The municipality of Gorenja vas Poljane has entered the Green Scheme of Slovenian tourism

1.4.2020

We all have encountered with environmental awareness and issues. Many people are alreday in the process of sustainable development, and in our local community we want to join the field of tourism. In order to follow the goal of developing sustainable tourism, the municipality Gorenja vas - Poljane decided to join the Green Schem of Slovenian tourism (ZSST), which operate within Slovenian Tourist Organization (STO) and the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), which operates within the UN.

Sustainable tourism
The UNWTO and the UN Environment Program define that sustainable tourism refers to all current and future economic, socio-cultural, and environmental aspects of development. To ensure long-term sustainable development, an appropriate balance needs to be struck between the environmental impacts of tourism, tourism employees, local communities, and tourism providers.

Green scheme
Municipality of Gorenja vas - Poljane decided to join five destinations that have applied to the national call of the Slovenian Tourist Board (STO) to promote the introduction of sustainable business in tourism, or to join the ZSST. To date, the scheme brings together 53 destinations, 46 providers, 4 parks, 2 tourist agencies and 1 attraction with the successfully obtained Slovenia Green logo.

ZSST is a comprehensively designed national system for promoting the development of sustainable tourism in Slovenia at all pillars of sustainable development, environmental, social, and economic. The scheme, whose owner and manager is the STO, is intended for destinations and protected areas as well as providers of tourist accommodation, tourist agencies, attractions and, from this year onwards, also restaurants and beaches/public baths.

The Municipality of Gorenja vas - Poljane has joined destinations that assess their sustainable business in the field of tourism using international tools of Green Destinations Standard, which will allow us to do both national as well as international comparability and visibility. On the way to the Slovenia Green label, which is expected to last until the end of this year, we will collect data on the sustainability of our tourism development through various activities and raise awareness of the local population, economy, visitors and other stakeholders about the importance of sustainable tourism. In the first half of next year, with the help of findings and guidelines, we will prepare an action plan of measures with which we will further improve sustainable business in the destination. The plan is then proposed for approval in the municipal council.

Immediately after entering the scheme, we have already appointed a coordinator Kristina Bogataj from the Poljane Valley Institute in the destination, who will be responsible for carrying out the entire procedure. We will also put together a 10-member green team to help the coordinator in collecting data and preparing and implementing the necessary measures.

 

Municipality expectations from the scheme
Among the expected results of joining the Green Scheme of Slovenian Tourism there are, in particular, improved quality of life for residents in the municipality, even better connections with local providers, acquiring a boutique guest who will stay here longer, learning about local culture and shopping locally, and acquiring at least one sustainable eco-label. We also want to minimise the amount of wastewater, electricity, drinking water and waste consumption and create our own code for the tourism industry and guides. A special goal is also to update the Tourism Development Strategy in the Škofja Loka area together with other municipalities: Škofja Loka, Žiri and Železniki and to establish measures based on questionnaires, which will be distributed among citizens, the tourism industry and tourists.

These are just some of the expectations, and as part of the overall analysis, we will consolidate what still needs to be done to make our municipality operate more sustainably and become a more recognisable location for boutique tourists.

 

A green (environmentally and socially responsible) destination is not something that is a project, task or responsibility solely of tourist organisation. It is something we can only achieve together - all stakeholders in the destination, in the public, non-governmental and private sectors - not only in tourism, but in all areas of activity. Last but not least, all the inhabitants of the destination are also crucial in this process. It is extremely important that the destination is first and foremost pleasant and friendly for all who work and live here. This will also be the case for the people who visit us.

 

If you have any questions, ideas, suggestions, initiatives or are willing to help, write to zelena.shema@poljanskadolina.com, and you can read more on the website www.poljanskadolina.com.

You can read more about the Green Scheme of Slovenian Tourism on the website of the Slovenian Tourist Board: www.slovenia.info/zelenashema.