Slovenia was announced as the global winner in the Destination Leadership category of the 2017 National Geographic World Legacy Awards at the ITB Berlin Convention, the largest travel industry gathering in the world. National Geographic also singled out Slovenia as one of the most sustainable countries in the world.

The World Legacy Awards are intended for the companies, organisations and destinations which encourage positive transformation of tourism, and prove the leading and visionary role in the field of the best practices of sustainable tourism. National Geographic awards are awarded in five categories: Earth Changers, Sense of Place, Conserving the Natural World, Engaging Communities and Destination Leadership. This year’s award entries spanned the planet, representing 45 countries and six continents, showcasing how sustainable tourism has no boundaries.

“National Geographic stands for exploration, conservation and stellar storytelling. World Legacy Awards celebrate the people, places and experiences that exemplify our mission in the global travel industry,” said National Geographic Travel editor-in-chief George Stone in a statement. Stone said the recipients represented the future of travel and are leaders in sustainability.

According to the Slovenian Tourism Organisation director Maja Pak, the award is an excellent promotion for Slovenia, since National Geographic is a highly respected and well renowned voice of authority in the world of Travel. “The award brings noticeability and recognition in the segment of sustainable tourism, which is also our aim,” she emphasized.

Slovenia is the greenest country and leader in sustainable tourism! (photo: Jost Gantar)

The capital city of Slovenia, Ljubljana, has appeared on the list of top 10 winter city breaks in Europe compiled by the British newspaper The Guardian.

The Guardian described Ljubljana as a lively city with 50,000 students and very green, being the 2016 European Green Capital, with traffic restrictions leaving the historic city centre a great strolling and cafe zone. The article also mentions the impressive architecture in the city, including the medieval castle, the baroque Robba fountain, and some very unique bridges. Except for the dining and accommodation facilities, the newspaper also recommends visiting the open-air Central Market and during the festive season also the Christmas Market. The article also mentions Ljubljana as a great base for day trips to ski areas such as Krvavec, which is less than 25 kilometres away.

It’s amazing how beautiful Ljubljana looks when it snows. (photo: Jost Gantar, Slovenia.info)

The complete list of the Guardian’s top 10 winter city breaks in Europe includes Poprad (Slovakia), Baden-Baden (Germany), Sarajevo (Bosnia and Hercegovina), Åre-Östersund (Sweden), Poznan (Poland), Zagreb (Croatia), Tromsø (Norway), Ljubljana (Slovenia), Memmingen (Germany), and Sibiu (Romania).

The Guardian’s full article can be found here!

Slovenia is among ’13 surprisingly easy countries for English speakers to travel in’, according to Thrillist, a popular US-based online lifestyle publication with over 3 million subscribers.

Slovenia definitely deserves to be on this list as 59% of Slovenians (and virtually all young people) speak English at a conversational level. lf the first person you meet isn’t able to understand and help you, then the second one most certainly will be.

‘A tiny European country of 2 million strong, nearly squeezed off the continent and into the Adriatic by Croatia, Hungary, Austria, and Italy. Slovenian culture blends all these neighboring influences, so it’s no surprise Slovenians love language. Over-the-top friendly locals who speak impeccable English make Slovenia the stuff of road trip and hitchhiking dreams. Asking for directions might turn into 30 minutes of shooting the bull about attractions and Slovenian history, which might carry into drinks at the bar or even an invitation for a home-cooked meal,’ the Thrillist substantiated their decision.

And what does the Thrillist recommend to see in Slovenia? ‘The capital Ljubljana (which looks impossible to pronounce, but actually comes out rather naturally in a native English accent) is just a two-hour drive from Venice and about a four- to five-hour drive from Vienna, Budapest, and Split. It’s easy to sneak Slovenia into a Eurotrip itinerary and you should definitely do it — if for no other reason than the greenery and sidewalk cafes of Ljubljana or the breathtakingly blue waters and open skies of Lakes Bled and Bohinj.’

The complete list of ’13 surprisingly easy countries for English speakers to travel in’ includes Tanzania, Germany, The Philippines, Slovenia, Nepal, Cuba, Japan, Armenia, India, Belize, Pakistan, Singapore, and Malta.

Thrillist’s full article can be found here!

Lake Bled is one of the most popular tourist destination in Slovenia. (photo: Jure Korber and Tjasa Borsnak)

Slovenia has become the first country in the European Union to include the right to drinking water in its constitution. There were 64 votes in favour and none against the new law. ‘Everyone has the right to drinkable water,’ Slovenia’s constitution now says. ‘Water resources represent a public good that is managed by the state. Water resources are primary and durably used to supply citizens with potable water and households with water and, in this sense, are not a market commodity.’

Being able to drink tap water around Slovenia should not be taken for granted. It is a huge privilege that we must preserve for us and generations after us.

Slovenia’s parliament has declared in a constitutional amendment that the country’s water belongs to all its citizens. (photo: Daniel Tomanovic)

International SOS and Control Risks, two of the world’s leading security and medical specialists, have just launched the industry leading Travel Risk Map for 2017. We are very pleased to report that Slovenia has been put in the group of insignificant-risk travel destinations. The map is published to help organisations better understand the risks in the markets where they operate and travel.

According to the research, the safest countries in the world are Norway, Finland, Sweden, Iceland, Switzerland and Slovenia. The most dangerous countries include Afghanistan, Syria, Libya, Darfur, Somalia, Yemen, and South Sudan.

The Travel Security Risks map is based on a range of mitigating factors that could pose a threat to travellers. These include: political violence (includes terrorism, insurgency etc.), social unrest and violent and petty crimes. Other factors are considered when they are of sufficient magnitude to have effect on the overall risks affecting travellers; these vary from a country’s likelihood of a natural disaster to the efficiency and capabilities of a country’s security and emergency services.

Travel Security Risks map for 2017. Slovenia is colored in green, a color code applied to the destinations where violent crime rates are very low and there is no significant political violence or civil unrest and little sectarian, communal, racial or targeted violence against foreigners. Security and emergency services are effective and infrastructure is sound. Transport services are of a high standard with good safety records and only occasional travel disruption. Industrial action affecting essential services is rare.

Lake Bled is the top tourist destination in Slovenia. (photo: Jernej Leben)

According to the 2016 Prosperity Index by the London based think-tank Legatum Institute, Slovenia is the 20th most prosperous country on Earth. The index reflects not just a nation’s wealth and economic growth but also the main factors reflecting the well-being, quality of life and life-satisfaction of its citizens.

The most prosperous country in the world is New Zealand, followed by Norway and Finland, while Afghanistan, Yemen and the Central African Republic rank lowest.

The index looked at the 149 countries in the world that have the most available data. The complete list of the 25 richest, healthiest, happiest, and most advanced countries in the world includes:
1. New Zealand
2. Norway
3. Finland
4. Switzerland
5. Canada
6. Australia
7. Netherlands
8. Sweden
9. Denmark
10. United Kingdom
11. Germany
12. Luxembourg
13. Ireland
14. Iceland
15. Austria
16. Belgium
17. United States
18. France
19. Singapore
20. Slovenia
21. Spain
22. Japan
23. Hong Kong
24. Malta
25. Portugal

Slovenia’s capital Ljubljana. (photo: Jakob Noc)

From November 7th to November 9th, London once more hosted the annual WTM (World Travel Market) tourism fair. We are absolutely delighted to report that this year Bled has emerged as the winner in the Sports Destination category. The success for Slovenian tourism was even greater as the expert jury placed Kranjska Gora in third.

The Slovenian Tourist Board successfully presented Slovenia as a green destination ideal for active, outdoor-oriented tourists.

Bled is possibly the most popular tourist destination in Slovenia. (photo: Jure Korber and Tjasa Borsnak)

Interestingly, the Wall Street Journal recently put Slovenia on top of the list of the world’s most buzzy, unpredictable travel destinations to visit next year.

The business-focused, English-language international newspaper describes Slovenia as ‘a good choice if you’re looking for a chic, unlikely hideout since plenty of people don’t know where it is.’

The complete list of the WSJ’s top 10 buzzy and unpredictable destinations in the world includes:
1. Slovenia
2. Chengdu, China
3. Rwanda
4. Finland
5. The Canadian Arctic
6. Luang Prabang, Laos
7. Greenville, S.C., U.S.A.
8. Abu Dhabi, U.A.E.
9. St. Kitts
10. Tangier, Morocco

Here’s a link to the article: Buzzy, Newly Accessible Destinations, From the Canadian Arctic to Chengdu, China

Lake Bled in Slovenia. (photo: Masa Vodenik)

Halloween time has come around again and you know what that means — time to be reading about monsters, murders, and haunted castles. So it’s not a big surprise that the online newspaper Huffington Post has compiled a list of the 5 most haunted castles around the world. But guess what, Slovenia’s Predjama Castle was put on top of this scary list.

‘Built within a cave in the middle of a towering cliff, Predjama, which dates back to 1274, is imposing by most standards. Add in local legend and you’ll be hard pressed not to get spooked: Once the residence of knight Erazem Lueger, Predjama has hidden passageways and was reputedly a site of torture and treachery. Lueger was betrayed by his servants and killed in the castle, and is said to still haunt it,’ the Huffington Post substantiated their decision.

The other castles included on the list are Scotland’s Castle Fraser, Germany’s Burg Eltz, England’s Chillingham Castle, and the Czech Republic’s Houska Castle.

Read more about the remarkable Predjama Castle:
– All You Need To Know To Visit the Predjama Castle
– 10 Beautiful Predjama Castle Photos

The Renaissance-style Predjama Castle has the reputation of being one of the most haunted castles in Europe. It sits nestled in the mouth of a cave and is set within a 123-metre-tall rock face. (photo: Daniel Tomanovic)

Slovenia is becoming known in the international tourism community as a beautiful little country which is taking big steps in sustainable tourism. After the country’s capital Ljubljana has won the European Green Capital Award for 2016, Slovenia has earned another prestigious award in the field of sustainable tourism. This time, Slovenia became the first country on the planet to be designated as a Green Destination. This important recognition came from the Netherlands-based organisation Green Destinations, which provides support and encouragement for more sustainable tourism. The title was presented at a ceremony at Ljubljana Castle as part of the two-day Global Green Destinations Day conference.

Slovenia’s capital Ljubljana. (photo: Domen Dolenc)