National Geographic, one of the world’s most renowned media, recognized primarily for promoting a sustainable attitude towards the environment, unveiled its annual list of the 25 inspiring destinations for the renewed travel landscape to help individuals get a jump on planning for the year ahead. For the first time, Slovenia made the Best of the World 2023 travel list. What all destinations on the list have in common is that they include the positive effects of tourism in strengthening their local communities and environment.
Director of the Slovenian Tourist Board, MSc. Maja Pak points out the great importance of Slovenia’s inclusion on the prestigious National Geographic list: “The ranking of Slovenia among the 25 inspiring destinations of the world for 2023 and among the eight selected European destinations by National Geographic means an important strengthening in the visibility of Slovenia as one of the leading sustainable tourist destinations in the world.
As one of the most recognized and influential brands specializing in nature, nature experiences and travel and with a reach of more than half a billion followers on social networks, National Geographic reaches a target audience of more discerning guests looking for unique experiences in pristine nature. And these are the guests we want to address.”
Upon profiling Slovenia on the list in the “Nature” category, National Geographic described Slovenia as a long-time leader in the field of sustainable tourism, where new sustainable tourism products are constantly being developed. Among them, sustainable gastronomic cycling routes that lead to tourist farms, cheese makers, and other food producers were brought to the fore.
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National Geographic highlighted Slovenia Green Gourmet Route, a tourism product of sustainable cycling and gastronomic experiences, which was developed in partnership with the Slovenia Green consortium and the Slovenian Tourist Board (STB) in 2021, when Slovenia proudly held the title of European Gastronomic Region. At that time, the first Slovenia Green Cuisine providers joined the Green Scheme of Slovenian Tourism.
The cycling route connects destinations with the Slovenia Green label, offering culinary experiences in sustainably oriented restaurants, including those with Michelin stars, and at the same time inspires with routes between vineyards, spas, and tourist farms.
In the past, Slovenia and the STB were repeatedly underlined by National Geographic, especially in the field of successful promotion and implementation of sustainable development. In particular, it is worth highlighting the prestigious award National Geographic World Legacy Destination Leadership, which the STB received at ITB Berlin in 2017.
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Slovenia highlighted in the Nature category – wild, pristine, beautiful destinations
National Geographic listed Slovenia among five destinations on a global level and among three European destinations in the “Nature” category (along with Slovenia, the Scottish Highlands and the Azores made to the list), describing it as “long a leader in sustainable tourism”.
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The Best of the world 2023 list was created by the National Geographic Traveler global editorial team, who research, report and write about inspiring destinations throughout the year and introduce them to a global audience of millions. As they announced, their annual selection celebrates destinations and travel experiences that shine a light on the world and the diverse communities that inhabit it. The destinations are classified into five different categories: Family, Adventure, Culture, Nature, and Community, with the latter being presented for the first time.
In 2023, the focus is on experiences that also have an educational note – in the Family category, destinations that offer experiences for all generations are highlighted, in the Adventure category, incredible experiences in breathtaking places, the Culture category focuses on researching history and heritage, and the new Community category highlights healing and sustainable travel, conservation and giving back to the community. The Nature category, where Slovenia is included, celebrates experiences in a wild, pristine, picturesque environment.
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“Best of the World is Nat Geo’s annual love letter to the most incredible places in the world, both near and far.”
“We have experienced so many changes and disruptions in the way we explore over the last few years, so with this year’s list, we really wanted to get back to identifying positive stories about destinations and communities,” said Amy Alipio, senior editor at National Geographic Travel. “With our team of travel experts and editors, we took a deeper dive into places all over the globe that are providing experiences that are unique and beneficial for both locals and travelers: locations where visitors ultimately sustain and support—not damage—the destination’s environment and community. We also worked hard to provide lesser-known gems on the list, equally inspiring alternatives to destinations that have become overcrowded (think Choquequirao vs. Machu Picchu in Peru).”
“‘Best of the World’ is Nat Geo’s annual love letter to the most incredible places in the world, both near and far,” said Nathan Lump, National Geographic’s Editor-in-Chief. “We couldn’t be prouder to shine a light on these 25 extraordinary places that most inspired us this year, and which we know will define travelers’ itineraries for years to come. From craft breweries and Asia’s top film festival in Busan, South Korea, to women-led Indigenous tourism in Alberta, Canada, and the densest leatherback turtle nesting ground in the world in Trinidad and Tobago, this year’s list reminds us that there is still so much out there to explore and experience.”
About National Geographic
National Geographic Media is a worldwide digital, social and print publisher, operating in more than 170 countries and reaching 760 million households across their channels. They distribute to more than 461 million households in 172 countries on TV and have a readership of 46 million for their magazine in 32 languages. They connect with over 25 million monthly users across digital platforms, with a whopping 5.9 billion content views across their digital and social media combined.
National Geographic’s “Best of the World 2023” list:
NATURE: Scottish Highlands, Botswana, Slovenia, Big Bend National Park, Texas, Azores
CULTURE: Appian Way, Italy; Busan, South Korea; Longmen Grottoes, Henan Province, China; Egypt; Charleston, South Carolina
ADVENTURE: New Zealand; Choquequirao, Peru; Utah; Austrian Alps; Revillagigedo National Park, Mexico
COMMUNITY: Dodecanese Islands, Greece; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Alberta, Canada; Laos, Ghana
FAMILY: Trinidad and Tobago; San Francisco, California; Colombia; Manchester, UK; Switzerland
Cover photo: Uroš Rojc, Vipava Valley
