One of the most exciting aspects of traveling is discovering hidden gems. Heading to a place you never really considered going can make for an unforgettable vacation. It is, after all, a great big world with a lot of fascinating places that aren’t always in the spotlight. This is especially the case when you are looking for eco-friendly destination for your active holiday.
Ecotourism, or exploring an exotic eco-system in a sustainable way that helps to preserve the animals and plants in the eco-system, is a new sector of the travel industry that is booming.
Slovenia may not seem as a vacations hot-spot or an eco-friendly destination. However, you would be surprised by all the hidden gems the country has.
It is a relatively small country that shares borders with Austria to the north, Croatia to the south and southeast, Italy to the west and the Adriatic Sea to the southwest. It has a rich history and a diverse landscape that includes the Alps, both the Mediterranean and Adriatic sea, and the Pannonian plain. That diversity means that there are many options for outdoor activities while on your active holiday.
Slovenia is committed to protecting its natural resources. Eco-tourists looking for an active vacation will see that the country has lots to offer.
Let’s start with some of the things that make Slovenia an eco-friendly destination. The capital of Slovenia is Ljubljana which was named the European Green Capital for 2016. It is also the first European capital to move toward zero waste. One way that Ljubljana achieved that is with the introduction of waste bins that charge users based on the amount of garbage they place in the bin.
The city has also made public transportation eco-friendly with the introduction of city buses that run on natural gas and an electric train. It has also maintained a forty-six percent rate of indigenous woodland within the city’s boundaries.
The countryside of Slovenia is dotted with eco-friendly farms that support the environment while also preserving local culture. The trend toward preservation and eco-friendly tourism continues in many of the outdoor activities that make a vacation in Slovenia so exciting.
With the recent colony collapse that is killing off honey bees on a massive scale around the world there is a real need to promote and protect these amazing pollinators who make so much of our food possible. Slovenia does this with a thriving api-tourism industry. There is a celebration in May for World Bee Day, honey therapy programs that demonstrate how important bees are to our lives. The bees, in turn, are critically important to the pollination of the beautiful wildflowers that bloom around that time of the year.
The wildflowers are central to the Bohinj Wild Flower and Walking Festival in May and June. It is a chance to explore the stunning alpine landscape in eco-friendly ways such as walking and biking.
The outdoor activities in Slovenia are not just about bees and flowers either. The presence of the Alps offers the opportunity for world class skiing and snowboarding and other winter sports.
There is also some of the most beautiful Alpine terrain you will ever hike or camp. The glacial hiking in Tamar Valley is especially stunning. Swimming and kayaking are also popular eco-friendly activities in a country with rivers, lakes, and the Adriatic and Mediterranean Seas. In fact, you can go from skiing in the morning to swimming in the afternoon!
Slovenia has high hopes for its tourism industry. As the word gets out about the beauty of the country, the varied landscape and opportunities for outdoor activities, tourism is increasing. Slovenia has become a popular eco-friendly destination for any active holidaymakers.
Last year, the number of foreign tourists rose by twelve percent to three million. This is most likely due to the marketing efforts to advertise the Slovenian offer but also to tourists looking for alternatives to other popular destinations that have been rocked by terrorism.
Slovenia also has another not-so-secret weapon. The First Lady of the United States, Melania Trump, is from there. Her fame has increased the profile of her country of birth. It might even account for why the number of American visitors is up by thirty-one percent in the last year. The secret of Slovenia as an exciting, eco-friendly destination is out!