Slovenia sees record-breaking tourism numbers

Slovenia saw record-breaking tourism numbers in June as accommodation establishments recorded over two million tourism nights for the first time ever for that month.

Providing a welcome respite from heat, Alpine destinations saw the strongest growth, CE Report quotes The Slovenia Times.

The record June capped off a strong first six months of the year for the tourism industry. Between January and June, Slovenia welcomed nearly 3 million visitors, a 5% increase year-on-year, and almost 7.3 million nights, a 6% rise.

Foreign tourists spent 71% of all half-year nights, totalling nearly 5.2 million, an increase of 7%. Visitors from Germany were the largest group, followed by Italians and Austrians. Their most popular destinations were the capital Ljubljana, coastal town Piran, and the lakeside favourite Bled.

In June alone, the country's tourism destinations recorded almost 810,000 visitor arrivals, and over two million nights, both marking an increase of 2% on the same month a year ago.

Arrivals from UK surge, Germany remains biggest market

Foreign tourists represented over 652,000 arrivals, a 2.1% increase year-on-year, and more than 1.5 million overnight stays, a 1.5% rise. Much like throughout the first half of the year, their top destinations for June were Ljubljana, Bled and Piran.

While Germans remained the largest group, accounting for 18% of all foreign tourism nights with over 276,000 nights booked, their numbers dropped by 18% compared to last June. Nights spent by Austrian visitors, the second largest group, also fell by 7%.

Other European markets saw significant growth. Nights by tourists from the UK surged by 26%, with British visitors primarily flocking to Bled, Ljubljana, and the lakeside resort of Bohinj. Visitor numbers from the Czech Republic and Poland both rose by a fifth.

Meanwhile, local tourists accounted for about 158,000 arrivals and 454,000 nights in June, marking an increase of 1.1% and 1.6% respectively. They heavily favoured health and spa resorts, though Piran remained their top individual destination.

Tourists increasingly bypassed hot coastal resorts for cooler mountain climates. Mountain municipalities captured 37% of all nights, representing nearly 731,000 overnight visits, which is a 5% increase year-on-year. Growth was particularly strong in the alpine resorts of Kranjska Gora, Bohinj, and Bled, which saw increases of 12%, 10%, and 8% respectively.

In contrast, coastal municipalities saw a 2% decline, capturing 19% of the market. Spa resorts accounted for 15% of nights with a 2% rise, and Ljubljana captured 14% of the market, growing by 1%.

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