to the MICE industry
professionals.”
7

TOP 10
2
TOP 10 CAR LAUNCH DESTINATIONS IN SEE 2016
New cars premiers and other automotive
events are an exceptional
international promotion of a destination
and an excellent business opportunity for
everyone participating in it. Organisers
plan these events very carefully at least a
year in advance, as it is necessary to obtain
a number of permits, to carefully select
partners and to choose a scenic route for
the test runs. As an Editorial Board, we
analysed the most suitable locations in
South East Europe on the basis of the following
criteria:
• Overnight stay for min. 50 journalists
in a 4**** + hotel
• Parking for min. 50 cars
• min. 1,500 m2 of space in the
convention centre
• outdoor space for the presentation of
vehicles
• service space for vehicles (washing and
maintenance of vehicles, security)
• additional culinary and incentive offer
• picturesque locations (coastal,
mountain, urban roads, motorways)
• Good accessibility by air and proximity
of airports
2. TIVAT, Montenegro
Venue: REGENT PORTO MONTENEGRO,
Tivat, Montenegro
Regent Hotels & Resorts’ second property
in Europe, featuring 51 rooms and
35 suites, is said to be the first and the
only hotel to date in the Porto Montenegro
super-yacht marina resort.
+WE PRAISE: located in the town of Tivat,
guests can access the hotel through
the city’s airport as well as Dubrovnik’s
and Podgorica’s international gateways
-WE CRITICISE: the price in high season.
We recommend a visit outside the peak
season.
4. CARINTHIAN LAKES, Austria
Venue: SCHLOSS HOTEL VELDEN,
Velden, Austria
Ferraris, Porsches and other similar beasts
are a common sight on the roads around
the hotel. The history of the hotel has
included a series of press, sales and other
business conferences, as well as world premieres
of virtually all of the most prominent
automotive houses.
+WE PRAISE: fairytale-like surroundings
and a photogenic location on the lake.
-WE CRITICISE: worst airline accessibility.
1. CENTRAL DALMATIA, Croatia
Venue: HOTEL LAV MERIDIAN, Split,
Croatia
It is probably not a coincidence that Split’s
first class category has seen it selected for
quite a few world premieres, including this
year’s European sales conference of Skoda
Rapid, which drew 5,500 participants. Set
in the picturesque Dalmatian landscape
it offers excellent logistics and wonderful
roads for testing cars.
+ WE PRAISE: flexibility and experiential
value of the destination
– WE CRITICISE: average tourist offer of
Podstrana
3. NORTHERN DALMATIA, Croatia
Venue: FALKENSTEINER IADERA,
Zadar, Croatia
The overall score of this new resort is
extremely good. The hotel adheres to the
known standards of the Falkensteiner
group and is an excellent choice for incentive
and product launches and smaller
conferences.
+WE PRAISE: vicinity of Zadar, Nin and
the national parks, such as the Krka waterfalls,
the Plitvice Lakes, Paklenica, Velebit
and Kornati.
-WE CRITICISE: nothing - from what we
saw and experienced, we can only give it a
firm nod of approval.
5. SLOVENIAN COAST, Slovenia
Venue: HOTEL BERNARDIN,
Portorož, Slovenia
The venue for the largest number of local
and regional automotive events has
already proven itself through its hosting
of Toyota’s European Sales Conference. It
has one of the largest and best-equipped
congress centres and excellent logistic
facilities.
+WE PRAISE: the comprehensive meetings
offer concept, parking availability
and the possibility of creating very private
events.
-WE CRITICISE: compared to its competitors,
the hotel lacks some dynamics in its
details, but nevertheless it still remains as
interesting as the day it started.
8

TOP 10
2
6. DUBROVNIK. Croatia
Venue: RADISSON BLU RESORT & SPA,
Dubrovnik Sun Gardens, Dubrovnik
A minimalist design, the lush Mediterranean
greenery, elegant villas and many
rustic details are all in Radisson’s recipe
for success. The the first impression is
therefore very good, in fact, excellent.
+WE PRAISE: in automotive jargon, it is a
premium hotel with its rich and luxurious
equipment, many special little details and,
above all, the image of the brand.
-WE CRITICISE: the hotel does not
have any serious weaknesses and firmly
convinces with the comfort and quality
expected of the Radisson chain.
8. ISTRIA
Venue: HOTEL MONTE MULINI, Rovinj,
Croatia
A venue to meet the needs of the most
demanding guests, which was why it was
chosen for the world premiere of the famous
Bentley. The exclusive Hotel Monte
Mulini’s surroundings, fittingly complemented
by the adjacent Lone design hotel,
were of a suitable quality to unveil the
prestigious Bentley Continental model.
+WE PRAISE: quality and integrity of the
hotel and its additional offer.
-WE CRITICISE: logistical capacities
are more suited to exclusive and smaller
events.
10. BLED LAKE, Slovenia
Venue: HOTEL TOPLICE, Bled, Slovenia
The most renowned hotel in Bled has
always been tightly linked to the development
of tourism in the area. The hotel
is classic, sophisticated, restrained and
elegant – with its construction they really
knew what they were doing and managed
to conjure up a most charming hotel at the
best location on the lake.
+WE PRAISE: beautiful views of Lake
Bled and Bled Island, views that are not
matched anywhere else in Slovenia.
-WE CRITICISE: the location by the main
road to Bohinj (we are still waiting for the
promised Bled bypass…)
CONVENTA FLASH:
7. LJUBLJANA, Slovenia
Venue: HOTEL MONS,
Ljubljana, Slovenia
A huge amount of parking, a position by
the city bypass, service areas, security,
proximity to highways and a modern design
are all attributes of a hotel that
seems perfect for automotive events and
premieres. In addition to hosting many local
events the hotel also has on its CV the
world premieres of Twingo and Skoda Yeti.
+WE PRAISE: accessibility, excellent logistics
and a location close to major road
links.
-WE CRITICISE: spaciousness and standard
of hotel rooms.
9. BELGRADE
Venue: RADISSON BLU OLD MILL,
Belgrade, Serbia
Radisson Old Mill took a risk and it succeeded.
They have managed to capture
just the right aesthetic balance; the top
quality ingredients are never wrapped in
ballast and the new space is adorned with
the story of the former mill. The result is
an elegant concept of an authentic hotel, a
cult restaurant and a dynamic lounge bar.
+WE PRAISE: quelle surprise! We have
not experienced such a culinary and personal
experience in regional hotels for a
long, long time.
-WE CRITICISE: the awkward access to
the hotel, which requires a little bit of flexibility.
9

FLY TO NEW EUROPE
2
EXPECTING DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH
We spoke with some of the leading people at Maribor and Zagreb airports about the importance of good
accessibility for the meetings industry.
Ladimir Brolih, Director of
Maribor Airport
Q: What is the business plan for the
next year and how are the projections
in respect of business levels and passenger
numbers up to 2020?
Our business plan involves constant
growth. The company’s vision is to increase
the number of passengers from
25,000 in 2015 to approximately 300,000
passengers in 2020. The estimated growth
is obtained from our own development,
without considering the participation
of other strategic business partners,
who could eventually contribute to even
more significant growth. In case of its 12
opening hours the airport has the capacity
of accepting 600,000 passengers on a
yearly basis, while in the case of a 24-hour
opening the capacity increases to at least
1,000,000 passengers on a yearly basis.
Q: How important is the congress/
business tourism segment in the overall
structure of passengers?
As there is currently a low percentage of
passengers visiting for tourism and congress/business
purposes, we are planning
to increase the number of visits primarily
in these segments. - POUDAREK
Q: In which areas do you think your
airport will grow in future years?
In future years the main focus will be on
increasing the number of flights and consequently
the number of passengers. The
plan we are following is not based only on
obtaining more passengers in the charter
flight segment, but also in the regular
flight segment. We are also offering the
possibility of performing different pilot
and flight training to some well-known
aircraft companies, so we are planning
to increase interest in this segment too.
There is also a plan to promote our airport
as a great basis for a Cargo HUB and cargo
traffic in general. There are ongoing activities
in identifying interesting marketing
niches that we try to obtain from tourist
passengers coming from Europe and other
continents.
Q: What can you tell us about new airlines
coming on stream?
There is an increased interest in mobility
and fast flight connections in every
European country, which also means new
business opportunities for us and at the
same time a strong competitive advantage.
We are planning to establish direct regular
flights from the north-eastern part of
Slovenia to two or three hubs in Europe,
starting with a regular airline Maribor –
Düsseldorf in March 2016.
PR Department of Zagreb Airport
Q: What is the business plan for the
next year and how are the projections
in respect of business levels and passenger
numbers up to 2020?
With the construction of the new passenger
terminal well in progress, Zagreb
International Airport will definitely
enhance its potential of becoming the
preferred and significant regional hub
airport. The new terminal will have the
capacity to handle 3.5 million passengers
per year, once the first phase of the project
is completed in December 2016 and when
it will apply for an operating licence. The
airport has officially set the first quarter
of 2017 for the opening of the new terminal
building. We expect nearly 2,750,000
passengers in 2016 and more than 3.5M
passengers by the end of 2020.
Q: How important is the congress/
business tourism segment in the overall
structure of passengers?
A strong and balanced consortium behind
the project ensures the synergy of knowledge,
international know-how and experience.
Combined with the goal-oriented
business approach at Zagreb International
Airport it is expected that the development
and growth of the airport’s handling
capacity, as well as the increase in the air
travel demand and network of available
routes, will be achieved as planned.
Q: In which areas do you think your
airport will grow in future years?
During 2015, Croatia’s busiest airport handled
2,587,798 passengers, which represents
a 6.45 % increase when compared to
the same period in 2014. It’s planned that
the airport’s New Passenger Terminal will
later be expanded in subsequent phases to
reach an annual capacity of five million
passengers, though no firm timeframe has
been set for future development yet. This
new landmark will become essential to
Zagreb’s image ,thus contributing, enforcing
and positioning Zagreb International
Airport’s role as the preferred gateway to
Croatia, Adria, the Mediterranean and,
above all, to Central and Southern Europe.
Over the past year passenger traffic at the
airport has boosted, primarily as a result
of Croatia Airlines and a number of new
entrant airlines, such as KLM, Flydubai,
Eurolot (later replaced by LOT), European
Coastal Airlines, Air Serbia, Swiss International
Air Lines, Brussels Airlines. MZLZ
also continues to add new airlines and
routes to Zagreb Airport’s network and
we are looking forward to Czech Airlines
and Air Transat on direct route to Toronto,
which will be our new partners in 2016.
10

CONVENTA PARTNERS
2
CONVENTA FACTS 2016
Conventa, the most important trade
show for the South East European
meetings industry, has done it once again!
This year the expectations were high, but
we think that the 8th edition of this 2-day
extraordinary event enabling you the
greatest chance to meet, explore and create
has surpassed all of our expectations.
And here’s why:
For starters, the 8th edition attracted
171 international hosted buyers,
1.
90% of whom were all new hosted buyers.
For the first time we introduced
2. a new and prestigious award, the
‘Conventa 3. Best Event Award’, by which
we want to celebrate the most excellent
event experiences and to acknowledge the
inspiring meeting planners delivering the
very best in the New European meetings
industry. This year it was TedxLjubljana,
with its TedxLjubljanaSalon v zraku, that
blew our mind in terms of the best event
2015. Next year, however, it could be you.
We once again had a record number
3. of participants coming from New
Europe and this year meeting providers
are coming from 14 different countries,
which is a new high for Conventa. The
majority are from Slovenia, followed by
providers from Croatia, Austria, Turkey,
Serbia, Hungary, Montenegro, Slovakia,
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, the
Czech Republic, Romania and Italy.
The 8th Conventa implemented its
4. educational programme to provide
an exclusive opportunity to attend the
SITE Summit educational day, inviting
you to witness an unforgettable lecture/
performance on new leadership approaches
by Miha Pogačnik and giving you the
chance to meet with Soolnua experts to
get one-on-one, quick tips on how to become
a successful Twitterer.
Tina Ramujkić
11

FAM TRIPS
2
EXPERIENCE CONGRESS DESTINATIONS
5 reasons why you need to visit Kranjska Gora, Bled, Portorož and Piran
KRANJSKA GORA
1. Kranjska Gora lies on the outskirts
of Triglav National park
Kranjska Gora offers both great winter
and summer activities, as it lies at foot of
Julian Alps, a southern mountain alpine
chain, which are also a part of The Triglav
National Park (TNP). The Triglav National
park was named after Triglav, the highest
mountain in the heart of the park, which
is also the highest summit in Slovenia
(2,864 m).
2. From Kranjska Gora to the highest
Slovenian mountain pass Vršič
The Vršič Pass, with an elevation of 1,611
metres, is the highest pass in Slovenia, as
well as the highest in the Eastern Julian
Alps. The road across the pass was built
for military purposes, to supply the Isonzo
front of World War I, and is known as the
‘Russian Road’. It was built in 1917 by Russian
prisoners of war, who during the construction
of the Vršič pass built a wooden
chapel, known as the Russian Chapel in
memory of the deceased.
3. Kranjska gora – Slovenia’s most important
winter sports centre
The Kranjska Gora ski resort has the
strongest brand of all Slovenian ski resorts,
being known worldwide mainly due
to the Cup Vitranc and the World ski jumping
competition at Nordic centre Planica.
Also its ski lifts have the longest history
in Slovenia and they are easily reached, as
they are located near international highways,
and due to their altitude (the lower
station is at 813 meters) they offer favourable
weather and snow conditions.
4. CARNIOLAN SAUSAGE – a taste of
Upper Carniola
The sausage that has been granted EU
protected origin status is at, or very near,
the top of the list of the country’s bestknown
foods. Legend has it that Emperor
Franz Joseph got hungry on his way from
Vienna to Trieste and decided to stop off
at the inn. The innkeeper, embarrassed
at receiving such a distinguished guest,
told him that all he had to serve him was
an ordinary sausage. The Emperor having
put the first bit into his mouth, exclaimed:
“This is no ordinary sausage! This is the
Carniolan sausage!” The rest, as they say,
is history.
5. Get your adrenalin rush at the
Kranjska Gora Bike Park
Is your heart rate used to some higher frequencies
and you want to get your adrenaline
pumping whilst visiting Kranjska
Gora? Then the Kranjska Gora Bike Park,
with its programmes for both beginners
and professionals, offers everything you
need.
BLED
1. The magnificent lake Bled
Lake Bled is a glacier-formed, crystal blue
lake, situated in a picturesque environment,
surrounded by mountains and
offering a 6km long trail around the lake
where you can enjoy simple recreation
(walks or bike rides).
2. Want to visit the Bled island? Take
a Pletna boat!
The tiny, tear-shaped Bled Island with St.
Martin’s church on it seems like a vision
wrapped in fog and mist during a cold winter’s
day and it charms you with its inviting
fairytale appearance on summer days.
The island has several buildings, the main
one the pilgrimage church dedicated to the
Assumption of Mary and built in its current
form near the end of the 17th century.
To visit the island jump on a Pletna Boat
(gondola) and let yourself be enchanted by
the wonderful sights of Lake Bled.
3. The Castle
Perched atop a steep cliff more than 100m
above the lake, Bled Castle is how most
people imagine a medieval fortress to be
- with towers, ramparts, moats and a terrace
offering magnificent views. The castle
houses a museum collection that traces
the lake’s history from the earliest times
to the development of Bled as a resort in
the 19th century.
4. The Vintgar gorge
Experience the most intact nature of Bled
in the first gorge in Slovenia arranged for
tourist visits. Walk a trail of bridges to
admire the waterfalls, pools and rapids of
the Vintgar Gorge. This 1.6km long gorge
carves its way through the vertical rocks
of the Hom and Bort hills and is graced
by the Radovna with its waterfalls, pools
and rapids. The educational trail leads you
over wooden bridges and Žumr’s galleries,
ending with a bridge overlooking the
mighty 13m high Šum waterfall.
5. Never leave Bled before tasting the
original Bled cream cake
Bled is also known for its cream cake - a
cake made of a puff pastry onto which a
custard cream is poured and topped by
whipped cream and then covered with a
second layer of delicate puff pastry, which
is dusted with vanilla sugar. It is nearly a
sin to visit Bled and not trying the Bled
cream cake. The best ones are to be made
strictly to the recipe perfected by the pastry
chef in the 1940s.
PORTOROŽ&PIRAN
1. Piran - Slovenian Saint Tropez
The medieval town of Piran is certainly
one of the most beautiful and also the oldest
in Slovenian. It lies on Piran’s peninsula
and in medieval times was surrounded
by three walls to protect the town from
Turks. Although Piran’s first settlers were
the Greeks, the city’s architecture and
charm is inherited from the Venetians,
who governed the city for almost five
centuries, from 1283 to 1797. Its narrow
streets, compact houses, spacious central
town square the Tartini square give the
town a typical Mediterranean look
12

ABOUT CONVENTA
2
2. Salt is Piran’s main ingredient
Piran and its surroundings feature many
natural landmarks and the famous
Sečovlje saltpans are one of them. In these
northernmost Mediterranean salt-pans
salt is still produced traditionally, with
classical salt-pan methods and tools. At
Sečovlje Salina you are welcome to visit
every day from about an hour after sunrise,
and with the park closing in the evening
about an hour before sunset.
3. Between Portorož and Piran there
are two architectural jewels…
…and these are the historic salt warehouses
of Magazen, Grando and Monfort,
listed as both cultural and historical heritage.
They were built in the time of Napoleon
between 1820 and 1845 and only
a matter of years ago ships carrying salt
were docked at the nearby pier. Nowadays,
Monfort no longer stores salt, but is an exhibition
gallery and is part of the coastal
regional galleries for modern art.
4. Portorož is a tourist town that
boasts the longest tourist tradition in
Slovenia and offers comfortable hotels and
modern swimming pools, restaurants and
events. It is a popular conference centre
and its various conference and meeting
facilities can accommodate up to 1,500
visitors.
5. Parenzana - old rail track connecting
Piran and Portorož
An old railway track connecting Trieste
and Poreč, built in the time of the former
Habsburg Monarchy, is today a pedestrian
road link between Piran and Portorož
where you can make a 4 km recreational
tour on foot, bicycle, skates or scooter, and
is an ideal spot for exploring the inland of
Istria - hills, wine and olive gardens.
AS CONGRESS SERVICE
A company providing technical support to
convention industry since 1969, is proudly
joining Conventa this year. Leader in introduction
of new technology and communication
trends to the market, Conventa
should help expanding the business to
Slovenia and Austria.
Contact person:
Mr Adem Braco Suljić
E: asb@as-congress.com
T: + 385 98 221163
Mr Neven Borčić
E: nb@as-congress.com
T: + 385 99 3370 500
www.as-congress.com
CURIOCITY
If you talk to the CurioCity co-founders
at this year’s Conventa, you’ll discover
one thing - they are not such a fan of the
typical tour. This local Ljubljana tourism
start-up focuses less on the buildings
and landmarks, and more on the people
living in Ljubljana and their stories. Your
visit to Slovenia’s capital shouldn‘t just
be about sightseeing- Ljubljana should be
seen, touched, smelled, heard and tasted.
This is where they come in. They believe
that bigger isn’t always better, so their
groups are always kept small and intimate.
Experiences should be less like “tours”,
and more like real-life human-beings exploring
a city together, seeing the side of
Ljubljana that often remains undiscovered
by tourists. As they believe that it’s their
responsibility, as locals, to help this city
CONVENTA FLASH:
VIRTUAL STUDIO
Creative & Interactive Marketing
Conventa is a big marketing opportunity.
Step inside the Picture. It’s easy when you
know where the experts are. Virtual Studio
helps Customers open the Door so
They Can Land Lots More Customers.
Contact person:
Mr Aleš Pirc
E: info@alespirc.si
E: vp360studio@gmail.com
T: +386 40 517 600
www.vp360studio.wix.com/web-studioblog
thrive they’ve decided to run CurioCity as
a non-profit social economy.
Contact person
Mr Dragan Barbutovski
E: dragan@curiocity.si
Mr Uroš Trauner
E: uros@curiocity.si
T: +386 41 797 895
www.curiocity.si
Conventa Trade Show @Conventa2016
Thank you @aoifemccrum! #conventaexperience
#Conventa2016 @Conventa2016
http://bit.ly/1OcvHg5 !
13

CONVENTA PARTNERS
2
ST. PÖLTEN CONVENTION
BUREAU
Convention Bureau St. Pölten – new destination
& attractive MICE location The
capital of the province of Lower Austria
is central located between Salzburg and
Vienna and also very close to the airport of
Vienna, just 50 min away by train. Unique
locations like the modern „Festspielhaus”,
known for classical concerts and dance
performances, the traditional “5-starcattle-hotel”,
the historical “drug-store” or
“rent a castle” , as well as extraordinary incentive
programms like “rent a wineyard”
will be offered. Please join us and get more
information about St. Pölten.
Contact
Rathausplatz 1, 3100 St. Pölten
St. Pölten, Austria
www.stpoeltentourismus.at/convention
Contact person:
Ms. Gabriele Backknecht
T: +43 2742 333 5306
E: gabriele.backknecht@st-poelten.gv.at
REGENT PORTO
MONTENEGRO
Inspired by Renaissance Venetian style
mixed with local architectural references,
Regent Porto Montenegro is a five-story
terracotta roof building. The hotel has an
expansive views of the sea surrounded by
towering mountains and a spectacular water
garden. The hotel plays an integral role
in Porto Montenegro while helping transform
this historical Austro-Hungarian
naval base into the Mediterranean’s premier
marina village and yacht homeport.
Regent Porto Montenegro offers a choice
of 57 rooms and 30 residences, providing
sophisticated, contemporary living spaces.
Contact
Obala bb, Porto Montenegro Village
Tivat, Montenegro
www.regenthotels.com/EN
Porto-Montenegro
Contact person:
Ms. Marija Delibasic
T: +382 32660660
marija.delibasic@regenthotels.com
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 Iva Kuljevana 51, Lopud, Croatia
www.lafodiahotel.com/en/
Contact person:
Ms. Iva Roža
T: +385 91 2759069
mice@lafodiahotel.com
BOHINJ ECO HOTEL
Nestled in the heart of Alps you will find
Slovenias premier Alpine ECO retreat with
102 rooms, 7 conference rooms, cinema,
bowling and exclusive wellness. The hotel
was built in 2009 with highest awareness
of the environment and is as such, 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 organization. Our efforts
target all areas of sustainability: energywater-waste
consumption and re-use,
working with locals, promoting local culture,
heritage, landscape.
Contact
Triglavska cesta 17
Bohinjska Bistrica, Slovenia
www.2864.si
Contact person:
Ms. Nataša Andlovec
T: +38651828288
natasa.andlovec@2864.si
14

SECOND DAY
2
Tina Ramujkić
15

CONVENTA NEWS
2
NEW HOTEL OPENINGS IN THE NEXT TWO YEARS
CROWNE PLAZA,
NOVI SAD, SERBIA
Opening 2016
The 144-room hotel will be located in the
heart of the business district of Novi Sad
and just a short walk to the city centre
for guests wanting to explore the city’s
renowned 18th century architecture, visit
the fortress of Petrovaradin, the plethora
of beautiful churches or take a tour of
the nearby vineyards and gastronomy
sites. Crowne Plaza Novi Sad will feature
a range of business and meeting facilities,
including five meeting rooms and two
boardrooms. Guests will also be able to
enjoy the hotel’s all-day dining restaurant
and unwind at the sky bar, which promises
panoramic views of the city.
MARIOTT HOTEL,
SKOPJE, MACEDONIA
March 2016
A charming city with a fascinating history,
Skopje is located in the northern part of
Macedonia with the beautiful Vardar River
flowing through it. The Skopje Marriott
Hotel will be located in the city square, the
hub of business and social activity, near
the Stone Bridge which represents the connection
between Skopje’s past and present.
The new hotel will feature stylish guestrooms
with plush beds and bath linen,
flat screen televisions, a modern business
centre and high-speed internet access.
SOLARIS BEACH HOTEL JURE,
ŠIBENIK, CROATIA
Opening 2016
This completely renovated 4* hotel with a
new congress centre, a new Luxury Wellness
& Spa, refurbished rooms, outdoor
pools and a theme restaurant is nicely
hidden in the shade of a pine forest and
close to the most attractive sand beach in
Dalmatia.
REMISENS HOTEL PALACE
BELLEVUE, OPATIJA, CROATIA
Opening 2016
The Smart Selection Hotel Palace Bellevue,
a landmark of the town of Opatija,
will welcome its guests in 2016 with a
whole new image. Renamed as the Remisens
Hotel Palace Bellevue, it will comply
with the highest standards guaranteed
by the Remisens brand. This includes 196
completely refurbished rooms and modern
congress halls with additional services, as
well as a new wellness centre with a Revital
Zone.
FAIRMONT QUASAR,
ISTANBUL, TURKEY
Opening 2016 +
Fairmont Residences, as well as Quasar
Residences and offices that will be managed
by Fairmont. The hotel will feature
Fairmont Gold, a number of lounges,
congress halls and several restaurants,
2,000 square metres of function space and
a Willow Stream Spa.
INTERCONTINENTAL LJUBLJA-
NA, LJUBLJANA, SLOVENIA
Opening 2017
Ljubljana‘s newest hotel addition will be
located near the shopping and business
centre in Dunajska Cesta and the tourist
and historic areas surrounding Presernov
Square and Triple Bridge. The 165 guestrooms
will include a presidential suite,
as well as an additional two 500-person
banquet halls, six meeting spaces, a fitness
centre and a spa. The 21st floor will
be home to a restaurant featuring outdoor
dining with panoramic views of the city.
This InterContinental hotel, along with
IHG’s worldwide reputation, will provide
guests with the highest quality rooms,
leisure facilities and restaurants served
by the best people offering a world-class
service.
SWISSOTEL SOFIA,
SOFIA, BULGARIA
Opening 2018
The fashionable new hotel will include 200
hotel rooms as well as 81 serviced residences,
and will be part of Grand Kanyon
Sofia, a stunning mixed-use development
that is generating significant interest as
an important new hub for business and
leisure travellers.
Two 41-story towers will sit prominently
above a 4-story office podium with fitness
facilities and luxury retail stores. The
towers will house a Fairmont Hotel and
16

UNIQUE INCENTIVE IDEAS
2
GLAMPING INCENTIVE
2 NIGHT INCENTIVE / 48 INCENTIVE HOURS IN GORENJSKA REGION AND SAVINJA VALLEY
Overview: Glamping tents offer an
extraordinary luxurious space and
the only thing that might remind you
that you are in a real tent is the sound
of raindrops falling on the roof, the
nightly owls’ hoots from the forest and
the morning’s bird songs. Camping
becomes ‘glamping’ from the moment
you open the zipper and find yourself
in a tastefully furnished “hotel” suite
with your own private terrace, jacuzzi,
spacious bathroom and a setting in
direct contact with nature. With our
incentive programme you will discover
two Slovenian glamping hubs and two
amazing touristic destinations - Bohinj
and Bled, and the Savinja Valley.
1. MOMENTS OF ZEN:
Herbal Glamping resort Wellness
2. QUALITY TIME:
Camplet experience
3. MUST SEE: Bled and Bohinj
4. MUST DO: Scout teambuilding
5. OUR PICK: Genuine contact with
nature
ITINERARY
DAY 1: Back to the Basics
10:00 Arrival at Ljubljana Airport
10:30 Eco rally towards Bohinj
Drive electric vehicles to Bohinj and
compete in a minimum fuel consumption
challenge, with the winner becoming
the leader of the incentive camp. On
the way we will stop for a team test at
Bled glamping.
12:00 Camplet experience
Glamping trailers, equipped with everything
you need to survive in the wilds,
await you in the Bohinj camp. During the
afternoon the preparations of each camp
will take place, followed by a competition
for the most beautifully furnished glamping
tent.
18:00 Campfire
Once gathered around the campfire, prepare
yourself for several scout challenges
and for discovering the scouting lifestyle,
which is built on a love of nature, exploration
and the protection of nature. Anybody
who’s been dreaming about sitting next
to a campfire since childhood will find it
difficult to resist the charms of a scout’s
challenges.
20:00 Scout’s dinner
A romantic scout dinner that you prepare
for yourself, followed by a competition for
the best goulash.
DAY 2: Herbal glamping
08.00 Taking down the glamping
tents and cleaning the campsite
After a scout breakfast you will engage
yourself in a team task of taking down the
glamping tents and cleaning the campsite.
We will turn this usually quite stressful
chore into an interesting team experience,
where you will get the chance to prove
yourself by tying knots and by testing your
sense for orientation.
11:00 Towards Ljubno
After a short snack we will continue our
journey towards Ljubno near the river
Savinja, where the first boutique glamping
resort, recognizable for its herbs and
aromatic plants, opened its doors. The
entire settlement is laden with sustainable
concept stories - from a picturesque
herb/vegetable garden right through to its
natural swimming pool.
13:00 Being accommodated
in glamping tents
Each of the 10 tents has a double bed and
another decent bed on the floor. There
is space for four people in one glamping
tent and a special treat are the showers
surrounded by wooden walls and covered
by a glass roof that gives the impression
of taking a shower under the stars. The
owners have equipped the tents with
great care given to the finest details and
to providing top lighting conditions.
They also ensured the possibility of heating,
meaning that the resort can welcome
guests all year round.
14:00 Cookery course and herbal
workshop
After fishing in the nearest river and picking
herbs from the garden, you will prepare
lunch with the help of a restaurant chef.
The ingredients for the courses must be
local and of organic production, so herbs
and aromatic plants can be freshly picked
from the garden. On the cookery course
you will learn about the herbs and how to
use them in the production of cosmetics,
teas, liqueurs and herbal spirits.
17:00 Free for wellness pampering
Relaxation and pampering with herbal
scents to bring an end to an unforgettable
day.
20:00 Glamping campfire
In the evening we will gather together
around the campfire, where everything
is already prepared for the teambuilding
challenges. Just in case it rains, the restaurant
in the main building that holds 40
guests is always there as an alternative.
DAY 3: Departures
09:00 Transfer to the airport, with the
possibility to extend the stay in the wellness
centre.
GETTING THERE: Airport Jože
Pučnik Ljubljana
ACCOMMODATION: Glamping tents
Camplet and Herbal Glamping resort
EAT AND DRINK: As with scouting
custom you will prepare most of the
food yourselves and we, as organisers,
will provide you with the necessary
ingredients to prepare the courses. To
wrap things up you are invited to the
Herbal Glamping resort in Ljubno to try
their superb cuisine.
GATEWAYS: Bohinj is an hour away
from the airport.
Glamping is located in the heart of the
Upper Savinja valley and is an hour
away from Ljubljana.
CONTACT US: Blue Ljubljana Office, Štihova
ulica 4, SI1000 Ljubljana, T: +386 (0)1 430 51 03,
F: +386 (0)1 430 51 04, E: info@blue-red.si,
W: www.meet-blue.com
17

TOP 10
2
30 MOST INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE 2015
Kongres magazine’s readers
chosen 30 the most influential
people in meetings industry in
SEE for 2015!
Candidatese were assessed on several key
criteria, such as:
• Achievement of the best financial and
other multiplier effects of the meetings
industry in 2015, (significantly deviating
from the average);
• Implementation of the most demanding
improvements and innovations in their
field, which also includes successfully
implemented projects that have defined
the year 2015;
• Help in enhancing the reputation and visibility
of the meetings industry in 2015;
•Innovations that facilitate the work of
meetings organisers, or in their way have
pointed the direction of the industry in
the future.
TOP MEETING
ARCHITECTS
Miha KOVAČIČ,
Slovenian Convention
Bureau
Active for a decade as the
director of the Slo venian
Convention Bureau,
which enjoys an outstanding reputation
abroad. Through a number of innovative
marketing and CSR projects he continually
nurtures the growth of the Slovenian
meetings industry. The editorial board put
a particular emphasis on the Conventa
project that, as a brand, has become synonymous
with the SE Europe congress
product and has significantly assisted with
the placement of the region on the meetings
planners’ list of key destinations.
Romana VLAŠIĆ,
Dubrovnik Convention
Bureau
Director of TZ Dub rovnik
and with many solid
years of experience in
business behind her she has accelerated
the promotion of Dubrovnik to now being
the region’s most recognizable congress
brand and a player in the European premier
league for congresses and events.
Dubrovnik could rightfully claim that
2013 was its year on the conference scene,
as almost every important event of that
year was held in this very beautiful city,
among them the meetings of NATO, the
FIS International Ski Federation, FIA – International
Automotive Association, and
FIFA.
Goran PAVLOVIĆ,
Opatija Convention Bureau
Zlatan MUFTIĆ,
Zagreb Convention Bureau
Tatjana RADOVIČ,
Ljubljana Convention Bureau
Dragana BABOVIĆ,
Belgrade Convention Bureau
Özgül Özkan YAVUZ,
Istanbul Convention Bureau
Gernot MARX,
Salzburg Convention Bureau
Gordana PLAMENAC,
Serbia Convention Bureau
Andrea LEITNER,
Karnten Convention Bureau
ADDITIONAL NOMINEES BY READERS:
Christian MUTSCHLECHNER, Vienna
Convention Bureau
Igor KOVAČEVIĆ, Serbia Convention
Bureau
TOP MEETING AGENCIES
Daniel MARUŠIĆ,
Dubrovnik Travel DMC
Dubrovnik Travel is
recognised in the market
as an extremely marke
ting-oriented compa
ny that dictates the trends of regional
DMCs. A clear marketing strategy and a
systematic operation are visible at both
the service level of co-operation with the
most demanding clients, as well as in the
credible results, which were confirmed
through the Gazelle Award in 2011. Daniel
is heavily involved in the meetings arena,
as a member of peer associations as well as
being the voice of the convention industry
of Croatia.
Tomaž KRUŠIČ and
Miro HRIBAR, Intours
DMC
Intours reached its zenith
in 2013, since when
the company has been
sustaining impressive business results,
an in c rease of brand awar e ness and rapid
growth. 2014 saw the company move to a
broad regional presence, where it has been
continuously increasing its market share.
Alongside this, Tomaž is also active as
president of the council of the Slovenian
Convention Bureau, in which he is responsible
for improving the visibility of the
industry in Slovenia.
Natalija BAH ČAD, GO.MICE
Breda PEČOVNIK,CD Congress Centre
Vesna PRITCHARD, Globtour Event
Mirjana ŠALETIĆ, Miross
Boštjan HORJAK, Liberty Adriatic
Slaven RELJIĆ, Coral Group DMC - PCO
Snežana VEJNOVIĆ, Talas-M DMC
Ranko FILIPOVIĆ, Perfect meetings.hr
ADDITIONAL NOMINEES BY READERS:
Sanja VUKOV COLIĆ, Spektar Putovanja
Stjepan ŽUNIĆ, Penta PCO
TOP HOTELS
AND VENUES
Tomo ČEH,
CEO of Grand Hotel
Union
Tomo Čeh worked
for sev eral years as a
cor po rate director or
consultant in the fields of real estate, marketing
and tourism. Tomo has also been
the Chairman of the Board of Istrabenz
Tourism and lead the renovation project
of the Palace Hotel in Portorož, director
of the Postojna Cave and director of the
agency Globtour in Globtour Praha. His
management of various tourist and hotel
companies has always been tied to specific
requirements in connection with reorganisation
and crisis management.
Thomas SWIECA,
Radisson Blu Old Mill
Thomas Swieca was born
in Germany and has
always worked in the
hotel industry, starting
in 2005 with the Rezidor Hotel Group, but
mostly for the Radisson Blu brand, firstly
as General Manager of the RB Media Harbour
Hotel Düsseldorf and then the R.B.
Resort El Quseir (Egypt) and R.B. Resort
& Spa Cesme (Turkey). Today he leads the
new Radisson Blu Hotel Old Mill Belgrade
(Republic of Serbia).
Josipa JUTT FERLAN,
Double Tree by Hilton
Ivica KRIŽMANIĆ, Esplanade Zagreb
Željko KUKURIN, Valamar
Kristian ŠUŠTAR, HUP Zagreb
Georg UNTERKIRCHER,
18

TOP 10
2
Falkensteiner Punta Skala
Andrej PREBIL, Savaturizem d,d.
Nenad TATARINOV, D-Resort Šibenik
Tomislav POPOVIĆ,
Maistra Hotels & Resorts
ADDITIONAL NOMINEES BY READERS:
Gregor JAMNIK, Hotel Slon Best Western
Živorad VASIĆ, Crowne Plaza
TOP MEETING INNOVA-
TORS (Marketing, Technology,
...)
Dani POLAJNAR,
Teambuilding Academy
Dani has more than 15
years of experience in
training, coaching and
conferences or events
moderation. He is a founder and CEO of
Teambuilding Academy – a company dedicated
to developing team work in organisations
through interactive workshops,
active teambuilding programmes, personalised
solutions and modern teambuilding
events throughout Europe. Dani is a
frequent guest speaker and moderator at
different conferences and seminars. In
2009 he was awarded among The Best 10
Lecturer within the Slovenian market.
Aleksandra UHERNIK
ĐURĐEK, HelmsBriscoe
She is a meeting and motivational
event professional
based in Croatia
and for whom business
meetings, educational programmes, conferences,
congresses and motivational
events are her profession and have been
her everyday life for more than fifteen
years. Aleksandra holds a Bachelor of
Economics from the University of Zagreb
with a specialisation in the Tourism and
Hospitality industry.
Davor BRUKETA, Bruketa & Žinić
Anže ČOKL, Bohinj Park Eko Hotel
Jovan JELOVAC, Belgrade Design Week
Danica PURG, IEDC – Bled School of
Management
Tomo RICOV, Pepermint
Danijela BREČKO, GV Educations
Zmago NOVAK, Mesec oblikovanja
Žiga NOVAK, Orehov Gaj
ADDITIONAL NOMINEES BY READERS:
Marko GUČEK, GO.OPTI
Morena MILEVOJ, Istria Inspirit
TOP MEETING SERVICES
(CATERING)
Martin JEZERŠEK,
Jezeršek Catering
He has internationalised
the Jezeršek Catering
company through the
Sora Catering company
and has passed the test
with flying colours, taking up the family
business management at this year’s European
Basketball Championship, Eurobasket
2013. Catering for VIPs, international
delegates, business guests, media and volunteers
was this year’s most demanding
logistical and culinary catering venture
in the region. For about 70,000 meals 150
people were involved and the task was performed
it with excellence.
Ana ROŠ, Hiša Franko
Ana Roš is working in
the family restaurant in
Kobarid, a small town
in Slovenia, very close
to the Italian border.
Besides cooking her second
greatest pleasure is travel and she is a
world traveller. She often escapes to exotic
countries to relax and to find new inspiration
for her dishes, which are deeply
rooted in her territory but at the same
time spiced up with her travels. Her dishes
are full of intense flavours, lovely colours
and unusual combinations – and they are
always delicious.
Dada JEROVŠEK, Kaval Group
Igor BOŠKOVIĆ, Jerry Catering
Jerneja KAMNIKAR, Vivo Catering
ADDITIONAL NOMINEES BY READERS:
Marijana and Ivana PRIZMIĆ,
Lokrum d.o.o
Janez BRATOVŽ, JB Restaurant
“CONVENTA APP”
This year Conventa continues its
“user friendly” approach by providing
the Conventa App, sponsored
by Superevent, which enables our
guests to follow Conventa on-thego,
locate exhibitor booths and get
in touch with other Conventa participants.
#conventaexperience
Padraic Gilligan @Padraicino
Excited to participate at #Conventa2016
at education session of
#MihaPogačnik - “from ROI to ROT”
19

CONVENTA NEWS
2
BEST WESTERN PREMIER
HOTEL SLON - ELEPHANT SETS
A NEW STANDARD FOR 4*
HOTEL.
BEST WESTERN PREMIER Hotel Slon
- Elephant underwent a complete renovation
of its Superior Deluxe rooms. These
luxuriously appointed 32m2 rooms now
define a timeless yet contemporary design.
The new Restaurant Slon 1552 offers
a relaxed and convenient way to enjoy
Ljubljana’s top-ranked food through its
mosaic of traditional Slovenian dishes
refined with a hint of the Mediterranean.
With the hotel’s new facade completed it is
now brighter than before and the new eco
and most effective noise reduction windows
have enhanced its sound insulation too.
The look and functionality of the hotel’s
spaces will be further improved through
the end of March 2016, with the new glazed
porticoes with large panoramic windows
that will bring 200 m2 of new floor area
for a larger reception and cafeteria. The
avenues on both sides of the main entrance
are now used as the outdoor garden, which
adds further value to staying at Hotel Slon.
Gregor Jamnik, General Manager at
BEST WESTERN PREMIER Hotel Slon: “We
are proud to be setting new hospitality standards
in Ljubljana, where our long tradition
meets latest trends. Our hotel is undergoing
historical changes. The complete refurbishment
includes high quality materials and
many luxurious details…all these to ensure
the guests' maximum comfort and enjoyment
in the heart of the city.”
WELCOME TO TODAY’S VIVO
LUNCH WITH TASTE OF
LJUBLJANA
Today at Vivo Catering we have prepared
for you a fine selection of dishes from
our “Taste of Ljubljana” concept.
We have transferred the concept of our
“Centre of innovative solutions VIVO
D125” restaurant at Dunajska 125, Ljubljana,
to Conventa, where we here present
both the interior as well as the substance
of our offer. At the centre, alongside international
cuisine we prepare tasting menus
both for individuals and groups. The centre
not only has the daily restaurant, but
also includes the organisation of custom
events, from gala dinners to standing banquets,
conferences and parties.
www.vivo.si
CONVENTA FLASH:
20

ADVERTORIAL
SUPPORT YOUR EVENT WITH ZADAR TRAITS
2
Located in the very heart of Adriatic
coast and well-connected to key European
countries by all means of transport,
ZADAR REGION provides the
perfect setting for MICE programs.
ZADAR WORKS FOR YOU
Surrounded with astounding natural
beauty of Croatia’s National Parks, and being
in close proximity to UNESCO heritage
sites such as Šibenik, Trogir and Split, the
region of Zadar is one of the most popular
destinations on Adriatic coast. In addition
to countless hidden coves scattered
along its shores and numerous islands just
waiting to be discovered, Zadar charms
its visitors with secluded mountain valleys,
rich cultural scene and centuries of
historical inheritance. Thanks to specific
climate and plethora of different culinary
influences, traditional Dalmatian cuisine
is highly regarded, and no visit to region
is complete without enjoying at least one
local delicacy. Couple it with a few glasses
of home-made wine and drops of olive
oil and you’ll learn why Zadar region is
such popular tourist locality. Attendees
of your MICE programs will certainly be
impressed with such unique setting, and
easily embrace a relaxing and constructive
business atmosphere.
OPENING DOORS OF ILIJA
Ilirija Resort is a unique place in Croatia,
with its beautiful banquet venues that
offer genuine natural splendor, refined
ambiance and top-notch service. Each
of three Ilirija Resort Hotels comes with
modern conference rooms, prime technical
equipment and well-trained staff.
Conveniently located next to one another,
they provide a perfect venue suitable for
hosting all kind of business events, including
conferences, seminars, workshops
and group meetings. The capacity of the
conference rooms ranges from 30 to 250
delegates at Ilirija Resort, and up to 500 at
the ARSENAL in Zadar.
Attendees are more than welcome to
enjoy sport activities in Ilirija Resort, a
recreational center surrounded with pine
forest and jogging tracks. It also features
14 modern tennis courts, a café, secured
locker rooms and several other sport terrains.
Thanks to trails around Lake Vrana
fans of cycling will also be very satisfied.
ADD EXCITEMENT TO YOUR EVENT
Team-building activities include photo
tours, island excursions and visits to agricultural
estates of the region. Those who
like more adrenaline-filled experiences
can enjoy kayaking, rafting, jet skiing
and paragliding. Other notable activities
include panoramic flights over renowned
Kornati Archipelago and organized tours
of local wine roads.
Ilirija Resort Hotels also offer some rather
unique venues. Your events and MICE
programs can be organized in multimedia
center ‘Arsenal’ which is located in 16th
century historical monument. Another
option is to station them on decks of luxurious
yacht ‘Nada’. And in case you’d like
to show your attendees some spectacular
natural scenery of Zadar’s rural regions,
you may arrange a stay at agro-tourism
estate ‘Raznjevica Dvori’ in the vicinity.
B2B AS IT SHOULD BE
We offer diverse package deals tailored to
today’s business people, putting emphasis
on a personalized approach to every event
and making Ilirija Travel’s facilities among
the leading meeting places in Croatia.
Contact:
ILIRIJA TRAVEL DMC & PCO,
Tina Ujevića 7, 23210 Biograd na Moru
t: +385 23 38 35 56, Fax:+385 23 38 30 08
e: sales@ilirijabiograd.com ·
www.ilirijabiograd.com
21

ADVERTORIAL
incentives, business travel & meetings expo
We look forward to connecting you with the global meetings, events
and incentives industry in 2016
15,500
international industry
professionals
from across the globe,
ready to connect with you
3,000
exhibitors representing
over 150 countries
to help you plan your
future meetings & events
100
networking events to
connect and engage
with industry friends
& colleagues
No.1
global market
place for you
to do business, network,
learn & be inspired
Connections mean everything.
Connect with us at www.ibtmworld.com
Organised by
The ibtm world ® and ibtm events ® trademarks are owned and protected by Elsevier Properties SA and Reed Exhibitions Limited
uses such trademark under licence. Hosted Buyer ® is a registered trademark of Reed Exhibitions Limited.
Reed Travel Exhibitions ® is a registered trademark of Reed Elsevier Group Plc.

ADVERTORIAL
CROSSOVER - A MARKETING EVENT
TURNED UPSIDE DOWN
2
Europe’s Leading Out of the Box
Event on Meeting Design, Marketing
and Innovation
Grand Hotel Union, Ljubljana
July 4 - 5, 2016
Expect more engagement,
more authentic experience and
more live interaction in:
- Crossover Caffe
- Marketing Ring
- Innovation Bar
- Case studes Bar
- Chit Chat Corner
WE ARE NOT AFFRAID
TO BE DIFFERENT!
Organiser: Conventa / Toleranca marketing
Crossover is a fusion of our events Inside
Meetings, Travel Zoom and Conventa
Academy transformed into new format.
www.crossover.si
23

CONVENTA 2016
2
Tina Ramujkić
CONVENTA 2016 SUCCEEDS DUE TO
Organizers:
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International partners:
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Conventa app here:
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Wireless access:
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