PRESS RELEASE – SLOVENIA’S PARTNERSHIP AT ITB BERLIN 2017

SLOVENIA – “ITB Convention & Culture Partner”

at the ITB Berlin 2017 travel trade show

Ljubljana, 19 September 2016 – Sponsored by the Slovenian Tourist Board, next year Slovenia will be a “Convention & Culture Partner” at ITB Berlin, the largest travel trade show, which provides a major opportunity for Slovenia to present itself as an attractive, green, active, and healthy destination with an emphasis on sustainable development and the rich Slovenian culture.

At ITB Berlin 2017, the largest global travel trade show, Slovenia will be an ITB 2017 Convention Partner. This was decided by the leading representatives of the ITB Berlin trade show under the leadership of Director David Ruez at a meeting with the representatives of the Slovenian Tourist Board that took place last week in Munich. The meeting was the final act in the negotiations concerning the partnership that had been going on for months. The participants of the meeting concerning the partnership of Slovenia at ITB Berlin 2017 were first addressed by the Ambassador of the Republic of Slovenia in Germany, Her Excellency Marta Kos Marko.

At ITB Berlin 2017, Slovenia and Slovenian tourism will be highlighted by the Slovenian Tourist Board within numerous convention activities and a cultural programme, as well as at an I FEEL SLOVENIA stand, the main topic of which will be culture and Slovenian natural health resorts. Therefore, Slovenia will significantly upgrade its traditional presentation of tourism at a Slovenian stand by adding activities that are a part of the partnership within the convention part of ITB Berlin. Such partnership of Slovenia is not only an excellent opportunity to raise the level of Slovenia’s recognisability and reputation as a competitive European tourist destination, but it also provides specific possibilities for contextually including Slovenia in the programme of the Convention, as was stressed by Roland Conrady, the scientific Director of ITB Berlin.

A number of convention-related and cultural activities within the trade show will be carried out by presenting Slovenia as a “Convention & Culture Partner,” which is a great and important acknowledgement for our country and for Slovenian tourism, as the organisers of the trade show select their partners for the ITB Berlin trade show from among the most attractive and relevant tourist destinations from all over the world.

Maja Pak, Director of the Slovenian Tourist Board:

“The Slovenian Tourist Board is happy that Slovenia will become a partner state at the ITB Berlin 2017 international trade show. Therefore, next year, Slovenia will become the “ITB Convention & Culture Partner” at the largest travel trade show in the world, in which business meetings are emphasised and the latest scientific and research findings and forecasts regarding tourism are shared. It is due to the great global significance of the ITB Berlin trade show that this partnership is such a great acknowledgement for Slovenia and presents an excellent opportunity to improve the recognisability of Slovenia as an attractive green, active, and healthy destination, with an emphasis on its sustainable development and the wealth of Slovenian culture. For 2018 and 2019, the Slovenian Tourist Board has already defined culture as the central two-year topic in the area of marketing.For this reason, presenting Slovenia at the ITB Berlin trade show as a country that is committed to sustainable development and which has a rich cultural offering becomes that much more important, as it will be subject to much attention from experts and the media. The commitment to sustainable development and culture are also in line with the main motivation of German guests who select Slovenia as their target destination. Nature is the central reason for their choice and visiting Slovenian towns and cities is also important, as German guests are able to learn about Slovenian culture and history.”

Upon naming Slovenia a “Convention & Culture Partner,” David Ruetz, Director of ITB Berlin, expressed his satisfaction that Slovenia, as a rising young country, will become the Convention Partner in 2017. Furthermore, he emphasised that our country is a meeting point for various cultural influences that impacted the formation of its unique features, which have been exciting an increasing number of visitors to Slovenia, and he added: “We are convinced that the participation at ITB Berlin will provide additional impetus for Slovenia.”

Majda Rozina Dolenc, Director of the Slovenian Tourist Board’s Office in Germany mentioned Slovenia as an excellent example of a small country whose commitment to a strategy focusing on quality and sustainability on the global tourist map allows it to build its desired competitive position: “The ITB Berlin trade show is an excellent platform for bringing our country closer to international tourism experts, and Slovenia's partnership within ITB will most certainly have a positive effect on the improvement of Slovenia's recognisability and reputation as a tourist destination and in general.”

Among emitting markets of Slovenian tourism, Germany holds a special position, as it is a traditionally significant emitting market of Slovenian tourism, ranking third among foreign markets with regard to the number of overnight stays. German visitors account for 12% of total foreign overnight stays. It is especially exciting that last year’s positive growth trend with regard to the number of German tourists and their overnight stays has also continued this year, in which the first seven months saw 8% more German visitors, who accounted for 5% more overnight stays.

Nature is still a major motivational factor for German guests visiting Slovenia, as they most frequently visit mountain municipalities and other Slovenian municipalities, followed by coastal municipalities in third place. They particularly enjoy hiking, biking, and water-related activities. German visitors to Slovenia also have an increasing interest in visiting historical and cultural sites and attending events related to local history and tradition.

A significant role in decision-making by German tourists is played by personal experience, based on which approximately 40% of them decide to visit Slovenia, and about 35% of Germans base their decision on recommendations. Presenting Slovenia and Slovenian tourist offerings in digital networks also plays a big role, as more than three quarters of Germans who visit Slovenia use the internet when organising their travel; 80% of these tourists use it to acquire information about Slovenia as their target destination, and almost 60% of them use it to book accommodation.

The ITB Berlin travel trade show has had approximately 10,000 exhibitors per year, and it is also an important media event, as more than 6000 journalists visit the trade show, of which about a quarter are from abroad.

Additional information

Slovenian Tourist Board

Dimičeva 13, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenija

Tel.: 00386 (0)1 5898 550, Fax: 00386 (0)1 5898 560

www.slovenia.info/press

Maša Puklavec, Global Public Relations,