REPORT FROM BERLIN: Slovenia experienced a healthy increase in foreign visitors last year, with arrivals for the first 11 months up by 9% to almost 1.5 million. This was the key message at Saturday`s press conference from Hribar Marjau, Secretary of Tourism for Slovenia. Nights spent in Slovenia by foreign visitors totalled 4.4 million in the same period. Main source markets for Slovenia were Germany (19% of the total nights), Italy (17%) and Austria (17%).

The results clearly demonstrate the importance of new air routes into the country. The number of British visitors in 2004 rose by a massive 52%, largely because of easyJet’s new service from London to Ljubljana. The Slovenian Tourist Board is hopeful that the daily flight from Berlin to Ljubljana, launched three months ago, will result in a similar surge in arrivals from Germany. A Styria Spirit route from Paris via Salzburg to Maribor is opening up the country to France, and the Slovenian Tourism Board expects more French visitors in 2005. The Board will open up a representative office in Paris at the end of March this year.

Among the many other markets that performed exceptionally well in 2004 was the USA, which was up by 30%, and Australia, up 50%.
Slovenia’s spas have been particularly successful, with the number of foreign visitors staying in spas increasing by 12% in 2004. Spas are recognised to be one of Slovenia’s greatest assets and will be the subject of continuing investment, says the Slovenian Tourism Board. With the help of EU funding, EUR40 million was invested in upgrading spa facilities last year and another EUR66 million will be spent in 2005. Among other development plans for 2005 is a programme of hotel renovations – foremost of which will be the Grand Palace Hotel in Ljubljana.