Ljubljana Rewarded for its Sustainability Efforts in Slovenia

© Andrej Tarfila

Ljubljana received the Slovenia Green Destination PLATINUM badge, awarded by the Slovenian Tourist Board. In 2016, Ljubljana was the first in Slovenia to receive the golden badge and successfully kept it until this year.

With the newly acquired and highest platinum badge, it proves that it is one of the most successful destinations in the Green Scheme of Slovenian Tourism and that it successfully follows the sustainable development programme.

Sustainability as a fundamental approach

Ljubljana lives sustainability, which is an extremely important foundation of the destination and its positioning. It is one of the leading destinations in the field of sustainable tourism on a global scale and the only destination in the wider region that has received the title of the Green Capital of Europe.

Sustainability-oriented tourism is the key aspect of the 2021-2027 Tourism Development Strategy of Ljubljana. As the recipient of numerous international awards and titles related to sustainable tourism, the city strives to become a global role model for urban destinations around the world. Last year it was awarded with the title of "European Best Green Capital Award", and this year with the "European Best Destination Award". Additionally, Ljubljana received the Energy Globe Award 2021 for the Green Purchase Chain project in Slovenia, and the Green Destinations Story Award for the Online Culture project. Last year it was ranked among the 100 most sustainable destinations in the world for the seventh year in a row while Lonely Planet even ranked it among the eight most sustainable cities in the world.

Highest rating among all destinations

Ljubljana obtained the platinum certificate of the Green Scheme of Slovenian Tourism (GSST) with an average score of 9.3, which is also the highest score among all destinations in this series of assessments. In as many as two categories, it achieved the highest possible score of 10, namely in the categories of nature and landscape and culture and tradition. According to the Slovenian Tourist Board, the highest possible ratings in both categories prove the good strategic addressing of both areas and the provision of appropriate policies and implementation of measures for the protection and management of natural and cultural resources.

Key cooperation

Tourism Ljubljana pinpoints close cooperation with the wider city family and the local tourism industry as crucial for the successful development of sustainable tourism in Ljubljana. As stated by Petra Stušek, the Director of Tourism Ljubljana: "Zoran Janković, the mayor of Ljubljana, and his team members are the ones that enable and strongly support our sustainability ambitions by having a clear vision of sustainable development in the City of Ljubljana at all times."

The Green scheme of the Slovenian tourism

The Green Scheme of Slovenian Tourism (GSST) is a national programme and certification scheme under the umbrella brand SLOVENIA GREEN. It acts toward supporting and acknowledging sustainable development efforts in the Slovenian tourism as well as offering concrete tools for assessing and improving the sustainability character of the Slovenian destinations. The key strategic goal of the scheme is the introduction of sustainable models in Slovenian tourism, both at the level of tourism providers and destinations. All goals of the strategic orientations are accompanied by sustainable development and care for the economic, socio-cultural and natural environment. The Slovenia Green Destination Platinum label is valid for a period of three years, until the next assessment in 2025.