From September 25 to 28, Dubrovnik will host the latest editions of the Global Business Conference (GBC) and the Global Education, Teaching, and Learning Conference (GETLC), events that gather experts from around the world. On this occasion, we spoke with Prof. Dr. Zoran Krupka, a Croatian Congress Ambassador, who has been organizing international conferences in Dubrovnik for many years. Prof. Krupka reveals the key advantages of Dubrovnik as a conference destination, as well as the importance of well-planned organization and collaboration with local partners. He also shares his experiences and plans for future conferences, emphasizing Dubrovnik's role on the global conference scene.
How many events have you organized in Dubrovnik so far? What has your experience been like as an organizer?
I have been coming to Dubrovnik as a conference organizer since 2010, which in itself shows that there is good cooperation and satisfaction among all involved parties. Besides the cooperation between conference organizers on one side and the destination, or local organizations, on the other, it is crucial to highlight the importance of participant satisfaction with both the conference and the destination.
It is extremely important for conference organizers that participants return to the conference and become ambassadors for it within their institutions and countries, and for the destination, that they return as tourists in the coming years.
So far, I have organized around 15 conferences in Dubrovnik, with over 1,000 participants from more than 70 countries across all continents. Also, this year and next, the Odyssey scientific conference, organized by the Faculty of Economics at the University of Zagreb, will be held in Dubrovnik.
How would you describe your long-term cooperation with Dubrovnik as a conference destination? What makes Dubrovnik special for organizing international conferences and congresses, and what are the key advantages of Dubrovnik compared to other cities in Croatia and the region?
Dubrovnik's biggest competitive advantage over other conference destinations is its global recognition, what is known in marketing as brand awareness. Some participants, especially those from distant countries, may not be as familiar with Croatia, but they have heard of Dubrovnik. Additionally, the good air connectivity between Dubrovnik and Europe and non-European destinations is very important since most of our participants arrive by plane. The construction of the Pelješac Bridge has also made it easier for participants from neighbouring countries to arrive by car. From the perspective of a conference organizer, it is also very important to have conference infrastructure (halls, excursions, additional activities) and hotels of various categories. Finally, it is important to highlight the experience and strategy for developing conference tourism because it differs from "regular" tourism.
Were there any interesting people or situations that particularly impressed you during the organization and participation in conferences in Dubrovnik?
Of course. It always comes down to the people. You can have a perfect location, hotels, infrastructure, and everything else, but the human factor is crucial. If there isn't a connection and trust at that level, then I don't come back. There are many people I have worked with over the years in Dubrovnik. From the staff at Importanne Resort, where we organized our first conference, to the people at the Academis Academia hotel, where we have organized several recent conferences, and those from the Dubrovnik Tourist Board, the city itself, and tourist guides. Naturally, some people stand out, and with whom I have developed deeper collaborations, but since I have met and worked with so many wonderful people, I won't mention specific names to avoid leaving someone out because they are all important reasons why we keep coming back to Dubrovnik. There are many interesting situations, but I remember our first conference in Dubrovnik in 2010 when a downpour started during a city tour. The guide incorporated that unfavourable situation into the story they were telling the participants during the tour, so none of them left the group.
The theme of this year's GBC conference is the impact of AI on the global economy
This fall, the 15th GBC conference will be held in Dubrovnik. What are the main themes and goals of this conference? How many participants do you expect, and from which countries?
Yes, this year we are organizing the 15th GBC conference, and the theme is “AI's Impact on Global Prosperity: Shaping the World Economy.” When selecting the conference theme, we always try to choose one that is not only currently relevant but will also have an impact on the global economy in the future. For instance, 99% of our participants are foreigners, so when determining the conference theme, we have to consider what is relevant on a global scale. I can already say that besides participants from Europe, we also have participants from South America, Asia, Africa, and North America. So, it is a usual structure for us.
How important is this conference in the business world in general, what key messages and trends do you expect to be emphasized, and how important is it for promoting Dubrovnik on a global level?
This is primarily a scientific conference, and people from the business world do not participate in large numbers at such conferences. However, what comes out of such conferences is the exchange of knowledge and experiences from different economic, political, and cultural environments, which then translates into research, bringing new insights to the business sector. This conference includes professors in management, marketing, finance, macroeconomics, and tourism, so there is inter-disciplinarily, which is essential in today's world (narrow specialization is a luxury that only a few can afford today). One of the topics that will definitely be discussed is how much AI can replace humans and how that will affect business and life in general. As I mentioned earlier, it is extremely important to us that participants are satisfied and become ambassadors in their countries, not only of the conference but also of the destination. This is very important for Dubrovnik and Croatia because I know that some of them, after participating in the GBC, come back as tourists with their families.
Dubrovnik needs an extended season and accommodation capacities of different categories
How do you see the future of Dubrovnik as a conference destination? What could, in your opinion, further improve its position in the global market?
Dubrovnik has everything needed for conference tourism. From the organizer's perspective, it would be good to extend the conference season, meaning to have more content available throughout the year. Also, it is very important to have available accommodation capacities of all categories because the business policies of many universities, agencies, and projects are such that they finance accommodation in three-star or, at most, four-star hotels. What might be a challenge in the future are high service prices – I'm not saying they aren't justified or that they don't follow the global situation, but it is something that organizers and the destination itself must keep in mind.
What does it mean for you to be a Croatian Congress Ambassador, on a personal and professional level, and how does that role contribute to promoting Dubrovnik as a conference destination? What are your plans for the future, do you plan to organize new events?
Being a Croatian Congress Ambassador and being among other ambassadors is, first and foremost, a great honour and recognition, and then a challenge and responsibility to promote Croatia as a conference destination. We have a lot to offer, but the competition is big and strong, and there is much to learn, improve, and strive to be at the top. As for future plans, the Global Business Conference is always there, and as I mentioned earlier, the Odyssey conference will be held in Dubrovnik next year. There are also other plans to bring some events to Croatia, but as you know, the competition is extremely strong.
This interview was originally published on the Dubrovnik Convention Bureau