Database of Slovenian exporters

Slovenia as a FDI location

B2B database, offers & demands 

12.05.2008

The 2007 tourist year behind us was crowned with success: 2, 67 million tourist arrivals, 8 % more than the previous year and including 1, 37 million foreign tourists, there were 8, 26 million overnight stays, and we exported 1, 619 million EUR of tourist services. These figures are most gratifying and at the same time present a stimulus for all Slovenian tourism industry. Tourism share of GDP in 2006 by extrapolation is 5, 50 %. The number of tourist’s beds in August 2007 in Slovenia was 82.515.

The Slovenia’s joining the European Union was a great opportunity that we knew exploited well. Competition on the world market, and especially on the European market, is intense, but we already drown attention to ourselves with the presidency of EU, which is promotion of a country’s recognition and reputation. Besides, Slovenia is very beautiful, green, clear, safe and pleasant country in the middle of Europe and tourism in Slovenia has a long tradition.

Tourism remains one of the most prosperous branches in Slovenia. The tourist year 2007 has been by far the most successful year for Slovenia. The number of overnight stays in the year 2007 rose by 7 percent compared to 2006 (foreign 8 percent), with a 8 percent increase in the number of foreign guests. Domestic tourism rose by 5 percent. Strategically most important is the high increase of the number of visitors from all neighbouring countries: the number of Austrian visitors increased by 2 percent, Italian by 3 percent and German visitors by 3 percent, whiles the number of visitors from Croatia rose by 5 percent.

Even more impressing is the tourism growth in last five years. The number of total overnight stays was in 2007 13 percent higher as in 2002. The number of foreign overnights was even 21 percent higher. In comparison to the 2002 we noticed in 2007:  in hotels 18 % growth, in Ljubljana even 71 % growth, in Spas 14 % growth etc.

With foreign tourism we earned 1,619.200.000 EUR, which means 810 EUR per inhabitant. That is 6,8 percent of our total exchange and 39,3 percent of the exchange of services and is above average of EU - 25 countries. The tourism exchange balance is 803,300.000 EUR and positively contributes to the national foreign exchange balance. For the relatively good foreign tourism income the day trip tourism is very important. Slovenia is small country, but it has a very long border and traditionally friendly contacts to all neighbouring countries. The neighbours come in Slovenia for recreation, relaxation, good cuisine, some shopping and, however, to game in casinos.

The ratio between foreign and domestic tourism in the year 2007 expresses the advantage of foreign tourism - with regard to the number of tourists the ratio was 59:41 and with regard to overnight stays it was the same 59:41. Amounting to 2, 8 days, the average period of guest stay in 2007 was smaller to that in 2002. (It was 3,1 days.)

A positive growth of the tourist visit can likewise be observed in the most important Slovenian resorts. For Slovenia the small scale tourism is typical. In the year 2007 15 resorts reported over 100,000 overnight stays, among them 4 resorts boasted more than 500.000 overnights, one resort over one million overnights. That is the seaside place Portorož.

Of all the groups of resorts, the capital Ljubljana and the Alpine locations are those most attractive for foreign tourists. In 2007 the number of visitors increased again. In Ljubljana the number of foreign overnight stays rose by 71 % in comparison to 2002, in Spas rose by 14 percent, in Alps resorts by 11 percent.

However, the greatest tourism progress in the last 10 years made the spa resorts. They invested in total renovation, in building modern water recreation and wellness facilities and in congress centres. That resulted in the outstanding high average beds occupancy, even more than 80 percent. The hotels in the Alpine region and at the Adrian coast are following them successfully.

In spite the big renovation and building investments in Slovenian tourism in the last decade, the total number of beds didn’t change much. Some old vacation facilities are closed and the new capacities are adapted to modern standards. The total number of tourist’s beds in August 2007 in Slovenia was 82.515.

Table 1: The top ten counties based on the number of overnight stays in Slovenia in 2007 are:

Table 2: Number of overnight stays in selected years:

Table 3: Capacities in selected years (the number of permanent beds)

Table 4: Tourist foreign exchange inflow in 2002-2007 in 1000 EUR

Author: CCIS – Tourism and Hospitality Chamber of Slovenia

• Slovenian tourist offer
• Tourist and Hospitality
• Tourism, hotels and restaurants association
• Tourist industry
• Useful addresses and links