Foreign guest arrivals up by 6% in 2014

Statistics show that the overall number of arrivals of tourists in 2014 increased by 4% compared to 2013. The number of arrivals of foreign tourists was up by 6%, generating 1% more overnight stays than the year before. The highest number of overnight stays was in spa municipalities.

Tourism is an important industry in Slovenia, contributing more than 12% of the country`s gross domestic product, accounting for more than 8% of total exports and more than 40% of service exports. Between January and November 2014, foreign tourists spent a total of 1.9 billion euros in Slovenia. Tourism is the only export activity that exports VAT, while contributing EUR 240 million in income tax and providing 45,000 jobs.

More foreign tourists

The number of foreign tourists increased last year by 6% compared to 2013, and the number of overnight stays by foreign tourists increased by 1%. Among all overnight stays in 2014, 63% were by foreign tourists. Italians had the largest share in 2014 (16% of all overnight stays). Austrians were in second place (13% of all overnight stays) and Germans in third place (11% of all overnight stays). They were followed by Russians, with a 5.3% share in total overnight stays and tourists from Croatia and the Netherlands with a 5% share each.

Austrians and Italians account for most overnight stays of tourists from major markets

Growth was recorded in 2014 in the number of overnight stays of tourists from markets important for Slovenian tourism: from Austria by 7%, from Italy by 3%. Growth in the number of overnight stays was also recorded for tourists from Hungary (+15%), East European countries (Poland +15%, Slovakia +11%, Romania +11%, Estonia +6%, the Czech Republic +3%, Latvia +2%), Luxembourg (+20%), Portugal (+3%) and overseas (Republic of Korea +147%, China +23%, Japan +13%, United States of America +10%). The number of arrivals of German tourists increased by 2%.

Most overnight stays in spa municipalities

In 2014, the highest number of overnight stays was recorded in spa municipalities (32%). They are followed by mountain municipalities with 23% of overnight stays, coastal towns with 22% and Ljubljana with 11%. Compared to 2013, the biggest growth in the number of overnight stays was recorded in Ljubljana (7%).

World tourism

According to the UNWTO World Tourism Barometer, the number of international arrivals of tourists (who had at least one overnight stay) in 2014 reached 1,138 million, which is 51 million more than in 2013. With the 4.7% increase in the number of international arrivals, world tourism recorded above-average growth for the fifth year in a row since 2009, when the world entered a global economic crisis. For 2015, the World Tourism Organisation has forecast that the number of international tourists will increase by 3 – 4%, which will provide an additional boost to the global economy.

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