European Destination of Excellence 2019: the winner on the topic of “Well-being Tourism” is Podčetrtek

EDEN is the biggest European platform for the promotion of sustainable and responsible tourism. The Slovenian Tourist Board (STB) participates in this project to supporting destinations and products focusing on sustainable development.

This year, the expert panel chaired by Professor Dr Janez Bogataj was most impressed by the destination of Podčetrtek.

The STB's Director, Msc. Maja Pak, said: “The destination of Podčetrtek impressed the expert panel by putting together a range of tourist products and services based on the authentic, high-quality and local services of three municipalities, innovatively packaged into a wellness experience and thus become the eighth holder of the EDEN title. With the EDEN project, the European Commission awards destinations focusing on the development of sustainable tourism; this is why STB has supported the project all these years. EDEN destinations are particularly recognised for their sustainable development efforts by highlighting smaller but no less beautiful places, thus contributing to flow diversification, and communicating authentic and unique five-star experiences in our country.”

“Podčetrtek is a typical example of the so-called microscale tourism industry, which is strongly connected to Terme Olimia. The applicants’ presentation to the expert panel also included the Municipality of Kozje, which is related to the biosphere area and the Kozjansko Apple Festival. Podčetrtek offers some traditional products and locations, such as the Amon homestead, the deer farm, the chocolate shop, pharmacy and monastery in Olimje, calling attention to breakfast at the Amon homestead, which can be considered a textbook breakfast example at the two hotels in Podčetrtek. Of course, well-being is not just about the food but the entire tourist package that the expert panel evaluated in the light of this year’s topic,” explained the expert panel in their decision.  

The destination of Dolenjska was the runner-up. Professor Bogataj said: “In terms of what it has to offer, Dolenjska has excellent potential in Slovenia’s tourist development. They are building their development on the appropriate number of young staff members with a very clear idea of the tourism development strategy.”

The destination of Podčetrtek is a good example of a successful and efficient cooperation between three Slovenian municipalities, as well as a good example of cooperation between the stakeholders.

On this occasion, the mayor of Podčetrtek, Peter Misja, the mayor of Bistrica ob Sotli, Franjo Debelak and the mayor of Kozje, Milenca Krajnc, said: “The destination of Podčetrtek is a textbook example of a successful tourism cooperation between different municipalities. With the Municipality of Podčetrtek’s highly-developed range of tourist products and services and the hidden, yet high-quality range of tourist products and services in the municipalities of Bistrica ob Sotli and Kozje, we have developed a destination that offers tourists an active and healthy stay, which brings personal satisfaction and inner peace. Our range is based on nature and culture, encompassing locally-produced goods and services. It is excellent, professional, traditional, and has a touch of homeliness, which allows for good symbiosis between the local population and tourists. The title of the European Destination of Excellence 2019 fills us with joy and new energy to continue our work, and proves that we are on the right development track.”

The destination of Podčetrtek devotes particular attention to sustainable development, as attested by the golden Slovenia Green label obtained by the destination as part of the Green Scheme of Slovenian Tourism.

Both finalists, Podčetrtek and Dolenjska, will receive intensive promotion by the STB. As of this year, the European family of more than 140 destinations of excellence now includes eight Slovenian representatives: Podčetrtek, Koper, Brda, Laško, Idrija, Kolpa, Solčavsko and the Soča Valley.

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EDEN 2019 topic: Wellness Tourism

For the purposes of this year’s call for applications, the European Commission defined wellness tourism as a type of tourism that encompasses tourist activities the main purpose of which is to contribute to the physical, mental, and cognitive health of visitors. Therefore, wellness tourism includes health and wellness programmes (various types of treatments, yoga and meditation, sports activities and fitness, beauty treatments, spiritual exercises, nutritional and detox programmes, thalassotherapy, etc.) performed by various establishments (health resorts, thermal centres, hotels and holiday apartment villages, festivals, cruise operators).

About the EDEN project

European Destinations of Excellence (EDEN) is a project of the European Commission, which has since 2007 connected places and areas that develop environmentally, culturally, and socially sustainable tourism. The project encourages the development of sustainable tourism in Europe. Every two years, it awards and promotes smaller and less recognisable destinations, which are, despite their small size, known for their rich, local, and authentic offerings. In just over ten years since it began, the project has developed into a European network of destinations which attract tourists with their unique and authentic experiences off the beaten track, while also making efforts to develop tourism in a way that is friendly to the environment and the local community. The purpose of the European Destinations of Excellence is to increase the recognisability of emerging European destinations, facilitate the exchange of best practices across Europe, and promote the cooperation between selected towns, cities, and regions that are located in the 27 EU Member States and Candidate Countries.

Since 2008, Slovenia has also been a part of the project. So far, it has had eight winning destinations and fifteen finalists. The EDEN project enables international promotion, recognisability, education, integration, and the exchange of best practice. The project is based on national selection processes that take place every other year; their result is the selection of a Destination of Excellence and a few finalists.

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