As a leading sustainable holiday destination, the Slovenian Tourist Board (STB) has long since believed in using tourism as a force for good – raising awareness for the environment, supporting sustainable economies and promoting health and wellbeing.
Our efforts have been recognised with numerous industry awards including the National Geographic World Legacy Award in 2017, while our capital, Ljubljana, was named European Green Capital 2016. Here’s how we’ll continue to develop our tourism offering over the next twelve months while also ensuring that sustainability is at the heart of everything we do:
Help us celebrate Slovenia’s best green businesses
Sustainable tourism is one of the fastest-growing industry trends. Slovenia was one of the early adopters of the promotion of green tourism and we continue to establish a variety of sustainable tourism initiatives such as the Green Scheme of Slovenian Tourism (GSST).
This national certification programme gives tourism providers and destinations access to tools and resources to enable them to establish sustainable approaches to tourism. Visitors can visit our website and choose more than 90 ways for visiting Slovenia in a more sustainable manner! 48 destinations, 38 accommodations, 4 parks, and 2 agencies have been awarded the Slovenia Green certificate.
MY WAY & the 2019 Global Digital Campaign
In order to reflect changes in travel habits, such as the search for authenticity, personal experiences and the new concept of luxury, STB has created the new umbrella tourism brand – MY WAY. The new communication platform contributes to achieving Slovenia’s vision of a green boutique destination for 5-star experiences and represents support for increasing the added value of Slovenian tourism.
The MY WAY concept was finalised in January of this year and used for the first time in the 2019 Global Digital Campaign. The aim of the campaign, that was carried out in 16 countries in Europe and in the USA, is to increase tourist visits in the pre- and post-season, persuade potential guests at the decision-making stage on where to spend their holiday, and to follow the goal of balancing tourist flows and dispersing them throughout the year.
Slovenia’s new 5* ‘Unique Experiences’
New for 2019, we’ve unveiled a collection of ’Slovenia Unique Experiences’ – boutique five-star adventures that can’t be enjoyed anywhere else. More and more travellers are seeking out authentic experiences and this is new certification is how we celebrate local and sustainable providers throughout the country in a new way.
These tailor-made experiences include kayaking through the flooded underground tunnels of Mount Pecca, a relaxing eco-treehouse holiday overlooking Lake Bled and a classic journey through the olive groves in Istria. In each case, our strict guidelines ensure that we are promoting local businesses and protecting our cultural heritage.
Adventures on the new Julian Alps Hiking Trail
2019 will see us launch our new 280km Julian Alps Hiking Trail. The trail does not conquer mountain tops but leads you in a respectful distance of the peaks along the edge of the Julian Alps and Triglav National Park. It takes you where you will feel the true pulse of this magnificent Alpine landscape.
This new route will allow us to highlight lesser-known regions of the Julian Alps while also highlighting the rich natural and cultural heritage. The route has also been designed to incorporate local producers so hikers can also enjoy the finest local food and drink!
Promoting sustainable Slovenian cuisine
As the old Slovenian saying goes, ‘love comes through the stomach!’ Slovenia has been named European Region of Gastronomy (ERG) 2021 and we’ll be using this to highlight our fantastic local producers and chefs with great emphasis on how they are working together to guarantee farm-to-table freshness.
For a relatively small country, we’ve got a hugely diverse culinary story with each region offering something unique.
Celebrating new sustainable attractions
As interest in sustainable tourism grows, we will continue to promote the newest sustainable Slovenian businesses and attractions.
One of the new additions to Slovenia in 2019 is the Pohorje Treetop Walk. Located at the heart of the Pohorje Mountain forests, this unique observation tower has a total length of over 1,000m and stands up to 37m high. Meandering through an ancient and diverse forest, visitors will get to experience the landscape and its wild inhabitants from a completely new perspective. Combining environmental awareness and education, the tower is also fully accessible to families and wheelchair users.
To find out more about opportunities for sustainable travel in Slovenia visit: www.slovenia.info.
Slovenian Tourist Board will be at WTM 2019. Visit us at stand number EU1800.