On 11 February 2026, at Cankarjev dom Congress Centre in Ljubljana, the winners of the prestigious Meetings Star Awards 2025/2026 ranking were announced during the official gala accompanying Conventa 2026. Poland once again confirmed its position within Europe’s top tier of the meetings industry, securing podium placements across destination categories as well as among congress centres and distinctive event venues.
Polish Winners: Destinations and Venues on the Podium
In the 2025/2026 edition, Meetings Star accolades were awarded to several Polish destinations and venues, each achieving podium positions within their respective categories:
Destinations
- Kraków – 1st place in the L Meeting Destination category
- Zakopane – 2nd place in the S Meeting Destination category
- Warsaw – 3rd place in the New Europe Destination category
Venues
- Lubelskie Conference Centre (LCK Lublin) – 2nd place in Boutique Convention Centres
- ICE Kraków Congress Centre – 3rd place in Large Convention Centres
- Wieliczka Salt Mine – 2nd place in Outdoor and Natural Event Venues
- Nobu Hotel Warsaw – 3rd place in Most Sustainable Venues
Kraków Leads Among Large Congress Destinations
Particular attention has been drawn to Kraków’s achievement, securing first place in the L category for large, mature destinations, with the highest score of 4.560/5. Ljubljana and Porto also placed on the podium in this highly competitive segment.
According to the organisers, the L category encompasses cities with advanced congress and hotel infrastructure, strong air accessibility, and a proven track record in hosting major international events. It is a segment where reputation is built over decades and validated through consistency.
Monika Popiołek, Senior Specialist at Kraków Convention Bureau, commented:
“On behalf of Kraków Convention Bureau, I am delighted to receive this award for Kraków. First place in the Meetings Star ranking in the L category is recognition for the entire Kraków meetings industry. It confirms that consistent investment in infrastructure, transport accessibility and professional MICE facilities delivers measurable results. This distinction belongs to the whole city – hoteliers, venues, event organisers and all stakeholders who collectively strengthen Kraków’s international position in the meetings market. We are also pleased that ICE Kraków Congress Centre has been recognised in the Large Convention Centres category, confirming its infrastructure standards, service quality and international profile.”
Lubelskie Conference Centre Recognised Again
Second place in the Boutique Convention Centres category, supported by a strong overall score, confirms that LCK Lublin competes effectively in a demanding European meetings market. In an industry where quality, flexibility and delegate experience are decisive factors, such recognition carries particular weight.
Anna Białek, Marketing and Projects Manager at Lubelskie Conference Centre, said:
“This is the second award for Lubelskie Conference Centre in this international competition, demonstrating that this is not a one-off success but the result of a consistently implemented development strategy. I received the award on behalf of Director Aleksander Batorski and the entire LCK team at Conventa. It reflects the commitment of professionals who combine expertise with engagement to deliver national and international events. We believe that the strong position of venues such as LCK enhances the competitiveness of the Polish MICE market and reinforces the visibility of the Lublin region as a modern and dynamic business destination in Europe.”
Notably, Lubelskie Conference Centre will host the international CONNECT Route Development Forum next week, further underlining its strategic role in linking the aviation and meetings sectors.
Wieliczka Salt Mine Awarded for the First Time
For the first time, the Wieliczka Salt Mine secured second place in the Outdoor and Natural Event Venues category.
Barbara Zięba-Godula, President of the Management Board, commented in Ljubljana:
“We are proud and grateful that the Wieliczka Salt Mine has been recognised among such outstanding competitors. We continuously invest in enhancing service quality and developing our offer. Today, organisers can complement their events with a wide range of additional experiences, from guided tours and underground cultural performances to health and wellness programmes delivered in Poland’s only health resort located within a subterranean mining site.”
Why Meetings Star Awards Matter for the MICE Industry
Meetings Star is a respected industry evaluation system developed by Kongres Magazine in association with Conventa. The assessment framework places strong emphasis on transparency and comparability, incorporating comprehensive criteria sets and in-depth evaluation of delegate experience.
For international planners, the awards function as a clear quality signal: standards are independently verified rather than declared.
Gorazd Čad, founder of Conventa and Editor-in-Chief of Kongres Magazine, emphasised that the 2026 selection process covered 149 destinations and was based on an independent and in-depth evaluation using the Meeting Experience Index, which analyses more than 75 qualitative criteria. The methodology serves not only as a benchmarking tool, but as a strategic instrument supporting long-term competitiveness, enabling destinations to monitor progress, compare performance against international best practice, and strengthen global positioning.
654 evaluation criteria, 304 certified hotels and conference centres from 24 countries. That’s the scale behind this year’s Meetings Star Awards for Best Hotels & Convention Centres 2026, presented yesterday at Conventa.
The certification included:
- 103 City Meeting Hotels
- 69 Resort Meeting Hotels
- 26 Spa Meeting Hotels
- 61 Boutique Meeting Hotels
- 28 Big Conference Centres
- 17 Small Conference Centres
Congratulations to all certified venues for meeting the rigorous Hidden Congress Guest evaluation standards and for setting the benchmark in service, infrastructure, and event excellence.
A Continuing Trend: From Conventa 2023 to 2026
This year’s results reinforce Poland’s growing visibility at Conventa. Poland made its debut at the Ljubljana trade show in 2023 and continued its presence in 2024.
Following the 2025 Conventa edition, Poland returned with four Meetings Star Awards, including recognitions for Warsaw, Lubelskie Conference Centre, Nobu Hotel Warsaw and The Bridge Wrocław MGallery.
The 2026 results demonstrate that this is not an isolated success, but an emerging and sustained trend. Polish destinations and venues are increasingly featured in European quality rankings, with achievements spanning metropolitan cities, regional destinations, congress centres, hotels and unique venues.
What the Meetings Star Awards Mean for Poland
From a strategic promotion perspective, such awards act as credibility markers in international B2B dialogue. They strengthen bidding arguments and enhance confidence in the quality of services at both national and venue levels. At the same time, they confirm that Poland’s MICE offering is competitive in areas that matter most to clients: infrastructure, accessibility, delegate experience, distinctive settings and sustainability standards.
Prepared by Jarosław Marciuk and Magda Mazgaj; Photos: KCB, Kongres Magazine
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