Launch of the National Intelligence System for Tourism (NiST): A Key Step Towards Successful, Smart, and Responsible Tourism of the Future

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NiST enables the measurement of environmental, social and economic impacts of tourism and data-based decision-making for effective sustainable development, management and marketing of the Slovenian tourism offer. It is designed as a long-term development project, the aim of which is to support more thoughtful, data-based and sustainable tourism management at all levels – from companies and local destinations to national strategy.

The system is currently available in beta at nist.slovenia.info, which means that it is already available for use and testing, but with a limited set of indicators and functionalities. It will be upgraded in the coming months, with user feedback playing a key role. The STB developes NiST in close cooperation with stakeholders to be as tailored as possible to their needs and to best respond to the challenges they face in practice.

The Minister of the Economy, Tourism and Sport, Matjaž Han, congratulated the STB on its 30th anniversary and, in reference to NiST, remarked: “We have made a clear choice to develop tourism intelligently and sustainably – not just aiming for more, but striving for better, with greater respect for space, nature and people. I am proud to see the launch of the National Intelligence System for Tourism (NiST), as it gives us the tools to understand where we are headed, why we’re going there, and when it’s time to say ‘enough’. With solid data at our fingertips, we will be able to manage tourism in a way that is environmentally responsible, economically sound, and enriching for everyone who calls this country home.”

The Director of the Slovenian Tourist Board, MSc. Maja Pak Olaj, commented: “NiST is far more than just a collection of indicators – it is a sophisticated tool that offers a deep understanding of the complex dynamics of tourism. It marks a strategic move toward a holistic, data-driven view of our industry, grounded in thorough analysis, informed interpretation and a commitment to measuring tourism’s impact on the environment, economy and society. With 60 indicators, we can now go beyond traditional metrics like arrivals, overnight stays and revenue. For the first time, we will systematically and centrally monitor broader dimensions of tourism – from resident and guest satisfaction to environmental pressures and seasonal variations. I am confident that NiST will significantly enhance decision-making at every level – from national policy to destination management and individual companies. It will not only help us track the strategic objectives of Slovenian tourism more accurately but will also serve as an essential tool for shaping more thoughtful, sustainability-focused strategies for the future.”

NiST offers users: 

• An overview of the success of sustainable development and the implementation of the tourism strategy through the Slovenian Tourism Index, which includes 12 complex indicators from the environmental, social and economic fields;
• Monitoring the effects of tourism from various perspectives and comparative analysis based on a wide range of indicators (e.g. intensity and density of tourism, seasonality, number of employees in the industry, satisfaction of guests and local population, water quality, pressure of accommodation establishments on space etc.);
• More efficient planning and directing of tourist flows;
• Identification of trends and even more targeted addressing of tourists;
• Smart planning, creation of strategic directions and faster and more well-founded decision-making at all levels;
• Partial digitalization of the Green Scheme of Slovenian Tourism

Access to NiST is free of charge. In the beta version, 10 use cases and 30 visualizations are available to users at the moment of launch. The content will be upgraded and supplemented over the weeks and months. By the end of the year, 60 indicators, 30 use cases and 70 visualizations will be available in NiST in accordance with the project timeline.

NiST can be used by anyone interested in tourism: destinations, tourism providers, researchers, students, media, decision-makers, local communities and others. The STB will also provide all necessary support for its use – from training and workshops to a manual, explanatory and educational video content and the possibility of individual counseling.

NiST is led by the Slovenian Tourist Board, which is implementing the project with the support of the Ministry of the Economy, Tourism and Sport. The project is part of the Recovery and Resilience Plan (NOO) and is being created with the support of the European Union – NextGenerationEU.

The project was conceived in early 2022, and the STB successfully obtained European funds in September 2022. The project is being implemented in phases – the implementation phase will be completed by the end of 2025.

With the launch of NiST, Slovenia is reinforcing its position as a green, boutique destination for 5-star experiences—where data serves as a cornerstone for quality assurance, environmental responsibility, and sustainable growth. The introduction of NiST marks a major step forward in creating higher added value, deepening our understanding of visitors, and advancing the responsible development of tourism—laying the groundwork for a knowledge-driven future.

*A use case refers to a pre-defined functionality that enables users to efficiently analyze data and indicators. For example: viewing accommodation occupancy by month, comparing tourism flows between regions, or analyzing average length of stay by country of origin. Visualizations may include maps, graphs, comparison tables and more.

Cover photo: Minister of the Economy, Tourism and Sport Matjaž Han; Director of the Slovenian Tourist Board, MSc. Maja Pak Olaj, NiST Project Manager Ana Jemec Špik with the NiST team and members of the test group. Photo: Siniša Kanižaj.

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