Business-to-Business Communication of the Slovenian Tourist Board in 2026

Among the most important annual sales-promotion activities are participation in more than 100 trade fairs, tourism exchanges, workshops and various B2B presentations. Key international events include Ferienmesse, FITUR, ITB, IMEX, IMEX America, IFTM, TTG, WTM, IBTM and others. At the same time, STB plans to host international business meetings in Slovenia and participate in major high-profile international events both at home and abroad. A significant part of the annual programme will be dedicated to activities linked to the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milan–Cortina, where Slovenian tourism will also be prominently presented. Innovative and effective networking, along with the identification of new business opportunities between Slovenian and international business communities, will remain the central objective throughout 2026.

Partnerships and hosted events in Slovenia

In the field of partnerships, cooperation will continue both with key European countries such as Austria and Croatia in long-haul markets, as well as with neighbouring regions including Friuli Venezia Giulia and Carinthia.

Among the most important annual partnership events is the international business exchange Conventa, a well-established flagship event of the regional meetings industry. Slovenia will also host the ICCA Central European Chapter (CEC) from 6 to 8 September 2026, as well as Meet Sleep Cycle from 20 to 23 September 2026, both aimed at growth in selected foreign markets and segments, particularly the High Value / Affluent Traveller segment.

In response to the growing value and strategic importance of events, Slovenia’s meetings industry will continue to position itself as a destination for future-oriented, high-impact meetings, especially outside the main tourist season. This approach contributes to a more balanced distribution of tourist flows throughout the year. In cooperation with the Slovenian Convention Bureau and key partners, STB will work towards the implementation of the new Slovenian Meetings Industry Strategy for the 2025–2030 period.

Slovenian Incoming Workshop (SIW)

The Slovenian Incoming Workshop (SIW) 2026 will take place from 5 to 7 May 2026 in Portorož. As the central B2B event of Slovenian tourism, SIW annually brings together key stakeholders from both the supply and demand sides of the tourism sector. The event provides a unique platform for establishing business contacts, strengthening existing partnerships and developing new forms of cooperation. In addition to formal business meetings, participants will have numerous opportunities for informal networking and for discovering Slovenia’s high-quality tourism offer through pre- and post-event study tours.

For SIW 2026, STB plans to invite at least 160 foreign tour operators and travel agencies from more than 30 countries.

Digitalisation of B2B activities

The continued digital transformation of STB’s B2B operations will play an important role in 2026. The introduction of digital tools to enhance the organisation and delivery of business events, improvements in user experience and content across owned media, and participation in hybrid events as a complement to traditional meetings will all contribute to building new, high-quality contacts and maintaining strong relationships with international business audiences.

Digitalisation objectives will be achieved through the development of authentic and creative content, including updated business websites, e-newsletters and video production, aligned with current technological trends and communication approaches. Targeted B2B content about Slovenia will primarily address foreign tour operators and travel agencies, airlines, travel trade media, and national, European and global tourism associations. An important educational digital tool remains the Feel Sloveni@ online training platform, which enables effective networking, education and reinforcement of Slovenia’s position as a desirable tourism destination among business partners.

Strengthening partnerships through high-end luxury platforms

STB will continue its systematic partnerships with leading international luxury networks such as Virtuoso and Signature Travel Network, which are explicitly defined in the strategy as key platforms for addressing this segment. Through prestigious and specialised platforms with direct access to highly segmented and profiled client bases, STB will develop new sales and communication channels under the Slovenia umbrella, such as participation in ILTM Cannes. These activities are aimed at more demanding traveller segments (High Value Travellers) who seek unique, authentic and high-quality experiences and are willing to invest significantly more in their journeys.

Boosting Slovenia’s sales as an air-accessible destination

Building on a pilot project implemented in 2025, STB will continue to promote Slovenia as an air-accessible destination in selected foreign markets. Two primary objectives and one supporting objective will guide these efforts:

• Increasing awareness and reputation of Slovenia as a tourism destination among air travellers and High Value Travellers;
• Inspiring and motivating target segments to consider Slovenia as a preferred destination accessible by air.

The supporting objective pursued in parallel is to improve air connectivity in the coming years by increasing awareness and demand for Slovenia as a modern, attractive, Central European destination with a strong sustainability focus, open year-round (365 days a year). Improved air connectivity is particularly crucial for the meetings industry as well as for leisure tourism.

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