Koroška richer for a new generation of tourist guides

On Thursday, June 4, 2026, the Regional Development Agency for Koroško organized the final event of the new generation of tourist guides Koroške at the Hugo Wolf House in Slovenj Gradec. The event brought together tourism providers, organizations, destination representatives and new tourist guides who, with their knowledge, local knowledge and sense of storytelling, will significantly contribute to an even better presentation of Koroške to domestic and foreign visitors.

The introductory part of the event was dedicated to a lecture by Dr. Iztok Bončina from the Palladio agency, who presented the history of tourism in the world, in Slovenia , and various types of tourism. Participants walked through the development of tourism from its early beginnings to modern forms that today respond to the increasingly diverse interests of visitors - from cultural, sports and pilgrimage tourism to newer forms such as adventure, ecological and dark tourism.

This was followed by a round table entitled Challenges of tourist guides at the destination Koroška , which included Dr. Iztok Bončina, Marija Lah from Spoturj Slovenj Gradec, Martina Verčkovnik from GO turizma and Uroš Rozman from RRA Koroška. The discussion, moderated by Anja Vajde from RRA Koroška, raised important questions about the role of a tourist guide today, the expectations of modern visitors, the importance of local stories and the possibilities for better integrating guided tours into the tourist offer of the destination.

The participants agreed that a tourist guide is not just a provider of information, but an important ambassador of the place, a connector of the offer and an interpreter of local identity. As emphasized by Dr. Iztok Bončina , a guide must be able to "draw content from local logs, from what he knows and where he lives" and bring the region closer to him in a local way, not just with information learned from books. It is precisely the knowledge of local stories, people and specialties that cannot be bought, but allows visitors to experience the destination more authentically.

Among the proposals for further development of tourist guides at Koroškem, the interlocutors highlighted in particular the better integration of tourist offers and the systematic inclusion of local guidance in various tourist programs. They also emphasized that more attention should be paid to recognizing the important role of the tourist guide in visiting a destination. It is often the guide who connects individual points, providers and experiences into a meaningful whole and helps the visitor understand the broader story of the place.

The event concluded with the ceremonial awarding of new guide cards to the new generation of Koroške tourist guides and to existing guides. With this, Koroška continues its systematic work in the field of developing quality tourist guides and strengthening the recognition of the destination as an authentic, connected and hospitable place.