Slovenia as an Emerging Green Cycling Destination

The plenary session shed light on key trends and opportunities in cycling tourism. Tomaž Ambrožič from Sport Media Focus presented the current state and potential of Slovenia as a cycling destination, while Agathe Daudibon from the European Cyclists’ Federation—Europe’s largest cycling organization—joined via video link from Brussels to present broader European trends. She emphasized the importance of cycling as green mobility and highlighted the urgent need for trains to better accommodate bicycles.

The central part of the conference showcased selected examples of best practices in cycling tourism. Bogdan Fink, Executive Director of the Tour of Slovenia, stressed the event’s growing importance as a cycling-tourism highlight, as its live broadcast reaches 130 countries and around 12 million viewers, showcasing Slovenia’s natural beauty. Joining from neighboring Poreč, Luka Mišović shared a successful model of collaboration between a hotel chain, a local tourism organization, and event organizers. The international amateur cycling race Istra300 has grown to 4,000 participants in just four years. Jan Klavora from Goodplace presented the recently completed Trans Dinarica project—a long-distance cycling route that connects the entire Balkan region and opens new tourism development opportunities along the way. Simon Rožnik described the development of the Red Bull Goni Pony project—from its initial idea to its successful execution—highlighting the crucial role of strategic partnerships and strong local community support. These presentations all underscored the importance of cooperation between destinations, organizers, and the tourism industry.

In the concluding roundtable discussion, participants explored the future and possibilities for the sustainable development of cycling tourism. Matija Blažič presented the development of Hotel Ribno Bled, a cycling-friendly hotel, while Anej Štrucl recounted the 30-year journey of Eco Hotel Koroš, explaining how they managed to develop an entire destination around the hotel. Tina Novak Samec from the Institute for Culture, Sports, and Youth of Brda, along with Rok Lozej, emphasized the tourism significance of the Giro d’Italia stage that will take place in Brda and Nova Gorica at the end of May. Metka Pirc presented initiatives by the Slovenian Tourist Board aimed at supporting sports tourism.

The conference also offered ample opportunities for networking and collaboration among stakeholders, with a clear common goal: to strengthen Slovenia’s position as a top-tier cycling tourism destination.

The event was organized by the Faculty of Tourism Studies – Turistica (UP FTŠ Turistica), with the support of the Slovenian Tourist Board. The conference was part of the celebration of Turistica’s 30th anniversary, during which the faculty opens its doors to the community and the general public, offering insights into its activities, professional work, and development directions in the field of tourism.