Beginning of operation of the Slovenian Tourist Board

On 1 August, the Public Agency of the Republic of Slovenia for the Marketing and Promotion of Tourism, the Slovenian Tourist Board (STB), began to operate. Thereby, Slovenian tourism regained an independent organisation carrying out the tasks of the national tourist board, primarily the promotion of Slovenia as a tourist destination in foreign markets. In them, the promotional campaign “I FEEL SLOVENIA, Green.Active.Healthy.” is very successfully conducted, for which the Ministry of Economic Development and Technology (MEDT) has provided 3.7 million euro of European funds.

On 24 June 2015, the Government of the Republic of Slovenia adopted the Decision establishing the Public Agency of the Republic of Slovenia for the Marketing and Promotion of Tourism, the Slovenian Tourist Board (STB) and appointing the Acting Director, Maja Pak, MSc, and the STB Council at its session of 16 July 2015.

Zdravko Počivalšek, the Minister of Economic Development and Technology: “Twenty years after the establishment of the Slovenia Tourism Promotion Centre, which was later transformed into the Slovenian Tourist Board, we have regained the STB, and thereby provided a basic foundation for the successful operation and development of tourism. This was the first step, and the next one is the substantial renewal of the promotion of Slovenia. At MEDT, we will spare no effort in assuring adequate financial resources for the improvement of promotion. That this direction is the right one has already been proved by the results of tourist traffic this year. They are not coincidental, but instead result from the fact that in the promotion of tourism abroad, an additional 3.7 million euro of European funds were invested, meaning that this year, almost 9 million euro have been allocated in total for the promotion of tourism, which is the most in the last ten years! In the past, we assured good tourist infrastructure with European funds, and now, these funds will be allocated for the development of tourism products and promotion abroad, whereby the growth and development of Slovenian tourism will be accelerated which can only be done by increasing the foreign market.”

Maja Pak, MSc, Acting Director of the Slovenian Tourist Board, who has been intensively involved in the preparations to regain the independence of this institution, said the following on this occasion: “I am glad that in the year marking 20 years since the Slovenian Tourist Board was established, Slovenian tourism shall regain its independent tourist board. In the following month, I have three priorities. Firstly, to reorganise the STB in line with modern trends with the aim of re-establishing an efficient organisation for the promotion of tourism, as it once was, or even better. The second priority that has already been intensively implemented is to prepare a two-year programme of Slovenian tourism marketing for 2016 and 2017 together with the key partners of the Slovenian tourist economy. The third priority is to efficiently carry out the current promotional activities this year, in particular the drawing down of European funds based on the project “Strengthening of the Visibility of Slovenia as a Tourist Destination”. This has so far been the most intensive promotional campaign in the history of Slovenia and is already showing good results. I am convinced that, together with my co-workers in the independent Slovenian Tourist Board and with the support of the Ministry of Economic Development and Technology and the support of the tourist economy, we will catch up and make a step forward in reaching our aim of innovatively and efficiently marketing Slovenia as a tourist destination as soon as possible.”

One of the priorities of the STB in the area of marketing is strengthening the substantive digital marketing area, creation of a new Slovenian tourism portal and digital campaigns. Attention will be given to development and promotion of innovative high added value products, based on the principles of sustainable development and which deliver a promise of I FEEL SLOVENIA brand. The position slogan “Green.Active.Healthy.” will still address those who appreciate active vacations in unspoilt nature and products related thereto. The promotion will focuse on the key close markets of Slovenian tourism, which generate slightly over half of all overnight stays. On the distant markets, STB will search for opportunities together with its partners and in cooperation with other countries.

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