Ljubljana Once Again Recognised for Its Outstanding Sustainable Practices in Tourism
10 Oct 2023
Ljubljana has made it to the Green Destinations Top 100 Stories list for the ninth time. This list highlights successful sustainable and responsible tourism practices from around the world, serving as examples for other destinations, travel organisers, and travellers. This year, Ljubljana caught the attention of the international jury with its creative craft workshops and boutique experiences, where participants actively engage with existing traditional crafts in the city.
Spomenik v Borovnici, za katerega je naredil načrte Jože Plečnik © Primož Lukežič
The Green Destinations Top 100 Stories competition selects high-quality, sustainably oriented content and best tourism practices from around the world each year through a public competition. The top 100 destinations are those that stand out for their effectiveness, innovation, and their potential to be replicated by other destinations. Inclusion on this list is recognition for destinations that have successfully addressed sustainability challenges, demonstrated resilience in dealing with them, and committed to more responsible practices. The competition has been organised by Green Destinations since 2014, and Ljubljana is one of the few destinations to have made it to the Top 100 list nine times.
Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia, earned its spot among the best sustainable practices this year with its creative craft workshops. These workshops offer eight boutique experiences, conducted in small groups, where participants get acquainted with traditional crafts such as umbrella making, goldsmithing, pottery, weaving, and printing. Visitors have the opportunity to visit artisans in their workshops and studios, learn about their stories, observe them at work, and even try their hand at these manual skills. This initiative contributes to the preservation of traditional crafts and supports local craftsmen.
The workshops serve as an example of regenerative tourism, an approach to tourism that encourages visitors to have a positive impact on their chosen destination and contribute to its heritage. They offer valuable insights into life in Ljubljana throughout history and meet the needs of new generations of travellers seeking new experiences, knowledge, and connections with the local population. Ultimately, they foster respect among both the local population and domestic and international visitors for local and national heritage.
The creative craft workshops were developed by Ljubljana Tourism in collaboration with artisans, the Department of Culture of the City of Ljubljana, and the Rajzefiber by Hiša! association, with the assistance of students involved in the pilot development program "Student Studio for Sustainable Development and Innovation in Tourism" at UP FTŠ Turistica.