Satisfaction and behavioural intentions of congress attendees: Evidence from an international congress in Novi Sad Serbia

The congress industry, as a part of business tourism sector, is globally recognized for its valuable economic contribution to tourism destinations. Regardless economic benefits, there are as well as numerous social, cultural and environmental benefits that congress industry brings to destinations. This is the reason why the congress industry is becoming one of the fastest growing sectors of tourism industry. At the same time, the congress destinations worldwide are competing in bidding international congresses. According to the Strategy of Tourism Development of the Republic of Serbia (2005), congress tourism is recognized as a quick win product that could contribute in a short period of 3 to 5 years to tourism development and image of Serbia. The cities of Belgrade, Novi Sad and Niš are identified as the congress destinations capable for hosting international congresses. Novi Sad, as administrative, economic, cultural, scientific and educational centre of the region of Vojvodina (northern part of Serbia) and known as 'town of fairs'(it has long tradition in organizing fairs - since 1923) has strong potential for smaller international congresses. In order to improve quality of 'congress' tourist product, provide stability of congress destination and congress centers, it is necessary to understand meeting planners' and congress attendees' levels of satisfaction and reaction to their experience in destination. In Serbia there is no research regarding mentioned items. The aim of this paper is to examine and analyze the perspective of the congress attendees, as they are final consumers of congress tourist product and their experience and behavioural intentions regarding Novi Sad is thus essential to destination marketing and management organizations, congress centre, hotel managers and meeting planners. .