Murska Sobota in the Green Scheme of Slovenian Tourism
The Municipality of Murska Sobota has applied to the national call of the Slovenian Tourist Board to promote the introduction of sustainable business in tourism, called the Green Scheme of Slovenian Tourism – SLOVENIA GREEN.
The Green Scheme of Slovenian Tourism (ZSST) is a comprehensively designed national system for promoting the development of sustainable tourism in Slovenia. It offers destinations and providers concrete tools for assessing and improving sustainable performance and also promotes green performance through the SLOVENIA GREEN brand. The scheme is intended for destinations and protected areas as well as providers of tourist accommodation, travel agencies, attractions and, this year also restaurants and beaches / baths.
In the Municipality of Murska Sobota, they have joined destinations that assess their sustainable business in the field of tourism using the international tool Green Destinations Standard. On the way to the Slovenia Green label, which is expected to last until the end of this year, they will collect data on the sustainable development of the municipality through various activities, conduct surveys of the local population, visitors and the tourism industry and raise awareness of sustainable tourism. They will analyze the situation in the field of destination management, nature and landscape, environment and climate, culture and tradition, social climate and business operations of tourism companies. Based on the analyzes, they will receive a grade and obtain the Slovenia Green logo of the appropriate color. With the Slovenia Green Destination logo, they will position themselves on the domestic, European and global markets as an environmentally and socially friendly destination.
Based on all analyzes, findings and assessments, a concrete action plan of measures will be prepared in the first half of next year, with which they will further improve sustainable business in the destination. This year, an inventory of the situation in the municipality is planned.
Upon entering the scheme, a green coordinator was appointed, Snežana S. Slekovec, an expert in the field of tourism, employed at the Institute for Culture, Tourism and Sports Murska Sobota, who will be responsible for the implementation of the entire procedure.
In the next step, a green team will be convened to assist the coordinator in collecting all the necessary data and later in implementing the necessary measures. The green team will consist of representatives of all areas involved in the sustainable operation of the destination. With the coordinator, they will answer as many as 100 in-depth questions of the standard. This year, with the signing of the Green Policy, which defines the basic commitment of Slovenian tourism to operate according to sustainable principles and continuous efforts for improvement, they will also officially commit to this. The green policy will be signed by the mayor.
“A green (environmentally and socially responsible) destination is not something that is a project, task or responsibility of a tourist organization alone. It is something that can only be achieved by all of us together – all stakeholders in the destination, in the public, non-governmental and private sectors – and not only in tourism, but in all areas of activity. Last but not least, everyone who lives in the destination is 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. Especially now, in these extraordinary situations that we are all experiencing, we are facing challenges to improve performance, just as we are facing challenges. It is up to us to take advantage of that. “
You can read more about the Green Scheme of Slovenian Tourism on the website of the Slovenian Tourist Board: https://www.slovenia.info/en/business/green-scheme-of-slovenian-tourism.
Murska Sobota, 18.3.2021
