According to data from the Slovenian Spas Community, the year 2002 was another successful year for Slovenian natural spas…
According to data from the Slovenian Spas Community, the year 2002 was another successful year for Slovenian natural spas. A total of 480,997 tourists visited the spas in 2002, up by 3 percent from 2001. Out of these the number of foreign guests increased by 9 percent. In total there were 2.4 million overnight stays recorded in 2002, which is a solid percent more than in 2001. Within these overnight stays, the percent of foreign guests as compared to last year rose by 6.6 percent, while the number of domestic guests fell by 2 percent. Prevalent among these were guests from our neighbouring Italy, whose presence among the guests as the whole increased by 20 percent overall and among the international guests only, rose by 19.7 percent. While there were many more Italian guests this year as compared to last, there were still significantly more Austrian tourists – 42 percent out of all foreign guests – than from the other countries. There were 10 percent more Austrian guests this year as compared to last.
Meanwhile, 13 percent of international guests were from Germany, showing a 5 percent fall from this time last year. While Croatian guests made up almost 10 percent this year a 7 percent rise compared to last year.
In 2002, several important investments came to an end, helping to modernise and enlarge health spa-tourist offerings, while at the same time helping these health spas to maintain a high level of occupancy within their hotel accommodation capacities, i.e. high figures of overnight stays throughout the seasons. After a record-breaking tourist season in 2002, the number of guests and overnight stays recorded has been on the rise throughout 2001 and 2002.
Health spas are just one segment of Slovenian tourism, which has successfully grown in its number of guests and total overnight stays since 1990 — this year is often used as the basis for comparison when analysing growth as such.
Compared to the 1990 figures, the total number of guests has risen by 68 percent since that time, of which there has been an increase in foreign guests by almost 50 percent. The figures for overnight stays have similarly risen, although by a lower margin of 29 percent, of which the overnight stays made by foreign tourists rose by 30 percent. During this time period there has been an extremely high increase in Austrian guests – in total almost 200 percent since 1990, as well as a 127 percent increase in overnight stays made by Austrian tourists. German tourists have also increased in number by 47 percent and by 56 percent in overnight stays. While Italian tourists have increased in number by almost 60 percent with approximately 40 percent more overnight stays.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
