Page 110 - World Heritage and Tourism Innovation

Anton Gosar Layers of Tourism in Protected Ecosystems of Slovenia

km2, and the largest of three, encompassing 222 km2, Škocjan Caves Regional Park, in the Karawanken
is the Inner Carniola Regional Park (Notranjski reiki Geopark (both UNESCO sites) and in the Inner
park), with several above and underground attrac- Carniola Regional Park (Notranjski reiki park).
tions produced by the karst geology. 60% of recommended visits to the underground
Selected contemporary trends regarding pandemic world are to be performed in protected areas.
and post-pandemic behaviour of tourists in protected 4. Other recommended sites to visit in summer in-
areas have been observed in contemporary literature clude adventures in the air and on water as well as
and at several national institutions, such as the Slo- in “adrenalin parks”. These are rarely located inside
venian Office of Statistics (SURS), the headquarters protected areas of nature and, therefore, are not
of the Triglav National Park - TNP (Triglavska Roža, subject to analyses. Nevertheless, their initial loca-
Bled) and the Mountain Rescuing Service (GRS). tion is often on the edge or near nature-protected
sites and could affect them indirectly. None of the
Tourism Layers in Protected Sites recommended 15 golf courses are located within
Promotion and Directions. In 2020, the Slovenian protected areas.
Tourist Board, in the brochure “Slovenija na prostem.
Moj način gibanja v naravi” (Open Air Slovenia. My In the brochure named earlier, the Slovenian Tour-
Movements in Nature), highlighted four types of ac- ist Board outlined destinations specially recognised
tivities: hiking, cycling, experiences of the karst un- by media or institutions related to tourism. In the
derground and golf. Other recommended leisure-ori- frame of “hiking”, two stand out: 1. the Juliana Trail,
ented summer activities included horseback riding, circling the Triglav National Park in the alpine envi-
parachuting, paragliding, hang-gliding, and balloon- ronment with outstanding vistas (330 km, 20 days,
ing, experiences on and along rivers, lakes and the sea, 1326 meters of maximum elevation above sea level);
visits to the adrenaline parks and activities in health this trail was recommended by the British newspaper
resorts (Slovenska turistična organizacija, 2020). Rec- The Guardian and the USA’s New York Times; 2. the
ommended summer tourist activities placed in pro- Peace Trail, crisscrossing the Italian - Slovenian bor-
tected areas of nature show the following character- der and the Triglav National Park area in memory of
istics: the first World War tragedy at the Isonzo frontline in
1917 (120 km, seven days, hiking in part above 2000 m
1. Hiking and Mountaineering. Out of 12 hiking/ above sea level); this trail is marked with the sign “Slo-
mountaineering trails, as many as six crisscross venian Unique Experience”. In the frame of “biking”,
Triglav National Park (TNP), five trails offer expe-
riences in landscape and regional parks. Just one the bicycle circle route Slovenia (Mountain) Biking
Tour (1800 kilometres, 41 segments, 50.000 meters of
hiking trail avoids protected areas (region Zasav- elevation, 109 control points) stands out as it crosses
je). Protected sites of nature are crisscrossed by several regional and landscape parks, as well as the
92% of recommended hiking trails. Triglav National Park (Vršič Pass, 1611 meters). The
2. Bicycling. Of the nine recommended cycling “underground experience” is highlighted by three,
routes, two cross the Triglav National Park, five named “Slovenian Unique Experience”:
lead cyclists through regional/landscape parks, The Postojna Cave is 22 kilometres away from the
and two avoid protected areas (the Mura River and Inner Carniola Region Park (Notranjski regijski Park
the Kamnik-Savinja Alps circle tour). Thus, 78% of - NRP).
the recommended cycling routes cross protected The Peca/Petzen walking, biking and boating ad-
natural sites. venture in the Unesco Geopark Karawanken.
3. Experience of the karst (and the underground The Caves of Škocjan are a UNESCO Heritage Site,
world of Slovenia). 5 exceptional and recommend- containing the world’s largest underground canyon of
ed caves to visit three are in protected areas: in the the river Reka.

106 | Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference