The importance of congress tourism for the development of the Republic of Serbia

Milena Laban; Sonja Lazarević

doi:10.5937/bizinfo2401035L

Authors

Milena Laban University of Kragujevac, Faculty of Hotel Management and Tourism in Vrnjačka Banja, Serbia
Sonja Lazarević University of Kragujevac, Faculty of Hotel Management and Tourism in Vrnjačka Banja, Serbia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5937/bizinfo2401035L

Keywords:

business tourism, congress tourism, meetings industry, Republic of Serbia

Abstract

Congress tourism or meetings industry is one of the fastest growing segments on the tourism market. Congress tourism has a positive effect on the development of the country’s economy, providing additional economic effects, extending the season, and strengthening the image of destination. The aim of the paper is to analyze the impact of congress tourism on hotel performances, tourism performances, as well as the impact on macroeconomic indicators in the Republic of Serbia for the period 2015-2022. Regression and correlation analysis were used to check the hypotheses. The results showed a partial connection between congress and hotel performances, as well between congress and tourism performances, while no relation between congress and macroeconomic indicators were found. Based on the obtained results, it can be concluded that congress tourism in the Republic of Serbia has a significant impact on hotel and tourism performances, while there is no significant impact on macroeconomic indicators.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Aburumman, A.A. (2020). COVID-19 impact and survival strategy in business tourism market: the example of the UAE MICE industry. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications 7(1). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-020-00630-8

Ayaz, N., & Şamata, N. (2017). Integration of congress tourism to the cultural tourism destinations as an economic product. Journal of Tourism and Hospitality Management, 5(1), 53-61.

Braholli, A. (2023). The tourism of business and conferences – Opening a convention bureau (CVB) in Albania. Economicus, 22(1), 115-124.

Bučić, A., Dragićević, V., i Cimbaljević, M. (2015). Komparativna analiza kongresnog turizma Beograda i Praga. Zbornik radova – Geografski fakultet Univerziteta u Beogradu, 63, 119-146. https://doi.org/10.5937/zrgfub1563119B

Chan, M. K. Y., & Ling, S. E. (2022). The Legacy Impact of Business Event–Case Study of ICEdDE 2019. International Journal of Business Events and Legacies, 1(1), 22-37.

Clark, J.D. (2004). Considering a Convention Center: Ten Questions Communities Will Confront. Journal of Convention & Event Tourism, 6(1/2), 5-21. https://doi.org/10.1300/J452v06n01_02

Ćulić, M., Zečević, B., i Kovačević, I. (2015). Podsticajna putovanja i poslovni turizam kao elementi razvoja destinacija geonasleđa Srbije. U M. Stanić (Ur.) Zbornik radova SITKON – Konkurentnost turističke destinacije, (pp. 202-209), Beograd: Singidunum. http://dx.doi.org/10.15308/sitcon-2015-202-209

Davidson, R., & Cope, B. (2003). Business travel: Conferences, incentive travel, exhibitions, corporate hospitality and corporate travel. Pearson Education.

Demirciftci, T., Cobanoglu, C., Beldona, S., & Cummings, P.R. (2010). Room Rate Parity Analysis Across Different Hotel Distribution Channels in the U.S. Journal of Hospitality Marketing & Management, 19(4), 295-308. https://doi.org/10.1080/19368621003667010

Diaz, E., & Koutra, C. (2013). Evaluation of the persuasive features of hotel chains websites: A latent class segmentation analysis. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 34, 338-347. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2012.11.009

Dimitrovski, D., Milićević, S. i Lakićević, M. (2021). Specifični oblici turizma. Univerzitet u Кragujevcu, Fakultet za hotelijerstvo i turizam u Vrnjačkoj Banji.

Domareski Ruiz, T. C., Chim Miki, A. F., & Dos Anjos, F. A. (2019). Competitiveness, economic legacy and tourism impacts: World Cup. Investigaciones Turisticas, 49-70. https://doi.org/10.14198/INTURI2019.17.03

Dragićević, V., Plavša, J., Štetić, S., i Stankov, U. (2009). Destinacije kongresnog turizma u svetu i u Srbiji. Zbornik radova – Geografski fakultet Univerziteta u Beogradu, 57, 199-214.

Enz, C.A., Canina, L., & Van der Rest, J.P. (2015). Competitive hotel pricing in Europe: An exploration of strategic positioning. Cornell Hospitality Report, 15 (2), 6-16.

Ficarelli, S., Sendra, S., Parra, L., & Lloret, J. (2013). Congress and meetings tourism and destination brand. In The Fifth International Conference on Creative Content Technologies (pp. 7-15), 15.

Foley, C., Schlenker, K. & Edwards, D. (2014). Business Events and Friendship: Leveraging the Sociable Legacies. Event Management, 18(1), 53-64. https://doi.org/10.3727/152599514X13883555341887

Geić, S. (2011). Menadžment selektivnih oblika turizma. Sveučilište u Splitu.

Gregorić, M., Naš, M., & Gregorić M. (2016). Potential of congress tourism in the Republic of Croatia in comparison to neighboring destinations. Acta Economica Et Turistica, 2(2), 195-209. https://doi.org/10.1515/aet-2016-0017

Gustafson, P. (2012) Managing business travel: Developments and dilemmas in corporate travel management. Tourism Management, 33(2), 276-284. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2011.03.006

Hankinson, G. (2005). Destination brand images: a business tourism perspective, Journal of Services Marketing, 19(1), 24-32. https://doi.org/10.1108/08876040510579361

Hanly, P. (2012). Measuring the economic contribution of the international association conference market: An Irish case study. Tourism Management, 33(6), 157-182. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2011.12.010

Holloway, J.C. (2006). The Business of Tourism (7th edition). London: Pearson Education.

ICCA (2023). https://www.iccaworld.org/

Kim, S.S., Chon, K. and Chung, K. Y. (2003). Convention Industry in South Korea: An Economic Impact Analysis. Tourism Management, 24(5), 533-541. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0261-5177(03)00006-2

Knežević, S., Milašinović, M., Džafić, G., & Obradović, T. (2022). COVID-19 and profitability of hotel companies in the Republic of Serbia. BizInfo (Blace) Journal of Economics, Management and Informatics, 13(2), 65-71. https://doi.org/10.5937/bizinfo2202065K

Kongresni biro Srbije (2023). https://www.scb.travel/sr

Kovačević, I. (2017). Uticaj kongresnog turizma na razvoj destinacije. Doktorska disertacija. Univerzitet u Beogradu: Ekonomski fakultet.

Kovačević, I., Zečević, B., & Hristov-Stančić, B. (2019). Economic impact of the meetings industry on a nation's development and the example of Serbia. Ekonomika preduzeća, 67(3-4), 282-287. https://doi.org/10.5937/EKOPRE1904282K

Ladkin, A. (2006). Conference tourism – MICE market and business tourism. In D. Buhalis & C. Costa (Eds.) Tourism business frontiers (pp. 56-66). Routledge.

Leask, A. & Spiller, J. (2002). U.K. Conference Venues: Past, Present, and Future. Journal of Convention & Exhibition Management, 4(1), 29-54. https://doi.org/10.1300/J143v04n01_03

Lekić, S. (2019). Kongresni turizam. Osma međunarodna naučna konferencija o turizmu – BIST „Turizam – put razvoja i uspeha“, Vrnjačka Banja 21-23. јun 2019. str. 177-186.

Marković, Ј. (2019). Tematski turizam. Univerzitet u Novom Sadu: Prirodno-matematički fakultet, Departman za geografiju, turizam i hotelijerstvo.

Marques, J., & Pinho, M. (2021). Collaborative research to enhance a business tourism destination: A case study from Porto. Journal of Policy Research in Tourism, Leisure and Events, 13(2), 172-187. https://doi.org/10.1080/19407963.2020.1756307

Mykletun, R.J., Bartkeviciute, M., & Puchkova, Y. (2014). Green meetings – Do they matter to their closest stakeholders? Scandinavian Journal of Hospitality and Tourism, 14(3), 211-233. https://doi.org/10.1080/15022250.2014.946229

Ničkova, M. (2021). Uloga i značaj kongresnog turizma za razvoj turizma u Republici Severnoj Makedoniji. Doktorska disertacija. Univerzitet Singidunum.

Park, E., & Boo, S. (2010). An assessment of convention tourism's potential contribution to environmentally sustainable growth. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 18(1), 95-113. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669580903147936

Pechlaner, H., Zeni, A., & Raich, F. (2007). Congress tourism and leisure tendencies with special focus on economic aspects. Tourism Review, 62(3/4), 32-38. https://doi.org/10.1108/16605370780000319

Popsa, R. E. (2018). Business tourism market-trends and perspectives. Revista Economică, 70(3).

Prylutskyi, A. (2022). Current trends and directions of development of the tourism industry. Problems and prospects of development of hotel and restaurant and tourist industry in the conditions of integration processes. Monograph. Primedia eLaunch, Boston, USA. 155-179.

Rabotić, B. (2013). Selektivni oblici turizma. Beograd: Visoka turistička škola strukovnih studija.

Rogers, T. (2006). Conferences and conventions: A global industry. UK: Butterworth-Heinemann.

Rudnicki, M., & Borodako, K. (2023). Air transport accessibility in business tourism destinations in the COVID-19 pandemic – A Central and Eastern Europe perspective. Hotel and Tourism Management, 11(1), 9-23. https://doi.org/10.5937/menhottur2301009R

Sanders, H. (2004). Convention Mythology. Journal of Convention & Event Tourism, 6(1/2), 99-143. https://doi.org/10.1300/J452v06n01_07

Sylla, M., Chruściński, J., Drużyńska, P., Płóciennik, P., & Osak, W. (2015). Opportunities and limitations for MICE tourism development in Łódź. Turyzm, 25(2), 117-124.

Swarbrooke, J. & Horner, S. (2001). Business Travel and Tourism. UK: Butterworth-Heinemann

Štetić, S. (2007). Posebni oblici turizma. Beograd: Forma B.

Štetić, S., Cvijanović, D. i Šimićević, D. (2014). Posebni oblici turizma Dunavskog regiona Srbije. Beograd: Institut za ekonomiku poljoprivrede.

Štetić, S., Dragićević, V.M., Plavša, J., & Stankov, U. (2011). Business events and tourism development at the destination. Business Economics, 5(1), 73-90.

STR (2023). Trend Report.

Šušić, V. & Mojić, J. (2014). Congress tourism as a market niche of business tourism. Economic Themes, 52(4), 523-539. https://doi.org/10.1515/ethemes-2014-0031

The World Bank (2023). DataBank - World Development Indicators. Washington: IBRD.

Trišić, I., & Arsenov-Bojović, B. (2018). The role of MICE industry in tourism development. In D. Cvijanović et al. (Eds.) Tourism International Scientific Conference – Tourism in the Era of Digital Transformation (pp. 275-293). Vrnjačka Banja: Faculty of Hotel Management and Tourism in Vrnjačka Banja

UNWTO (2021). World Tourism Barometer, Statistical Annex, 19(3). Madrid: UNWTO.

UNWTO (2022). World Tourism Barometer, Statistical Annex, 20(6). Madrid: UNWTO.

UNWTO (2023). https://www.unwto.org/

Vuković, D.B. (2013). Correlation analysis of indicators of regional competitiveness: the case of the Republic of Serbia. Economic Horizons, 15(3), 197-211. https://doi.org/10.5937/ekonhor1303197V

Wootton, G., & Stevens, T. (1995). Business tourism: a study of the market for hotel-based

meetings and its contribution to Wales's tourism. Tourism Management, 16(4), 305-313. https://doi.org/10.1016/0261-5177(95)00020-O

World Tourism Organization (2019). UNWTO Tourism Definitions. Madrid: UNWTO. https://doi.org/10.18111/9789284420858

Yang, Y., Pan, B. & Song, H. (2014). Predicting hotel demand using destination marketing organizations' web traffic data. Journal of Travel Research, 53(4), 433-447. https://doi.org/10.1177/0047287513500391

Zhylenko, K. M., Khalatur, S.M., Pavlenko, O. P., & Pavlenko, O. S. (2022). Formation of macroeconomic indicators under the influence of MICE-tourism. Academy Review, 2(57), 249-266. https://doi.org/10.32342/2074-5354-2022-2-57-19