At the world’s leading tourism fair, ITB Berlin, the host of the global Green Destinations conference was announced at the Green Destinations Story Awards, an event that recognizes the world’s best sustainability stories every year. Last year, France hosted the event, and this year, Kranj will be hosting this prestigious meeting, which will be attended by around 250 people from more than 40 countries.
The Municipality of Kranj and the Kranj Tourism and Culture Board last presented themselves at ITB Berlin, considered the world’s leading tourism industry event, in 2023, when Kranj received the title of European Destination of Excellence. After a three-year hiatus, Kranj is once again presenting itself at this major tourism fair, where it was announced yesterday that it will host a global conference of green destinations.
This event is thus returning to Slovenia after ten years, as the first Green Destinations conference was held in Ljubljana in 2016, when Slovenia received special recognition and became the first green country in tourism in the world. In 2023, Kranj appeared among the 100 most sustainable stories in the world (Green Destinations Top 100 Stories) with the SOS Proteus Information Center.
This year’s global conference on green destinations will be held at the end of October in Brdo pri Kranju.
This year’s global conference on green destinations will be held at the end of October in Brdo pri Kranju. As the host city, Kranj will play an important role in the accompanying program and the presentation of good practices.
The official announcement that the global conference on green destinations will be held in in Kranj is the main reason why Kranj is currently presenting itself at the ITB Berlin trade fair. As part of the Slovenian stand, which this year focuses on artistic and cultural experiences for more demanding guests, Kranj is presenting itself as a sustainable destination among 30 Slovenian tourist destinations and providers.
The Slovenian stand also hosted a round table discussion with the participation of the Mayor of Kranj, Matjaž Rakovec. In a conversation with Albert Salman, founder of the Green Destinations organization, they discussed the importance of sustainable policies, the involvement of the local community in them, and the opportunities that the global conference brings to the city.
Matjaž Rakovec, Mayor of the Municipality of Kranj: “Hosting the Green Destinations international conference is an important recognition of Kranj’s long-term commitment to sustainable tourism. Since 2020, we have been implementing sustainable practices as part of the Slovenian Green Tourism Scheme, and I am delighted that our efforts are receiving international recognition. In 2023, we received the title of European Destination of Excellence, and the SOS Proteus Information Center was ranked among the top 100 sustainable stories in the world at a global conference in Tallinn. The fact that we will be hosting the global conference of green destinations in October this year is an opportunity to further increase the international recognition of Kranj and consolidate its position as a credible, development-oriented partner in the field of sustainable tourism. I am confident that our city as a tourist destination will impress conference guests with its green vision, hospitality, and sustainability stories that we are developing together with the local community.”
Klemen Malovrh, Director of the Kranj Tourism and Culture Board: “Germany is one of the most important source markets for Slovenian tourism. German guests rank first in Kranj in terms of the number of arrivals and overnight stays. ITB Berlin is considered one of the largest and most important tourism fairs in the world, attracting around 100,000 participants each year, with over 5000 exhibitors from 170 countries presenting themselves there. This tourism fair is therefore an excellent opportunity for us to present ourselves to the wider public as a destination worth experiencing and to the professional public as a reliable and development-oriented partner. This is further enhanced by the announcement that we will be hosting the Green Destinations global conference this year. As the event brings leading global experts, representatives of award-winning destinations, and international media to the city, it contributes to strengthening Kranj’s visibility on the global tourism map. At the same time, it opens up opportunities for new partnerships and the exchange of good practices. Kranj is thus establishing itself as one of the leading sustainable destinations and an active co-creator of the future of responsible tourism.”
