STA, 25 July 2022 - The number of nights spent in tourist accommodation facilities in Slovenia reached almost two million in June, which is nearly double year-on-year and a third of the total figure for the first half of 2022, when 2.3 million tourists spent more than 6 million nights in the country. The figures thus virtually reached pre-epidemic level.

A total of 795,000 visitors were recorded in June. Just over 351,000 were Slovenians and they spent 878,000 nights at tourist facilities, which is about a quarter more than a year ago. The almost 444,000 foreigners generated just under 1.1 million nights or 56% of total nights.

Most foreign visitors came from Germany (almost 272,900), followed by Austria, Italy, Hungary and Czechia.

In June, the most popular destination for tourists were mountain regions, where they spent 32% or 632,300 of all nights. The coast followed with 432,100 nights or 22% and spas with 18%.

Hotels are still the most popular type of tourist accommodation (738,700 nights were generated there or 37%). Private rooms, apartments and houses follow with 24%, while 18% of nights were spent at campsites.

In the first six months, 2.3 million visitors spent more than 6 million nights in Slovenia, which is about 4.3 million more than in the same period last year. Ljubljana is the leading destination with 729,400 nights, followed by the coastal town of Piran (703,300), the mountain resort Kranjska Gora (402,700) and the lakeside resort Bled (325,300).

Visitors from Slovenia generated 2.8 million nights in the first half of the year or 47%, while tourists from other countries spent 3.2 million nights or 53%. While Slovenians mostly stayed in Piran, foreigners preferred Ljubljana.

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STA, 1 July 2022 - Some 86% or a combined total of EUR 468.4 million worth of the 2020 and 2021 tourist vouchers was cashed in, shows data by the Financial Administration (FURS), and EUR 75.27 million was left unredeemed by Thursday, the last day of voucher validity.

The 2020 vouchers were part of the third Covid relief package, granting each adult citizen EUR 200, while each minor received EUR 50. The vouchers were redeemable in the tourism sector for overnight stays or for bed and breakfast.

According to data from FURS, 84.5% or 301.47 million worth of these vouchers were cashed in, with a EUR 55.38 million worth of vouchers remaining unredeemed.

Some 86.5% off all citizens fully or partially redeemed their vouchers, most of them in the municipalities of Piran (345,272), Kranjska Gora (127,280), Moravske Toplice (118,978), and Brežice (118,978).

The 2021 vouchers, intended for hospitality services, culture, book-shopping and sports, with each of-age Slovenian receiving a EUR 100 voucher, and children and teenagers a EUR 50 voucher, also expired on Thursday.

Their total value stood at EUR 186.78 million, with EUR 166.9 million or nearly 90% was redeemed. Some 92% of the beneficiaries took advantage of the 2021 vouchers, a higher percentage compared to the 2020 vouchers.

The last day of voucher validity brought in EUR 4.35 million from the 2021 vouchers.

Half of the 2021 vouchers were spent in the hospitality sector, 30% in tourism, and 14% in culture services. Two-thirds of the latter were allocated towards buying school supplies and books. The remainder (6%) was allocated to sport services, FURS noted.

STA, 10 May 2022 - The government has adopted a new seven-year strategy for tourism that envisages a moderate increase in accommodation capacity and quantitative indicators, and focuses on higher quality. The total tourism demand is expected to generate EUR 2.1 billion in added value in 2028, which would be a 59% increase compared to 2019.

The basic tourism development document for 2022-2028, adopted on Tuesday, responds to the "new circumstances and challenges faced by the tourism industry, while also developing and promoting key advantages of tourism", the government said.

It added that, in order to achieve the vision of green and boutique tourism with reduced carbon footprint and greater value for all, the Slovenian tourism sector was being strategically focused on developing and marketing balanced offerings.

The strategy is based on the offering of "sustainable boutique tourism of higher quality, based on the Slovenian natural and cultural identity, which is a generator of higher value."

The strategy aims at implementing a balanced growth scenario that envisages a moderate increase in accommodation capacity and quantitative indicators, and above all focuses on higher quality and added value and restructuring of offering.

The document sets five strategic goals - increasing the quality and value of offerings and extending them over the entire year, increasing the satisfaction of local residents, employees in tourism and guests, placing tourism as a generator of value and sustainable development, decarbonising and balancing tourism and ensuring competent and efficient management.

In order to achieve these goals, the strategy identifies policies and measures relating to investments and the business environment, public/common infrastructure and heritage, human resources for higher added value, sustainability, accessibility and sustainable mobility, destination management and tourism connectivity, and products and marketing.

There are also three horizontal policies that support the key strategic policies - digital transformation of tourism, legislative and financial regulation and an institutional framework and horizontal inter-ministerial policy coordination.

One of the main points of the previous, five-year strategy was consolidation of state assets in tourism as part of a holding that would be managed by Slovenian Sovereign Holding, financial and business restructuring and, eventually, privatisation.

These are investments in the tourism companies Istrabenz Turizem, Thermana, Sava Turizem, Hit Alpinea, Terme Olimia, Adria Turistično Podjetje and Unitur.

"The procedure has been suspended," the new strategy says, adding that the management, consolidation and privatisation plan for state-owned tourism companies needed to be adapted to the current situation, opportunities and new strategic goals.

The document proposes a concept of management and privatisation of these investments that would separate real estate ownership and professional management of tourism activities.

It also proposes that a real estate fund be established for this purpose, and that the process of management and privatisation of state investments in tourism be optimised with the aim of higher profitability and competitiveness.

The government expects positive financial effects, including added value generated by demand in basic tourism activities increasing by 43% from EUR 920 million in 2019 to EUR 1.31 billion by 2028, assuming an average annual growth rate of 8.9%.

Together with other activities indirectly related to tourism, the total tourist demand is expected to generate EUR 2.1 billion in added value in 2028, which is a 59% increase compared to 2019.

The government has estimated that in the entire period covered by the strategy, EUR 11.5 billion in added value is expected to be generated from all activities related to tourist demand.

Export of tourist travels are expected to increase from EUR 2.8 billion from 2019 to EUR 4 billion in 2028.

In order to achieve the objectives of the strategy in all areas, approximately EUR 1.54 billion of European and national funds would have to be invested in the seven years.

STA, 25 April 2022 - Slovenia recorded close to 700,000 tourist arrivals in the first quarter of the year, a more than ten-fold increase over the year before and more than in the same period in 2021, Statistics Office figures show.

Domestic tourists accounted for roughly 53% of the total, with guests from Croatia, Italy, Austria and Hungary accounting for the bulk of foreign arrivals. Total tourist stays were just below two million.

In March alone, arrivals similarly rose by a factor of more than ten on the year before to 264,000, with tourism establishments reporting a combined 725,000 stays.

A portion of the uptick in March is attributed to Ukrainians fleeing war who temporarily registered as tourists, either en route to other countries or before applying for asylum.

More than 9,000 Ukrainian guests were registered in March, and they stayed on average for three nights.

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STA, 22 March - As the Slovenian tourism industry has not yet bounced back from the Covid pandemic while it expects to be also hit by the war in Ukraine, its representatives propose a set of 15 measures the government should immediately take to help the most severely affected companies. They argue the situation is "very serious".

The Tourism and Hospitality Chamber and 15 tourism associations argue in a statement on Tuesday that despite Slovenia having relaxed coronavirus restrictions, the epidemiological situation in the country is not good, which makes its tourism industry less competitive on the global market.

The situation will be further aggravated as a result of the war in Ukraine, which the chamber would like to end as soon as possible.

In 2021, Ukrainian and Russian tourists generated 101,300 nights in Slovenia, while tourism firms expect a 30% drop in March-May and up to a 25% drop in June-August.

"In some destinations which have been focussed on these two markets in recent years, the loss will be 50%," the chamber quoted results of a survey among tourism firms.

Recovery on the two markers is expected to take several years, the war has made tourists in other countries more cautious about travel plans, and the industry is further affected by rising prices of energy, goods and services across Europe.

The chamber thus proposes a one-off bonus for tourism, noting the measure was included in a draft emergency coronavirus bill in March 2021.

The government should also immediately reintroduce the short-time work scheme; the chamber says the Labour Ministry is working on a systemic measure to be ready by the end of the year, which is much too late for the industry.

The chamber also proposes extending the period in which companies which performed better than initially estimated during the coronavirus must return state aid.

The proposal also features several measures regarding staff recruitment, while the chamber welcomes a tender to subsidise air carriers to fly to Ljubljana airport.

"Further delays in adopting these urgent measures will result in countries with more business-friendly practices (Austria, Czech Republic, Italy) to further outperform us and push us to the margin of tourist Europe," the statement reads.

STA, 11 February 2022 - Ljubljana has been declared European Best Destination 2022 out of over 400 destinations. It is being recommended to those who love nature, city break, foodies, culture lovers, Instagrammers, lovers and families.

The organisation European Best Destinations ranked the Slovenian capital among the safest Christmas destinations in Europe in 2020, and last year Ljubljana was named the Best Green Capital of Europe.

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This year, Ljubljana tops the list of 20 European best destinations, picked out of 400 destinations by a special jury based on previous successes. Travellers from around the world voted for their favourites between 20 January and 10 February, Turizem Ljubljana said in a press release on Friday.

92% of the votes for Ljubljana came from other countries, mostly from the US, Italy, Germany, Austria and Croatia. More than 528,000 people from 182 countries voted, with 75,642 picking Ljubljana as their favourite.

No other destination since 2009 has won such a high proportion of the vote from other countries, Turizem Ljubljana said.

Ljubljana is described as a "city for curious and adventurous souls" and a "treasure trove of exciting secrets and natural joys" on the website of European Best Destinations.

European Best Destinations head Maximilien Lejeune pointed to green practices in the city and the high quality of living in declaring the winner.

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Turizem Ljubljana head Petra Stušek sees the title as a unique compliment to the city and its efforts to become more sustainable and to promote soft mobility, high quality of life, diverse local offerings, and inclusion.

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STA, 25 January 2022 - Tourist arrivals in Slovenia increased by 31% in 2021 to reach just over four million, while overnight stays were up by 22% to 11.3 million, show data released by the Statistics Office on Tuesday.

Both figures are still far behind the records of 2019, when Slovenia reported 6.2 million arrivals and 15.8 million overnight stays

Domestic tourists accounted for 2.2 million arrivals last year, an annual increase of 17%, and 6.5 million overnight stays, an increase of 10% over 2020.

While the Slovenian tourism sector catered to more domestic guests, to a significant extent due to tourism vouchers issued to all citizens, there was a significant number of foreign tourists as well.

The contribution of vouchers and government measures to help tourism was also highlighted by Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek.

"For the continued turnout by both domestic and foreign visitors it is important that they should know that tourism providers in Slovenia offer safe and quality services and welcome all guests with a great deal of hospitality," commented the minister.

"Successful tourism will, by virtue of multiplier effect, contribute to higher economic growth this year and in the future," Počivalšek was quoted as saying in a press release of the Slovenian Tourist Board.

The board's acting director Ilona Stermecki added that Slovenian citizens would be encouraged to spend holidays at home this year as well.

Promotional campaigns will focus on active outdoor and sports tourism. A further focus will be on digitalisation of tourism and tapping on Slovenia's potential for tailor-made tourism offerings.

Arrivals and overnight stays of foreign tourists in 2021 stood at 1.8 million (up 51%) and 4.8 million (up 43%), respectively.

Most of the foreign tourists came from Germany - just under 415,000, up 43% compared to 2020 - and they accounted for just over a million overnight stays, up 31%.

Germany was followed by Austria with 171,000 arrivals (up 20%) and 434,000 overnight stays (up 16%), and Italy with 162,000 arrivals and 354,000 overnight stays, which is roughly the same as last year.

Tourists generated the most overnight stays in mountain resorts, almost 3.5 million, followed by seaside resorts and health or spa resorts with just over 2.6 million and 2.5 million, respectively.

The most popular type of accommodation were hotels, which accounted for just over 4.5 million overnight stays, followed by private accommodations with almost 2.7 million and camping sites with almost 1.8 million.

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STA, 16 September 2021 - Tour organisers can hope to get an additional EUR 10 million in aid to refund clients who have paid holiday packages which were then cancelled due to the pandemic, the Economy Ministry said on Thursday.

The ministry will provide the funds to the Slovenian Enterprise Fund, which will offer loans to tour organisers - with small, medium-sized and large companies eligible.

This should enable the tourism companies to repay the debt stemming from package holiday contracts.

Tour organisers offered their clients vouchers for the cancelled trips, but not all of them accepted them, which is in line with consumer protection legislation.

Based on Covid relief legislation, tour organisers must now refund the consumers for all payments. They have to do so in 12 months after the epidemic was declared over.

The ministry said this is the first tranche of aid, which should help primarily large tour organisers.

So far, tour organisers have not reported about any major difficulties in refunding the clients.

STA, 14 September 2021 - Slovenia has been recording solid tourism figures this year but the sector is not expected to bounce back before 2023 or, more likely, 2024, Economy Ministry State Secretary Simon Zajc said on Tuesday.

Asian guests are unlikely to return before 2023. However, the digital Covid pass will make travel easier for European tourists in that it removes uncertainty in the crossing of borders, Zajc said.

Slovenian Tourist Board (STO) figures show tourist arrivals rose by 28% year-on-year in July and August combined, but this is still 28% below 2019 figures.

In the first seven months of the year, arrivals were down 19% on the year before and 61% lower than before the Covid-19 pandemic.

The projections for autumn are positive and whole-year arrivals are expected to rise by 11% over the year before, mostly due to the return of foreign guests, according to STO director Maja Pak.

The figures were presented at the Slovenia Incoming Workshop, the biggest event for tour organisers in the country. A total of 193 tour organisers are participating, of which 82 from abroad.

STA, 13 September 2021 - The Postojna Cave, one of Slovenia's main natural landmarks, which reopened for visitors in June after the longest closure in its history due to Covid-19 restrictions, expects to have around 220,000 visitors this year. The head of the company operating the cave, Marjan Batagelj, expects the pre-pandemic figures to be reached in ten years. 

"If normality in tourism is measured by the number of visitors, nights and revenue, the post-pandemic normality will be reached in ten years," said Batagelj, CEO of Postojnska Jama.

After 307 days of full closure, the company expects around 220,000 visitors this year if no new lockdown is imposed.

Batagelj said this was close to figures recorded about ten years ago. "However, today we are in a much better shape than we were then," he said, adding that comparisons with the pre-pandemic 2019 were not possible.

Postojnska Jama revenue topped EUR 8.4 million at the end of 2020, which means a loss of almost EUR 2.6 million.

Batagelj expects this year's revenue to reach about EUR 10 million, which is comparable to 2010.

The pandemic has also affected the structure of guests.

While in 2019, a third of visitors came from non-European countries, 24% were from neighbouring countries, 22% from big European countries and 7% Slovenians, this year (between June and the end of August), Slovenian guests accounted for 22% of the visitors, 21% were from neighbouring countries, 46% from the main European markets, 8% from other European countries and only 3% were non-Europeans.

Next year, some 429,000 visitors are expected at the Postojna Cave, of whom 11% Slovenians and 18% larger groups.

Slovenians spent EUR 318,000 in tourist vouchers at the Postojna Cave, and this year the figure is to double.

Batagelj expects tourist vouchers to be used also around Christmas holidays, when the living nativity scene is to be set up again after a one-year break.

During the closure due to the pandemic, several major projects were carried out, including a full renovation of the walking path, which cost over EUR 4 million. The renovation of the walking path to Predjama Castle is still under way.

Postojnska Jama also welcomed its 40-millionth visitor today. The figure was expected to be reached last spring, but due to Covid-19 the 40-millionth ticket was sold this year, to Hungarian Barbara Csecsei.

If visitor numbers continue to rise as expected, Batagelj hopes the 50-millionth visitor will be greeted in 2036.