Slovenia is ready to welcome tourists again

Slovenian Tourist Board together with the Slovenian tourism industry has boosted their promotional activities ready for a restart to tourism in the country as it reopens. The relaxing of measures has enabled the opening of tourist offers across the country, a good starting point for the summer tourist season which will again highlight green, safe, healthy and authentic experiences, using the tourist board and partners’ motivational campaign Now is the Time. My Slovenia.

1. Safety, trust, sustainability and authenticity

According to the European Travel Commission, the World Tourism Organisation and Euromonitor, the current travel period is shaped by trends such as: safety, trust in travel, travel close to home, sustainable management, flexibility and booking time, and the fusion of digital and real. Slovenia guarantees such experiences through its content communication platform and the GREEN & SAFE label, which emphasises high hygiene standards, protocols and sustainable recommendations for tourism providers and destinations with the aim of increasing guests’ trust in Slovenia as a safe green tourist destination. As Maja Pak, Director of the Slovenian Tourist Board said, “The latest European Travel Commission report on short-term travel intentions within Europe states that the share of Europeans planning to travel in the next six months is currently at the highest level of all surveys, at 56 %. Europeans want safety, health, peace and relaxation in their travels.”

Holidays in Slovenia are healthy, safe and above all green, confirmed by the Green Scheme of Slovenian Tourism, the national certification program which combines all efforts for sustainable tourism development at various levels under the umbrella brand Slovenia Green. These 163 certified destinations offer unique authentic and sustainable experiences, including 17 also certified under the Slovenia Unique Experiences quality brand, inspiring and supporting the story of Slovenia as a green boutique destination and the I feel Slovenia brand. Acknowledging the pandemic as a reminder of the importance of Slovenian tourism for the economy, Simon Zajc, State Secretary at the Ministry of Economic Development and Technology, said, “If ever, then now is the time to explore all those hidden corners of Slovenia. Tourist vouchers are valid until the end of the year, so it would be a sad thing not to use them. We present Slovenia to the world as a green boutique destination for the most demanding guests – those who are looking for diverse active experiences and the opportunity to stop for a moment and pamper themselves. We must not forget that Slovenia also offers all this to us, Slovenians, so let’s spend holidays at home as well.” Additonally, Iztok Altbauer, Director of the Association of Slovenian Natural spas, also assured the high levels and cleanliness of the facilities, another great tourist attraction of the country.

2. Gastronomy

To support gastronomy as the central promotional theme of Slovenian tourism, the tourist board released a new video presenting Slovenia as an excellent choice for gastronomic experiences through the stories of six Michelin starred restaurants and their connection to nature and local producers. As Maja Pak said, “As Slovenia holds the European region of gastronomy title, we put emphasis on gastronomy. This is why also a gastronomic video that presents top chefs and their way of sustainable gastronomy has recently been launched.”

3. Cautious, but optimistic

The revitalisation of domestic and foreign tourism will be influenced by several factors: general vaccination of the population and its health situation, release of restrictions, opening of capacities and safety standards at the destination, travel intentions of guests, flight connections, attractiveness of tourist offer and of course, appropriate promotion. The pandemic has strongly influenced changes in the travel habits of tourists, who are now looking for active holidays in unspoiled nature and increasingly show interest in destinations with sustainable development. Slovenia is recognised as an example of good practice and this is also the capital, on which Slovenian tourism has been based before the pandemic and will also continue to be also in the future. Slovenian tourism is facing another demanding tourist season, however the tourist board is cautiously optimistic.

Maja Pak said, “The competition between providers will be strong, but for many years Slovenia has been developing and upgrading its commitment to sustainable and safe tourism tailored to the modern guests who want authentic boutique experiences far from mass tourism….green and safe in Slovenia is not just a promise, but a fact. Therefore, we believe that we will gain the trust of our guests relatively quickly and convince them with an excellent and diverse offer.”