From 18 to 20 February 2025, Ljubljana, Slovenia, hosted the 17th edition of the Conventa trade show, an essential event for the MICE industry. Poland was represented by a record number of thirteen exhibitors, including three Destination Management Companies (DMCs), five convention bureaus, two hotel chains, a hotel from Warsaw, and a congress venue from Lublin. The Poland Convention Bureau also participated with its stand and a fully booked schedule of business meetings.
Both organisers and participants highlighted that Poland’s presence at Conventa 2025 was notably strong. This visibility, alongside proactive engagement leading up to the event, resulted in numerous business meetings, both scheduled and impromptu, which took place during the networking events accompanying the exhibition.
Poland returned from Conventa 2025 with four Meetings Star Awards.
- The city of Warsaw was named The Best Destination in New Europe.
- Lublin Conference Centre (Lubelskie Centrum Konferencyjne) received the title of The Best Conference Venue in the boutique category (venues suitable for organising congresses with up to 1000 participants).
- Nobu Hotel Warsaw was honoured with The Best Creative Venue.
- The Bridge Wrocław – Mgallery (Accor) won the Most Sustainable Venue award.
Discover more:
- Polish hotels, congress, and conference venues are in the finals of the Meetings Star Awards
- The Meetings Star Award competition recognises winners in 2025
Poland made a strong impact at Conventa 2025, with a significant presence from key players in the MICE industry. The Poland Convention Bureau, Krakow Convention Bureau, Mazovia Convention Bureau, Poznan Convention Bureau, Warsaw Convention Bureau, and Silesia Convention Bureau highlighted their expertise in supporting business events and providing seamless MICE experiences across the country.
Destination management companies such as Bespoke DMC Poland, Mazurkas DMC Poland, and Tarifa DMC Poland presented their specialized services for the corporate sector, offering comprehensive solutions for meetings, incentives, conferences, and events.
Additionally, top hotels and conference venues including Accor Hotels, Arche Hotels, LCK – Lubelskie Centrum Konferencyjne in Lublin, and Nobu Hotel Warsaw showcased their state-of-the-art facilities and tailored services, underlining Poland’s position as a prime destination for successful business events.
Conventa 2025 proved that Poland is increasingly becoming a key destination in the international meetings and events market. With modern solutions, world-class venues, and unique event opportunities, the country is positioning itself as the ideal location for business collaborations and the latest industry trends. Poland is truly a leader in New Europe, not only in theory but also in practice. In the 2023 International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) rankings, Poland reached its highest-ever position, securing 17th place globally. This marks an impressive improvement of six spots compared to the previous year.
Participant Testimonials
The Polish Tourism Organisation participated in Conventa for the third time, with its own stand. This, however, was my first time attending the trade show in the Slovenian capital. Over the course of the two-day event, I had the opportunity to hold more than 20 scheduled meetings. The main topics included cooperation opportunities, new developments in Poland, communication accessibility, security, incentive programmes, and specific inquiries regarding conference organisation. Conventa was a fantastic opportunity for building business relationships – it provided not only a space for meetings at stands but also a platform for participating in numerous networking events. During the Destinations Campfire panel, together with representatives from convention bureaus from countries in New Europe such as Montenegro, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Serbia, and Slovakia, we had the chance to present key events and innovative congress venues and hotels available in our markets – said Jaroslaw Marciuk, Chief Marketing Specialist at Poland Convention Bureau, Polish Tourism Organisation (PTO).
At the prestigious Meetings Star Awards gala, we were honoured to receive the award for New Europe Meeting Destination. Warsaw was selected as the best MICE destination of 2024! This exceptional recognition is, above all, a tangible proof of the incredible transformation our city has undergone, as well as the dedication of the entire MICE industry in Warsaw, united by a common vision. Thanks to the uniqueness of the city’s event venues and the creativity and professionalism of our DMCs and event agencies, Warsaw has become a dynamic centre for business events, attracting organisers from around the globe. We are hopeful that this award will increase interest in our destination and raise awareness of the potential it offers – said Agata Rybkiewicz, Project Coordinator at Warsaw Tourism Organisation – Warsaw Convention Bureau.
We experienced that Conventa is a very well-organised event, both in terms of logistics and participant selection. I believe there is no team returning empty-handed, whether among venue providers or buyers. From our discussions, it is clear that conference organisers are increasingly seeking comprehensive offerings and expect hotels, infrastructure, and interesting sightseeing opportunities to be within ‘walking distance’. This is the most convenient solution, as it avoids additional costs while providing easy access to interesting attractions. We are delighted that our venue can offer this to event organisers. During the Meetings Star Awards gala, we proudly received the award for Best Boutique Congress Centre. We can see that Lublin is now confidently hosting large international events. Our infrastructure and the commitment of our staff give us optimism for the future, as we look forward to inviting major European conferences and congresses – said Aleksander Batorski, Director of Lublin Conference Centre.
Conventa once again met our expectations. It is certainly one of the most engaging trade shows for B2B meetings. Excellent organisation, valuable conversations, and numerous networking opportunities during the accompanying events make us eager to return next year – added Sebastian Gronet, Project Manager at Silesia Convention Bureau.
Maciej Wójcik, CEO of Tarifa Poland DMC, summarised the trade show as follows – I am very pleased with this year’s Conventa in Ljubljana. This is my fifth time attending, but the first as an exhibitor. After the pandemic period, I have noticed a tremendous interest in our DMC’s offerings. Unlike other B2B events, we managed to make the most of the time for both formal meetings and evening networking. This shows that the industry is bouncing back, and the people we spoke with were genuinely interested in cooperation, rather than just general information about Poland. The organisation of the trade show was seamless, providing ample space for discussions. From my perspective, we will definitely consider exhibiting again next year.”
Participating in Conventa was an excellent opportunity to build valuable connections and showcase our hotel, Warsaw, and Poland as leading destinations for event organisation,” said Stefan Bauer, General Manager of Nobu Hotel Warsaw.
Winning the Meetings Star Award in the Most Creative Venue category is a special moment for our entire team. At Nobu Hotel Warsaw, our innovative approach goes beyond aesthetics – we combine meticulously designed event spaces with exceptional Peruvian-Japanese cuisine, presented in a creative and engaging manner. Sustainability is also at the core of our operations – we are LEED certified, ensuring that our venues are environmentally responsible while maintaining the highest service standards and style. This award is a testament to our commitment to creativity, and we eagerly anticipate continuing to provide inspiring experiences for our guests and event organisers, concluded Bauer.
Conventa in the Slovenian capital proved to be an excellent opportunity for building direct relationships in the MICE industry. The intimate nature of the event fostered valuable meetings. Poland stands out with its wealth of cities, regions, conference venues, and hotels, making it an attractive proposition for international event organisers. We see great potential for Poland to become a leading MICE destination in Europe – said Gustav Palacios, Representative of CIM – Conference & Incentive Management.
About Conventa
Conventa brought together a total of 184 hosted buyers, including 38 from the Alpe-Adria region and 146 from Europe, the USA, and the Middle East, representing 34 countries. The event featured 124 exhibitors from 17 different countries. Conventa is organised by the Slovenian Convention Bureau and Toleranca marketing in collaboration with Ljubljana Tourism, the Slovenian Tourist Board, and 20 strategic partners.
Gorazd Čad, the co-founder of Conventa, said:
We encourage and support event organisers en route to sustainably transforming their events. The mission of Conventa is to create a movement for responsible event organising based on measuring direct, indirect, multiplicative and regenerative effects. At the same time, we want to encourage event organising within planetary boundaries by thinking of everyone’s wellbeing. That is the main reason we strive to make our event sustainable.
The organisers have already announced the dates for the next edition. Conventa 2026 will be held in Ljubljana from 10 to 12 February 2026.
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