Tourist Destinations Across Slovenia Report Growth in Arrivals and Overnight Stays

Velenje, Brežice and Koper have all recorded growth in both arrivals and overnight stays, while Goriška Brda is reporting solid summer occupancy, particularly at weekends.

Velenje Records 6.5% Growth in Overnight Stays

In the first six months of 2026, Velenje recorded 7,390 tourist arrivals, 4.6% more than in the same period last year. Tourists generated 15,841 overnight stays, an increase of 6.5% compared with the first half of 2025. Growth in overnight stays was 0.5 percentage points above the Slovenian average.

International visitors predominate in Velenje, accounting for almost 67% of all arrivals. In the first half of the year, the destination recorded 4,945 international and 2,445 domestic tourist arrivals, while the average length of stay was 2.1 nights. Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, Serbia and Croatia were among the most important international markets, followed by Italy, Hungary and China. Tourist arrivals increased towards the start of the summer season, with the highest number recorded in June.

Brežice Among Slovenia’s Most Visited Municipalities

Brežice also recorded a successful first half of the year, ranking sixth among Slovenian municipalities in terms of overnight stays, behind Ljubljana, Piran, Bled, Kranjska Gora and Bohinj. More than 300,000 overnight stays were recorded in the first six months, 7% more than in the same period of 2025, along with 109,074 arrivals, an increase of 8.6% year on year.

International guests accounted for 60.5% of all arrivals and generated 56% of all overnight stays. Visitors from Croatia generated the largest number of international overnight stays – almost 47,000, representing 15.6% of all overnight stays and an increase of 20% compared with the previous year. They were followed by visitors from Italy, Austria, Serbia and Germany. Together, the five leading international markets accounted for 40% of all overnight stays.

The average length of stay in Brežice was 2.8 days, exceeding the Slovenian average of 2.5 days. The largest share of overnight stays was recorded in hotels (46%) and campsites (44%), followed by apartments and private rooms. Terme Čatež remains the municipality’s largest accommodation provider, accounting for 91% of all overnight stays.

Koper Sees Stronger Growth in July

Tourism growth is continuing in Koper as well. The destination recorded almost 6% growth in both guest numbers and overnight stays between January and July 2026 compared with the same period last year.

Growth was even stronger in July. Compared with July 2025, Koper welcomed more than 7% more guests, who generated over 9% more overnight stays. Around 20% of July visitors were domestic and 80% international. Among international guests, the leading markets were Hungary, Czechia, Germany, Poland and Italy.

Goriška Brda Records Good Occupancy, Especially at Weekends

Summer tourism is also thriving in Goriška Brda, where demand is strong for accommodation, especially properties with swimming pools, as well as for wine-tasting experiences. According to the Slovenian Press Agency (STA), occupancy levels are particularly high at weekends, attracting a mix of both domestic and international visitors.

Data from destinations across Slovenia point to continued positive tourism trends in 2026. Rising overnight stays, a strong presence of international visitors and sustained growth as the peak summer season gets underway are among the key trends reported across several destinations.

You can also explore the latest tourism figures from Štajerska, which recorded above-average growth in both arrivals and overnight stays.

Sources: Municipality of Velenje, Municipality of Brežice, Municipality of Koper, STA

Photo: AI

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