On World Tourism Day, under this year's theme "Tourism and Peace," a press conference at Terme Čatež highlighted the encouraging results of tourism in Brežice and future plans. The speakers discussed ongoing projects and long-term goals to strengthen the Brežice destination. The event also saw the premiere of the "anthem" of the destination, composed by Robert Petan, which will be publicly released on October 1.
Katja Čanžar, Director of the Institute for Entrepreneurship, Tourism, and Youth (ZPTM) Brežice, emphasized: "The year 2024 has been exceptionally successful for the Brežice destination. In the first eight months, we recorded nearly 150,000 tourist arrivals and almost 500,000 overnight stays, placing us in 6th place among municipalities. This year, we have seen a significant increase in arrivals and overnight stays outside the main summer season, particularly in February, March, and May, with growth ranging from 26% to 50% compared to last year. This is very positive for the development of the destination, as it shows we are attracting visitors year-round. I am also pleased to announce that we are one of only five Slovenian destinations to hold the prestigious Slovenia Green Destination Platinum title, positioning us among the leading sustainable destinations in the country. Additionally, we are one of only 14 destinations with the rights to use the territorial collective brand, namely Brežice Selection – Izbrano, which increases the visibility of local products and providers."
Dr. Marjetka Rangus, Dean of the Faculty of Tourism at the University of Maribor, highlighted: "The role of the Faculty of Tourism is crucial – it has turned Brežice into a university town. The Faculty brings new knowledge and understanding to the area and plays a vital connecting role. With its many successful projects, the result of collaboration among local actors, we aim to contribute to the education and attraction of young people and to emphasize that tourism offers beautiful, ambitious careers, for which knowledge, found at our faculty, is essential."
Ivan Molan, Mayor of Brežice, stressed the importance of cooperation and investment in tourism infrastructure in his speech: "At the Municipality, we are committed to expanding tourism facilities, and in the coming years, we will provide several new development opportunities. All the investments we lead are in some way connected to tourism, particularly accessibility. The Municipality has developed a strategy that identifies the need to enhance the attractiveness of the offerings. Therefore, we have taken an intensive approach to the restoration of certain structures that hold special value – from the castle to the Water Tower, which is not a traditional viewing tower but includes interactive content, to the restoration of the iron and wooden bridges on the Krka River, Ban's Homestead, and many other landmarks."
Alenka Mokrovič Pogačar, Assistant Director of Terme Čatež, emphasized the important role of thermal offerings in attracting visitors: "Terme Čatež has long been one of the most important tourism providers in this part of Slovenia. The year 2023 was very successful; we generated over 37 million euros in revenue, a 14% increase compared to the previous year. In 2023, we accounted for 4% of all overnight stays in Slovenia, and as part of the Association of Slovenian Natural Spas, which includes 14 spas in Slovenia, we contributed almost 23% of all overnight stays. We are proud of our significant contribution to the local community and look forward to continuing our excellent cooperation."
The event's catering was provided by the Vimpolšek Tourist Farm, which holds the Brežice Selection / Izbrano certification, in collaboration with the host, Terme Čatež.
