Štajerska Tourist Association

President: Jože Protner MA
Proposer: Slovenian Tourist Board

The fact that education contributes to the development of tourism is something that the Štajerska Tourist Association members realise full well. They direct their activities at kindergarten children, youth and adults, and they seek to establish principles of tourism, in which special place is given to protecting the natural and other heritage and promoting occupations in tourism. They link up with the local environment and social partners that are important for the development of tourism, and they promote education and campaigns for a well kept environment.

In cooperation with the Committee for Youth and Education at the Slovenian Tourist Board they hold competitions aimed at children in kindergarten and primary school (I drew my tree, My tree communicates with me and so forth), thereby promoting the idea of sustainable development in tourism. The best submissions for competitions are presented in exhibitions, and publication in the public media is also provided. In this way non-formal learning can also be shared among the general public, while young people gain self-confidence and an idea of the possibilities of employment in tourism. The commitment of the Štajerska Tourist Association can also be seen in the fact that it is the first regional tourist association in Slovenia to have opted for public promotion of vocations in tourism and hospitality. It also intends to continue with this in the future.

The activities of the Association are also highly diverse for adults, especially for members of tourist societies. In planning programmes, they start with the needs of the societies, for which reason they are also able to offer a wide variety of educational programmes (such as photography, training as tourist guides to Štajerska and society accounting), specifically in the form of lectures, courses and seminars. Through its work the Štajerska Tourist Association is encouraging a richer range of tourist services, familiarisation with locations in its area and also cooperation and networking. It enables the members and participants in its projects and tourism campaigns to socialise, to exchange knowledge and good practices, and awards commendations for the best-kept places.