Slovenia Times

TOURISM
Piran; Photo: Julia Wesely/STO – SLO Tourism
Green,
Active and
Healthy
Tourism in Slovenia is an important economic activity with
multiplier effects and considerable potential for development
and growth. Tourism accounts for 12.8 percent of GDP, and in
2015 accounted for 37.6 percent of service exports and
7.5 percent of total exports. In comparison with the European
and global average, tourism in Slovenia represents a higher than
average share in GDP and a greater share of employment than
average. Last year was a record year, for the first time since the
independence of Slovenia in 1991, overnight stays exceeded
10 million with revenue from the sector of EUR 2.2bn.
Disappeared from the
tourist map
25 years ago, Slovenia was on the European
and global tourist map as a new state and
Slovenia faced the challenge of competing
alongside well-known and established
tourist destinations. In 1991, a little more
than 1.4 million tourists visited the
country and in the year after
independence, tourist numbers were more
than halved and did not improve until
1994. Since independence, the Slovenian
tourism sector has had to confront the
consequences of major crises three times:
in 1991, when the number of foreign
tourists decreased by 73 percent compared
to the previous year; in 1999 following the
attack by the armed forces of NATO in
Serbia, a 10 percent drop was recorded; and
in 2009, a 7 percent decline during the
time of the global economic crisis.
Great comeback
Prior to 1999, there were markedly more
overnight stays by locals but, since then,
the trend has reversed. From 1992-2015,
domestic tourists numbers improved by
nearly 63 percent and foreign tourist
numbers improved by 339 percent, with
overall 187 percent growth. Since
independence, visitors from Italy, Austria
and Germany have made the most
overnight stays although, more recently,
there has been more and more tourists
arriving from overseas, especially from the
Asian countries.
38 The Slovenia Times – Special Edition