Koroška presented as an example of good practice in tourism development at the International Crafts Fair in Celje

The expert consultation "Competitive tourism ⇒ successful Slovenia" shed light on the economic power of tourism and the development levers for its future competitiveness. Representatives of the tourism industry, destinations, municipalities and institutions discussed the contribution of tourism to economic development and quality of life, as well as the conditions for creating higher added value.

The conference addressed the competitiveness of Slovenian tourism in a broader context than growth in visits and revenues. The focus was on productivity, knowledge, innovation, digitalization and artificial intelligence, as well as the importance of quality infrastructure, accessibility, a strong brand and responsible destination management. The presented business data for 2025 show positive dynamics in revenues, profits and added value per employee, while also pointing to the room for bringing productivity closer to the average of the Slovenian economy.

We were convinced that tourism is a generator of economic growth by presenting four tourist destinations that were not yet recognizable tourist destinations a few years ago. We are very proud that our destination Koroška was highlighted as an example of good practice . Our director Uroš Rozman presented his experiences and the economic importance of tourism for the development of places and the improvement of the quality of life of the local population. He framed the development of tourism in Koroškem, its contribution to the economic development of the region, the ways in which we develop it in our destination, how we include young people, position ourselves in the wider European space, and also how the local environment views its development. He also presented the vision of the development of the destination until 2030 and the goals that we set for ourselves within the framework of the strategy adopted last year.

In addition to Koroška, ​​the following also presented their development stories: Vesna Malnar Memedovič, director of the Public Institute for Tourism and Culture Kočevje , Barbara Papež Lavrič , director of the Public Institute RIC Bela krajina , and Ariana Durnik, mag. , director of the Public Institute for Tourism and Culture Miren Kras.

Photo: Slovenian Tourist Board