PREDSEDOVANJE EU 2008 EU Presidency 2008 PREDSTAVITEV ...

easier if there are actually several
hundred fewer. Once there are a
greater number of hotels in the
city, as close to the centre as
possible – including three star
hotels, perhaps one deluxe hotel
and perhaps also a strong
international hotel chain – an
increased number of direct flight
connections, inclusive of discount
fares, and a larger airport, our
chances against our strong international
competition will improve
considerably. The tourist offer itself
has improved over the years, with
new products initiated, and no lack
of plans and ambitions or a varied
menu of events. The number of
open-air activities and the close
proximity of numerous attractive
areas that could be the scene
of social events accompanying
meetings only add to the value of
the city, which numerous foreign
visitors like to describe as ‘cosy’.
Maribor began especially to prove
itself as a conference town with
the help of initiatives from the
private sector of tourism. Terme
Maribor’s investment in the
construction of a contemporary
conference centre in the Hotel
Habakuk and smaller conference
capacities in its other properties
has given it an opportunity to
really develop these activities.
The largest hall in this centre is
extremely functional and can
accommodate up to 430
participants. Smaller facilities,
in specific faculties, smaller city
Foto: Zavod za turizem Ljubljana
Photo: Ljubljana Tourist Board
hotels, companies and the Narodni dom (a first-rate venue for cultural
events) round off the offer. The revival of Maribor airport with
regular connections to European cities, as well as its proximity to the airport
across the Slovenian-Austrian border in Graz, is also increasingly
opening this area up
to foreign clients. The intertwined history in the preserved old city centre
along the Drava River, its superior culture, attractive winter sports venues
and the green Pohorje, the excellent thermal and wellbeing products,
the food and drink (with emphasis on the wine roads) – all enclosed in a
compact region – can be seen as several of the distinctive features of this
Styrian metropolis.
Nova Gorica is another distinctive town – a young place that bears a
rose in its coat-of-arms and has extensive flowery areas where the
main engine of tourist development is the HIT Group, one of the largest
European entertainment providers. HIT is an entertainment-tourism
group present in numerous areas around Slovenia. One of their
guidelines is to create a high quality offer for its guests’ leisure
time and, through an innovative approach in Europe, supplement
a significant share of the gaming, entertainment and tourist markets.
In its hotel and Perla conference centre, with the largest plenary
facility offering capacities for 280 to 350 people, it has already hosted
numerous corporate meetings for both domestic and foreign clients,
with Italians prevailing. The numerous water sports possibilities of the
nearby Soča River, the World War I history of these areas, the short
distance to the picturesque Karst region and the culinary and wine
offer with emphasis on the excellent Goriška Brda wine-producers,
wonderfully supplement the city's offer, which is well-connected to
more distant areas via Ronchi Airport near Trieste.
Smaller towns in the shadow of the big cities
So how can relatively small towns, or even entire countries, that clients
of meetings often overlook, prove themselves in the sphere of sharp
competition from global meeting centres? First, there must exist in a
place and its inhabitants not only the desire to set up the infrastructure
necessary, but also a lively pulse and pleasant ambience of which they
are proud and that visitors wish to experience. Natural beauty or
cultural heritage are advantages, but local authenticity is also a
necessity. Finally, there should also be a good balance between price
and quality, which planners gladly ascribe to us in Slovenia.
Once the infrastructure exists, a solid approach to marketing both
meetings and the basic tourism offers of the city or town is required.
A balanced development of offers, from accommodation to traffic
(airport) connections, increases an individual place’s competitiveness
on the international market. We consider those able to make a holistic
approach as winners in the development of the destination.
This serves only as a guide to those areas in Slovenia forecasting
investments in new conference infrastructure. We should also be
aware that the domestic market is very important for meeting planners
and, while that is limited, the route to foreign clients is more difficult
and takes longer. In this sense, we cannot compare ourselves to
larger countries, where national congresses of specialised medical
professions often exceed the European congress of the same
association in the number of participants.
As often mentioned, the chances for Slovenia and its conference towns
are reflected in foreign clients’ persistent searches for new locations,
often those less stressful than large cities. In short, more friendly,
manageable and intimate urban spaces that can offer, among other
things, a better price and a more genuine experience of the area,
things that we certainly possess.
Tatjana Radovič, Congress Manager, Ljubljana Tourist Board
46