Slovenia Outdoor visiting Tyrol

Seefeld & Sölden

    The second annual general meeting of the Active Slovenia GIZ took place during a study trip to the Austrian Tyrol, specifically to Seefeld and Sölden. 51 members of the association, partners, representatives of Slovenian destinations and the Slovenian Tourist Board joined us on the three-day trip.

     

    The first day in Seefeld started with the association’s general assembly, followed by a presentation by the Director of Destination Seefeld, Elias Walser. Mr Walser gave us a detailed presentation of the destination’s activities, projects and marketing strategy. The participants then had a tour of the convention centre, sports and technical infrastructure.

     

    After Seefeld, we moved on to Sölden, where Directors Dominik and Leopold Linser took us through a comprehensive presentation of the destination. We learned about Sölden’s development, its infrastructure, accommodation providers, the Bike Republic Sölden bike park and the various events. They also explained in detail the organisational, financial and marketing aspects of this popular tourist destination.

     

    The second day started with a presentation by Bergbahnen Sölden’s Chief Operating Officer Michael Maier. After the presentation, we visited the ski resort and enjoyed skiing together, during which Mr Maier and Mr Linser kindly answered questions and chatted with the participants in the gondola.

     

    In the evening, we also awarded the first certificates to hiking and cycling destinations. Cerklje na Gorenjskem was the first destination to receive the TOP BIKE DESTINATION certificate, while Bela krajina received the TOP HIKE DESTINATION and BIKE DESTINATION certificates.

     

    On the third day, we started with an exchange of experiences with Karoline Pult, owner and director of Hotel Die Berge. Ms Pult shared with us her story and insight into the functioning of a destination from the hoteliers’ point of view. We finished the day with a cycling tour of the Bike Republic Sölden bike park, led by local bike guides. Participants were impressed by what they saw and heard and expressed the hope that we can transfer some of this good practice to Slovenia.