The most extensive presentation of Slovenia at the most important travel trade show in the world - ITB Berlin 2017

Slovenia will present itself at ITB Berlin 2017, the leading travel trade show in the world, from 8 to 12 March. This year's presentation is the most extensive thus far, both considering the number of the participating representatives of the Slovenian tourism industry as well as the programme and activities. The presentation prepared by the Slovenian Tourist Board will emphasise the offerings in spa, cultural, and convention tourism and on tourism’s focus on sustainable development. In the German capital, Slovenia will be additionally highlighted as the “Convention & Culture Partner ITB Berlin 2017”, so as a partner country of this important global travel trade show, which is a significant success for Slovenia and its tourist industry.

ITB Berlin is the most important travel trade show in the world, where supply and demand meet with the help of various segments of the tourist industry – national tourist boards and travel agencies, destinations, providers of various tourist products and technologies, tour operators, etc. Last year, 10,000 exhibitors from 187 countries and five continents participated on the 160,000 m² of the Berlin convention centre, and their offer was seen by 120,000 business visitors, 60,000 general visitors, and 5.500 journalists and opinion makers. The trade show focuses on featuring the newest trends in tourism and business events.

This year, Slovenia upgraded its traditional participation with a special achievement – a partnership with the trade show. As the “Convention & Culture Partner ITB Berlin 2017,” it has gained greater exposure, resulting in the chance to increase its recognisability as an attractive green, active, and healthy destination, which has focused the development of its tourism business on sustainability. The presentation of Slovenia and its tourism prepared by the Slovenian Tourist Board will therefore be even more diverse than in previous years. In cooperation with the Slovenian Tourist Board, it is prepared by a record number of participants from the Slovenian tourism industry – no fewer than 31. Furthermore, the presentation of Slovenian tourism products and destinations will also be shown in multiple locations and Slovenia will participate in various parts of the ITB Berlin 2017 programme.

The central topic of the presentation of Slovenian tourism will be healthy waters and culture, while convention tourism and the achievements of Slovenia in the sustainable development of tourism will also be highlighted. The main feature of the Slovenian tourist industry at ITB Berlin 2017 will be a booth in Hall 17, the area of which will cover no less than 202 m² this year. This booth will mainly show the spa and spa wellness offers as well as offers from historical towns and cities, with a special emphasis on Plečnik’s Ljubljana, European Green Capital 2016.

Slovenia Makes You Think Green is the message that will be given in Hall 4.1 to present Slovenian green destinations and providers. Furthermore, Ljubljana Tourism will set up a special culture lounge in Hall 16, devoted to Plečnik’s Ljubljana.

Slovenia will be very active in the conference part of the trade show. Its organisers gave special recognition to Slovenia by inviting the Slovenian Minister for Economic Development and Technology, Zdravko Počivalšek, to be the keynote speaker at the opening of the convention part of ITB Berlin 2017 (8 March) within what is known as the ITB Future Day. Organisers say that this is the most important day of the convention, as the speakers and the topics on mega trends in the economy, society, global tourism, and the tourist industry have been carefully selected. Eva Štravs Podlogar, State Secretary at the Ministry of Economic Development and Technology, will greet the participants of the 5th Donausalon event (9 March), the partner state of which is none other than Slovenia, and which will be organised by the German state of Baden-Württemberg. She will also participate in an expert panel discussion on sustainable tourism in the Danube Region, which will follow the opening of the Donausalon.

Last year, Slovenia was given the prestigious title of the first Green Country in the World, and 17 destinations under the Slovenia Green national sustainability brand were among the TOP 100 greenest destinations in the world. Therefore, the organisers of ITB Berlin 2017 invited Slovenia, as a country that established a unique sustainable tourism model, to carry out the Slovenia Makes You Green Panel (8 March). The story of the green country will be introduced by Minister Zdravko Počivalšek, Maja Pak, Director of the Slovenian Tourist Board, Lučka Kajfež Bogataj, climatologist, Matevž Lenarčič, pilot, biologist, and mountaineer, Petra Stušek, Director of Tourism Ljubljana, Jan Bizjak, Garden Village Bled, and Jana Apih, Director of the GoodPlace Sustainable Tourism Institute and a representative of the Slovenia Green consortium. Lučka Kajfež Bogataj and Matevž Lenarčič will also participate in a special lecture on climate change (10 March).
The Slovenian experience of organising convention events will be discussed within the ITB MICE Day (8 March) by Miha Kovačič, Director of the Slovenian Convention Bureau, and Gorazd Čad, Director of Toleranca Marketing. Within the ITB Experts Forum Wellness (9 March), Iztok Altbauer, Director of the Slovenian Spas Association, will discuss the Slovenian spa story at a presentation titled Slovenia, a Land of Healthy Water – a Wellness Success Story.

The presentation of Slovenia and its tourist offerings will top off the Slovenian evening titled Slovenia Makes You Green, where those invited will learn about Slovenia’s green vision for its towns, cities, the countryside, and cultural tradition.

Zdravko Počivalšek, Minister of Economic Development and Technology: “Being invited to become a partner of such an important convention as ITB Berlin is a great recognition of the Slovenian tourist industry. I have been a guest at ITB Berlin nearly every year and I know that the organisers select among the most attractive and on-trend tourist destinations from all over the world. Slovenia became a partner due to the efforts of the Ministry of Economic Development and Technology, the Slovenian Tourist Board, and the Slovenian tourism industry.”

Maja Pak, Director of the Slovenian Tourist Board: “Participating at this year’s ITB Berlin travel trade show will be a great challenge. The largest booth in the history of presenting Slovenia’s tourist offerings, numerous partners from the Slovenian tourist industry, additional locations, and participation in the convention part of the trade show will be our great opportunities to spread key messages about Slovenia as a country with a sustainable approach to tourism and interesting tourist products. The Convention & Culture Partner ITB Berlin 2017 will improve Slovenia’s visibility and recognisability, as we make efforts to attract tourists desiring to experience a boutique destination and boutique tourist products with added value. I am very excited about this year’s travel trade show, as it will constitute a major step forward in promoting our tourist offer.”

Majda Rozina Dolenc, Head of the Slovenian Tourist Board Representative Office in Germany: “The fact that Slovenia is the Convention & Culture Partner ITB Berlin 2017, the world's largest travel trade show, will raise the country’s recognition and reputation as a tourist destination on a global level. There is an intense competition in the tourism industry and this partnership will help us highlight the strengths of the Slovenian tourist industry under the leadership of the Slovenian Tourist Board. For the first time in the history of the ITB, the Slovenian Minister, Zdravko Počivalšek, will be the keyspeaker at the opening ceremony of the convention part. A series of promotional activities and events will showcase good practices of the Slovenian responsible tourism, as well as current events and reasons for visiting Slovenia. For a free WiFi access, visitors will need to enter the password I FEEL SLOVENIA. At the main entrances to the fairgrounds, green stickers in the shape of a heart with the same slogan will be distributed among the visitors. We expect a great number of visitors, also at the accompanying events. At the Slovenian evening, we expect 600 guests, predominantly from the German tourist industry and the media. This is definitely the most prominent appearance of the Slovenian travel industry on the international level so far!”

Discover more about ITB Berlin 2017 at: www.slovenia.info/itbberlin 

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