In December 2011 key Slovenian tourism operators - public and private - signed the Declaration of Partnership for Sustainable Development of Slovenian Tourism, as the basis for joint activities and partnerships over the years 2012-2016 for sustainable tourism. It will be binding on all tourism sectors - public and private. At the same time the partners acknowledge the importance of tourism as one of the leading sectors in Slovenia’s economy and its contribution to the attainment of Slovenia’s development objectives.
The stated purpose of the agreement is to:
• clearly define the importance of tourism for Slovenia;
• identify the key resources for improving the competitiveness of Slovenian tourism;
• define the measures for the competitive and sustainable development of Slovenian tourism on the basis of the 2012-2016 Slovenian Tourism Development Strategy; and
• to form a partnership for sustainable development, by which the signatories undertake that “tourism in 2016 in Slovenia will be entirely based on sustainable development and, as the most successful branch of the national economy, will significantly contribute to the social welfare and reputation of our country in the world.”
The declaration was signed by the Slovenian Tourist Board, the Ministry of the Economy, the Tourist Hospitality Chamber, Chamber of Slovenian Crafts, the Congress Tourism Institute, and the Association of Tourist Agencies of Slovenia at a press conference prior to the main event - Days of Slovenian Tourism. The supporters of the declaration also included numerous other associations, institutions and organisations, and the declaration remains open for further signatories and supporters.