The Poland Convention Bureau PTO made its debut appearance at the Conventa Trade Show, a business tourism event that took place in Ljubljana, Slovenia on February 1st and 2nd. Six Polish entities also were present at the fair.

Conventa Trade Show is an exhibition that brings together individuals from the meetings industry all over Europe, with a focus on connecting them to partners in the South East European market. It provides opportunities for attendees to network and engage in discussions regarding meetings, events, and incentive travel.

The Conventa event, which has been a gathering place for the New Europe meetings industry since 2007, saw the Polish Tourism Organisation attend for the first time as an exhibitor. The organization was represented by Aneta Książek, at the Poland Convention Bureau. The Conventa has been a well-received event for many years, attracting hosted buyers from Europe, including Poland. DMCs, hotels, conference and congress centers, as well as subcontractors including incentive organizers, showcase their offerings in Ljubljana.

This year's Conventa attracted approximately 100 exhibitors and over 150 hosted buyers from over 30 countries. It provided a good opportunity to take advantage of the legacy of the 61st ICCA Congress in Krakow and promote Poland. Representatives from Poland were also present at the fair.

• Gdansk Convention Bureau
• Krakow Convention Bureau
• Sopot Tourism Organisation
• Mazurkas DMC Poland
• Meet The Bidder

Meetings Star Award for the ICE Krakow Congress Centre

For the 13th year, Kongres Magazine and Conventa presented the Meetings Star Awards to top destinations, hotels, convention centers, and influencers in the New Europe region. These awards have gained recognition among event organizers in the meetings industry as one of the few awards based on clear criteria and standards. The Meetings Star Awards are determined by a panel of judges who assess destinations using the Meeting Experience Index, which includes 75 evaluation criteria. Hotels and conference venues are evaluated during a secret congress visitor's visit and scored based on 654 evaluation criteria. The awards ceremony took place on Wednesday, February 1, 2023, in the Gallus Hall at Dom Cankarjev.

In the Conference Centres category, 29 venues were evaluated. The winner was the ICE KRAKOW CONGRESS CENTRE with a score of 4.96 out of a maximum of 5 points. The second and third places were taken by the Austria Center Vienna and the Convention Centre in Baku respectively.

According to the organizers of the Meetings Star Awards, the ICE Krakow Congress Centre was the deserving winner in the Conference Centers category with a score of 4.96 out of a possible 5. The jury was impressed with the facility's combination of congress halls with permanent setups and versatile rooms, its stunning architecture, and the professional team behind it. The facility also received praise for its Krakow Network Protocol, which was developed by members of the Krakow MICE industry. Despite being smaller in size compared to other congress centers, the overall balance and quality of the ICE Krakow Congress Centre made it a standout and the choice for hosting the ICCA Congress in 2022.

I am glad that ICE Krakow wins valuable awards, because this means that the work we do every day is not only important but also noticeable to external experts. I would just like to add that the award is not only for the venue but also for all those employed to operate the ICE Krakow Congress Centre who work every day to ensure that our venue really does serve as a useful showcase for the city, said Izabela Błaszczyk, CEO of Krakow5020, the operator of ICE Krakow.

The Legacy of the 61st ICCA Congress in Krakow

On the final day of the Conventa trade show, a presentation titled The Legacy of the 61st ICCA Congress in Krakow was held at the Conventa Trend Bar stage as part of the educational program. The presentation was led by Małgorzata Przygórska-Skowron from the Krakow Convention Bureau and Aneta Książek from the Poland Convention Bureau.

The presentation (in English) can be viewed below.

For the past 15 years, Conventa has been the hub for connecting meeting professionals in the New Europe region. It is the premier MICE B2B event, where attendees not only gain knowledge and share experiences, but also have the opportunity to network and build new business relationships in a relaxed setting.In addition to the trade fair, two other significant components of the Conventa event are the Conventa Crossover Conference and the Conventa Best Event Award. The conference is targeted towards meeting planners and professionals responsible for marketing in businesses, corporations, and associations. The Best Event Award recognizes and celebrates excellence in the field.