Opatija and Kvarner's congress offer presented at IMEX in Frankfurt
The Opatija Tourist Board presented the congress and incentive offer of Opatija and Kvarner at the international congress trade show IMEX Frankfurt 2026, held from May 19 to 21 at Messe Frankfurt. According to official data from the organizers, IMEX Frankfurt brings together the global meetings, events and incentive travel industry, and this year's edition was held over three trade fair days with an additional day of a specialized educational program on May 18. For destinations such as Opatija, appearing at such a trade show means direct access to organizers of congresses, corporate gatherings, professional conferences and incentive trips who often make decisions about destinations months or years in advance. In Frankfurt, Opatija presented itself as a destination that connects a long tourism tradition, hotel infrastructure, congress capacities and the attractions of the wider Kvarner region. Special emphasis was placed on business events in the pre-season and post-season, periods in which congress tourism can play an important role in extending the tourist year.
Appearance within the Croatian national stand
Opatija presented its offer at Croatia's national stand, organized by the Croatian National Tourist Board, together with other Croatian destinations and partners from the congress industry. The original information about the appearance stated that the Croatian participants included Dubrovnik, Zagreb, Rijeka, Istria, Šibenik and Zadar, as well as hotels, agencies and other business entities specialized in the MICE segment. Among the exhibitors from Opatija and the wider region were Amadria Park hotels, Opatija Marriott, Rijeka-based MedAdria and other representatives of the hotel and tourism sector. In its programs for 2026, the Croatian National Tourist Board lists appearances at tourism, nautical and congress fairs as part of international promotional activities, with business tourism increasingly presented as a segment that can contribute to a more even distribution of tourist traffic throughout the year. According to CNTB data from previous appearances at IMEX, the Croatian stand at that trade show traditionally brings together tourist boards, destination convention bureaus, hotels, agencies and specialized service providers, confirming that the promotion of business tourism increasingly relies on a joint appearance by the public and private sectors.
A national appearance at international fairs has additional value for Croatian destinations because it allows buyers to view different regions and types of offers in one place. In such an environment, Opatija positions itself as a coastal congress destination with long experience, but also as part of the wider Kvarner offer, which includes Rijeka, the islands, the hinterland and numerous programs that can be connected with business gatherings. For event organizers, such an approach is important because the decision on a destination does not depend only on a congress hall or hotel, but also on accessibility, accompanying content, opportunities for organizing excursions, gastronomy, logistics and the quality of local partners. That is precisely why, according to information from the Opatija Tourist Board, the combination of hotel and congress infrastructure, an attractive seaside location and the possibility of linking business programs with experiences throughout the Kvarner region was emphasized in Frankfurt.
IMEX as a global platform for business events
IMEX Frankfurt is considered one of the most important European and global platforms for the meetings, business events, congress and incentive travel industry. The fair organizer states that IMEX brings together destinations, convention bureaus, hotels, technology service providers, agencies and other participants in the events industry from a large number of countries. According to the fair's official website, IMEX Frankfurt 2026 presented a line-up of exhibitors from the fields of national and regional convention bureaus, event suppliers, hotels and other specialized business entities. Such a fair structure enables destinations to hold a large number of meetings with international buyers in a short time, but also to monitor trends in an industry that is changing rapidly under the influence of digitalization, sustainability, new participant expectations and ever-growing demands for measurable event impact.
For Opatija, participation at IMEX is important because it is a B2B event where discussions are held with professional organizers and buyers looking for concrete solutions for future congresses, meetings, conferences and incentive programs. Such discussions often include questions about capacities, hotel availability, transport connections, technical equipment of halls, possibilities for hybrid events, sustainable practices, safety standards and additional activities for participants. According to information from the Opatija Tourist Board, meetings were held during the three-day appearance with international buyers interested in organizing business events in Croatia. Buyer interest, according to the Opatija tourist board, confirms that Opatija and Kvarner have strong potential for congresses, business meetings and incentive travel, especially in periods outside the peak of the summer season.
Opatija emphasizes tradition and infrastructure
In congress tourism, Opatija relies on a tradition that is deeply connected with the development of its tourism. The Opatija Convention and Incentive Bureau states that as early as 1885, a congress of Austrian balneologists was held in Opatija, which is often highlighted as one of the symbols of the destination's early congress history. The same source states that Opatija today has more than 25 hotels, most of which are categorized as four- or five-star, as well as a range of restaurants, recreational facilities, entertainment programs and events. Such an offer enables the organization of gatherings of different sizes, from smaller business meetings and training sessions to larger conferences and congresses. In addition to hotel capacities, the destination also presents itself through a combination of historical venues, cultural content, coastal ambience and the experience of local partners in event organization.
According to information from the Opatija Convention and Incentive Bureau, Opatija also builds its position on transport accessibility and proximity to Central European markets. The Bureau's official website states that, thanks to road infrastructure, Opatija is located within several hours' drive of important cities in Central Europe, including Milan, Venice, Munich, Salzburg, Vienna and Budapest, and that the destination can also be reached via several international airports within a maximum of two hours' transfer. For organizers of international events, such data is important because accessibility directly affects the number of participants, travel costs, program duration and the competitiveness of the destination compared with other European cities. Opatija presents itself as a destination that does not depend exclusively on a large urban congress center, but combines business functionality with a recognizable tourist ambience.
Kvarner as added value for business gatherings
In its presentation in Frankfurt, Opatija particularly highlighted its connection with Kvarner, a region that can offer business event organizers various programs before, during and after the official part of a gathering. According to Kvarner tourist information, business tourism in the region relies on hotels that operate throughout the year and that have largely been upgraded with congress centers or halls. Such infrastructure is important for destinations that want to attract events outside the summer months, when the pressure of holiday tourism is lower and hotel and accompanying capacities may be more available for business groups. In the case of Opatija, congress programs can often be combined with gastronomic experiences, cultural content, the Lungomare promenade, excursions to Rijeka, the islands or the Kvarner hinterland, and activities intended for smaller business groups.
Congress and incentive programs are increasingly planned so that participants are offered more than a classic schedule of lectures and meetings. Organizers are looking for destinations that can offer a recognizable identity, authentic content, quality logistics and the possibility of creating programs adapted to the profile of participants. In this context, Kvarner can be an important part of Opatija's offer because it expands the framework of events beyond the hotel hall and enables the creation of multi-day programs. Such an offer is particularly relevant for incentive travel, team programs and smaller international gatherings in which the destination experience is just as important as the business part of the program. According to the original information from the Opatija Tourist Board, precisely the linking of congress infrastructure with regional content was one of the key foundations of Opatija's appearance at IMEX.
Business tourism as a tool for extending the season
Congress and business tourism are of particular importance for Opatija because they can stimulate tourist activity in periods outside the main summer season. The Opatija Tourist Board emphasizes that congresses, business meetings and incentive trips are often held in the pre-season and post-season, when the destination can make better use of its existing hotel, hospitality and accompanying infrastructure. This form of tourism can have an effect on several levels: it increases the occupancy of accommodation capacities, brings business to agencies and carriers, encourages spending in hospitality and services, and strengthens the destination's image among a business audience. In a strategic sense, the development of business events fits into efforts to distribute tourist traffic more evenly throughout the year and to make destinations less reliant on a few summer months. In describing its role, the Croatian National Tourist Board states that it promotes sustainable, authentic and year-round tourism, which is a framework into which the congress segment particularly fits.
The advantage of business tourism lies not only in the number of arrivals, but also in the profile of spending and the long-term effect on the destination's reputation. Participants in congresses and business events are often decision-makers, experts, representatives of international organizations or employees of companies that may choose the destination again for future programs. A good impression from one event can open the door to new gatherings, recommendations and the return of participants in private arrangements. In this respect, Opatija seeks to make use of its long-standing image as a well-maintained tourist center, but also to confirm that it can respond to modern standards in the organization of business events. The appearance in Frankfurt is therefore not only short-term promotion, but part of a broader process of maintaining a presence on the international market.
Direct discussions with buyers and strengthening recognition
The Opatija Tourist Board emphasizes that appearing at IMEX is an important opportunity for direct discussions with international event organizers and for further strengthening the destination's recognition on the global business tourism market. In their assessment, buyer interest shows that Opatija and Kvarner have potential for organizing congresses, business meetings and incentive travel, especially in the pre-season and post-season periods. Such a message is important for a destination that, in international competition, competes not only on price and capacities, but also on reputation, experience, ambience and service quality. For buyers at fairs such as IMEX, concrete data are crucial, but so is trust in the ability of local partners to carry out the program without logistical difficulties. That is precisely why appearances at B2B trade shows often continue through additional contacts, the sending of offers, inspection visits and further negotiations.
The joint appearance of Croatian destinations and partners further increases Croatia's visibility as a diverse congress destination. In this mosaic, Opatija has a specific role: unlike large administrative and air transport hubs, it offers a combination of historical tourism tradition, coastal location and a compact destination environment. Such a profile can be attractive to organizers looking for a destination developed enough for the professional delivery of events, yet at the same time recognizable and rich enough in content to provide participants with an experience beyond the standard business format. By participating at IMEX, the Opatija Tourist Board continues the continuity of international promotion of its congress offer and confirms that business tourism remains one of the important segments of the destination's development. For Opatija and Kvarner, the next step will be to turn the interest achieved in Frankfurt into concrete inquiries, programs and events that can further strengthen the region's position on the international business meetings market.
Sources:
- IMEX Frankfurt – official information about the IMEX Frankfurt 2026 edition, dates, fair profile and exhibitors (link)
- Opatija Convention and Incentive Bureau – official information about congress tradition, hotel capacities, accessibility and reasons for choosing Opatija (link)
- Croatian National Tourist Board – official calendar of fairs and information on international promotional activities in 2026 (link)
- Croatian National Tourist Board – description of the CNTB's role in promoting sustainable, authentic and year-round tourism (link)
- Croatian National Tourist Board – information from previous Croatian appearances at IMEX on the structure of the Croatian stand and the importance of the MICE segment (link)
- Kvarner – tourist information about congresses, gatherings and the role of hotels that operate throughout the year in the region's business tourism (link)