2.2 million tourist arrivals and 6.3 million overnight stays

Slovenia recorded 2.2 million tourist arrivals and 6.3 million overnight stays during July and August of this year, according to preliminary data from the Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia (SURS). This represents a roughly 7 percent increase compared to the same period last year. The figures highlight Slovenia's continued appeal as a tourist destination while emphasizing the importance of managing tourism flows effectively, spreading visits spatially and temporally, and creating greater value for the economy, local communities, and the environment. The initial assessment of this summer’s tourist season was presented at a press conference held on Lake Bled, alongside the Turistic Panel within the framework of the 21st Bled Strategic Forum. The results of the summer season, key trends, and an outlook for the remainder of the tourist year were discussed by Dubravka Kalin, General Director of the Directorate for Tourism at the Ministry of Economy, Labour and Sports (MGDŠ), Mag. Maja Pak Olaj, Director of the Slovenian Tourist Organization (STO), Fedja Pobegajlo, Director of the Slovenian Association of Hotels and Tourism (TGZS), and Srečko Kunst, President of the Hospitality and Tourism Section at the Chamber of Skilled Crafts and Small Business (OZS). Dubravka Kalin emphasized that the successful summer tourist season confirms Slovenia's attractiveness and competitiveness as a tourist destination, further establishing its visible position on the world tourism map. She noted that the data on tourist visits are encouraging, especially the growth in tourist visits accompanied by quality and increasingly even distribution of tourism across Slovenia. She highlighted measures and activities undertaken by the ministry and others over recent years, including the largest investment cycle in Slovenian tourism, which contributes to higher added value. These efforts include financing investments in public and shared tourist infrastructure, new construction or reconstruction of accommodation facilities, and obtaining sustainability and environmental certifications. Much effort has been invested in legislation. All these measures and activities, along with many others, influence the rise in added value in tourism, a crucial economic sector in Slovenia and Europe. She thanked all employees in tourism and hospitality for their work and stressed that the successful tourist season means increased economic activity, more jobs, more income for companies, and higher tax revenues, while also having effects in numerous other sectors. In the coming period, she said, efforts will continue to systematically create conditions under which Slovenian tourism can remain competitive, high-quality, and resilient. Mag. Maja Pak Olaj pointed out that the results of this summer confirm that Slovenia remains a very attractive tourist destination. Success in tourism should not be judged solely by the number of visitors and overnight stays, but through a broader set of indicators, including created added value, guest spending, seasonal and spatial distribution of visits, quality of offerings, and satisfaction of guests and local residents. She noted that tourist demand in Slovenia is not evenly distributed. Some destinations have room for growth and desire more visits, while the most visited areas, particularly in the Julian Alps, already face pressures due to concentrated visits during peak times. Therefore, efforts need to be increasingly focused and directed towards addressing these challenges. In another development, Maribor, a city in northeastern Slovenia, is being considered as a potential logistics hub. According to Ivana Vrviščar, a member of the board of directors at Post of Slovenia, the country possesses several advantages such as the Port of Koper, railway and motorway networks, airports, and strong logistics operators. However, these assets have not yet been integrated into a unified national business model. Vrviščar believes that Maribor could serve as a specialized logistics hub connecting air freight, rail, road transport, warehousing, customs services, providing comprehensive logistics processing (fulfillment) and regional distribution. Potential users would include logistics operators, global e-commerce platforms, exporters, manufacturing companies, and segments dealing with time-sensitive goods such as electronics, spare parts, or pharmaceuticals. She emphasized that the greatest potential lies in linking the Port of Koper with Maribor and extending further into Central Europe and the Western Balkans. While Maribor does not need to become a new Frankfurt or Leipzig, it could become an effective specialized entry and distribution point for this part of Europe. According to the Regional Development Program for the Podravje region 2021–2027, the project Smart Hub Maribor has already been included among development priorities and linked to the airport, railways, road infrastructure, and the development of logistics areas. A national logistics platform would connect air, road, and rail freight traffic. Vrviščar stated that the main issue is not geographical location, but the lack of a national logistics business model that integrates these advantages. She advocated for the preparation of a national strategy for Slovenia's logistics position, competitiveness, and resilience, which would define key national logistics hubs and their roles, preferred product and e-commerce flows, connections between Koper, railways, roads, airports, and logistics operators, investment priorities, funding sources, and alternative routes and reserve capacities for crisis situations. Regarding specific actions needed for Maribor to become such a hub, Vrviščar mentioned that basic requirements have been identified, including the development of the airport and its surroundings, a rail connection, road and utility infrastructure, and active attraction of investors. Unfortunately, there is currently no information indicating that anything significant has moved forward or been implemented in this area. She suggested that the priority today should be updating the business model and creating a modern feasibility study. It is essential to have a clear specialization of the airport in cargo traffic, efficient connections with the railway and motorway network, warehouse capacity, fast customs procedures, and one or more key users who would ensure initial freight flows. She emphasized that the correct sequence is first to establish the flows and business model before making investments, not the other way around. Assessing the economic potential of such a project, Vrviščar acknowledged that it could be substantial, although it is currently unclear how much. Meanwhile, in Maribor, the Institute for Strategic Solutions (ISR) hosted the Business Summit "Transition 2.0: Regionalization of Development and Creation of Added Value in Maribor." The summit featured concrete projects ranging from energy waste utilization in Maribor and JEK 2 to solar power plants on degraded areas and the development of Maribor as a logistics hub behind the Port of Koper. Long-term processes, obtaining permits, and the lack of properly prepared land were among the topics discussed. The summit was opened by Tine Kračun, director of ISR, who warned about the developmental lag in the Podravje region. He noted that the gross added value per employee in the region amounted to €51,860 in 2024, compared to an average of €63,780 in Slovenia. On the GDP per capita, Podravje has been in the lower half of Slovenian regions for two decades. Mayor of the City of Maribor, Saša Arsenovič, also emphasized the need for better utilization of development potentials, noting that while Maribor still creates less added value, the indicators are improving. He highlighted transportation location and the development of logistics and energy infrastructure as drivers of further economic growth. Dr. Jure Stojan, director of research and development at ISR, presented the cost of delaying infrastructure decisions. He outlined periods when Maribor built infrastructure ahead of others, from the use of the Drava River and railway development to the first hydroelectric power plants. He warned that the region is currently lagging. Eastern Slovenia ranks 160th on the Regional Innovation Scoreboard 2025, while Western Slovenia ranks 80th. Between 2023 and 2025, Eastern Slovenia dropped by 0.5 points, while Western Slovenia advanced by seven points. Similarly, the entire country ranked 22nd on the World Economic Forum's Energy Transition Index this year, dropping to 28th place, with the readiness score falling from 59.0 to 55.7 points, while the system performance score remained unchanged at 69.7 points. Andrej Tumpej, General Director of Drava Power Plants Maribor, warned that energy investments require primarily stable investment and legislative environments. He highlighted new production facilities, especially solar and wind farms, which are spatially exposed and require larger areas. As a solution, he emphasized the use of degraded areas that cannot be used for other purposes. He mentioned a project for a 10-megawatt solar plant on a closed waste landfill, which could serve as a model for similar investments elsewhere instead of placing solar farms on agricultural land. Andrej Lasič, a member of the management board of NLB, warned that the problem is not just placing projects in space but also the lack of willingness for larger infrastructure investments. He noted that most energy projects currently financed are abroad, while the last major energy project in Slovenia was the Brežice Hydroelectric Plant approximately 13 years ago. He indicated that relatively low investment activity is reflected in the debt level of the Slovenian energy system, which is below the EBITDA ratio, whereas in foreign countries it usually ranges between three and four times the EBITDA. He concluded that vision and courage are needed, without which progress is impossible.