Slovena Business & Investment part 2

TOURISM

TOURISM

TOURISM TOURISM The Outline of Slovenian Tourism

Unlocking Tourism Potential Tourism is currently one of the world’s largest economic activities. It is the leading industry in many countries, as well as the fastest growing economic sector, not only in terms of GDP but also in terms of employment. Although Slovenia is well aware of this fact and many actions have already been taken, there is still a lot of untapped potential in this industry.

Gross tourism revenues The economic importance of tourism in Slovenia has been confirmed in the context of the “Assessment of Tourism Satellite Accounts for 2003 and Extrapolation for 2006” project, which was carried out by the Faculty of Economics in Ljubljana and co-financed by the European Commission.

Project results show that tourism experienced rapid growth in the 2003–2006 period, as tourism activities in this period grew faster than other economic activities. In 2006, gross tourism revenues accounted for 5.5 percent of the total GDP of Slovenia (share of pure tourism, without indirect effects), which corresponds to an 11.3 percent increase over 2003. The added value of Slovenian tourism in 2006 stood at EUR 1,088 million, which accounted for 4.11 percent of the total gross added value in Slovenia. Compared to 2003, the added value of tourism rose by 32 percent.

leaders in partnerships to shape global, regional and industry agendas) launched the first Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index (TTCI) in 2007. The index measures the factors that make a country attractive for investment in its travel and tourism industry.

How competitive is Slovenian tourism according to TTCI? Among 130 countries included in the research in 2008, Slovenia improved its position, jumping from last year’s 44th place to 36th place.

Foreign Direct Investment According to statistics from the Bank of Slovenia, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the Slovenian tourism

Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index

Recognizing the important development potential of the tourism industry, the World Economic Forum (an independent international non-profit organization committed to improving the state of the world by engaging

Your choice: From waters deep in the summer...

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industry began to increase markedly in 1997, when FDI in the Hotels and Restaurants (HR) sector rose from EUR 3.9 million to EUR 13.9 million. This trend continued for a number of years and by 2001 it had reached EUR 20.4 million. Following a period of slow growth, FDI again began to pick up and topped EUR 25.9 million in 2005.

However, these statistics are governed by guidelines set out by NACE – the Classification of Economic Activities in the European Community – and do not show the entire picture as they exclude investments made by tour operators and travel agencies. The HR sector covers all companies involved in the hotel industry, including hotels, camping sites, youth hostels and mountain huts, as well as restaurants, bars, cafes, canteens and mobile caterers. The activities of travel agencies and tour operators are covered in the Support, Transport and Travel Agencies sector, which are not captured separately by the Bank of Slovenia (www. bsi.si). While this means that the real value of FDI in the local tourism industry is actually higher than reported, this comes as little comfort to the Ministry of the Economy, whose public position is that the level of FDI in the local tourism industry is not sufficient.

In general, it is hard to say that Slovenia has realized its ambition to become a magnet for FDI. There are many objective reasons for that. The size of Slovenian market, the additional expense associated with a highly-skilled workforce and the high, added value of the products. These issues, together with numerous bureaucratic obstacles and

... to mountains high in the winter

restrictions and the reluctance of Slovenian entrepreneurs to seek foreign investors, combined to create quite an unwelcome business environment and impeded FDI flowing into the local market.

Having assessed the underlying causes of the problem, the Directorate for Tourism, which is part of the Ministry of the Economy, has developed a new strategic plan to address FDI. With the advent of the Development Plan and Policies for Slovenian Tourism 2007-2011, better times are ahead.

National support for tourism related projects

In 2007, the Ministry of the Economy, with the help of EU Structural Funds, invested EUR 45 million into tourism-related infrastructure, and will invest another EUR 145 million by 2013.

Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Index score (1-7), rank (out of 130)

2008 Index

4.5 (36) 5.0 (42)

T&T regulatory framework Policy rules and regulations

4.0 (87) 5.3 (17)

Environmental sustainability Safety and security

5.9 (20) 5.8 (36)

Health and hygiene Prioritization of Travel & Tourism

3.9 (84)

Air transport infrastructure

2.9 (70)

Ground transport infrastructure

5.1 (23) 5.9 (20)

Tourism infrastructure ICT infrastructure

4.5 (26)

Price competitiveness in the T&T industry

4.2 (102)

T&T human, cultural, and natural resources

4.0 (61) 5.3 (35)

Human resources Education and training

5.4 (27)

Availability of qualified labor

5.2 (81) 4.9 (53)

Affinity for Travel & Tourism 3.0 (76)

Natural resources Cultural resources

2.7 (54) 0

1

2

3

4

5

6

Source: World Economic Forum: The Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report 2008, www.weforum.org/en

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TOURISM TOURISM Ministry of the Economy, Directorate for Tourism

Opportunities abound

When it comes to investment in Slovenian tourism, Marjan Hribar, head of the Directorate for Tourism with the Slovenian Government, is the person to call. As the chief architect of Slovenia’s tourism development strategy, he has excellent knowledge of investment opportunities that exist in the country’s tourist sector. A number of these are presented over the three pages that follow.

Dear Investors, Slovenia has witnessed a steady increase in tourism.

With the growth in tourism outstripping other economic activity, this suggests that the importance of tourism to the economy is continuing to increase. In Slovenia the tourist industry shows great potential; it represents 7.7 pecent of Slovenia’s GDP and provides some 55,000 jobs. In 2007 we exceeded all targets, increasing the number of overnight stays by 7 percent, arrivals by 8 percent and turnover by as much as 13 percent.

I believe that these figures are also the result of the active policy of the Ministry of the Economy and its Directorate for Tourism, which is raising the quality of tourism through a package of financial incentives as well as numerous “softer” projects. At the Ministry of the Economy we have implemented the cycle of investments in tourist infrastructure for the previous financial period, providing EUR 50 million to support 36 projects, and have now embarked upon the new investment cycle. In the 2007– 2013 period, as much as EUR 145 million will be allocated to tourism infrastructure development – because we believe in tourism!

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Some of the most attractive investment opportunities are presented in the Invest in Slovene Tourism portfolio.

The portfolio contains the presentations of more than thirty promising projects from all over Slovenia. Over the next few pages we would like to present to you six planned investments and we would kindly ask you to take a look at them.

Marjan Hribar, MSc Director-General Directorate for Tourism, Ministry of the Economy

COMPANY NOTES Ministry of the Economy, Directorate for Tourism Kotnikova 5 1000 Ljubljana Tel.: +386 (0)1 400 32 00 Fax: +386 (0)1 433 12 20 www.mg.gov.si Please send your request for file Invest in Slovene Tourism to: suzana.turk@gov.si

Although the Slovenian coast is not the longest you are likely to find, it certainly does not lack the facilities to make it a popular tourist destination. To make the coastal region even more attractive, a project to build a water park near the town of Izola has been proposed. In the summer season, the outdoor and indoor pools of the park will be able to admit 2,400 guests; in the winter season up to 750.

Two hotels will also be built, with one of them providing all the services expected from a health resort. The EUR 106 million-project also leaves ample space for the construction of an apartment complex based on architectural concepts derived from the Mediterranean tradition.

Ribniško Pohorje Ski Resort Soaring 700 – 1500 metres above sea level, the Ribniško Pohorje massif is an attractive mountain venue for the development of sustainable winter tourism. Pine forests and an oxygen-rich climate provide excellent conditions for the development of a health resort, meaning that the destination will attract visitors throughout the year, not just in winter months.

The project will focus on the development of 80 hectares of ski slopes; the establishment of a system for the production of artificial snow and the construction of two chair lifts along with eight conventional ski lifts. The destination will also sport a hotel and two apartment villages. The project is valued at EUR 56 million.

Wellness Resort on the Kolpa River One could hardly think of a location better suited for a spa complex than this one - a gently sloping promontory above a Karst valley with a river slowly meandering its way towards the sea. Add to this an already drilled geothermal bore providing thermal water of excellent quality - and the conditions for a profitable tourism investment are all there.

The project consists of a spa whose architectural concept and design emphasise its relationship with the natural environment and sympathetically incorporate elements of local building practice, a hotel with 108 rooms and an apartment complex with 40 apartments. Estimated investment value is EUR 21.5 million.

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Livade Holiday, Business and Residence Centre

TOURISM TOURISM Vila Viktorija, Bled In the heart of the Alps lies a lake... And on that lake is an island with a little church. The picturesque town on the shores of that lake is Bled. Bled prides itself on being one of the most recognizable tourist attractions in Slovenia. To further increase its appeal, especially to more well-off visitors, plans have been put forward to renovate and convert the lakeside Viktorija villa into a five-star hotel.

Nestling against the lush vegetation of the shore, with its restaurant terrace offering sweeping views over the lake, the hotel’s design will be a lesson in environmentally-friendly architecture. The makeover of the villa into a hotel is projected to cost EUR 10.2 million.

Tolmin Wellness Centre A sunny terrace two kilometres east of Tolmin, a town on the edge of the spectacular Triglav National Park, is the site for a proposed new wellness centre adjoining a four-star superior category hotel The project is to be the catalyst for more effective marketing of the entire region, providing it with the tourist facilities it now lacks. The Soča River Valley where Tolmin is located is considered one of the greatest untapped tourist opportunities in Slovenia.

The core of the project is the four-star hotel with 150 rooms and a 150-seat congress centre. Other facilities include massage rooms, restaurant and coffee-house – all complementing the excellent conditions for any type of outdoor activity. The project is valued at EUR 33 million.

Rimski Vrelec Tourist Centre The spring at Rimski vrelec (Roman well) is located at the foot of Uršlja Gora, a mountain that dominates the Carinthia region with its abundant natural delights. Among them are the waters that spring from the famous Roman well. Extremely rich in iron, they have been used to treat various ailments since Roman times and were a successful export product of the region back in the 19th century.

Regional authorities are looking forward to welcome investors interested in tourism development in the region, especially those who are ready to put it on the map as one of Europe’s prominent providers of health services.

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Invest in Slovene Tourism

Javorč Holiday Homes, Gorenja vas – Poljane

Presentation of perspective projects

Dornava Manor, Dornava

Rihenberg Castle, Nova Gorica

Negova Castle, Gornja Radgona

Ski Resort Stari Vrh, Gorenja vas – Poljane Thermal Spa Centre, Slovenj Gradec Kočevje Lake, Kočevje

Tolmin Wellness Centre, Tolmin

Golf Course in Mislinja Valley, Slovenj Gradec

Spa Resort Kopačnica, Gorenja vas - Poljane

Villa Viktorija, Bled

Gaja – Spa Resort Janežovci, Destrnik

Sports Recreational Building – Grand Hotel Panorama****, Maribor

Thermal Spa Centre, Benedikt

Eco Spa Resort, Mirna

Investments on Krvavec, Cerklje

Hotel Betnava, Maribor

Investments on Brežice – Hydroelectric Power Stations Lake, Brežice Lisca Tourist Recreation Area, Sevnica Tourist Recreational Centre, Dolenjske Toplice Business Hotel***** in the Technological Town Tehnopolis Celje

Megalaxia - Family Amusement Theme Park, Hajdina Gradac Castle, Metlika

Ski Resort Ribniško Pohorje, Maribor

Destination Wellness on the Kolpa River, Metlika

Habakuk Golf Course, Maribor

Boathouse and Lake Marina, Velenje

Pišece Castle, Brežice

Request for file Invest in Slovene Tourism send to: suzana.turk@gov.si

TOURISM TOURISM Tourism Statistics

Even Slovenes Like to Visit According to official statistics, tourism in Slovenia is thriving. Due to increasing numbers of tourist arrivals and overnight stays, Slovenian tourism sector posted record-breaking result in 2007.

During the late eighties, Slovenia’s tourism industry was thriving and around 2.7 million foreign and domestic tourists visited annually. However, with the advent of independence and the disintegration of the former Yugoslavia, the golden years of Slovenia’s tourism industry came to a grinding halt.

The newly-founded nation’s proximity to the Balkan war zones and the region’s economic and political instability dealt a massive blow to tourism. Once the dust began to settle, domestic tourism In 2007, foreign tourists accounted began to return to prefor 4.87 million overnight stays. independence levels. This was followed, some years later, by a slow yet steady increase in foreign tourists and, according to government statistics, parity was achieved in 1996. Since then, the number of inbound tourists has soared: from 831,895 foreign tourists in 1996, to a million in 2000 and a record 1.75 million in 2007. Domestic tourism in contrast, has remained fairly static and has yet to exceed 900,000 tourists in a single year. A similar ratio applies to accommodation and, in 2007, foreign tourists accounted for 4.87 million overnight stays compared to 3.4 million attributed to domestic tourists.

Even Slovenes Like to Visit According to official statistics, for 2007 Slovenian tourist accommodation facilities recorded 2,681,178 tourist arrivals and 8,261,308 overnight stays. This represents a record-breaking 8 percent increase in the number of arrivals compared to the previous year and a slightly smaller rise

of 7 percent in the number of overnight stays. Domestic tourists accounted for 929,846 of the former and 3,393,408 or 41% percent of the latter, which means that almost every second Slovenian spent at least 3.65 nights in tourist accommodation in the country. This is very good result, considering the distances between anywhere in Slovenia are very small and there is not a single place in the country from which you could not return home from on the same day.

Meanwhile, 1,751,332 foreign tourists accounted for 4,867,900 overnight stays. With 2.78 nights in average they spend fewer nights in Slovenian accommodations than the domestic tourist. Nevertheless, they still accounted for 59% of the total number of overnight stays in Slovenia.

The largest number of foreign tourists came from neighbouring countries - Italy (368,711 arrivals), Austria (207,248), Croatia (106,412). Neighbouring tourists have been followed by the Germans (211,067), the British (87,122), the Dutch (56,845), the Hungarians (50,148), the Americans (49,620) and the Russians (21,980).

Health resorts remained the most popular form of tourist resorts in Slovenia and accounted for 2,651,196 of the overnight stays. Coastal towns and resorts provided 1,992,609 beds, mountain resorts a further 1,946,643 and other resorts recorded 1,602,483 overnight stays.

However, as the Slovenian tourism industry grows, there is a corresponding need for new accommodation facilities. Although a number of new hotels are under construction and a number of older ones are being renovated, there is still a great deal of investment potential in this area.

Incoming tourists by nationality

Tourist arrivals and overnight stays

Slovenia, annually in %

Slovenia, annually 3000000 2650000

Other

2300000

Domestic

1950000 1600000

Netherlands Croatia Great Britain

1250000 900000 550000 200000

1990 Tourists - TOTAL

2007 Foreign

Source: Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia.

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Domestic

Germany Austria

Italy

Source: Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia.

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Hosting

Making It Happen Peter Vesenjak is what you might call an expert in tourism in the true sense of the word. He started his career more than 20 years ago as a representative of a British tour operator specialising in the former Yugoslavia. It was shortly afterwards that he founded his first company. He has also served as minister for tourism in the Slovenian Government.

For the past 11 years he has been the CEO of Hosting, the leading provider of tourism consulting and engineering services in Slovenia and the Balkans.

You put your company on the map by providing highquality consulting services to investors interested in tourist projects. Is that all you do?

No, this is our main focus, but it is not Hosting’s only sphere of activity. We have expanded the range of services we offer to our clients, although consulting and technical engineering services remain the cornerstone of our business.

We advise our clients on the management of tourist projects from the concept stage onwards and we also provide analysis of market conditions and opportunities in different sub sectors of the tourist industry. Four years ago we decided to enter the market as developers and investors in our own right and to start forming consortia of investors for larger projects.

In which countries other than Slovenia has Hosting established a presence?

We have been doing business in Croatia for more than eight years and have also been present in other Western Balkan markets such as Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Soon, we will establish a presence in Macedonia and Albania. However, our ambitions are not focused only on the Western Balkan region, but on Eastern Europe as a whole. Romania and Bulgaria, for instance, are among the most promising areas for investment in Europe at the moment, while in Ukraine and Russia massive investment in tourist infrastructure will be needed to exploit their full tourist potential. As a result we also envisage future expansion into these Eastern European states.

What has prompted you to upgrade your business model?

As our ambition has always been to make our presence felt in the markets of South-Eastern Europe, we have had to persuade international investors we are doing business with to follow us there. We feel that there are many unrealized investment opportunities in these markets and that that was even more the case a few years ago. Unfortunately, these markets are still seen by many international investors as unstable, so we decided that the best way to proceed was to lead by example. As a result we started investing our own capital in projects where we also act as consultants or developers.

As global growth falters, do you expect the tourist industry to suffer?

In times of dearer loans and risk aversion, there is bound to be a fall in investment in tourism, which will again be followed by renewed growth in investment. But a distinction needs to be made between mature and emerging markets.

Take Slovenia for example. It is a very small market where promising investment opportunities have already been exploited. In Eastern and South-Eastern Europe, on the other hand, tourist infrastructure is underdeveloped despite the considerable potential for tourism. We think that in 10 to 20 years time tourism will be one of the most important engines of growth in the region, and our company is well placed to take advantage of that.

In other words, your company acts as a facilitator for foreign direct investment in the tourist industry of the region?

Yes, you could say we act primarily as early-stage developers. Once we have analysed the opportunities for tourist investment in a certain market segment and geographical location, we move on to concept planning and project development, including acquisition of land, fulfilment of the necessary legal requirements and obtaining administrative permits for location development. It is our experience that once this preparatory work is done, investors such as investment and real-estate funds or serious strategic investors are much readier to consider entering the market either by buying into the project or as developers in their own right.

COMPANY NOTES Hosting, d.o.o.

Metelkova 7 1000 Ljubljana Tel.: +386 (0)1 234 97 40 Mobile: +386 (0)41 311 386 Fax: +386 (0)1 234 97 50 info@hosting.si www.hosting.si

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TOURISM TOURISM Slovenia and its Secrets

Paradise in the Middle of Europe Rich in natural and cultural heritage and consistently peaceful, Slovenia offers a wide variety of landscapes tourists on no more than 20,273 km² (7,827 sq mi): Alpine in the northwest, Mediterranean in the southwest, Pannonian in the northeast and Dinaric in the southeast. No longer undiscovered, Slovenia remains a wonderful antidote to much of Europe’s crowds and high prices.

Lively Ljubljana Ljubljana with about 276,000 inhabitants suits everyone from its inhabitants to its numerous visitors. Despite being a mid-sized city, it maintains the friendliness of a small town and at the same time possesses many of the characteristics of a metropolis. Here, at the meeting point of the cultures of

the east and the west, the old harmoniously interacts with the new.

In Ljubljana, the remainders of five millennia of its history are preserved; among these is the legacy of the Roman town of Emona and the Old Town with its medieval castle, Renaissance and Baroque facades, ornamented portals and uneven roofs. The mosaic is complemented with the bridges over the Ljubljanica River and the vast Tivoli Park, which stretches into the very centre of the city.

The present image of Ljubljana is produced mainly by the Italian Baroque, and partly by two hundred year earlier Secession period, which is reflected in the style of numerous buildings erected immediately after the earthquake in 1895.

In the first half of the 20th century, the famous architect Jože Plečnik placed a strongly personal image on his native city while also taking European standards into consideration.

Ljubljana is a city of culture, home of many theatres, museums and galleries; it also boasts one of the oldest philharmonic academies in the world. More than In Ljubljana, the remainders 10,000 cultural events of five millennia of its history take place in the Slovene are preserved; among these is capital: top quality the legacy of the Roman town of musical, theatre and fine Emona and the Old Town with arts performers as well as alternative and avant- its medieval castle, Renaissance garde performers, which and Baroque facades, ornamented can be discovered in 14 portals and uneven roofs. international festivals.

Famous artists from all over the world visit Ljubljana because of its creative spirit, scientists because of its university and institutes with international reputations, business executives because of numerous business meetings and fairs and international experts because of conferences; to summarise: Ljubljana is a city that people often travel to on business and they come again because of the pleasant memories of their previous visit.

Sunny Alps Ljubljana’s town hall with Robba’s fountain, a Baroque masterpiece

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The main tourist attractions of northwestern Slovenia are concentrated on tourist towns: Bled, Kranjska Gora, Bohinj

Mysterious Karst

Lake Bled, in the heart of Julian Alps

and Bovec in the Soča Valley. Most of the area is within the Triglav National Park, which covers 83,807 hectares and is one of the largest natural parks in Europe. The park lies near high stony mountains including the highest mountain of Slovenia, Mount Triglav (2864 m), and deep river gorges, highland karst potholes and pleasant highlands. In the park, many endemic plants and animal species live, including mountain goats, mountain sheep, wild roosters, grouse, eagles and marmots.

The renowned Bled with its lake and the island with a church from the 17th century (and the bell of wishes) is situated at the edge of the park; above it stands a medieval castle. Bled, which celebrate its 1000th anniversary in 2004, is considered a true tourist paradise with its thermal springs and other natural attractions, numerous recreational possibilities, its conference hall, casino and golf curse. The best rowers of the world compete at Bled.

Bohinj is the starting point for numerous mountain hikes, Lake Bohinj and Bohinjska Bistrica are a paradise for lovers of water sports (kayaking, canoeing, rafting, hydro speeding, swimming) and fishermen. In its surroundings, there are ski slopes and trails for cross-country skiing as well as facilities for mountain biking, paragliding, sport climbers, horseback riders, tennis and mini golf players. In Bohinjska Bistrica, a new water park was recently built.

Kranjska Gora, a famous tourist destination, attracts visitors with outdoor sports (hiking, mountaineering, cycling, horsemanship, paragliding, fishing etc.) in the summer, and in winter with excellent slopes for winter sports and other joys of the winter such as dog sledding, night sledding from Vršič, roaming across the landscape by snowmobile. In Kranjska Gora, there are also World Cup competitions in Alpine skiing. In the nearby Planica, in the shelter of two thousand metre high mountains, the best ski jumpers in the world compete every year. We have seen the competitors surpass 100 and 200 metres in Planica.

The valley of the emerald Soča River attracts those who search for peace as well as lovers of adrenaline. Around the three most popular towns, Bovec, Kobarid and Tolmin, there are many opportunities for water sports, from kayaking to canoeing and rafting, as Triglav National Park, which well as for fishing, cycling covers 83,807 hectares and is one of and mountaineering. the largest natural parks in Europe. From the valley, you can reach Kanin, the highest Slovene ski centre, which is only an hour’s drive from the coast and where it is possible to ski almost until summer.

Along the Idrijca River, you can come to Cerkno and Idrija. This is the home of a famous lace-making tradition, Idrija’s mercury mine and the Gewerkenegg Castle. That area also has reminders of many terrible battles from the

It is “the fault” of limestone and water that the Karst has two faces – one above and one under its surface. At the surface, they create the diverse karst phenomena such as karst sinkholes, springs, lakes, windows and poljes (Planinsko, Cerkniško polje), while under the surface there are numerous potholes and karst caves rich with It is said that the Slovene Karst stalactites. It is said that is the most beautiful part of our the Slovene Karst is planet’s underground world. the most beautiful part of our planet’s underground world. In Slovenia, there are more than one thousand karst caves and potholes. Twenty limestone masterpieces created by karst waters are opened for tourists. Among the most popular are the Postojna Cave, the Škocjan Caves, Pivka and Črna jama Cave, Križna jama Cave, and Vilenica. Beside The Postojna Cave, which is the most visited cave in Europe, the most famous are the Škocjan Caves, situated at the heart of the Rakov Škocjan Regional Park. In 1986, they were included in UNESCO’s list of World Natural and Cultural Heritage sites.

Many people don’t know that the noble Lipizzaner horses originated in Slovenia. Their birthplace is in karst town of Lipica where these noble horses have been bred for more than four centuries. Lipica is today a tourist recreational

The underworld of Postojna cave

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First World War. They are presented in the award winning Kobarid museum. In the upper part of the valley are the picturesque Trenta and the famous Julijana alpine botanical garden.

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Lipizzaners, the world’s most famous horses

centre with a Classical Riding School and international sports riding events.

The secluded karst landscape with its remote villages of stone houses offers a true culinary experience. Excellent wines, especially the red Teran, and pršut (smoked ham), cured in the burja wind are specialities of the Slovene Karst.

Mediterranean The Slovene coast, which measures 46.6 kilometres, is covered with abundant vegetation. The most popular coastal resort, Portorož, boasts the longest tourist tradition in Slovenia and offers comfortable hotels and modern swimming pools, restaurants, casinos and various events.

It is an internationally known holiday centre and climatic health seaside resort as well a popular conference centre.

With its own sport airport and marina, it is a very popular starting point for the voyages to the Adriatic Sea.

In contrast, the other coastal towns, Piran, Izola and Koper, attract visitors with their medieval looks, which can easily carry you centuries ago.

In Strunjan, there is natural reserve with a rich supply of marl and sandstone and a unique cliff which ascends 80 metres above the sea; it is the highest flysch wall on the Adriatic coast.

The most spectacular are the Sečovlje Salinas, first mentioned in the 13th century. Due to their extremely abundant natural and historical heritage, they were named a regional park and are a rich sanctuary of plant and animal worlds. About 200 bird species have been seen at the salt beds and they provide a natural habitat for about 80 bird species, which nest there.

Green Pohorje The Pohorje mountain range is a green oasis at the eastern end of the Alps. The Maribor Pohorje range covers an area of about 1,000 square km and is covered with coniferous forests. In the Since 1964, Pohorje’s Snow winter, several ski centres operate in Pohorje (Areh, Stadium annually hosts the Golden Rogla, and Kope). Since Fox awards, a competition for the 1964, Pohorje’s Snow World Cup in Alpine skiing for Stadium annually hosts women. the Golden Fox awards, a competition for the World Cup in Alpine skiing for women. Other areas of Pohorje offer widespread mountain trails for hikers and lovers of cycling and horseback riding.

In addition, Pohorje is also a real paradise for parachuting

Piran, Slovenia’s idyllic seaside getaway

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Medieval Towns Relative to its size and population, compared with other European cities and towns, Slovenia’s are not among the

TOURISM TOURISM

enthusiasts, hang-gliders, ballooners and those who enjoy discovering its primeval forest and pure waters.

Maribor, with a little less than 115,000 inhabitants, lies in the foothills of Pohorje. It is considered the second most important centre of Slovenia. It boasts the oldest vine in the world, which has been growing by the Drava River for more than four centuries. Bearing witness to the flourishing town’s history is the rich architecture of previous centuries, which is reflected in the facades of the houses. Contrary to its stormy history, the old town centre is well preserved with visible remains of the defence wall.

Mariborians are renowned as being good organizers and hosts. The international multicultural Festival Lent, the Borštnik gathering which is the culmination of Slovene theatrical creativity and events within the frame of The Embrace of the Old Vine, the Rafter’s Christening, and along with skiing and a number of other top sports competitions are all excellent opportunities for different kinds of experiences in Maribor.

Extensive vineyards, which rise from the edge of the town over the hills of Maribor, are entwined with more than 50 kilometres of wine roads, which begin their way up the hills right from the town’s streets. Visitors can taste selected wines in numerous wine cellars near the wine trail or in the town’s cellar, which is one of the largest and oldest classical wine cellars in Europe.

A lake on Pohorje massif

largest, so do not look here for Eiffel Towers and Roman Coliseums. Instead, their very smallness is their advantage: you can get to know them and enjoy every site to the full.

Their inhabitants will become your friends, their events a part of your annual schedule, and their surroundings only an extension of the pleasures they offer.

At a first glance, the history of Slovenian towns appears much the same: it reaches back long millennia and record invasions, natural disasters and periods of decline and flourishing. The majority of them grew along the banks of rivers and streams into pleasant centres where the spirit of the Middle Ages merges with the pulse of the modern.

However, with their vivid history, monuments, churches, museums and restaurants with delicious food and drink, Slovenian town are as diverse as possible. Many of them are also the venues of numerous events, from minor festivities only found on the local calendar to traditional worldrenowned events, which give visitors special unforgettable memories.

Source: Slovenian Tourist Board, www.slovenia.info

Medieval town of Škofja Loka

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Slovenian Tourist Board

Steady Growth in Slovenian Tourism: a Long-Term Trend For the past two years, the major national tourist organization responsible for the promotion of Slovenian tourism, the Slovenian Tourist Board, has been chaired by Dimitrij Piciga, MsC. The tourist industry has been recording excellent growth rates, testifying to the fact that the Board’s strategy is bearing fruit.

What is the current state of Slovenian tourism?

I believe that the results of the previous tourist season - a record-breaking 8percent increase in the number of visits, a 7 percent increase in the number of overnight stays and a 20% percent growth in revenue from tourism compared to the previous year - speak for themselves. We achieved the same results in the 1st quarter of 2008 as we did last year, so this year also promises to be a good one. Furthermore, the other indicator of the state of Slovenian tourism is the Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Index, according to which Slovenia has improved its position from 44th to 36th place this year.

Which tourism related projects are you especially proud of?

Without doubt, it is the partnerships with the tourist enterprises in our marketing campaigns. We shifted our efforts towards smaller projects. As a matter of fact, we no longer undertake large marketing campaigns if tourist firms do not wish to cooperate with us.

In our recent campaign in the National Geographic Traveller Magazine, for example, one fifth of the campaign was sponsored by our partner enterprises; at the same time, our partners already cover 20 percent of the cost of our campaigns in Germany, Austria and Italy.

If we can’t persuade our tourist enterprises to participate in a project, then that must be an indication that the project is not a good one.

Over the first half of the year, worldwide attention was focused on Slovenia – the first new Member State to preside over the EU. Have we benefited from this?

In my opinion, Slovenia benefited much more than the majority of presiding states thus far. The fact is that Slovenia was the first country that had to deal with the issue of its own recognition during its presidency.

Bled, for example, saw fewer tourist visits in the first four months, but average returns from tourism grew by 35 percent. The real benefit of the Slovenian presidency cannot be measured in tourist visits and overnight stays but by the money flowing not only into the tourist sector but also into other branches of the economy. What is more, during the first half of the year our recognition also increased. The 94

concept of our EU Roadshow, which we performed across Europe, was very successful. It is also a fact that we got the first charter flights from Japan, announced for this summer, solely because of our EU presidency. So we are finally making progress as far as transoceanic markets are concerned.

New and more remote foreign markets are on their way.

Foreign transoceanic markets, among which we also classify Russia, account for 7-8 percent of Slovenian incoming tourism.

This percentage will double in the next 10 years. Visits of nonEuropeans to Europe will increase tremendously, especially in the region between Venice – Vienna – Dubrovnik. How big a part of this cake Slovenia can cut for itself is entirely up to us.

The strongest growth in the short- and medium-term can be expected from the Scandinavian, Russian and Ukrainian markets as well as from the Benelux states.

We also have some markets that are doing well without any effort at all. Those are the countries of former Yugoslavia, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland and Hungary.

Is the marketing strategy for promoting tourism likely to remain the same or can we expect any changes?

We are preparing for trials of a new marketing strategy in Austria and Germany: Taste Slovenia. After the introduction of the euro, the fall of Schengen and the EU presidency, it is time to “have a makeover”. Following three events of such importance, we can’t continue our marketing activities in the same manner and with the same story. If, in the course of the last 16 years, Slovenia completed secondary school, it is now time to enter university.

COMPANY NOTES Slovenian Tourist Board Dunajska cesta 156 1000 Ljubljana Tel.: +386 (0)1 589 18 40 Fax: +386 (0)1 589 18 41 info@slovenia.info www.slovenia.info

TOURISM TOURISM Grand Hotel Bernardin

Heaven at the Top of the Adriatic The story of St. Bernardin goes back to 1450 when Bernardino of Siena, then one of Italian city-states, was proclaimed a saint. Only two years later, monks from Piran, today a town on the Slovenian coast, began to build their monastery and church on an open and pleasant spot, right on the hill overlooking the bay. Although not as modest as the monks’ cells, rooms in our hotels offer similarly spectacular views and hospitality, unrivalled anywhere on the Slovenian coast.

In 1976 Hotel Histrion and Vile Park were built, followed a year later by Grand Hotel Bernardin, becoming a kind of link between the picturesque mediaeval Piran and the wellknown seaside resort of Portorož.

St. Bernardin Resort and Convention Centre consists of 736 rooms in three hotels, 1353 beds, 16 congress halls with seating capacity for 2600 participants, 1500 parking spaces, a number of outdoor and indoor swimming pools, tennis courts and a marina with 40 private berths, two private beaches, 6 restaurants, cafés and bars, a wellness and beauty centre as well as a shopping street.

Today Bernardin is one of the most important Slovenian resorts, hosting numerous high-level important events. It is also the biggest Slovenian hotel congress centre. Its team of 300 employees has long-standing experience and training so as not to be overwhelmed by visits from the world’s most important statesmen, presidents, celebrities or royalty.

In 2007 Bernardin hosted 250 events (36 of them international) with 36,000 participants. Not a year has passed without a visit from a head of state or government, ministers and their guests, among them artists, stars, scientists, athletes, economists and experts from all fields and all corners of the world.

Matjaž Žnidaršič, a member of the marketing is the man behind much of the hotel’s rise to prominence within the 96

European events market. “Traditionally, Italy and Germany have been the biggest foreign markets for us, but since the start of our European marketing campaign we have been very encouraged by the results. We have proven that Portorož is a great destination with good infrastructure, utmost dedication to the success of our clients’ meetings and also amazing value for money.”

Casino Bernardin, the brand new entertainment and gaming centre within the St. Bernardin complex, brings you excitement day and night all year around. The range of services is amazing. There are games on 200 premium slot machines as well as electronic roulette, great cabarets, and music and dance. There is also a restaurant and cocktail bar in which one can relax over delicious food and drinks in the company of friends.

In Grand Hotel Bernardin the new Paradise Spa centre was opened in May, offering a wide variety of special massage techniques (traditional Thai, Rattanakosim, Asian and Swedish) along with facilities such as fitness centre, solarium, sauna, thalassotherapy, a special care programme and a swimming-pool overlooking the bay of Portorož.

Why choose our resort • all services in one place (rooms, equipment, guest rooms, restaurants, spor and recreational facilities etc.); • conference logistics and organization; • modern design and functionally built convention centre; • unique location and surroundings; • resort for business and vacation “incentive” tourism.

TOURISM TOURISM Cruising

Life on High Seas More that decade after the idea was first proposed, the dream of developing a terminal for cruise liners in Luka Koper has become a reality and the town is now ready for its second year of welcoming the passengers from all over the world.

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As Slovenia’s largest multi-purpose port, specializing in cargo handling and warehousing, Koper has a very rich maritime tradition and is the only port in the country where large ships can dock. Its favourable position at the northern end of the Adriatic Sea, only 60 miles from Venice and a 40-minute bus ride to Trieste airport, makes Koper an attractive destination for cruise liners.

Passenger terminal The first step towards realizing the concept of having a major passenger terminal in Koper was taken in December 2003, when a consortium was formed by the port’s management authority, Luka Koper, the municipality of Koper, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia and Istrabenz. According to Tatjana Jazbec of Luka Koper, the construction of the new terminal began immediately following the opening of the Koper bypass on 21st July 2006. Apart from the renovation of the main terminal building, all the essential infrastructure is now in place and the terminal is capable of receiving two large liners at once.

Toward luxury cruising tourism During its first full year of operations, Luka Koper’s passenger terminal opened up many new and exciting opportunities for the cruising industry; and with 60 arrivals expected this year, the local tourism industry is gearing up for an influx of more affluent passengers.

This year’s cruising season got under way on 4th April and 16 ships have already docked at the passenger terminal.

While some are docking just to evaluate the facility and the destination, most have already incorporated the port into their itineraries and will make regular visits throughout the season. Besides, this year Koper will host some very prestigious cruise liners like Seabourn Pride, the Azamara Journey and the Seven Seas Voyager, all regarded as highly luxurious liners, which cruise the Mediterranean and the Adriatic and are expected to bring around 20,000 generally affluent passengers to Koper throughout the season.

While there will be fewer passengers than last year, the arrival of this new category of tourist, most of whom originate from France, Spain, Germany and USA, is more than welcome. According to local excursion agents, the interest in day trips to Lipica, Postojna Caves and Ljubljana as well as for tours around Koper and the nearby towns has increased markedly and most passengers tend to prefer to tour in smaller groups or as individuals.

While local businesses have adapted quickly to the tourism boon, the passenger terminal itself is far from presentable.

“We are currently in the process of obtaining building permits for a new terminal building. Construction will probably start at the beginning of autumn, but unfortunately it is unlikely to have been finished before the start of next season,” said Bojan Babič, the Chief of the Koper Passenger Terminal. The sooner this is finished, the better, as more than 100 arrivals are scheduled for next season and shipping companies are not going to be overly happy docking their luxury liners alongside a noisy and dirty building site.

Award-winning Project The new tourism branch has already shown the positive results. In fact, the entire project of the construction of passenger terminal has been even announced for the

most innovative and creative tourism project of the year 2007. Amongst 14 finalists, the Consortium of the Koper Passenger Terminal has been awarded with the award of the Slovenian Tourist Board (STB) for the most promising tourism services providers.

“This award is a proof that we are developing the right tourism product, which can contribute to tourism development, not only in the Istrian region but in Slovenia as a whole,” Babič said.

Because the number of cruisers in Mediterranean and Adriatic Sea is growing above all limits, all the big ports can no longer fulfil the requests for docking. This is a great opportunity for Koper port to develop maritime passenger traffic and attract cruise ships. “I’m sure that in a couple of years, when the passenger terminal will be finished, we will be able to compete with all the biggest ports in the northern Adriatic Sea. After all, we are already the main cargo port for Austria, Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic, as well as for Bavaria. There is no reason for not being successful as a passenger port as well,” concluded Babič.

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TOURISM TOURISM Meetings Industry

A Trio on a Stage Slovenia offers a variety of different venues for all kinds of events, ranging in size from small seminars to major international conferences. A quick review of the services offered shows that the Slovenian meetings industry is dominated by three conference destinations with unique specialties. gave the industry the opportunity to capitalize on its latent potential and significant investments in conference facilities rapidly followed. This was not restricted to refurbishing existing hotels; several new purpose-built convention centres suiting corporate clients, who prefer their venues to have auditoriums and accommodation in the same complex, have began to appear.

A cosy conference town

A conference destination is an easily accessible and safe place that offers a state-of-the-art and versatile venue for a variety of meetings and a wide selection of accommodation (mostly in the three- to five-star range), a cultural experience, varied cuisine, easy access (both local and international), experienced conference organizers and destination management companies (DMCs), special event venues, interesting shopping opportunities and good entertainment, all offering a good value for money. Among all towns that fulfil these criteria, the most impotrant are Ljubljana, Bled and Portorož: the three main pioneers of Slovenian conference tourism. All three were important conference centres as early as in the in the 1970s and 80s in former Yugoslavia. Next Ljubljana, Bled and Portorož: the to Belgrade, Zagreb and three main pioneers of Slovenian Dubrovnik, they hosted conference tourism. some of the largest regional, European and even global conferences. However, the ten-day war of independence and the ensuing regional instability dealt a near fatal blow to their aspirations of building on their existing reputations.

However, the picture has changed dramatically over the last ten years. The privatization of most of the major hotels 100

Ljubljana, the nation’s capital, is a very pleasant town: one that feels very cosy. Everything is within reach, orientation is easy, the atmosphere is fantastic and there are plenty of pleasant leisure spots and activities.

With many more direct links between Ljubljana’s international airport and major cities across Europe as well as the arrival of low-cost airlines carriers, Ljubljana has become a far easier place to access and, therefore, more interesting for conference organizers, said Tatjana Radovič, congress manager at the Ljubljana Tourist Board.

She further explained, “Our smallness, which is often seen as a burden, can be, on the contrary, seen as an adventure for our congress image, because we can offer so many supplementary activities within a very short distance. If, for example, the main event is organized in Ljubljana, we can add value to it by incorporating a completely different environment, such as Postojna Caves, into its social or incentive aspects.”

Of course, being located in the centre of Europe makes Ljubljana an ideal destination for those wanting to travel around Europe; especially those overseas participants, who can, for example, be in Venice in just two and a half hours by car.

Ljubljana may have taken some strides forward recently, but this is certainly not the time to become complacent. For a destination to be truly competitive on the international meeting market, it is essential that it offer a wide array of accommodation options from three to five stars. Although Ljubljana has a relatively good choice of four- and five-star hotels, there is a need for more three-star hotels close to the town centre. This standard of accommodation does not just appeal to younger travellers but also to event organizers, especially those from less-developed economies for whom the price is an important consideration. While only two new hotels have been built recently, there are more in on the way.

With its immense natural beauty, Bled, together with its surroundings, ranks among the most beautiful Alpine resorts. Besides its idyllic lake with an island and a small church on it and its mysterious medieval cliff-top castle, Bled is also renowned for its mild, healing climate and thermal lake water. The beauty of the mountains reflecting on the lake, the sun and the fresh air awaken pleasant feelings in visitors throughout the whole year.

The services and facilities of Bled’s meetings industry meet the highest standards. “In the 1990s, the majority of hotels chose the field of meetings as their main sphere of activity. Therefore, we have quite appropriate infrastructure for all kind of events. Almost all hotels have been renovated recently, and thus we can When the local road infrastructure host conferences and will be completely rebuilt, Bled congresses at the highest will become the most accessible level,” said Boris Ljubič conference destination in Slovenia. from Albatros Bled, the leading Slovenian Professional Congress Organizer (PCO). “The most appropriate are events with around 150 to 200 guests.

If their number is higher, we have some problems, not with the professional part of the event realization or the capacities of hotels and conference halls, because the largest Festivalna dvorana Bled (The Bled Convention Centre) can accommodate 500 guests, but with the supplementary venues for receptions, dinners and banquets. I’m not saying that we are not capable of organizing bigger events, only that a lot of extra time, work and coordination is required,” emphasised Ljubič.

Since 70 percent of all Bled’s hotel and conference capacities are owned by Sava Hoteli Bled (Sava Hotels & Resorts), coordination in a case of larger events is much easier. However, changes of different venues during the event can be sometimes be required.

Bled is not unique only for its lake with an island, vivid scenery and well-developed tourism services, but is also special because of its location. Its proximity to the largest Slovenian airport, Letališče Jožeta Pučnika Ljubljana, is a great advantage. In fact, when the local road infrastructure will be completely rebuilt, Bled will become the most easily accessible conference destination in Slovenia. It will take only 15 minutes to arrive from Ljubljana’s airport by car. Furthermore, after the Schengen Agreement opened the borders between Slovenia and Austria in December 2007, the arrival time for EU citizens coming to Bled from the airport in Klagenfurt, Austria was reduced to a minimum.

Bled’s hotel services could be enriched by some new, smaller hotels in the near future. According to Ljubič, this would solve the problem which is occurring during the summer season, when Bled hosts conferences and tourists at the same time. Especially critical are June and September, when the lack of open accommodations is the greatest.

organizing, literally, events with a sea view,” explained Ivan Silič, the director of the Tourist Board Portorož.

Furthermore, he added, “Our three main hotels that offer conference facilities have everything needed for the organization of a large international conference under one roof.” Consequently, Portorož is known for conferences and congresses of a larger size, from around 1,200 up to nearly 1,500 participants.

The only problem that can occur in Portorož is the lack of vacant beds. “The gap between the conference season and the high tourism summer season is vanishing. So, if we have a big international conference in the middle of the summer, it can happen that we can’t get enough vacant beds, even though Portorož has more than 5,000 rooms, 4,000 of which are in four- and five-star hotels,” explained Silič.

Although Portorož has its own, small international airport, which is unfortunately used only by private and sport airplanes, the remoteness from the international airports is quite a disadvantage for Portorož’s conference tourism. Supplementary tourism services, especially on the field of festive dining, entertainment, tourism arrangements, and excursions are relatively underdeveloped.

Although Portorož is already a highly developed conference destination, many new projects are waiting to be realised. The most impatiently expected is the inauguration of the renovated old Hotel Palace, a luxury five-star hotel with the longest tradition in Portorož. Furthermore, new capacity in the range of three-star accommodation is expected, which will improve the situation in the segment of families with children and young people and reduce the lack of accommodations at the same time. A rare and unique opportunity for Portorož’s conference tourism is also the project of a spa centre in the Sečovlje salt-flats, which is a unique aspect of Portorož’s tourism.

Although the Slovenian meetings industry is dominated by tree main conference destinations, some new ones are on the way: the second-largest Slovenian city of Maribor, gambling in Nova Gorica, many conference facilities are also housed in spa centres.

Conferences with the view of the sea Sea, wind, salt, Mediterranean scents, roses, evergreen plants, relaxation, entertainment, nightlife and casinos are the things that fascinate even the most sophisticated guests.

Moreover, a sea view is definitely something that makes a conference or congress a great success.

Portorož offers some of the best facilities for all kinds of events. “What makes us special is our location. We are 101

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A jewel beneath the Alps

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Interview

Variety on the Slovenian Stage

Within its small territory, Slovenia offers a variety of different venues for all kinds of events, ranging in size from small seminars to major international conferences.

We spoke with Miha Kovačič, the director of The Slovenian Convention Bureau, about the state of Slovenian meetings industry and its latest innovations.

What is your estimation of the state of meetings industry in Slovenia?

The Slovenian meetings industry is continuing to develop.The infrastructure has been renovated throughout the country. We have numerous new acquisitions and Professional Conference Organizers (PCOs). The media are widely reporting on new investments in conference facilities. Furthermore, the role of the Slovenian Convention Bureau as a professional agent among event organizers, service companies and other event organizers is becoming more and more important. After all, we already have 60 members, among them convention centres and hotels, PCOs, expert business tourism agencies (DMCs), Zavod za turizem Ljubljana (the Ljubljana Tourist Board) and others. An important step toward the recognition of meetings industry was taken by our government, which granted us a status of operation in the public interest. Moreover, we have signed a contract about closer cooperation between us.

Just recently, at the spring meeting of our members, we gave our members standards for the meetings industry. With standardization, we have made our services more quantifiable and identified who is who on the Slovenian meetings market.

What are you competitive advantages and disadvantages in comparison to other countries in the region?

Slovenia has various competitive advantages, but also disadvantages, unfortunately. Our competitive advantages include the diverse range of services and facilities for event organizing on a very small area, good and short travel connection within the country, the cleanliness of our country, varied food services, friendly people and good value for the money.

Among disadvantages, I would mention insufficient connections at the local level, too little governmental support and limited marketing activities.

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Our region is highly asymmetrically developed in terms of the meeting industry. Austria, for example, is one of the world’s most successful meetings destinations while Italy and Hungary also rank very high.

What is your estimation of your congress capacities?

“Highly Professional” in our opinion. However, if we make a comparison with Zagreb, for instance, we come to an interesting conclusion. Ljubljana has two convention centres and insufficient hotel capacity in the proper category.

Meanwhile, Zagreb doesn’t have enough convention centres but enough hotel capacity. It is reasonable to have the proper proportion of conference halls and hotel room in a destination; otherwise, the occupancy rate won’t be sufficient.

When is the high season for congresses and conventions?

The peak season for congresses is in May, June, September and October. We can say that congress tourism and general tourism supplement each other very well, because when there are the fewer tourists in our destination, the participants of different events arrive.

Can you name some larger investments in the field of congress tourism that are presently in progress or are expected in the near future?

We don’t have any formal information, only that which we get from our members. Anyway, the largest amount of money will be invested into the renovation of Old Palace Hotel in Portorož. Just as it is renovated ,the largest Slovenian congress hall, the Bled Festival Hall and Convention and Gospodrasko razstavišče (Ljubljana Exhibition and Convention Centre), which will enlarge the number of their halls for small meetings. Furthermore, Hotel Slon Western Premier will be renovated next year. We can also expect some new hotels with congress capacities in our capital but we don’t have detailed information about that at our disposal.

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The Brdo Estate

First Class Facility for EU Presidency The focal point of events during Slovenia’s six-month stint as the presiding country of the EU was the beautiful and historic estate of Brdo. Located close to Ljubljana airport and barely a 30-minute drive from the centre of the capital, the estate has been carefully renovated and enhanced by the addition of a new, purpose-built congress centre that offers the latest technology as well as the highest levels of comfort.

The renaissance castle with its 500-hectare estate is rich in history and dates back to the very beginnings of the 16th century. It was built by Jurij Egkh, a Habsburg nobleman and administrator of the Duchy of Carniola, and has changed hands on more than a few occasions during its existence. Its most prominent landlords included the Zois family, a famous aristocratic family of the 18th and 19th century and well known patrons of the arts and sciences, Pavel Karadjordjević, a member of the royal dynasty ruling pre-World War II Yugoslavia and himself regent, and Josip Broz Tito, leader of socialist Yugoslavia until his death in 1980. In 1975, a hotel was built on the grounds of the estate and the castle was renovated, effectively turning the estate into a high-end tourist resort as well as a venue for state functions. Nowadays it offers wellness and conference facilities, horse riding, excellent restaurants, fishing, a golf driving range and an opportunity for scenic walks. The vast park with woods, marshes and eleven ponds is home to more than 1,000 different plant and animal species, of which 70 are protected.

Since Slovenia gained independence, Brdo has became the pre-eminent venue for state functions, receiving foreign dignitaries and/or delegations and staging highlevel conferences and summits. Throughout its rich history, the corridors and dining halls of the castle as well as the surrounding park have played host to almost every royal family, the American It was here, for example, that presidents Bill Clinton George W. Bush first met Vladimir and George W. Bush, Putin and “ looked into his soul.” the Russian president Vladimir Putin, Pope John Paul II and many other leaders and dignitaries from around the world. According to Iztok Purič, the head of the State Protocol Services of the Republic of Slovenia (SPSRS), which manages the complex, no other location in Slovenia has as much experience in hosting high-level events as Brdo does.

It was here, for example, that George W. Bush first met Vladimir Putin and “looked into his soul”. Even though that vision has become increasingly blurred through the years

Brdo Estate, the scene of many a diplomatic meeting

and the two have grown progressively apart, the memory of that warm, June weekend of 2001 that put Slovenia on the global diplomatic map persists.

Mission: EU presidency Brdo will host the majority of the 160 plus meetings that have been scheduled to take place in Slovenia during the first six months of 2008. All twelve ministerial meetings will be held at the complex as well as around 120 lowerlevel events. Additionally, Brdo will also be the venue for the EU-US summit, which is scheduled for 10th June 2008.

Other meetings will be held in Ljubljana, Maribor, the seaside resort of Portorož, the renowned tourist centre of Bled and two spa centres – Čatež and Podčetrtek.

Despite the grumbling from other areas of Slovenia, most notably from the capital, the government’s decision to stage all the major events under one roof was both logical and pragmatic. It has allowed most of the 103

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technical and logistical support activities to be focused on Brdo and minimized disruption to urban areas. Its central geographical position has also given delegates the opportunity to maximise their free time while visiting different regions of Slovenia.

New additions The 9,000-m², 3-storey Brdo complex is the nation’s most up-to-date congress centre and cost around EUR 15.5 million, or roughly EUR 1,700 per square metre, to complete. Designed by the young, award-winning architects Matija Bevk and Vasa Perović, the predominately glass building is bright, airy and minimalist in concept.

Bordered by flagstaffs bearing the colours of every EU member state, the forecourt is just a short walk from the newly constructed The 9,000-m², 3-storey Brdo heliport and is large complex is the nation’s most up- enough to comfortably to-date congress centre and cost hold a full military guard of honour. around EUR 15.5 million, or The centre’s foyer is not roughly EUR 1,700 per square only highly impressive, metre, to complete. it also functional and welcoming and incorporates a day bar, an information kiosk and easy access to a fully-equipped, 200-seat press conference centre complete with translation booths and an area for photo sessions.

Yet it is the 560-m² main hall – the Grandis, that forms the heart of the congress centre. While it can accommodate up to 550 people in comfort, depending on requirements, has 12 translation booths, a technical support area and can be easily reconfigured through movable partition walls, it is its design that incorporates a sense of space and a connection with its surroundings that sets the hall apart and makes it so memorable.

There are two other large halls on the ground floor: the Glass Hall lies adjacent to the Grandis and is geared to the needs of working parties and medium-sized groups; and the Splendens, which is the western end of the floor. It can accommodate up to 230 guests and can also be reconfigured to form two, three or even four smaller halls.

The first floor of the complex has been designed to accommodate the secretariats of the EU member states for the duration of the presidency. Given the number of EU members and possible new enlargement rounds, the building’s designers concluded that the building was too small to give all the The first floor of the complex has delegations fixed offices. been designed to accommodate the They consequently opted secretariats of the EU member for an open-plan solution with a small number of states for the duration of the offices set aside for the presidency. Slovenian delegates and some EU institutions.

The bulk of the floor is populated with fully-equipped, 2person workstations and the occasional small, glass-walled meeting room The basement of the building hosts most of the centre’s support and administrative functions such as the security, emergency and maintenance services as well as the kitchen.

There is also another multi-purpose hall that can configured as a banquet hall, a large dining room or a conference venue and can accommodate 230 people. Called Heros, it is named 104

after one of the fifteen types of dragonfly that can be found Brdo, as many of the halls in the centre are.

However, not all the work centred on the new building; other buildings in the Brdo complex have also been renovated and upgraded. The former swimming pool is now a state-of-the-art press centre capable of supporting almost 200 journalists. Next door, the old orangery has been refurbished and turned into a terraced café that serves the members of the press.

Upgrading the estate to serve the needs of the EU presidency was an enormous task according to Mr Purič. A raft of challenges had to be met and overcome in a relatively short time frame and it was the first time that a purposebuilt congress centre had ever been erected in Slovenia.

Investment for the future The EU presidency has been a significant challenge for the SPSRS, especially as the institution is also managing activities at four other locations in Slovenia. On busy days, up to 180 of its staff have been on duty at Brdo and, to date, they have served more than 30,000 meals, all of which were prepared overnight. Their success, coupled with the superb facilities and infrastructure of the Brdo congress centre, almost certainly guarantees that the complex will to continue to host high-level events well after the baton of On busy days, up to 180 of its staff the EU presidency has have been on duty at Brdo and, to been passed on. “SPSRS date, they have served more than can be grateful that past deficiencies have been 30,000 meals, all of which were done away with and that prepared overnight. we have great potential for the future. For me, the greatest achievement is that all the new acquisitions have been incorporated without damage to the environment and that we have given new content and long-term functionality to all the buildings, some of which had fallen into disuse. We will be able to put everything to good use in the future. The new conference centre gives us the opportunity to organise events with up to 1,000 guests, which is quite a substantial number even in international terms,” Mr Purič proudly concludeds.

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Natural Mineral Water

The Town with Not One Heart, but Three The town of Radenci lies on the border of the Pannonian Plain in the north-eastern part of Slovenia, in the picturesque landscape along the Mura River and is the hometown of the renowned Radenska Mineral Water.

In 1833, medical student Karl H. discovered a mineral water wellspring in Radenci, and described his first experience with “bublja” (an old Slovene word for a thermal spring) with the following words: As the carriage was slowly moving through Radenci, in those times called Radein in German, the driver turned back to me and asked, “Can you hear how the ‘bublja’ hisses and burbles today? The witches are getting ready for a ball tonight!” And indeed, I heard a spooky hissing sound, which made me feel a bit uneasy in the mysterious moonlight. Slightly frightened, I asked what this strange water sound was, and the driver replied, “It’s a wellspring, and underneath the witches are boiling dumplings in a huge cauldron; they use them to ruin our crops in the fields. When you hear such burbling and hissing, you know a thunder with hailstones is coming up!“ Upon returning from my holidays, I remembered the driver’s story and decided to check the scary wellspring up close. I saw a wellspring with water held back behind a wooden frame, and the surrounding area looked a bit swampy. It seemed as if the water was literally boiling in the centre of the spring; countless bubbles of all sizes were rising up, hissing, popping and moving the frame. I reckoned it might be a wellspring with mineral water and hurried to get the reagents to determine its substances.

My prediction was right - the water was indeed rich in minerals, and its fierce boiling indicated an abundance of carbonic acid.

It was, in fact, the high-quality mineral water, naturally rich in carbon dioxide that he was after. He named the first spring Radenska slatina (Radenska mineral water) after the Slovene name It’s a wellspring, and underneath for the town of Radenci, the witches are boiling dumplings and started bottling the in a huge cauldron; they use them Radenska mineral water to ruin our crops in the fields. in 1869. Soon afterwards, discussions and articles on the healing properties of mineral water for treating various medical conditions began catching the attention of European doctors. The articles also praised the refreshing taste of Radenska mineral water and - not surprisingly, since the water came from a wine region - people found that it combined very well with fruit juice and tart wine.

Another variation was a version of the mineral water with

extra carbonation, and this drink acquired the moniker “Slatinski sampanjec” (mineral champagne).

Both the excellent taste of Radenska water and a thorough analysis of its composition done in 1871 ranked it among the most renowned mineral waters in Europe; it became the mineral water of choice at the Imperial Court of Vienna and the papal palace in Rome. In 1919, Radenska was recognized as a mineral water with healing properties.

The symbol of three red hearts has been in use since 1936 and the brand name Radenska Tri srca (Radenska Three Hearts) is one of the oldest brand names in Slovenia, now known the world over. In the former Yugoslavia, Radenska became so well known that its name began to be used as a general name for mineral water. From 37,000 bottles a year in 1870, production has risen to a million bottles of water a year.

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A Long and Rich History for a Healthy Future The secret of wellbeing was discovered long ago at Slovenia’s thermal and mineral springs.

Archaeological excavations from the Roman period bear witness to the rich history of thermal baths in Slovenia. Thermal waters in these parts have been documented since 1147 when the first extant written documents were made, whereas the healing properties of Slovene mineral waters were discovered a few centuries later. Nevertheless, they have been appreciated throughout Europe for more than four centuries. They were first discovered by the locals who saw the beneficial effects of many a healing spring as a wonderful opportunity of developing new methods of treatment, and in recent decades many new health resorts have been built at Slovenia’s springs.

Spa tourism is a peculiarity of the European medical tourism that is also the prevailing form of medical tourism in Slovenia, generating over one third of all overnight stays and almost two-thirds of all entries to Slovenian bathing and swimming sites.

Slovene natural health resorts have witnessed a rapid development in the last decade, much faster than the development of other tourist services in Slovenia, due to a number of factors, such as Slovenia gaining independence and the privatisation and changing ownership of companies that followed soon after that. The preservation of health resorts as part of the public health network also played a major role in the development of Slovene spas when, some 25 years ago, they took over rehabilitation programmes from hospitals and clinics.

Slovenia has 87 thermal springs and is, considering its size, comparable to other countries like Hungary, Island and Japan, which have a well developed network of thermal facilities. Most of these thermal springs 106

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in Slovenia are primarily used for spa tourism, and only a minor part is devoted to the exploitation of the geothermal energy. Many health resorts have assumed the commercial term “terme” to stress the importance of offering thermal water treatment (the word “terme” comes from Latin and means “hot water”) and also to make their services sound more attractive by leaving out that unfortunate word “health” to avoid association with the word “sickness”.

Spa tourism utilises the following healing factors: thermal, mineral and thermo mineral water, gasses, the climate, sea water and salt water, peat as well as organic and inorganic mud. The most important are thermal waters of various qualities and temperature (from 32°C to 73°C) and mineral waters such as the well-known Radenska Three Hearts and Donat Mg followed by sea water and brine, organic and inorganic peloids, and finally the Mediterranean, Pannonian, and sub-alpine mountain microclimates – Slovenia’s wealth undoubtedly lies in its diversity.

Slovenian tourism boasts approximately 25 thermal-spa centres have become prominent within the framework of Slovene tourism; 15 members of the Health Resort Association have acquired the status of a natural health resort and have a part of their facilities incorporated into the public health network. The standard offer of health resorts includes physiotherapy, post-surgery treatment,

diets, psychotherapy, medical care and balneo-therapy as well as the basics of spa treatment, which includes drinking or bathing in water with healing properties. The building of thermal pool complexes has been the main characteristic of the development of Slovene health resorts over the past decade, since thermal water areas have more than doubled in that time.

Slovene health resorts (the only collective trademark in Slovene tourism) are under private ownership and see around 40% of foreign guests each year. Part of the public health network with an all-year season which reaches its peak in July and August, Slovene health resorts offer the possibilities of relaxation and recreation, illness- Slovenia has 87 thermal springs prevention programmes, and is, considering its size, programmes of how to comparable to other countries like lead a healthier lifestyle, post-surgery treatment Hungary, Island and Japan, which in the form of standard have a well developed network of health treatment, breath- thermal facilities. taking surroundings and much more. Slovene spas thus offer everything you need in order to restore your health, whether be it in the form of excellent programmes or simply enjoying your stay in the middle of unpolluted nature and unforgettable breathtaking views.

Spa tourism has been recording strong growth in recent years

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BK Studio - Dental Care

A Smile for Life The days of unpleasant feelings and unease related to dentistry are definitely over. Individual advisory services, flawless expert knowledge and world-class technologies have become a must as a result of completely new trends. The BK Studio aesthetic dentistry practice, located in the spa resort of Moravske Toplice, is setting new standards in the field of cosmetic dentistry.

Dentistry concept for “important people” A distinctive feature of the aesthetic dentistry practice is reliable pain and stress prevention. The majority of clients are very familiar with pressure and it would certainly not be a good thing were they to view the experience of dental appointments as additional stress. Pain free treatment is made possible thanks to two types of anaesthesia: local anaesthesia or sedation. Also introduced is a new method of pain free dental caries treatment which is performed using ozone gas.

Dedication to the highest aesthetic and health standards

The first dental practice with a uniquely individual approach to every client has opened in the spa resort of Moravske Toplice, located in the Slovene region of Pomurje. Dentists from Slovenia (Dr. Zoran Trajanovski), Vienna (Dr. Milan Duranik) and Berlin are aiming to satisfy the individual needs of every client. Difficult and complex cases are seen as a personal and professional challenge, and treated by dint of expertise gained at international conferences.

The first-class services of BK Studio are gaining recognition throughout Slovenia and abroad (especially in Italy and Austria). Therefore, the need has arisen to expand these services into commercial and diplomatic centres.

Starting in autumn 2008, the aesthetic dentistry practice will offer its services at a new prestige location in Ljubljana, next to the Chinese Embassy. A similar move is planned for Vienna at the beginning of next year.

Demanding jobs require flawless communication

Individuals performing certain public jobs or having a leading position in a company stand out due to their communication skills. The content of communication is of course important, but the way of communicating it is important too. Many diplomats and heads of companies sometimes forget about keeping their smile healthy and beautiful, since everyday efforts at work combined with stressful and hectic daily schedules make regular visits to the dentist impossible. A demanding tempo of work affects the whole body, including the condition and health of our oral cavity.

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A beautiful and naturally white smile represents not only the achievements of cosmetic dentistry but also an important communication tool. Many famous people are believed to take the utmost care of their health. BK Studio works only with finest quality German full ceramic. What is more, the fabrication of individual tooth restorations (dental veneers, implants, dental bridges) is controlled by computerised technology and preceded by a thorough dental examination, which is always performed by the most experienced specialists.

People in public life quite often have to give impromptu speeches, do photo sessions for the media and appear in important television shows, a world where there exists no room for imperfection. Thus, special attention is given to the fabrication of so-called “temporary restorations”, artificial dental structures (temporary dentures and implants) that are worn by clients, while the final restoration is being fabricated.

Dental implants recently ranked as the most successful, safe and aesthetic products of modern dentistry. BK Studio is one of the few dental practices in Slovenia to fabricate dental implants on a daily basis. And as for the number of inserted implants, it ranks among the top dental practices in Central Europe.

COMPANY NOTES BK Studio, d.o.o.

Kranjčeva ulica 12 9226 Moravske Toplice Tel.: +386 (0)2 526 16 00 Mobile: +386 (0)51 682 623 Fax: +386 (0)8 205 06 11 bkstudio@siol.net www.bkstudio.si

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Gambling

Slovenia –a Gambling Paradise?

The Slovenian gambling industry has grown at a rate far exceeding the overall Slovenian tourism industry in the past decade; it grosses around EUR 350 million yearly and is nowadays also considered one of the larger contributors to tourism receipts in Slovenia, representing 19 percent of total foreign tourist expenditures and 30 percent of their tourism service purchases.

Historically, casino gambling has been a “pariah industry�, stigmatized in most societies. Despite such a status, recent decades have witnessed a vast and rapid worldwide expansion of the casino industry that was fuelled by the liberalization of public values concerning gambling, changes in modes of public governance and the potential of the industry to serve as a powerful tool of regional economic development.

Nowadays, countries are increasingly liberalizing their legislation and adopting various forms of gambling in hope of reaping the economic and developmental benefits that are usually associated with gambling operations. In addition, many tourist destinations are introducing casinos and casino-style gambling in order to boost their attractiveness to tourists.

Slovenian Gambling Style In contrast with its neighbouring countries such as Austria and Italy whose gambling industry reflects the European tradition and remains elitist, their casinos still dominated by traditional table games retaining the air of exclusivity and providing few facilities for the inexperienced gambler, Slovenian casino-entertainment tourism is based on a complete range of casino services, which includes quality hotels, shops, recreational facilities, health services, and cultural events in addition to games of chance. This is based 109

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on the understanding that games of chance are not simply an opportunity to gamble but also provide entertainment and relaxation. Thus, Slovenia can be considered an old world pioneer in adopting the contemporary trend of the so-called American concept of gambling, while acquiring additional cultural and tourist dimensions, which can also be considered a new development in the wider European environment.

Gambling not only represents one of the leading tourist activities in Slovenia, and therefore an important and competitive economic segment, but also boasts a relatively long tradition. As already mentioned, in Slovenia casinos have been developed as an additional service of the existing hotel and guest trade. The first casino opened in 1964 in costal town Portorož and was soon followed by casinos in Bled, Maribor, Nova Gorica, Lipica, Ljubljana, Kranjska Gora, Rogaška Slatina and Otočec. These casinos were situated in tourist resort areas and were oriented exclusively towards wealthy foreign visitors.

Hit and its gambling destination Nova Gorica

In 1984, a new company named Hit, located in the western town of Nova Gorica, right by the Italian border, entered the market with American-style casino services.

Using the strategy of positioning its casinos near the borders and targeting foreign visitors, it soon became a dominant player in the market, presently holding a 70-percent market share.

In just two decades Hit, whose ownership is divided between the state, state funds and local communities, developed into one of the biggest gambling corporations in Europe, operating 11 casinos and 13 hotels in Slovenia as well as in Montenegro. The corporation is organized into nine inter-connected companies, employing almost 3,000

people in Slovenia and abroad. Its flagship destination remains the border town of Nova Gorica, which with two of the largest casinos (Perla and Park) and additional five gambling parlours operating with total annual number of gambling visits of 1.6 million, accounting for half of the county’s casino visits.

Future development potentials As the business models in the casino industry are evolving toward the concept of large, integrated resort-casinos, providing entertainment, sporting, spa, conference and hotel facilities, as well as numerous food, beverage and shopping outlets, where the non-gambling part of the business may represent up to 50 percent or more of the total revenues, Hit started negotiations for the construction of a such mega resort-casino centre in proximity of Nova Gorica with the American Harrah’s Entertainment, one of the worlds largest gaming corporations. Even though the Slovene government showed willingness to support the project by being prepared to reduce the taxation rates for the gambling sector, these negotiations presently seem to have come to a halt. However, the resort-casino centre, together with the progressive expansion of company’s existing outlets, remains the key development project for the Hit Company and its future potential partners.

Pushing their luck?

average Slovenian’s spending on gambling, in euros

150 120 90 60 30 0 Casino Perla, Slovenia’s biggest casino, is operated by Hit

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2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

Source: Institute for Gaming Industry Research, Faculty of Economics, Ljubljana

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Hit

How to Hit the Jackpot

The gaming industry represents an important part of the Slovenian tourist sector. It employs a large number of people and generates significant revenues for local communities and the government. However, gaming regulation in Slovenia is out of date, says Tilen Majnardi, Corporate Communications Manager at Hit, the country’s biggest casino operator.

What is the state of play with the Slovenian gaming industry?

There are six gaming companies in Slovenia, which provide games of chance on gaming tables and on slot machines. Over the past ten years the government has given permission for the establishment of almost forty gaming arcades in which you can play on electronic slot machines and nothing else. The other main difference between gaming arcades and casinos is the ownership structure. While gaming arcades are privately owned, large stakes in casinos are held by the government (or government-controlled funds) and local communities.

The business results of casinos have not been good, which testifies to the unsuitability of the current regulatory framework. The government has granted concessions to gaming arcades in areas where there is already an oversupply of such facilities, but it has failed to ensure the proper use of gaming tax incomes for supporting the economic development of those local communities that host casinos.

How should the government respond?

Gaming activity has to become a part of the integrated tourist package that Slovenia has to offer. The government should define more stringent criteria for the granting of gaming concessions, taking into account sustainable development concerns and paying special attention to responsible gaming.

Gaming companies should operate under equal terms and conditions. The government should also consider means of making the state-owned casino operations more attractive to foreign investors by gradually selling its stake in them. Stateownership does not help casino operators to react quickly to new business opportunities and it regularly brings politics into the decision-making process. In the long-term, this endangers fair competition, jobs and the benefits in the form of higher tax revenues that the gaming venues bring to local communities.

What specific proposals do you have in mind?

First, a consensus between representatives of the gaming industry, politics and civil society on the future development of the industry must be established. Only then can the government start preparing a comprehensive strategy to

cover all aspects of the industry, from tax arrangements to its place in the tourist sector.

Criteria for granting concessions for gaming operations in Slovenia should be revised with the aim of limiting the number of gaming arcades in the country. The government should also think about the option of concentrating the gaming industry in a particular region to better control the possible negative spillover from gaming. The regional concentration of the gaming industry can be observed in a number of countries where the industry prospers.

What would in your opinion be the ideal gaming law for the industry?

First of all, the government should react as quickly as possible because Italian and Austrian casino operators are already taking advantage of the situation in Slovenia by establishing casinos right across the border. When drafting the new gaming law the government should definitely keep in mind the fact that the negative consequences of gaming, such as gambling addiction and possible negative effects on the local environment, have to be controlled. A national framework for the prevention of these negative consequences should be established. In addition, the proper use of concession funds, which flow into budgets of local communities, should be determined.

Most important of all, however, should be the drafting of a new tax framework for gaming activities, which would give incentives to casino operators to invest not just in gaming facilities, but also in other tourist infrastructure such as wellness resorts and hotels.

COMPANY NOTES Hit, d.d.

Delpinova 7a 5000 Nova Gorica Tel.: +386 (0)5 336 40 00 Fax: +386 (0)5 302 64 30 info@hit.si www.hit.si

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Green Hazard with Great Potential Golf has become an increasingly popular sport in among politicians, businessmen and others.

Slovenia, then part of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, entered the golf community in 1936 when the king built a course in Bled, which is still referred to as the “King’s Course”. Besides Bled, there are nine other courses worth visiting and another 17 practice areas all around Slovenia.

A story published by the German newspaper “Golfzeitung” in 1937 has the first written reference to Slovenia as a golfing destination. The following year, the Bled Golf Club was established and the King’s Course hosted its first international tournament. Not long after that, however, golf slipped back into oblivion as a result of WWII. It was not until 1972 before work started on the “rediscovered” course and it was another five years before the first significant tournament was held there. Once again, it Golf is relatively under-developed was the Germans who in Slovenia, offering ample scope presented the course to for investment. the international public and the superb setting and new layout did not go unnoticed by the international media. A decade ago, the new Lake Course with water hazards was added to the King’s Course overlooking the alpine peaks.

At the time, there were only 45 registered players in the whole of Yugoslavia – needless to say, they were all from Ljubljana – and the lowest handicapper played off 17. One of the biggest boosts given to Slovenian golf came in 1985, when the British magazine, Golf Monthly, included Bled in its list of the top 25 golf courses in the world.

The Courses It took eleven years after the rebirth of Bled for another course – Lipica – to join the family. After gaining its independence in 1991, Slovenia experienced a golf boom.

In 1992, a 9-hole course was opened in Mokrice and two years later, it was extended by another nine holes. In 1998, in what was probably the most fruitful year for Slovenian golf in terms of new courses, three more courses were opened – Arboretum (near Kamnik), Slovenske Konjice and Ptuj – and work began on the Moravske Toplice and Olimje courses. Near the romantic Otočec castle, the Otočec course 112

Investment potential According to Gorazd Kogoj, general-secretary of the Slovenian Golf Association, there are around 6,000 golfers in Slovenia and the number has been rising by some 450 players annually. He emphasised the role of the association as the promoter of golf in Slovenia, especially with young people: “We have been pursuing different activities through

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opened in 2006, not the last in the line of Slovenian golf courses. From May 2007, all golf enthusiasts can play golf in the capital Ljubljana.

Each of the 10 courses is unique and has its own character. The Bled course is nestled in the foothills of the Julian Alps and the Karavanke mountain range; the Lipica course is located around the cradle of white Lipizzaner horses and the perfect starting point for exploring the Karst.

Arboretum Volčji Potok is appealing because of its ancient park; Mokrice, near the Terme Čatež spa, has an attractive castle and orchards for a backdrop. The Moravske Toplice spa course is unique due to Each of Slovenia’s ten golf its Pannonian landscape, courses is unique and has its own while Ptuj attracts visitors character. with its fountains and the traditions of the oldest town in Slovenia. The Golden Hill course, in Slovenske Konjice, runs through vineyards and across creeks, ponds, and the Podčetrtek course, in the tranquil Sotla Valley, was built by the nearby Olimje health resort. Running at over three kilometres in length among rolling hills and sheltering forests, Otočec, near the famous castle, is the longest course in Slovenia. The specialty of the Trnovo Ljubljana course is that it was built on the former rubbish heap and is thus a good example of how destroyed damaged environment can be repaired again. Besides the actual courses themselves, there are also several indoor practice areas.

Taking a shot in the midst of vineyards

schools and education programmes to promote golf with the aim of presenting it to 1,000 young people a year. Golf is a very healthy activity, it is not aggressive and it helps develop one’s personality through the self-control required to play golf successfully.”

In fact, the association has a strategy until 2012 with golf for young people as its focus.

Although the interest in golf is increasing every year, Slovenia is, according to statistical data in comparison to other European countries, among the less developed golf destinations due to the number of golf courses, golfers and golf tourism.

To improve the state of Slovenian golf, first some new golf courses should be constructed. The fact is that the number of golfers increases with the number of new courses as well as increasing the interest among foreign players to golf during their business or private stay in Slovenia.

So, there is still a great potential for the investments in this branch of tourism. “If we want to achieve the same level as Austria, which is a medium-developed golf country, we should have 36 golf courses and around 22,500 golfers,” concluded Kogoj.

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Karst

Terra Mystica Karst undoubtedly has two faces – one above and one under its surface. The true mystique definitely lies beneath the ground, where the underworld contains a variety of karst phenomena such as caves, underground rivers and wonderful stone sculptures creating a unique world that is surprisingly full of life; it is often said that the Slovene Karst is the most beautiful part of our planet’s underground world.

Between the Alps and the sea, runs the broad belt of the Slovenian Karst, which is part of the great Dinaric mountain range. The Karst is a region of plains, which sits like a first storey above the Gulf of Trieste, the first step towards the foothills of the Julian Alps. It is completely extraordinary, although at first glance it does not seem so. It is a place where Mother Earth centuries ago felt the desire to create a limestone playground for the crystalline waters descending from the Julian Alps and travelling towards the Adriatic.

Today, the water barely flows on the surface, but under the surface, it seeks the depths and creates its own world; and that is only the beginning of the myth…

How “Kras” became Karst?

However, where the tales and mysticism appear, scientific answers usually follow quickly. The 500 metres high limestone plateau, stretching from Nova Gorica southeast to Croatian border, west to Gulf of Trieste and east to the Vipava Valley, has for centuries been known as “Kras”

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in Slovene. It was in this unique landscape in the 19th century that scientific research into topographical features and underground formations began. Therefore, the abovementioned area, became the Classic or Original Karst and the name karst (Slovene “kras”, German “Karst”, Italian “carso”), originally used to designate special limestone formations, and became a part of world geographical terminology. Hence, other geologically similar areas around the world are nowadays referred to as karst, yet they only get a lower-case “k”, as “karst” became the scientific term for similar land formations around the world.

What is karst?

In fact, almost half of the territory of Republic of Slovenia can be classified as karst. Geologically speaking, thick layers of limestone deposits were laid down millions of years ago.

Earth movements then raised the limestone above the sea level, exposing it to the attacks of mildly acid rainwater.

Over hundreds of thousands of years, this slow chemical

When caves become tourist attractions Perhaps nowhere else in the world, has the human race made its subterranean world as much a part of their everyday life as on Karst. The almost 8,000 discovered caves of the underworld have long stirred people’s curiosity and the desire to know more about them. In different periods, they have served as shelters (during the Palaeolithic) or refuges (at the time of the Turkish invasions in the 15th and 16th centuries). Many caves have been tourist destinations for centuries and nowadays represent an integral part of Karst’s tourism services.

The first cave to be opened to visitors in this part of the world was the Vilenica cave, today annually hosting one of the most respected Central European literary prizes, was opened for tourist as early as 1633. However there are two caves that can be proclaimed as undisputed queens of Slovene underground scene: The Postojna cave, one of the largest networks of caves in the world into which guest are taken by a miniature train The almost 8,000 discovered has been visited by more caves of the underworld have long than 26 million people stirred people’s curiosity and the from all over the world desire to know more about them. in 175 years of organised tourism. Besides the immense size of the underground chambers, the features that attract most attention are the stalagmites, stalactites and other calcite formations. The human imagination has seen in them a series of forms from everyday life: ships, tombstones, steps, animals, fabulous creatures and parts of the human body.

Perhaps even more extraordinary are the nearby Škocjan caves, the only tourist site in Slovenia listed on the UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites list since 1986, where the brilliant jade waters of the river Reka rush underneath the bridge, crossing over the canyon. Spelunkers usually say that in the Postojna cave nature created a luxuriant Baroque spectacle, while in the Škocjan caves a murky, mystical Gothic masterpiece.

doves, several species of bat, hibernating dormice and their predators, such as the stone marten. The most characteristic inhabitants of the underworld have sense organs adapted to life in the darkness as they have no eyes, a highly developed sense of touch and are entirely lacking in pigment.

The most renowned of Slovene endemic species is the blind troglodytic amphibian (Proteus anguinus), which has the appearance of aquatic salamander. Known as the “human fish” for 300 years, it is often used as the symbol of Slovene natural science. It can most easily be seen in the Postojna cave.

Even “outside” there is something to see

As if the impression of nature’s might underneath the surface wouldn’t be exceptional enough, the landscape of Kras is very pleasant as well. It smells of pine forests and nature, the air is filled with refreshing Alpine breezes with the softness of the Mediterranean, the constant bora wind dries the most delicious ham and the grapes growing out of red clay soil generate such delights as the red Teran wine. The world is simply bright and friendly here, with meadows, sheep, flowers, stone houses…Fortified towns on the heights such as Štanjel still stand today as a witness to history while waiting to be rediscovered by discerning tourists seeking for their own piece of “Slovene Provence” that only a few have heard of.

There is life underneath the surface The subterranean world – a world of darkness, constant temperature, humidity and modest sources of food – is also home to numerous forms of life, many of which are endemic to a very limited area, which means they cannot be naturally found elsewhere. In fact, 300 out of 850 endemic species registered in Slovenia appear in the karst subterranean world. These are commonly animals that, though they live on the surface (on land or in water), seek shelter or food underground. Some of the unique species include the “human fish,” cave crickets, moths, arachnids, rock

Human fish (above), a mysterious dweller of Postojna cave

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erosion managed to produce the typical features of karst scenery: limestone surfaces, sinkholes, dry valleys, springs and vast subterranean networks of caves and tunnels.

In this fascinating landscape, rivers, ponds and lakes tend to disappear and then resurface in the porous limestone through sinkholes and funnels. Some rivers, in fact, created large underground interconnecting labyrinth systems. When exploring the subterranean world, one encounters great surprises. It is difficult to imagine how and when nature created the strange phenomena that a visit reveals, while the various speleothems (cave formations such as stalactites and stalagmites) are sometimes truly breathtaking.

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Lake Cerknica

The Disappearing Lake At the peak of its fame, Lake Cerknica was celebrated by Janez Vajkart Valvazor, the 17th century Slovenian historian, as Dante and Vergil had done before him. It was untouched, drying out once in five or more years, when it left the masses of fish that were sold abroad.

It was seen as a dreamland with a mysterious underground lake that spewed out black ducks and fish, but later that explanation was dismissed and the lake became known as yet another karst phenomenon, causing floods on Cerknica field and stealing pastures from local peasants. However, among the locals, it is still believed there is another lake beneath, where in fact there are siphons and caverns washed out from the soluble limestone underground, controlling the flow of water from nearby hills.

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The Perils When farmers obtained the ownership of the land – and therefore the lake – ideas about drainage quickly became common, and in 1844, the local farmer Gregor Kebe started cleaning up and mining the biggest sinkholes. Later, the locals deepened their entrances, cleaned them regularly and even blew up some siphons.

In the 1920s, approximately 25 kilometres of the field’s riverbeds were straightened, thus causing even faster outflow.

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Suddenly there were very few fish left and many locals were sorry to see them die during the increasingly frequent drying periods. Fishermen began to strive to maintain a minimum water level, because every drainage destroyed the spawn and lessened the population of their precious pike. They built the now-controversial dyke in front of Rešeto sinkholes and created a pond that does not dry out and stands as the last resort for the saved fish. To ensure a constant flow of water they built smaller dams elsewhere, which were government approved at the time.

All these dams are now controversial, because the property owners’ consent is now needed to maintain them.

Furthermore, inspections are very strict, because it is believed that such procedures are brutal interventions into natural environment. However, this environment has not been natural for 200 years and if they left the lake alone after what people in the past did to it, it would die, grow over, turn into a swamp and then disappear forever.

Ambitious Projects After the efforts to dry up the lake to gain pasture land, by the 1960s and 1970s people discovered that pasture is being abandoned, which prompted ideas of creating a permanent lake.

For starters, they clogged some major sinkholes, later drilled a special tunnel into the largest and put a barrier in front of it, while cementing three others. High water levels indeed lasted longer; so much longer that it caused some major floods. In the 1970s, this is where they wanted to build a hotel chain and a marina as a part of the Gornji Jadran (Upper Adriatic) project.

Fortunately, they lacked funding. A later study of a multipurpose accumulation lake foresaw a dyke splitting the lake in half and thus completely changing its hydrological function. It promised a boom in tourism and significant production of electricity, just like another study that included two to three hydro power plants on Lake Cerknica and Planinsko polje (a neighbouring depression). Fortunately, again, it was too expensive.

The Dying Lake Today, the lake is drying up three times annually and to much greater degrees. The old timetable of sinkholes drying out has completely collapsed and the lake became very unpredictable. Dense vegetation covering the lake is also part of the problem. Whereas in the past, at least 1,000 cows grazed these pastures, this tradition is now only observed in Dolenje jezero, where only about 70 cows still graze the land. Due to the changes in outflow, the lake is turning into a swamp. Plants die, their remains are washed away, dams and sinkholes become silted, causing new holes to open, threatening the existence of the lake.

Vekoslav Kebe, the local author of a “live” model of the lake, blames the dams for silting the riverbeds, some of which are believed to be three meters shallower then before the dams were built. In reality, according to Tine Schein, the manager of Notranjska Regional Park, the usual washing away of the sediments is prevalent. The former president of the Cerknica Fishing Association, Metod Korošec, believes this is why the lake is drying up slowly because of natural causes. In Europe, snowfall that affects the water level in the spring has decreased dangerously. The lake now dries out in winter, which used to be rare.

The problem is not only nature. For the locals it is the fishermen, who are trespassing. For the fishermen, it is the locals who are obstructing them.

Lake Cerknica: Now you see it, now you don’t

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A Bright Future To bring the lake back to its original state very cautious and well-considered procedures will be needed. Notranjska Regional Park will carry them out in the next ten years as a part of European Union’s Life project of ecological restoration of the lake. The project consists of monitoring, a restoration plan and an action plan, construction project, mowing the lake, buying land and publishing some scientific material, CD’s, guides etc. Its budget is about 1.8

EUR. Three-quarters is funded by the European Union, approximately 12% by the Ministry of The Environment and Spatial Planning, The Cerknica Municipality contributed, too, as well as Notranjska Regional Park and other partners.

Monitoring will last all three years and consists of observing the areas to be restored to see what is there now and how the area reacts to changes. It is important that all that grows or lives in the lake is noted and charted. The first restoration steps will be slow and careful. In the first three years of the project, they intend to reconstruct two smaller streams 500 meters in length, where the old meandering courses are still visible from aerial photos. According to Schein, these minor procedures will be a lesson for further reconstruction, which could mean the preservation of their spawn especially for pike.

He also believes the lake should be brought to a life cycle as it was in 1850 or 1900. What that cycle looks like will not be known until all the research is finished. “This monitoring will show why Lake Cerknica is such a treasure; and it may not be its pikes or tenches, but perhaps one of the flowers.”

When they will know the answer, they will know the steps to take. The fact is that this lake hosts about 127 butterfly species in a year’s cycle. There is probably about 300 species of nocturnal butterflies, while all amphibian species in Slovenia are in abundance here.

What to Expect Further plans are to reconstruct the entire lake in ten years, but the initial 500 meters will show how the lake responds, before they try to reconstruct it entirely or at least by 80%. The entire reconstruction of riverbeds will probably increase the flow per square meter, which is good for water vegetation, lakeside plants and animals that need constant water. It will probably give a greater survival area for the fish, but it is still unknown whether that would be enough to pull down the controversial dyke in Rešeto, which will not be done in the next ten years, says Schein.

However, since money is such an important factor, by then, the fishing rights will probably be in the hands of some foreign concessionaire, because the trends in legislation go towards selling commodifying natural resources. In the end, interests and laws could again destroy the lake, but nature is nevertheless worth fighting for.

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Sport Fishing

Slovenia: Your Sport Fishing Destination As a Central European country, Slovenia is a very interesting destination for tourists. Like other countries with a successful conservation programme for its indigenous animal and plant species, Slovenia has a rich tradition of environmental protection and very efficient management of its natural resources. It is also the EU Member State with the largest percentage of its territory forming part of the Natura 2000 network.

Slovenia enjoys a mix of Mediterranean, Alpine and Continental climate and has four bio-geographical regions that are home to diverse flora and fauna. As such, it is also a veritable paradise for anglers, offering 26,000 km of watercourses where 34 billion m3 of water pass through the country annually, which means that fresh water is abundant in Slovenia. Fish management areas cover 11,823 hectares and most of these (around 88%) are intended for sport fishing. Fish and other water species are a natural resource and are protected by the state, which stipulates the type of fish that can be fished and the regulations for the activity. The government of the Republic of Slovenia also deems the waters to be of special importance for the breeding and development of certain indigenous types of fish. Charged with these responsibilities is the Fisheries Research Institute of Slovenia.

Alpine rivers like the Sava Bohinjka, the Radovna and the beautiful emerald green SoÄ?a are a salmon-rich paradise for

sport fishers. The crystal clear Sava Bohinjka originates in Lake Bohinj; and over its 35 km course it meanders through a picturesque wild ravine until it joins the Sava Dolinka.

Sport fishing of grayling, trout or rainbow trout with a flyfishing rod is permitted from March 22nd to November 30th, while the fishing of Danube salmon is permitted from December 1st to February 14th in an area extending from the bridge below Bohinjska Bistrica to the dam in Soteska, tributaries excluded.

Sport fishers intending to stay in Bled sometime between March 1st and November 30th are welcome to fish at Radovna, which is located a mere 10 km from Bled. The valley of the Radovna River lies on the territory of the Triglav National Park. Into the Radovna emerge the many springs beneath the Jutrova rock at Zgornja Radovna, where the rivers Kotarica and Krmarica, along with their tributaries, disappear underground and re-emerge as the 119

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Radovna River. The Radovna flows through the beautiful 1,600-metre-long hard limestone Vintgar Gorge that also features Šum, a miraculous 13-metre river waterfall. Sport fishing of trout, rainbow trout and arctic char is permitted between March 1st and November 30th from the spring to the lower dam at the hydroelectric station, the Vintgar Gorge excluded, and from the spring to the bridge at the Kreda dam.

The remarkable Alpine beauty of the Soča River offers an unforgettable fishing experience. The Soča originates high in the Julian Alps at Trenta, cuts its 137-km-long way through rocks and gorges and has its outfall near Trieste in Italy. The river is crystal clear, renowned for its emerald green colour and for its characteristic variety of fish – the Soča trout. Fishing is possible between April 1st and October 31st from the bridge at the village of Vas na Skali to the bridge at Čezsoča, throughout the entire Soča tributary the Lepena, and in the Koritnica River, from the bridge at the Bovec-Trenta road to its outfall into the Soča. In addition to Soča trout, a good catch of grayling is to be had here as well If, however, you wish to explore the mysterious waters of the Karst, then the rivers Unica, Krka and Obrh are just the thing for you. Unica ranks among the most beautiful Karst districts in Europe and is renowned for its grayling and trout. Part of the The remarkable Alpine beauty river originates at the of the Soča River offers an cave of Planinska jama unforgettable fishing experience. and another part at Malni where it is known as the Malenščica. Both tributaries merge and flow across the Planinsko polje, making its typical turns until the river disappears underground. When the water level is low, the river disappears underground at the village of Laze, while heavy rains prevent the sinkholes in the north of the field from swallowing all that water, which consequently spills over the entire Planinsko field. Sport fishing is particularly enjoyable in these parts when mayflies swarm, from the onset of the season beginning on May 1st to its end on November 10th. A famous Slovene linguist and an excellent fly fisher, Tomo Korošec wrote the following about the Unica River: “The Unica is a unique river. We are well aware of its decreasing value, which is why we must preserve it for posterity.”

Another beauty among Slovenian rivers, the Krka attracts sport fishers from March 1st to November 30th. Fishing is possible from its springs to the dam at the Zagradec power plant. The Krka river wells up under the cave of Kraška

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jama at the Krka village and runs amid the Dolenjska hills past Novo Mesto to Brežice, where it has its outfall into the Sava. The river is noted for its tufa rock formations and cascades, where trout, rainbow trout and other fish find their hiding places. From March 22nd, sport fishers can fish for trout and rainbow trout on the Obrh River, which gets the bulk of its water from the Mali and Veliki Obrh brooks originating in the Loška valley near the Vrhnika village. The water is rich in fish nutrients, therefore it is not surprising that many of the biggest catches are made right here.

Foreign visitors absolutely love fly-fishing in Slovenia. The words of R.A. Beattie, the owner of the Beattie Outdoor Productions company, “I will simply move to Slovenia, flyfishing here is absolutely amazing!” are shared by many foreigners who visit our country.

The characteristics of Slovenian rivers are, of course, varied, while fly-fishing equipment remains the same: a flyfishing rod, artificial bait and a hook without barbs. Sport fishers can get more information at the following address: Zavod za ribištvo Slovenije, Župančičeva 9, 1000 Ljubljana.

You can also send an email to info@zzrs.si or visit our Web site at www.zzrs.si.

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Gostilna – a Slovene Phenomenon

Can’t Find Anything More Typically Slovene Although many nations have their own variations of taverns or inns, there is no other tavern in the world quite like the Slovene one – the gostilna, whose numerous typical Slovene characteristics have rendered it a living museum of Slovene cultural, culinary and wine heritage. In a word, you cannot find anything more typically Slovene than a gostilna with its many intriguing charms.

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Janez Bogataj, PhD, is a professor of ethnology at the Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana, and one of the authorities on Slovene gostilnas. In the introduction to his book “Naše gostilne: izbranih 52 na Slovenskem” (Our Gostilnas: A Selected 52 in Slovenia, 1997), he talks about the history of this ubiquitous Slovene phenomenon and sheds some light on why exactly gostilnas have always been so important for Slovenes, which may have everything to do with the Slovene character. It was a well-known fact among medieval travellers traversing Slovene lands that the people here were always extremely hospitable; foreigners were always given warm welcomes, a place to stay overnight and something refreshing to eat and drink, which is precisely what a gostilna stands for. This kind of hospitality had been known since Roman times, but even more widely since the Middle Ages – a medieval wall painting from the church of Sveta Nedelja in Crngrob made around 1460 depicts guests in front of a tavern that already bore the signature mark denoting a wine-serving place, which had been in use since Charles the Great. The word “hospitality” in the Slovene language literary means “the love for the guest”, and the Slovene gostilna is renowned for offering just that – it is a place where people gather, socialise and enjoy themselves.

Gostilnas in Slovenia have always been predominantly family-owned and the whole family was engaged in the It was a well-known fact among family business, of course with different roles for medieval travellers traversing each family member; but Slovene lands that the people here the most important role were always extremely hospitable. was that of the taverner whom the locals always held in high regard, and who was surpassed in terms of respect only by the local mayor, teacher or the priest.

Gostilnas were not only the pivotal buildings of a given town, village or a square, but they were also the centre of social activities. They have always been noted for taking in both peasants and townsmen alike, and once you crossed the house threshold, all class distinction was over and people could socialise freely in a class-neutral environment where fun was only thing anyone cared about.

They have always been renowned for overall neatness, traditional hospitality, excellent and varied culinary and selection of wine. The offer of a gostilna is said to reflect the Slovene palate; therefore, cuisine and culinary masterpieces were always extremely important for a gostilna. After

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WWII, gostilnas became even more based on food, which was often called “homemade”, “genuine”, “typically Slovene”, etc., all of which made them into a living museum of culinary heritage, agricultural implements and pieces of old interior design.

The first gostilnas appeared with the development of travel. When people had to go on long road trips, they had to frequently stop along the way, water their horses, get a place to stay overnight and have something to quench their thirst and appease their hunger. The earliest gostilnas or “furmanske” served this The word itself in the Slovene purpose and were built along main roads; they language literally means “a house also had large barns by in which a guest is entertained and the side for the animals given hospitality”. to rest overnight. One of these widely known even today is the gostilna at Trojane, which is noted for its delicious doughnuts, which really must be tried if you are travelling through those parts.

From the mid-19th century, gostilnas were an important place of cultural activities carried out in the spirit of national awakening and political speeches. Many were thus divided along party lines, one frequented by the liberals and the other by the supporters of the people’s party, and one can overhear even to this day many a heated political debate unfolding daily in them.

Gostilnas developed alongside the social and economic development of Slovene society. The word itself in the Slovene language literally means “a house in which a guest is entertained and given hospitality”. This “entertainment” usually had a fairly “wet” connotation that saw volumes of alcohol being drunk within the walls of a gostilna where moderation was not exactly seen as a virtue; many people also gambled away their entire estates, losing them while playing cards under the influence of alcohol.

Even in terms of cuisine, gostilnas progressed over time.

First, they served only cold foods, mostly homemade dry meats, and soups with a slice of meat, gradually extending their offer to stews, goulash, tripe and other things. Steaks and various dishes became part of the standard offer only in the 1970s. The owners of gostilnas who also owned farms and consequently could make their own food earned themselves quite a reputation by which a guest always associated a particular distinct flavour or a delicious meal with a particular gostilna, which was all the more frequented as a result.

Today’s gostilnas offer business lunches and even pizzas, and there are some whose menu also includes fast food, while many others would have none of that and offer just the opposite – “slow food”. Around 300 gostilnas are older than 100 years and are a unique cultural monument and a part of Slovene heritage that is there to stay and withstand the test of time for many years to come.

You might want to learn the two key phrases you will always need in a gostilna even if your foreign language skills are not that great – simply say dober tek (enjoy your meal) and Na zdravje! (Cheers!), and everyone will know exactly what you mean; who knows, you might even be treated to a free meal or a drink on the house!

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Catering

The Satisfaction of All Five Senses Slovenia catering is increasing and becoming increasingly competitive, not only on the national but also on the international scene. Although there are less than a dozen real caterers in the country, they are able to take on any international competitor.

The trend is towards satisfying all the clients’ senses with food as a focal point. With the correct atmosphere, experienced professional event caterers can make an event special and memorable. Beautifully prepared food alone can appeal to the senses of taste, smell and sight (perhaps even touch), but the decorations and ambiance can play a significant part in a successfully catered event.

The state of Slovenian catering

Catering - the provision of food and beverages outside the home or restaurant - is becoming more and more popular. From the view of the organizers, catering offers more personalized treatment of guests, which makes the entire event, whether it is a reception, cocktail party, gala dinner, wedding, picnic or birthday celebration, something special.

The concept for preparation and food service in the case of catering is completely different that the one used in restaurants. The food may be made completely at the event or the caterer may choose to bring already prepared food and put the finishing touches on once it arrives at the venue.

The catering staff are responsible not only for preparing the food and making it attractive, but often help set up the dining area, which includes decoration, such as table settings and lighting.

The history of Slovenina catering dates back to 1980, when the first professional catering was established, mainly for serving union picnics and parties. For In Slovenia, there are about 10 years, Franc Jezeršek ten real, professional caterers was the first and the only that can provide services on professional caterer in Slovenia. Competition the highest level and for larger did not appear until number of guests 1990. This makes Hiša Kulinarike Jezeršek (The Jezerešek Catering House) not only the pioneer but also the main caterer who determined the first knowledge and trends on the field.

Nowadays the number of caterers has increased tremendously. Almost every restaurant or “gostilna” is also offering catering. However, the number of real, professional caterers that can provide service on the highest level and for larger number of guest ranges around 10 to 15. Slovenia is very small, so it is well known who is capable of what and who can provide service for more than 1,000 guests.

According to Jerneja Kamnikar, the director of Vivo d.o.o., one of the most respected caterers at the moment, a major problem is the unfair competition, against which professional caterers have to compete. “Or services often can be performed by an ordinary restaurant. If, for example, you 123

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are a regular guest in a restaurant and you want to organise a reception for smaller group of 50 people, every restaurant is prepared to carry out catering for you. And even more, it is prepared to charge a lower price than professional caterers, because it knows that if the service will be fine and the organizer, who is at the same time their restaurant guest, will be satisfied it will keep coming and the restaurant will make profit from that.”

Despite everything, the services of Slovenian catering are completely comparable with those of surrounding European countries; in some ways, they are even better. “We should not be ashamed of our services. We have recognition from foreign event organizers We provide more than is typical that we are absolutely abroad, where you have to pay for competitive with leading each and every detail. caterers from abroad,” said Jezeršek proudly.

Kamnikar added: “Our catering is something special because we are very innovative, we always do our best, we want to create something special, regardless of the assigned budget. We simply want to show ourselves in our true colours. Therefore, we provide more than is

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typical abroad, where you have to pay for each and every detail.”

The other competitive advantages of great importance are prices, which are much lower than abroad, top-level quality and detailed knowledge as well as sufficient capacities.

Furthermore, Slovenia has a wealthy culinary tradition, derived from the Alpine, Pannonian and Mediterranean worlds. Foreigners can easily get used to our dishes. “It has never really happened that an individual couldn’t found something to his taste,” stated Kamnikar.

What’s trendy?

To be innovative and fashionable is crucial for Slovenian caterers, especially since the entire Slovenian market is very small and the clientele are consequently regular customers.

Therefore, the range of services is changing constantly.

With the increase in national and international congresses and conferences, with many people from all over the world, it is very trendy to include some Slovenian dishes and thus promote not only Slovenian cuisine but also the country as a whole.

Wine connects people Deep in the wine country of north-eastern Slovenia lies a hamlet named Jeruzalem, famous for the exquisite wines made by generations of winemakers.

Here at MiroVino, a winery well-known for its crisp and fresh-tasting wines, our team has succeeded in intimately intertwining the rich local winemaking tradition with contemporary approaches to wine production.

In this way, we have proved ourselves worthy followers of our predecessors, whose names have always represented wines of the highest quality. See, smell and taste it for yourself!

Estate MiroVino Jastrebci 36, SLO - 2276 Kog Tel./Fax: +386 (0)2 719 76 30 Mobile: +386 (0)41 474 935 E: miro.munda@email.si

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Winemaking

Vineyards of Slovenia In comparison with other countries, the territory of Slovenia is relatively small, yet 22,000 hectares of vineyards undoubtedly rank the country among the most prominentwinegrowing states, offering a great variety of wines to satisfy every taste and fancy.

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TOURISM TOURISM Slovenia’s 22,000 hectares are divided into three winegrowing regions; more than one third belongs to Podravje, slightly less than one third to Posavje, the rest to Primorska.

Each of these regions is further divided into districts: Styrian Slovenia and Prekmurje in Podravlje, Dolenjska, Bela Krajina and Bizeljsko-Sremič in Posavje, and Slovene Istria, Karst, the Vipavska valley and Brda in Primorska.

Winegrowing has been known in our parts since the 4th century BC. The first to do so were the Celts, then Romans took over and improved every aspect of the winegrowing process. After the fall of the Roman Empire, winegrowing suffered a decline as well. It was preserved during the Middle Ages mostly on monastic estates. In the 19th century, winegrowing enjoyed a short period of growth, until misfortune struck again in 1880 when the vine louse (phylloxera) decimated the vineyards in Slovenia and 128

elsewhere in Europe. Slovenia currently has a number of vineyards comparable to New Zealand, and many foreign experts frequently draw parallels between Slovene and New Zealand winemaking.

Winegrowing regions of Slovenia are very diverse in terms of soil, climate and varieties of wine produced. Podravje has a continental climate, which yields northern wines noted for their freshness, acidity and a more pronounced Winegrowing regions of Slovenia scent. Red wines, except are very diverse in terms of soil, for some Pinot Noir and climate and varieties of wine Blaufränkisch, are almost produced. non-existent. Much more present in the region are Laški Rizling and Šipon, which was called si bon by Napoleon’s soldiers meaning “that good” and was thus named after that. A failure to mention Renski Rizling, Yellow Muscat, Sauvignon, Traminec, Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris and Green Silvanec as wines of the regular vintage would be a grave injustice; yet this part of Slovenia is, however, known also for its Prädikatswein ranging from late to freezing vintages and dry berry selections.

The Posavje winegrowing region, or the district of Dolenjska to be more precise, offers the excellent light, fresh and playful reddish Cviček, which is produced in this area exclusively and is hence a branded The Primorska winegrowing wine. It is made from at region has a Mediterranean least two red varieties climate, except for the karst (Žametna Črnina and plateau, and produces the second Blaufränkisch) and one white variety (Kraljevina), Slovene wine specialty – Teran, sometimes also from which is also a branded wine. other local varieties.

Blaufränkisch is the region’s leading variety, which yields light and fresh wines, and also more serious and barrelled wines that have a longer maturing period. Instances of Pinot Noir, Zweigelt and Šentlovrenka can also be found here, as well as all those white wines already mentioned earlier at Podravje. The people of Bela Krajina emphatically declare that there is no better Yellow Muscat anywhere else in Slovenia, and also think that their Prädikatswein are just as good as that from Štajerska.

The Primorska winegrowing region has a Mediterranean climate, except for the karst plateau, and produces the second Slovene wine specialty – Teran, which is also a branded wine. Teran derives its exquisite flavour from the red vintage soil and the Refošk variety, which gives a wine by A typical the same name in Slovene Istria and is the region’s most renowned product; in more serious varieties it is absolutely marvellous and hence featured on wine lists of some of the most prestigious restaurants in New York. Primorska also offers some domesticated varieties (Malvazija and Rebula) and a few native ones like Zelen, Pinela and Klarnica in the Vipavska valley and Vitovska in the karst. Brda is considered by many to be the most penetrating and best known Slovene winegrowing area abroad thanks to the renowned white and red varieties yielding excellent wines, often complemented by local specialties as well.

Yet interesting and sometimes provocative Prädikatswein can be produced not only in Primorska, but also in the two other winegrowing regions of Slovenia as well. Moreover, not only great wines, you can also enjoy genuine homemade food, explore the enchanting countryside and enjoy the proverbial hospitality of the locals.

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Benedict

The Sweet Way

Cukrček which means something like “ little sweetie” in Slovene has taken chocolate design to a new level. We talked to the founder of the company, Luka Fojkar.

Could you tell us something about your beginnings in the chocolate industry?

It all began in 1993. We wanted to present a new way of selling chocolate to the Slovenian buyer. Our range grew as the years went by, spurred by increasing demand. Our idea in the beginning was to offer sweets and chocolate to satisfy every taste, but mostly we focused on the more discerning buyer, who previously had to shop abroad. We did not just offer them the delights of shopping and sampling but also taught them about the beneficial effects of cocoa and provided delightful gift wrapping for business or home use. With health awareness on the increase in recent times, we included in our range homemade organic chocolate and chocolates for diabetics.

Prešeren chocolate balls are one of your most recognised products. Where did you get the idea?

The initiative for a Slovenian souvenir product came from our clientele, who wanted to present Slovenia to their foreign business partners and friends also through chocolate.

We spent a lot of time and effort improving the flavour because we wanted to make Prešeren chocolate balls loved by all Slovenians. After many surveys and much research we decided to go for a nougat flavour with hazelnuts. Needless to say, the market responded wonderfully. Later on we made other chocolate souvenirs with a pronounced local character, e.g. chocolate human fish (shape of a Proteus Anguinus), chocolate Ljubljana dragon, Trubar delights and chocolates with the flavours of typical Slovenian culinary delights.

Could you tell us something about a few other chocolate products from your range?

The growth of the Slovenian market meant adaptation to growing demand on our part as well. Our chocolate shops offer everything from chewy sweets to chocolate pralines, but we exclusively manufacture top-quality chocolate. We offer around 100 different flavours of chocolate bars, the most interesting of them being those with salt, chilli, red pepper and arancini. Chocolate pralines come in 50 flavours and different wrappings in silk-covered boxes. We also have around 30 varieties of chocolate-coated fruit. Hot chocolate as an instant home beverage comes in interesting flavours such as orange, coffee, cinnamon and vanilla.

New in our range this year are chocolate spreads in various flavours (among others lemon, chilli-salt and orange), bio 130

spreads and cocoa chocolate from famous producers in the Caribbean and South America. Recently, we devised a new method of embossing the chocolate itself, which enables us to put images of a company logo or stamp on them.

What are your advantages over the competition?

We have a very wide selection of different products to satisfy every taste. We devote a lot of attention to the quality of our products and their flavour. We combine innovativeness and quality with creativity embodied in the shape and wrapping of our products as well as constantly adding new products to the already established range. Our wrapping is ergonomically designed and pleasing to look at, which sets our products apart from the rest of the field.

Quality materials and ingredients give the appearance of an exclusive product, while the taste itself is pure delight.

We only work with top-class suppliers and invest a great deal in our knowledge to ensure quality, creativity and innovativeness into the future. For that reason we build on our knowledge every year with the finest chocolate makers (chocolatiers) around the world.

Are you planning to sell your products abroad as well?

We are currently already present on European markets.

Our share is, of course, rather small since our products are intended for the more discerning buyer and consequently cost more. We would like our outlets to gain the kind of recognition which our products enjoy, which is why we focus on specialised shops such as chocolate shops, delicatessens or upmarket department stores.

This year we plan to present our products in Russia, Austria, Britain and Poland.

COMPANY NOTES Benedict, d.o.o.

Mestni trg 11 1000 Ljubljana Tel.: +386 (0)1 519 92 86 Fax: +386 (0)1 421 04 54 info@benedict.si www.cukercek.si

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Posestvo Ugar

Clearing All Hurdles

Jurij Rudež, the owner and manager of the Posestvo Ugar estate, returned to the property he inherited from his father in order to revive it to its former splendour.

Armed with enthusiasm and a business vision, he succeeded in bringing to Slovenia the FEI World Cup Competition in show jumping, a feat not to be repeated in the very near future.

In 2006 you brought the eyes of the world to the small town of Ribnica. How did the public react to the first FEI World Cup Competition in show jumping in Slovenia?

Reactions were great. Despite bad weather, we proved ourselves to be an outstanding venue capable of excellent organisation. The riders were delighted with the infrastructure, the ground, unpolluted nature and friendly locals. We received many congratulations, compliments and words of encouragement, including recognition by the president of the International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI), Her Royal Highness Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein. We presented Slovenian equestrianism and gave Slovenian riders the opportunity to compete against stiff international competition. Thanks to the sponsorship of some of the bigger Slovenian companies, the event really proved to be the next chapter in the development of equestrianism in Slovenia. Slovenia was presented as a land of opportunity, style and wealth. We were particularly delighted with that, and this has made us even more determined to gain the right to host this truly elite event every year.

What were some of the things you needed to do in order to gain the privilege of hosting this aristocratic sporting event in Slovenia?

Following the first phase of reconstruction work we came to the decision, in agreement with estate manager Maks Riossa that a modern equestrian centre needed to host a renowned sporting event. This would ensure that the centre remained competitive, high profile and development-oriented with adequate infrastructure and professional personnel at hand. Of course, all this necessitated hours of hard work in terms of organisation, marketing, etc. Prior to the actual World Cup we hosted a few lesser competitions, but treated them no differently.

We became known for our hard work and news gradually spread all over the world. After the first FEI World Cup, the sponsors themselves realised that this was in fact a unique, impressive and elite event, where just being 132

present was part of the prestige. Equestrianism has always been known as a “the Sport of Kings”.

Posestvo Ugar is an established trademark, but what is your financial trump card?

We shouldn’t forget our stable that has given us a few horses we believe are championship material. The results of our inhouse breeding and carefully-planned training, nutrition and quality facilities are already renowned throughout the world. Our markets include Germany, Holland, England, etc. and we have also had clients from other continents.

Posestvo Ugar is, apart from equestrianism, also celebrated for its excellent wood from our botanically rich forests.

And the future?

Well, we have ambitious plans and we are boldly striding forward into the future! Our own Ugar Equestrian Team is already competing and achieving good results at major European competitions. The team still has a lot of room for improvement, and will have a lot to say in the future.

Then there is our Slovene FEI World Cup Competition, which must remain in Slovenia We are well aware of the beauties of nature, the vibrant forests that surround us. We presented this natural oasis in the middle of Europe to the wider world and we would, provided the event gains even wider global recognition, dearly love to capitalise on this further by offering exclusive tourist services.

COMPANY NOTES Posestvo Ugar, d.o.o.

Cesta na Ugar 26 1310 Ribnica Tel.: +386 (0)1 837 31 33 Fax: +386 (0)1 837 31 34 posestvo.ugar@ugar.si www.ugar.si

TOURISM TOURISM Architecture

The Architect of the Future Last year was declared Plečnik’s Year, marking the 50th anniversary of death of Slovenian architect Jože Plečnik, who left an important mark not only on Ljubljana, but also on two other European cities, Vienna and Prague. He left his artistic imprint in the past, influencing the present and definitely the future.

Who was Jože Plečnik?

Jože Plečnik was born on 23rd January 1872 in Gradišče in Ljubljana, to his father Andrej and mother Helena. He was third of four children, having two brothers, Andrej, who became a priest, Janez, who was a doctor and one sister, Marija. At his beginning, Jože did not show enough seriousness and interest in knowledge; he preferred to draw, even secretly up in their attic. After he had left the school in the first year of high school, his father took him to his carpentry workshop. However, his path did not stop there. He continued the studying in Graz, at first helping his teacher, architect Leopold Theyer with planning; later,

thanks to J. W. Müller, he became a furniture planner in Vienna. In 1895, he registered as a student at the Vienna Art Academy, in the architecture department. He concluded his studies in 1898 as the best student and graduate in professor Otto Wagner’s class. Professor Wagner, one of the most important members of Vienna Secession movement, was very fond of Plečnik during his studies. Jože Plečnik received a prize for the best Wagner Academy diploma, the so-called “Roman Scholarship” which enabled him to travel across France and Italy.

He built several important buildings in Vienna, such as Zacherl House and the Church of the Holy Ghost, the first modern concrete sacred building in Europe. He placed himself among the pioneers of modern He built several important architecture. In 1911, he buildings in Vienna, such as became a professor at Zacherl House and the Church of Prague Arts and Crafts the Holy Ghost, the first modern school. This was the beginning of his “Prague concrete church in Europe. years”; 10 years later, when he came back to Ljubljana, he had had only few supporters as the liberal government of Ljubljana wasn’t fond of him; they thought he is to clerical, yet he did not enjoy the support of the Church.

He became a teacher at the University in Ljubljana, and at the same time, he was the architect in charge at the renovation of the Hradcany castle. In that period, two opuses were intertwined in his life: of Ljubljana and of Prague.

After the WWI, he mainly designed monuments to victorious partisan forces, renovated churches and various chapels. He created the plans for many sights of Ljubljana, such as National and University Library (NUK), Ljubljana’s central cemetery Žale, the Križanke Summer Theatre, Tromostovje (the Triple Bridge across the Ljubljanica river), the Central Market alongside the river’s banks, the Ljubljanica River Barrier, Ljubljana’s Central Stadium and had even planned the development of the city. One of the most important of Plečnik’s unexecuted work is definitely his design for a Slovene parliament, towering some 120 meters.

A man who married architecture Jože Plečnik (1872-1957)

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With a unique combination of a modern approach and classical design, Jože Plečnik created a brand new whole; he

A peep into the Plečnik’s world Plečnik’s House in Trnovo, today a property of the Architecture Museum of Ljubljana, which is also in charge of the master’s workplaces, enables insight into the life of that great architect and his environment, which is still

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designed the first completely iron-concrete church, shaped a monolith façade, his Napoleon Statute in Ljubljana is, for example, the only statue dedicated to that warrior locating outside France. Yet this is only a mere drop in the ocean of his work. Is he really the architect of the future although he worked in past?

“Definitely, his devotion to the profession, striving for the perfection, imperative to the originality and search for the inspiration in the domestic artistic environment are the leads, which remain untroubled guidance for the future of many generations” explained Peter Krečič, PhD., the director of the Museum of Architecture in Ljubljana.

Are we overreacting by saying that he is the “greatest Slovenian architect of all time”? Is there anyone who can exceed his success and work? “The truth is, that Plečnik is the only Slovenian artist, characterized as one of the greatest masters of architecture in the first half of the 20th century, but I don’t think that this is an excuse for such an absolute label” clarified Krečič, who added: “I always warn especially young architects with the words: Why do you think you can not be better than Plečnik? We have to believe that he could be surpassed. History didn’t stop with him.”

Ljubljana city centre, Plečnik’s exquisite creation

very authentically preserved, with his drawing material on his table and even his cigarettes, which were a part of his everyday from the early years.

The architect moved to a single-storey house at 4 Karun Street in Trnovo in 1921 and lived there in isolation and privacy until old age. After his death on 7th January 1957, his nephew Karel Matković moved to the house and began to sort out the large collection of the master’s plans and correspondence. Thanks to him, Plečnik’s valuable legacy has been completely preserved.

OSKAR KOGOJ NATURE DESIGN www.oskarkogoj.com

135

BASIC BASIC INFO INFO

About & Around Slovenia

Basic Knowledge Bank Working Hours Monday - Friday Saturday Sunday

9 a.m.- 5 p.m.

8 a.m.- 12 a.m.

Closed

Store Working Hours

Monday - Friday 8 a.m.-7 p.m.

Saturday 8 a.m.-1 p.m.

Sunday 8 a.m.-12 p.m.

Except special 24hrs shops and shops at 24hrs gas services. Big shopping malls are open Saturdays until 9 p.m. and Sundays until 3 p.m.

Automobile Speed Limits Highway Main Roads Populated areas

130 km/h 90 km/h 50 km/h

Important Emergency Telephone Numbers

Ambulance 112 Police 113 Fire Department 112 Automobile Association of Slovenia

080 1980

Transportation Telephone Numbers

Ljubljana Airport

04 206 10 00 Ljubljana Main Rail Station

01 291 33 32 Ljubljana Main Bus Station

01 234 46 00 Maribor Main Rail Station

02 292 21 64 Maribor Main Bus Station

080 11 16 Koper Main Rail Station

05 639 52 63 Koper Main Bus Station

05 662 51 05

Foreign Embassies (in Ljubljana) Embassy of the Republic of Austria Prešernova cesta 23, tel.: 01 479 07 00

136

Embassy of Belgium Trg republike 3, tel.: 01 200 60 10

Embassy of the Republic of Italy Snežniška 8, tel.: 01 426 21 94

Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria Rožna dolina Cesta XV/18, tel.: 01 425 88 45

Embassy of the Kingdom of Norway Ajdovščina 4, tel.: 01 300 21 40

Embassy of Bosnia and Herzegovina Kolarjeva 26, tel.: 01 234 32 50

Canadian Consulate Trg republike 3, tel.: 01 252 44 44

Embassy of the People’s Republic of China Koblarjeva 3, tel.: 01 420 28 55 Embassy of the Republic of Croatia Gruberjevo nabrežje 6, tel.: 01 425 72 87 Embassy of the Czech Republic Riharjeva 1, tel.: 01 420 24 50

Embassy of the Kingdom of Denmark Eurocenter, Tivolska 48, tel.: 01 438 08 00 Embassy of the Republic of Finland Ajdovščina 4/8, tel.: 01 300 21 20 Embassy of the Republic of France Barjanska 1, tel.: 01 479 04 00 Embassy of Germany Prešernova 22, tel.: 01 479 03 00 Embassy of Greece Trnovski pristan 14, tel.: 01 420 14 00

Apostolic Nunciature of the Holy See Krekov trg 1, tel.: 01 433 92 04

Embassy of the Republic of Hungary Ulica Konrada Babnika 5, tel.: 01 512 18 82 Embassy of India Maurerjeva ulica 29, www.indianembassy.si tel.: 01 513 31 10, fax: 01 513 31 16 Embassy of Ireland Poljanski nasip 6, tel.: 01 300 89 70

Embassy of Japan Trg Republike 3/XI, tel.: 01 200 82 81

Embassy of the Republic of Macedonia Prešernova 2, tel.: 01 421 00 21 Royal Netherlands Embassy Poljanski nasip 6, tel.: 01 420 14 60

Embassy of the Republic of Poland Bežigrad 10, tel.: 01 436 47 12 Embassy of Portugal Trg republike 3/X, tel.: 01 47 90 540

Embassy of Romania Smrekarjeva 33, tel.: 01 505 82 94

Embassy of the Russian Federation Tomšičeva, tel.: 01 425 68 75

Embassy of Serbia and Montenegro Slomškova ulica 1, tel.: 01 438 01 10 Embassy of the Slovak Republic Tivolska cesta 4, tel.: 01 425 54 25

Embassy of the Kingdom of Spain Trnovski pristan 24, tel.: 01 420 23 30 Embassy of Sweden Ajdovščina 4, tel.: 01 300 02 70

Embassy of Switzerland Trg republike 3/VI, tel.: 01 200 86 40

Embassy of the Republic of Turkey Livarska 4, tel.: 01 236 41 50; 236 41 60 Embassy of Ukraine Teslova 23, tel.: 01 421 06 04

Embassy of the United Kingdom Trg republike 3/IV, tel.: 01 200 39 10 Embassy of the USA Prešernova cesta 31, tel.: 01 200 55 00

How to get around in Slovenia?

Travelling in Slovenia is easy and comfortable. The variety of public transpor makes it possible to discover the country in a relatively short time. There are good connections with European countries and the rest of the world.

The majority of trips within Slovenia start from the capital, Ljubljana. The railway station is the hub and there are regular train connections with all major towns in Slovenia. During high season, additional trains are available from Maribor to Koper, via Ljubljana. When travelling to major towns, take the Eurocity, Intercity or ICS (the fastest) trains, as regional trains stop frequently and take more time. Trains are air-conditioned and comfortable.

There are several direct trains a day departing for: Munich, Vienna, Graz, Villach, Salzburg, Venice, Budapest, Sofia, Prague, Thessalonika, Zagreb, Rijeka, Opatija, Pula, Skopje, Belgrade, Zurich and Trieste.

The network of bus stations and stops throughout the country makes travelling by bus easy and convenient. The hub is Ljubljana, from where it is possible to reach almost any part of the country within a couple of hours.

Taxis do not have a daily or night rate, but prices can differ enormously depending on whether you hail one on the street or call by phone. The most expensive ones are in front of the railway station.

The best way to see the country is by car, especially if you want to visit the more remote mountainous regions.

Cars can be rented from agencies at Ljubljana Airport and from tourist agents in towns. We highly recommend you to tune in to Radio Slovenia International for updates on traffic jams.

Being a small country, Slovenia does not have internal airlines, but it does have good international flight connections. There are three international airports.

Ljubljana Jože Pučnik Airport, is the largest airport, 20 km north of the capital. Ten airlines with more than 30 destinations throughout Europe serve Ljubljana. Two of them are low cost airlines: easyJet flies (Ljubljana-London Stansted) and Wizz Air (Ljubljana-Brussels). Major international airlines like Air France, Swiss Air or Austrian Airlines, the Slovenian carrier, Adria Airways, fly on a daily basis or several times a week to most European capitals and major cities. The most convenient access to the airport is by the E61 Motorway. There are two secure parking areas with 2,200 parking spaces right in front of the passenger terminal. A taxi from Brnik to Ljubljana centre costs around EUR 35. There are also frequent bus connections to Ljubljana. The journey takes about 45 minutes and tickets are purchased on the bus. You can also travel to or from Kranj by train, from where there are good bus connections to the airport. It is advisable to check for any traffic jams before heading for Brnik due to road closures and road work in the direction of Gorenjska.

Maribor Airport is the second international airport, serving the city of Maribor. It is located a few kilometres south of the city, near Slivnica. The airport currently has numerous seasonal charter flights to coastal destinations especially during the summer holidays.

Portorož Airport is the third international airport, mainly used for private flights.

Grad

Šentilj v Slov. goricah Radlje ob Dravi

Mežica Kranjska Gora Mojstrana

Hrušica

JESENICE

Radenci

Bled

Brezje

Tržič

Naklo

Kamniška Bistrica

Bohinjska Bistrica

Železniki

ŠKOFJA LOKA

Cerkno

Ljubno ob Savinji

Vodice

TRBOVLJE Zagorje ob Savi

Žiri

LJUBLJANA

Šentjur

Rogatec

Radeče

Podsreda Brestanica

Grosuplje

Logatec

Borovnica

Stična

Krško Šmarješke Toplice

Žužemberk

Cerknica

Postojna

NOVO MESTO

Šentjernej

Čatež

Otočec

Dolenjske Toplice

Ribnica

Sežana

Brežice

Trebnje

Ivančna Gorica

Štanjel

Pivka Škocjan

Metlika

Kočevje Ilirska Bistrica

KOPER/CAPODISTRIA Izola/Isola

Rogaška Slatina

Podčetrtek

Laško

Hrastnik

Vipava

Črnomelj Osilnica

Piran/Pirano

Portorož/Portorose

Središče ob Dravi

Rimske Toplice

Litija

Vrhnika

Ankaran/Ancarano

Ormož

Sevnica

NOVA GORICA

Lipica

Dornava

Pragersko

CELJE

Idrija

Ajdovščina

Lendava/ Lendva Ljutomer

Poljčane

Slovenske Konjice

Žalec

Mengeš

Slovenska Bistrica

Dobrna

Polzela

DOMŽALE

Deskle

VELENJE

Mozirje

Kamnik

Tolmin

PTUJ Zreče

Brdo

KRANJ

Mislinja

Šoštanj

Preddvor

Beltinci

Lenart v Slov. goricah

Lovrenc na Pohorju

Topolšica

Logarska Dolina

Bovec

Kobarid

Slovenj Gradec

Črna na Koroškem

MURSKA SOBOTA

MARIBOR

Dravograd Ravne na Koroškem

Moravske Toplice Dobrovnik/ Dobronak

Gornja Radgona

Kostel Hrastovlje Vinica

137

BASIC INFO BASIC INFO

Transportation

INDEX INDEX

Index of Advertisers COMPANY NAME

PAGE

Aerodrom Ljubljana

2, 60

Alkemist Translation Agency BK Studio Benedict Grand Hotel Bernardin Hit Hosting

78–79 73, 108 130–131 96–97 59, 111, 139 89

Ilirika borzno posredniška hiša

44–45

Imos

64–65

Istrabenz

28

Japti

32–33

Kranjska Invensticijska Družba

48–51

Luka Koper

40–41

Marmor Hotavlje

74–75

Ministry for the Economy, Directorate for Tourism

84–87

Miro Munda

126

Oskar Kogoj

135

Porsche Slovenija Posestvo Ugar

8–9, 36 132–133

Poslovna cona Komenda

61

Pristop

55

Relocations

15

Riko

72

Si.mobil

29, 58

SIJ - Slovenska Industrija Jekla

22–25

Slovenian Tourist Board

94–95

Sunny Studio

125

Tomaž Prinčič

129

Trigranit Development Corporation, Emonika Zavod za ribištvo Slovenije

138

69–71, 140 119–120

Emonika City Center is to be a multifunctional complex development set to become the leading business and entertainment hub of Ljubljana. The one-ofa-kind Emonika City Center is designed as a unique combination of business, shopping and entertainment centers, an upscale business hotel, a high class residential tower, and bus and railway stations.

E M O N I K C

I

T

Y

C

E

N

T

E

A R

Emonika will offer a whole new style of living, become a business network hub, a social meeting point and a shopperﾃ不 paradise. It will be the place to be dynamic and succesful, to be entertained, to be at ease and to be at the center - simply the place to be.