Slovenia attracted 48% more British visitors in the first 9 months of 2004, compared with the same period last year…
Slovenia attracted 48% more British visitors in the first 9 months of 2004, compared with the same period last year, a total of 65,000 people, and almost double the number of Irish guests compared with 2001 (10,348 visitors in 2004). A new easyJet route from Stansted to Ljubljana, greater familiarity of Slovenia following membership of the EU and a Guardian / Observer Travel Award for `Favourite European Country’ have contributed to Slovenia’s tremendous success this year.
Slovenia, an unspoilt country in the heart of Europe, with a population of around 2 million people and a land area around the size of Wales, is one of the world’s fastest growing destinations, according to statistics from the WTO. Through careful management of its tourist infrastructure and a stated aim for a quality product, the country has avoided many of the pitfalls experienced by other developing destinations, maintaining quality without losing sight of value for money.
Incoming tourism from all countries saw an overall 9% growth, compared with the first 9 months of 2003, with 48% more British (65,000), 20% more Dutch visitors (53,239), 26% more Americans (30,934 visitors), 7% more Italians (244,407 visitors), 5% more Germans (205,366 visitors) and 1% more Austrians (158,170 visitors), while visits from Irish visitors have almost doubled during the period 2001 – 2004 (10,348 visitors in 2004). 30% more visitors came to Slovenia from Australia, Japan, Spain, Portugal, Iceland and France.
Air connections between Slovenia and the UK are provided by Slovenia`s national air-carrier, Adria Airways, 6 times per week and daily from March 2005, and by a new route from easyJet, launched in April 2004, that has so far operated nearly 50,000 flights between Stansted and Ljubljana with 30,000 flights booked between the two cities for the coming winter season. A third carrier, Ryan Air, flies visitors to within half an hour of Slovenia’s border to Trieste, Klagenfurt and Graz, all important gateways into the country.
Adria Airways carried 10% more passengers in the first nine month of 2004, compared with the same period in 2003 and in 2005 summer schedules will include twice-weekly flights to Dublin and Manchester between May and October.
Slovenia’s links with the UK will be further enhanced early in 2005 by the screening of a series of BBC programmes in which the Cumbrian town of Sedburgh selects the Slovene town of Zrece to `twin’ with, ahead of competition from towns in France, Cyprus and Austria. The twinning process, during which representatives from different professions and industries in Zrece spent a week working in Sedburgh, was recorded for a series of twelve half hour BBC TV programmes that are scheduled to appear on Mondays, Wednesday and Fridays in early January 2005.
Slovenia is also the chosen setting for a re-make of the classic `Heidi’ film, starring Emma Bolger, Max von Sydow, Geraldine Chaplin and Diana Rigg. Film makers Piccadilly Pictures claim to have scouted the Alps to find a suitable mountainous setting, before settling on Slovenia as being the most unspoilt destination, closest to the original Swiss countryside. Filming of the Alpine scenes will take place in Kranjska Gora and the `Frankfurt’ scenes in Ljubljana.
Faced with such positive statistics and a vastly increased profile in the European market, investment in tourism in Slovenia is buoyant and the country has developed an excellent infrastructure of hotels, conference facilities, health and spa resorts, with modern health centres and high quality hotels being developed all the time.
2004 saw the addition of a further 2,400 seats for conference and business purposes and the construction of 300 rooms in new hotels that include the state of the art Domina Grand Media Ljubljana Hotel, one of the world’s most technologically advanced hotels, and the Hotel Mons with its multi-purpose meeting facilities and 110 rooms on the western side of Ljubljana.
A 7 million Euro investment culminated in the opening of a multi-functional Europa Convention Hall on the 12th floor of the 5* Grand Hotel Bernardin on Slovenia’s coast earlier in 2004, the largest hotel convention facility in Slovenia, accommodating up to 1,100 delegates.
Meanwhile, one of Slovenia’s most historic buildings, the Vila Bled, formerly a residence of President Tito now a 4* hotel, has undergone a major refurbishment. A second historic building, the old Palace Hotel on the seafront at Portoroz, once the pride of Slovenian Tourism, is currently undergoing a renovation programme due to be completed in 2006, which will see it accede to a 5* hotel rating.
In the popular lakeside resort of Bled, the Hotel Golf has undergone a complete renovation of its reception and restaurant, the construction of a new congress hall, seating 380, a new wellness area and 2000 m2 of pools, as well as the refurbishment of all bedrooms.
Health & Wellness are the most successful sectors of Slovenian tourism and Slovenia is among the richest countries in the world in terms of the number of natural springs in relation to its total area, with 87 thermal springs and 25 thermal health centres.
The `Terme 3000’ spa centre opened a state of the art wellness–therapeutic centre during 2004 at the same time as the historic Lasko Health Resort celebrated its 150th anniversary and announced plans to build a new spa and a new four-star hotel. This will create an additional 400 beds, 2000m2 of thermal water area and a wellness centre covering 1000 m2, due to be completed in 2007.
At Slovenia’s largest spa resort, Terme Catez, a new hotel, the Hotel Zdravilisce is planned for 2005 with 125 rooms and 300 beds, while the Catez Group are also expanding the golf facilities at the Hotel Castle Mokrice with the extension of the golf course to 27 holes.
And the Olimia Thermal Spa will begin reconstruction of a new, high quality, four-star 300-bed hotel at the end of 2004.
In the past 12 months, Slovenia has also benefited from an additional 12,000 square meters of water and health resorts.
In the village of Bohinjska Bistrica the construction of the appropriately named `Aqua Park’ has provided a new tourist attraction for visitors to nearby Lake Bohinj and in the capital of Ljubljana, The Ljubljana Water Park with 17,000 m2 of pools, chutes and flumes is designed to be the largest water park between Vienna and Milan and is expected to be completed early in 2005.
Natural resources too form a large part of the draw for worldwide visitors to Slovenia and active holidays are increasingly encouraging new types of visitor to the country. A new kayaking centre is due to be completed by next summer on the Soca river for use by tourists and members of the Solkan kayaking club, primarily for practice and kayaking competitions.
The ongoing preservation of the country’s national park, the Triglav National Park, and planned conservation of the natural beauty of its lakes and mountains region are important factors in managing tourism to Slovenia. Mountain Huts and Tourist Farms provide unusual ways to holiday, allowing guests to be close to nature and experience natural surroundings, fresh air and some of the most unspoilt countryside in Europe.
Slovenia improves wintersports facilities for 2004/05 season
Slovenia continues to improve the infrastructure of its ski resorts with three new ski lifts at Kranjska Gora, Golte, and Cerkno, new night skiing in Kranjska Gora, a new adrenaline sled run at Rogla, increased snow-making at Kranjska Gora and Podken, and additional snowboard facilities at Vogel.
Kranjska Gora, known for its annual World Cup in slalom and giant slalom competitions, has a new chairlift, increased capacities for making artificial snow and the Podkoren ski trail has been widened. Night skiing has also been introduced and is included in the price of the multi-day ski pass for adults and children.
As well as a new chairlift, the Golte ski area has a new restaurant and additional parking facilities. This year’s main acquisition in the resort of Rogla, conveniently near health resort in Zrece, is Slovenia’s first “adrenaline” sled run. While the popular Krvavec ski centre, which is only half an hour by car from Slovenia’s capital city, has invested in more snowmaking cannons and its water system network. A combined Krvavec and Rogla lift pass makes skiing possible with the same day ski pass.
The Stari vrh ski centre this season increased the capacity of its chairlift, improved its snowmaking system and illuminated more ski trails. Pohorje, where preparations for the annual “Golden Fox” World Cup women’s ski races are already in progress, expect a 30% increase in the area covered with compact artificial snow.
Kope, Pohorje’s western tourist centre, this year promises at least 100 skiing days for its visitors, attractive prices for accommodation and skiing, and a calendar of fun events.
Ski-boarders will be particularly pleased with this year’s innovations at Mount Vogel, above Lake Bohinj, where a special park has been built, allowing them to enjoy the snow away from the skiers.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
