Between 3 and 5 March, the German capital will be hosting the world’s leading tourism fair, ITB Berlin, and Kranj will be there too. The last time the Municipality of Kranj and the Kranj Tourism and Culture Board presented the city at this central global event for the tourism industry was in 2023, when Kranj received the title of European Destination of Excellence. This year, as ITB Berlin celebrates its 60th anniversary, the Municipality of Kranj and the Kranj Tourism and Culture Board will play an active role in organizing the conference of Green Destinations and will be presented at an event at this fair.
The host of the global Green Destinations conference 2026 will be officially announced at the GD event within the ITB. Kranj is competing to host this prestigious meeting. The first GD conference was held in Ljubljana in 2016, when Slovenia received special recognition, becoming the first country in the world to be designated a Green Destination. On Wednesday, 4 March, the host of this year’s global conference will be announced at the ITB Berlin trade fair.
The Slovenian Tourist Board will be present on a 210 m² stand at the ITB Berlin tourism fair between March 3 and 5, 2026 in Hall 27, this time focusing on artistic and cultural experiences for more demanding guests. Among the 30 Slovenian tourist destinations and providers, Kranj will also have its place within the Slovenian exhibition space. In addition to its tourism and cultural programmes, Kranj will introduce itself as a sustainable city.
ITB Berlin is one of the largest and most important tourism fairs in the world. Last year, it attracted 100,000 participants and 5,800 exhibitors from 170 countries. Germany is the most important source market for tourism in Slovenia. In 2025, German tourists had more than two million overnight stays. In Kranj, German guests rank first in terms of the number of arrivals and overnight stays.
Green Destinations is a global organization based in the Netherlands that operates as a non-profit initiative to support sustainable tourism and sustainable destinations around the world. In 2023, the SOS Proteus Information Center, operating in the tunnels under the old town of Kranj, was one of a hundred Green Destinations Top 100 Stories.
Matjaž Rakovec, Mayor of the City of Kranj: “An invitation to one of the largest and most influential tourism fairs in the world is always a special honor. In 2023, it was here that I was presented with the title of the European Destination of Excellence, which was awarded to Kranj by the European Commission. This time, we are waiting for the decision on who will be hosting the global conference of green destinations. We attended it in 2023 in Tallinn, when the SOS Proteus Information Center received an award for one of the 100 best sustainability stories in the world. Perhaps this year, we will be the ones to host it. In any case, being at ITB Berlin is always an excellent opportunity to promote our city as a tourist destination, to meet with businesspeople and diplomats, and also an opportunity for new ideas and collaborations.”
Klemen Malovrh, Director of the Kranj Tourism and Culture Board: ”Since 2020, we have been working to ensure the sustainable development of tourism in this destination under the umbrella of the Green Scheme of tourism in Slovenia. Our efforts have already been recognized internationally twice during this period. In 2023, our city received the title of European Destination of Excellence, and we are currently applying to host the global conference of Green Destinations. With growing international recognition, it is very important that our city is present at key tourism fairs. It’s a chance to show the wider public that this is a destination worth visiting and to show the experts that we are a reliable and forward-thinking partner. I am counting on us returning home with a double victory – with new partnerships that will contribute to further growth in the number of foreign guests and longer stays in Kranj, and as hosts of the global conference on green destinations, which will further strengthen this city’s international position.”
