Slovenia celebrates 30 years of sustainable tourism excellence

Increasing popularity of secondary destinations

Encouragingly, travelers are venturing beyond the country’s well-known hotspots to discover new regions. Pomurje, for instance, surpassed one million overnight stays for the first time last year and continues its upward trend, while Nova Gorica, energized by its European Capital of Culture program, reported a 16% rise in arrivals and nearly a 19% increase in overnight stays during the first eight months of 2025.

According to the Slovenian Tourism Barometer, the outlook remains positive, with experts forecasting continued growth in arrivals and stays through the next quarter. The biggest challenge for the industry is a shortage of skilled workers, but Slovenia’s stable and safe environment continues to serve as a major competitive edge.

The country’s approach to tourism has evolved significantly. Guided by the Slovenian Tourism Strategy 2022–2028, the sector has shifted its focus from sheer volume to quality, sustainability, and added value. Visitor satisfaction remains exceptionally high, with an analysis of 255,000 online reviews giving Slovenia an average score of 8.9 out of 10.

Local communities also maintain a positive outlook on tourism: the Resident Sentiment Index shows that 64% of Slovenians believe tourism brings more benefits than drawbacks, and 71% support continued promotion of their regions.

Tourism’s economic impact continues to grow, with travel exports reaching €1.91 billion between January and July 2025—an increase of 5.1% year-on-year, according to the Bank of Slovenia.

Environment is at the heart of Slovenia tourism’s philosophy

Sustainability remains the green thread running through Slovenia’s tourism vision. The Green Scheme of Slovenian Tourism, celebrating its tenth anniversary this year, now includes 58 destinations—accounting for more than 90% of all overnight stays—and over 230 certified providers. Five destinations—Bohinj, Brežice, Kranj, Laško, and Ljubljana—hold the prestigious Platinum Slovenia Green label, the highest distinction for sustainable excellence.

A major innovation this year is the launch of the National Tourism Information Hub (NiST), a comprehensive data platform that tracks tourism performance across economic, environmental, and social dimensions. Designed to support smarter and more sustainable decision-making, the hub integrates domestic and international data to monitor factors such as visitor density, carbon footprint, satisfaction, and employment.

By year’s end, it will feature more than 70 use cases and play a crucial role in advancing the digitalization of Slovenian tourism and further developing the Green Scheme.

Reflecting on the sector’s evolution, STB Director Maja Pak Olaj, MSc., highlighted the importance of this anniversary milestone:

“In the past three decades, Slovenia has made extraordinary progress in tourism, as seen in the outstanding results of the first eight months of this year. Our country is now recognized not only as a beautiful destination but also as a global benchmark for responsible and sustainable development. Tourism today is much more than an economic activity—it is a way of co-creating quality of life, strengthening communities, and enhancing Slovenia’s global visibility.”

“I extend my sincere gratitude to everyone whose knowledge, dedication, and vision continue to shape Slovenia’s reputation as a green, boutique, and welcoming destination. May this anniversary remind us of the power of cooperation, which remains the firm foundation for bold steps into the future,” added Maja Pak Olaj.