TourismFromZero Podcast
Welcome to the TourismFromZero podcast, where we bring you stories about interesting tourism stakeholders in your country and in your language. In each episode, we host guests from different walks of (tourism) life who share their exciting tourism experiences of how they move tourism “from zero to hero”.
All episodes are also available below for direct listening.
Check out the first three letters for the language of each episode (ENG – English, SLO – Slovenian).
- SLO – #028 – TINA MENTOL, FOUNDER – Slocks / Slavsocks, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- ENG – #027 – dr. CARINA REN, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR – Aalborg University Copenhagen, Denmark
- SLO – #026 – dr. EMIL JUVAN, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR – University of Primorska, Faculty of Tourism Studies – Turistica, Portorož, Slovenia
- ENG – #025 – SAM-ERIK RUTTMAN, DIRECTOR OF GLOBAL HOSPITALITY DEVELOPMENT – Studio Puisto Architects, Helsinki, Finland
- SLO – #024 – dr. TANJA LEŠNIK ŠTUHEC, assistant professor – University of Maribor, Slovenia
- SLO – #023 – MITJA JUS, CEO – Roundabout Experiences, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- SLO – #022 – JANKO HUMAR, destination management expert – Sontius, Tolmin, Slovenia
- ENG – #021 – dr. GUNNAR ÞÓR JÓHANNESSON, professor – University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland
- SLO – #020 – MARJANA GRČMAN, travel journalist – Radio-Television Slovenia – TV show ”Na lepše”
- SLO – #019 – JANEZ JANKO KODILA, entrepreneur – Šunkarna in gourmet Kodila, Markišavci, Slovenia
- ENG – #018 – dr. FLORIAN ZACH, assistant professor – Virginia Tech University, Virginia, USA
- SLO – #017 – HELGA LUKAČ, project manager – Expano, Murska Sobota, Slovenia
- SLO – #016 – PETER ČRNIČ, tourism entrepreneur – Bravina Experience, Bela Krajina, Slovenia
- SLO – #015 – dr. TANJA MIHALIČ, professor – Faculty of Economics, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
- SLO – #014 – TINA HUDNIK & MAJA VANMIERLO, tourism professionals – G-Guides Academy, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- ENG – #013 – dr. ANTONIO PAOLO RUSSO, professor in tourism management – Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain
- SLO – #012 – dr. JANEZ BOGATAJ, professor emeritus – Ljubljana, Slovenia
- SLO – #011 – DRAGO BULC, travel journalist – Slovenian Travel Press Association, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- SLO – #010 – MATEJA KREGAR GLIHA, tourist guide – Association of Regional Tourist Guides, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- ENG – #009 – IVA HAFNER, connector – Greeting from my window & Run Friendly World, Vienna, Austria
- SLO – #008 – VID KMETIČ, tourist walker – Rajzefiber bureau, Maribor, Slovenia
- SLO – #007 – JANJA VIHER, tourism entrepreneur – Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Maribor, Slovenia
- SLO – #006 – MIHA ŠALEHAR, mountain biker – Trail center, Robidišče, Slovenia
- SLO – #005 – MATEJA HRVATIN KOZLOVIČ, tourism entrepreneur – Istrian Breakfast, Truške, Slovenia
- SLO – #004 – ALEŠ KACIN, shoemaker – Alojz Karner Handcrafted Shoes, Žiri, Slovenia
- SLO – #003 – NATAŠA DOLEJŠI, button maker – Dolejši Fashion Buttons, Šempeter v Savinjski dolini, Slovenia
- SLO – #002 – BOGDAN ŠTEH, curator – Virtual Museum of Mining Heritage, Trbovlje, Slovenia
- SLO – #001 – IGOR JURIŠIČ, traveler – President of the Slovenian Travel Association, Maribor, Slovenia
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LANGUAGE Slovenian – DATE July 2021 – LENGTH 1h 1 min – CONTENT:
- 01:05 – Storytelling in heritage promotion
- 24:24 – Let us respect our grannies and grandads
- 28:34 – What do you consider the national dish?
- 35:55 – Promoting cultural heritage with fashion accessories
- 44:40 – Young people, come out of yourselves before anything else
- 51:44 – What is consumerism and what is tourism?
Tina Mentol is the founder of the Slocks and Slavsocks brands, has a master’s degree in ethnology and cultural anthropology, and is a sincere advocate and promoter of Slovenian gastronomy and the countryside. People, she says, know her best for her contribution in Slovenska Hiša and Figovec, where they successfully involve and collaborate with local farmers from all over Slovenia.
She is proud of everything we have and can offer but is concerned that the importance of the national is being lost and that today we have too little contact with nature and local producers. Her main goal is to bring the Slovenian cultural heritage closer to the people, especially the youth, and to raise awareness of its importance.
#027 - dr. CARINA REN, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR - Aalborg University Copenhagen, Denmark
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LANGUAGE English – DATE June 2021 – LENGTH 1h 2 min – CONTENT:
- 01:10 – Who is Carina and how did she join the growing family of AIRTH?
- 12:30 – Follow the action
- 25:43 – Multiple realities in the sphere of Arctic tourism
- 33:53 – How do we get back to the basics?
- 38:25 – Nearcations – are they here to stay?
- 46:00 – When are you actually a tourist?
- 52:50 – A career in tourism can be taken in any direction
- 56:51 – Tourism was never at point zero
In the third #AIRTHspecial episode Miha and Rudi talked to dr. Carina Ren, an associate professor at Aalborg University Copenhagen and an active AIRTH member. Carina gave us insights into the sphere of tourism development in the Arctic and how several realities affect it. On the one hand there is a more niche and alternative tourism, on the other hand there are purely economic (mass tourism) needs. The question we are trying to answer in this episode is how to find a balance between the different tourism-related needs that different parts of human society have.
#026 - dr. EMIL JUVAN, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR - University of Primorska, Faculty of Tourism Studies - Turistica, Portorož, Slovenia
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LANGUAGE Slovenian – DATE June 2021 – LENGTH 1h 11 min – CONTENT:
- 01:04 – From silent child to world-renowned academic
- 09:52 – Five (5) tons of food waste in one hotel – isn’t that enough for a change?
- 16:19 – The challenge of changing the business processes in the hotel industry
- 20:49 – As tourists, we have a lot of power to make big global impact with small changes in our habits
- 33:03 – Here comes the Greta effect
- 39:38 – Supply and demand are in a huge mismatch
- 46:06 – Destination organizations should be the supporting hand for tourism providers
- 55:01 – Working in tourism is not just about working in a restaurant or a hotel, it can be an excellent creative starting point
- 59:36 – Tourism is not just an industry, but a way to help regenerate society
Dr. Emil Juvan says of himself that he is an idealist, and in the conversation one notices this desire on his part that tourism should have a positive and regenerative effect on society as a whole. In recent years, together with Dr. Sara Dolničar, he has been doing research in the field of negative impact of tourism on the environment, especially on major problems with food waste in accommodation facilities, which leaves a negative impact on the environment. As this issue has been talked about more and more in recent years and the “Greta effect” has been observed, especially among young people, it gives us hope that with small changes in our habits we can change things for the better.
#025 - SAM-ERIK RUTTMAN, DIRECTOR OF GLOBAL HOSPITALITY DEVELOPMENT - Studio Puisto Architects, Helsinki, Finland
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LANGUAGE English – DATE June 2021 – LENGTH 55 min – CONTENT:
- 01:20 – Learning and teaching at the same time
- 06:36 – Are our core values aligned?
- 16:40 – From cold standardization to warm personalization
- 26:17 – Is technology a controversial topic for hoteliers?
- 42:00 – From TikTok mode into business mode
- 49:11 – The power of video content in tourism
After a long career in the corporate hospitality industry (Intercontinental, Hyatt Hotels, Dusit International, Langham Hospitality Group …), which was Sam-Erik’s childhood dream, he turned the page and started his consulting business, shifting his focus to supporting boutique and sustainable accommodation with a kind of passion and exclusivity. We talked about the (slow) acceptance of technology by hoteliers and how we should bring it more intensively into the back office processes and rely even more on real human contact in the front office, complemented by technological superpowers.
#024 - dr. TANJA LEŠNIK ŠTUHEC, assistant professor - University of Maribor, Slovenia
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LANGUAGE Slovenian – DATE May 2021 – LENGTH 40 min – CONTENT:
- 01:10 – What does the Izvorno slovensko model represent?
- 06:14 – The best ideas always come from the bottom up
- 10:22 – What are the biggest challenges for local providers?
- 17:05 – How important is it to pass on your business to the younger generation?
- 22:34 – Do certificates influence the customer’s buying decision?
- 28:45 – Certificates can also be a development tool
- 31:50 – What should young people focus on?
- 34:00 – A coordinated approach and a constant concern for quality
When your model benefits the entire community, you know you’re on the right track! The need for the Izvorno slovensko model arose directly from the field – from the bottom up, says dr. Tanja. Tanja has been working in rural areas since she was a child and knows the problems local providers face. These are exactly the problems she solves with her model, which connects Collective Brands all over Slovenia. Find out exactly how it works and how she helps local providers in the new episode.
#023 - MITJA JUS, CEO - Roundabout Experiences, Ljubljana, Slovenia
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LANGUAGE Slovenian – DATE April 2021 – LENGTH 51 min – CONTENT:
- 01:22 – From a tennis coach to tourism CEO
- 09:30 – Mindset shift that transformed Roundabout Experiences
- 22:52 – Tough times mean tough choices
- 30:01 – Digitization and self-guided tours
- 33:12 – How will guests travel post-pandemic?
- 38:04 – Specifics of domestic guests vs. foreign guests
- 41:42 – Why should young people still decide to work in tourism?
- 48:14 – Mitja is not giving up on boutique travel after Covid-19
What to do if a customer requests that you prepare them a tour with a helicopter as the only means of transport? You make it happen! The story of Roundabout Experiences, one of the leading incoming agencies in Slovenia, and their business adventures on the way to developing boutique and personalized experience offers. Mitja Jus tells us how a trip to Greece made him fall in love with travel and tourism – and took him all the way to the CEO position.
#022 - JANKO HUMAR, destination management expert - Sontius, Tolmin, Slovenia
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LANGUAGE Slovenian – DATE March 2021 – LENGTH 52 min – CONTENT:
- 01:08 – Who is Janko Humar?
- 08:27 – Management of a destination advertised as a “paradise for active vacation in unbelievable nature”.
- 16:20 – Investing in the management of tourism and not in its growth
- 27:14 – Julian Alps Association and Triglav National Park
- 35:07 – Cooperation as a market and a basic business necessity
- 44:21 – A message for young people starting their careers in tourism
- 46:49 – Janko’s view on tourism after Covid-1
Janko Humar has been involved in tourism in the Soča Valley for more than 20 years. We can say that he is a pioneer in the development of tourism in this picturesque and adventure-rich region. Recently, he resigned from the position of director of Soča Valley Public Institute of tourism and took an independent (turbulent) entrepreneurial path. He has confided in us what the work of the director and manager of one of the most successful tourist destinations in Slovenia looks like and what could be improved in this area.
#021 - dr. GUNNAR ÞÓR JÓHANNESSON, professor - University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland
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LANGUAGE English – DATE March 2021 – LENGTH 54 min – CONTENT:
- 02:29 – What is the actor network theory?
- 08:23 – Applying ANT theory to Icelandic specifics
- 13:58 – The transformation of Icelandic tourism
- 17:51 – What is currently happening in Iceland?
- 21:06 – Innovative approaches to tourism development
- 25:25 – Gunnar’s view of tourism recovery
- 33:50 – The overflow of Covid-related research
- 37:47 – Rethinking tourism education
- 45:27 – Gunnar as a tourist (from his and his kids’ point of view)
- 51:44 – Gunnar’s view of tourism after Covid-19
We present our second #AIRTHSpecial podcast episode! Rudi and Miha were joined by Dr. Gunnar Þór Jóhannesson, an active member of AIRTH and Assistant Professor at the University of Iceland.
Although it could be said that Iceland is an exceptional tourism destination, in this episode we learned that they face similar issues regarding tourism recovery as almost everywhere else. Gunnar updated us on the current situation in his country and provided some inspiring ideas on how to build better, more responsible tourism.
#020 - MARJANA GRČMAN, travel journalist - Radio-Television of Slovenia - TV show ''Na lepše''
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LANGUAGE Slovenian – DATE February 2021 – LENGTH 55 min – CONTENT:
- 00:58 – Slovenian tourism through the eyes of a renowned national travel journalist
- 16:39 – Let’s not forget the positive effects of tourism
- 20:30 – Marjana’s national television travel show and Slovenia’s hidden places
- 30:28 – What kind of media inspires travel?
- 39:53 – COVID-19 positive effect on stakeholder cooperation
- 45:15 – Slovenia’s local specialties and peculiarities
- 49:39 – Marjana’s advice for young people
- 51:56 – Marjana’s view on how to boost tourism again
A relaxed conversation with Marjana Grčman, national television’s “tourism celebrity” and frontwoman of THE Slovenia’s TV travel show “Na lepše”. She is passionate about discovering places off the beaten track and getting to know local stories. Check her thoughts on today’s media influence and how it affects travelers. An inspiring episode, not only travel-related but also life-affirming, especially for young people.
#019 - JANEZ JANKO KODILA, entrepreneur - Šunkarna in gourmet Kodila, Markišavci, Slovenia
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LANGUAGE Slovenian – DATE February 2021 – LENGTH 45 min – CONTENT:
- About Janez Kodila company’s transformation from the meat industry into a boutique tourism experience
- Culinary tourism in the Prekmurje region
- The rise of boutique tourism in the Prekmurje region
- What works and what does not in the cooperation between the stakeholders
- Large hotel chains and their role in the tourism ecosystem
- Tourism in Prekmurje in the year 2020
- Janez’s view on how to start tourism from scratch
In our 19th episode, we spoke to Janez Janko Kodila, who is also known as the patron of Prekmurje ham. He talked about the transformation of the Prekmurje region from a destination that was mostly known for its great spas and low prices, to a region that is now also known for its upscale culinary specialties and experiences. Thanks to Janez and other hard-working locals, Prekmurje is on its way to becoming a boutique destination that follows global tourism trends.
#018 - dr. FLORIAN ZACH, assistant professor - Virginia Tech University, Virginia, USA
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LANGUAGE English – DATE January 2021 – LENGTH 1 h 5 min – CONTENT:
- About Florian’s personal interest in tourism and his background
- Relations between tourism practice and science
- How does AIRTH deal with innovation in tourism?
- Connecting tourism practitioners and academics
- Academic research and Covid-19
- How to bring tourism research into practice?
- Florian’s view of tourism after Covid-19 – who will be the winners?
We present our first #AIRTHSpecial podcast episode! In this series of upcoming episodes, Rudi will be joined by Miha Bratec, a faculty member of the University of Primorska, Faculty of Tourism Studies – Turistica. Together they will interview active members of the tourism innovation association AIRTH about their personal and professional interests. In the first episode, we had Dr. Florian Zach, the co-founder of AIRTH and an assistant professor from Virginia Tech University, USA. The main topic of our episode was Florian’s view on how tourism innovation is perceived and why academics and tourism practitioners should work together to make tomorrow’s tourism better.
#017 - HELGA LUKAČ, project manager - Expano, Murska Sobota, Slovenia
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LANGUAGE Slovenian – DATE December 2020 – LENGTH 38 min – CONTENT:
- Presentation of Expano
- Expano and its integration into the local system
- Stakeholders collaboration
- Pomurje destination development and its specifics
- Tourism potentials of the Pomurje region – past and future
- Helga’s idea how to start tourism ”from zero”
In the last episode of 2020, we talked to Helga Lukač, the head of the regional promotional center Expano – ”The gateway to the Pomurje region”. A few weeks ago Expano won the Sejalec award for the most innovative tourism product in Slovenia and talking to Helga we found out why they are such a success story. Expano has become one of the main attractions in Pomurje, a high-tech exhibition and a successful hub for local business and tourism in Pomurje, all in one place. Their goal is to work with local suppliers and co-design local and authentic experiences for their visitors.
#016 - PETER ČRNIČ, tourism entrepreneur - Bravina Experience, Bela Krajina, Slovenia
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LANGUAGE Slovenian – DATE December 2020 – LENGTH 44 min – CONTENT:
- Quality standards in the hospitality industry
- Insights into the ecosystem of Slovenian and foreign hotels
- Glamping vs. hotels
- Tourism in the region Bela Krajina
- Bravina experience
- Entrepreneurship in tourism
- The success strategy of a destination
- Peter’s view on how to start tourism from scratch
Our guest in the 16th episode was Peter Črnič, CEO of Bravina Experience, an incoming travel agency providing local and authentic experiences in the Bela Krajina region. Before that, he worked as a manager in the Ritz Carlton hotel in Barcelona and later on as a CEO of the regional development agency in Bela Krajina. His perspective from working in different tourism sectors is certainly interesting and his insights on the future of tourism as well.
#015 - dr. TANJA MIHALIČ, professor - Faculty of Economics, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
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LANGUAGE Slovenian – DATE December 2020 – LENGTH 28 min – CONTENT:
- The emergence of the concept of sustainable tourism
- What is sustainable tourism?
- Green tourism
- The balance between the three pillars of sustainability
- Recognition of the negative effects of tourism
- Taking into account the opinion of the local population
- Measuring sustainability
- Covid-19 = Time to revitalize tourism
- Dr. Tanja’s view on how to start tourism from scratch
The main theme of our fifteenth episode was sustainable tourism. Our guest was Dr. Tanja Mihalič, who is an expert on sustainability practices. Her research interests are the development and competitiveness of tourism, environmental economics, sustainability and tourism education. Sustainable tourism is much more complex than it seems, and through our presentation, you will learn how we as a society understand sustainability and how broad the concept actually is.
#014 - TINA HUDNIK & MAJA VANMIERLO, tourism professionals - G-Guides Academy - Ljubljana, Slovenia
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LANGUAGE Slovenian – DATE November 2020 – LENGTH 50 min – CONTENT:
- G-Guides Academy
- Training as a virtual tourist guide
- Virtual experiences (here to stay)
- Booking platforms for virtual experiences
- Exchange of knowledge
- Selling virtual experiences
- Storytelling in virtual tourism
- Subscription models
- Immersive experiences
- Space tourism
A talk with two visionaries, Tina & Maja, who have grabbed the opportunities in the ‘’new era’’ of tourism with open arms. They are both founders of the G-Guides Academy that currently specializes in training tourist guides to be prepared for the ever-changing demands of tourists. Our talk is a look at the present and the future of tourism. They have pointed out some key points on how virtual experiences are different and why they are not just a short term trend but a chance to rebuild tourism in a better way.
#013 - dr. ANTONIO PAOLO RUSSO, professor in tourism management - Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain
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LANGUAGE English – DATE November 2020 – LENGTH 1h 4min – CONTENT:
- SMARTDEST project
- Producing social exclusion
- Overtourism
- Solutions at the local level
- Role of tourism in the economy
- How to regulate the tourist’s capacity?
- ‘’The new normal’’
- The Airbnb problem
- Dr. Russo’s view on how to start tourism from scratch
In this episode you will learn how tourism is shaping the communities that we live in. Dr. Russo gives us a professional insight on his studies and the activities of the H2020 SMARTDEST project, which he is the main coordinator of. We are used to hearing only about the positive effects of tourism, but we often forget about the negative side of it. Dr. Russo critically discusses the problems of overtourism and the possibilities on how to fight against it.
#012 - dr. JANEZ BOGATAJ, professor emeritus - Ljubljana, Slovenia
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LANGUAGE Slovenian – DATE November 2020 – LENGTH 1h 10 min – CONTENT:
- Organizing traditional events
- Challenges in the presentation of cultural heritage
- Slovenian gastronomy
- The bottom-up approach
- How can cultural heritage become a source of income?
- Love for your local and regional culture
- Importance of gifts
- Arts and crafts
- Awareness of our heritage
- Dr. Bogataj’s view on how to start tourism from scratch
Dr. Janez Bogataj is a doctor of ethnological sciences and a professor of art history. He has written more than 80 books on Slovenian cultural and natural heritage, in which he emphasizes the importance of this heritage. He is an expert on Slovenian gastronomy and has also created the concept of 24 Slovenian gastronomic regions. Our guest in the podcast is indeed a living encyclopedia and has the necessary knowledge to build a truly sustainable tourism.
#011 - DRAGO BULC, travel journalist - Slovenian Travel Press Association, Ljubljana, Slovenia
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LANGUAGE Slovenian – DATE October 2020 – LENGTH 1h 17 min – CONTENT:
- How can we improve tourism?
- Motorhomes – a sustainable form of tourism
- The network of motorhome stopovers in Slovenia
- Slovenian Travel Press Association and its role
- Are bloggers travel journalists?
- Do you feel like a guest or a tourist when you travel?
- Drago’s view on how to start tourism from scratch
Our guest in the eleventh episode of the podcast is a living legend of Slovenian tourism. Drago Bulc has spent almost his entire life as a travel journalist. He was a radio host, created some of the most popular Slovenian travel shows on TV and traveled halfway around the world. He gave us some important insights on how to gain trust and credibility and build a community of dedicated followers. We also talked about motorhomes, which Drago believes are one of the most sustainable ways to travel.
#010 - MATEJA KREGAR GLIHA, tourist guide - Association of Regional Tourist Guides, Ljubljana, Slovenia
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LANGUAGE Slovenian – DATE October 2020 – LENGTH 55 min – CONTENT:
- Tourist guiding – then and now
- Impact of Covid-19 on the tourist guiding
- Tourist guide as the most important actor at the destination
- Training among tourist guides
- Online tours as travel preparation
- Importance of advertising for your tours
- Mateja’s view on how to start tourism from scratch
He who travels means no harm. These are Mateja’s words in our tenth episode of the podcast. An episode that presents travel guides in a different light. You will learn what an important role a travel guide actually plays at a destination and how important it is to recognize the needs of our guests. Mateja shared with us much of her knowledge and experience gained after several decades in tourism and direct contact with guests. A really knowledge-rich episode, which simply cannot be missed.
#009 - IVA HAFNER, connector - Greeting from my window & Run Friendly World, Vienna, Austria
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LANGUAGE English – DATE September 2020 – LENGTH 47 min – CONTENT:
- Greeting from my window
- Facebook community building
- Importance of user generated content
- Running events
- Run Croatia
- Run Friendly hotels
- Working at and for Booking.com
- Social entrepreneurship
- Overtourism
In the ninth (and the 1st English spoken) episode of the TourismFromZero podcast, Rudi talked with Iva Hafner, who currently co-manages a number of projects with global impact. The latest project in which she is actively involved is called Greeting from my window. During the “Covid months”, Iva and her partners have built an online community of over 72.000 members from the countries of former Yugoslavia who share pictures from their homes or from their travels in a Facebook group called Greetings from my window (Pozdrav s mog prozora). They have recently completed their crowdfunding initiative and will soon publish a book covering stories and impressions of their group members. Among other things, Iva is co-founder of a hotel certification called Run friendly hotels. We talked about the still undiscovered potential to attract runners as hotel guests and how to treat them.
#008 - VID KMETIČ, tourist walker - Rajzefiber bureau, Maribor, Slovenia
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LANGUAGE Slovenian – DATE August 2020 – LENGTH 56 min – CONTENT:
- Rajzefiber and the concept of tourism walks
- Festival of walks
- How can you encourage the inhabitants to love their city
- The importance of good stories
- Virtual guides – not in the foreseeable future?
- The importance of flexibility during the pandemic
- Who wants mass tourism?
- Vid’s idea how to develop tourism from zero
Our eighth episode is for all those curious listeners out there! We were joined by Vid Kmetič, a member of the Rajzefiber team from the city of Maribor. He is, as he says, responsible for finding the most interesting stories and the design of the Rajzefiber walks. They are especially known for their festival of walks and their different style of guiding tourists. In fact, Vid and other team members are not ordinary tourist guides. Walks, as they call them, are special because of the stories that even locals do not know about, and especially not ”uncle” Google. There is no shortage of interesting, juicy stories in any city, says Vid! Their main goal is to encourage the locals to fall in love with their hometown and to recognize its beauty and specialties through their stories.
#007 - JANJA VIHER, tourism entrepreneur - Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Maribor, Slovenia
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LANGUAGE Slovenian – DATE August 2020 – LENGTH 57 min – CONTENT:
- Tourism development in the municipality of Maribor
- Effects of a Michelin star on a destination
- Digitalization in tourism
- Smart villages
- Involving tourists in everyday chores
- Effects of a Michelin star on a destination
- Why do we (not) work together?
- Janja’s idea on how to develop tourism from zero
We hosted Janja Viher in our seventh podcast episode. Janja has many years of professional experience in tourism. From the public to the private sector Janja has seen a lot! Previously in charge of tourism promotion in the Municipality of Maribor and recently founded the Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, where she introduces the principles of innovation and sustainable development in the destination regions. While listening, you can feel her passion for tourism and her will to constantly innovate.
#006 - MIHA ŠALEHAR, mountain biker - Trail center, Robidišče, Slovenia
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LANGUAGE Slovenian – DATE August 2020 – LENGTH 42 min – CONTENT:
- Mountain bike tourism
- Community (re)building
- Tourism legislation
- Collaboration of stakeholders
- Miha’s idea on how to restart the tourism industry
Miha Šalehar was our guest in the sixth episode. He is a full-time journalist turned tourism entrepreneur. He always had a passion for mountain biking, so he and his friends decided to build their own trail bike park in the most western village in Slovenia called Robidišče. A village that was almost forgotten and unhabituated. With the help of a sustainability-driven team, an awesome bike park and new accommodation units, the local community is slowly coming back to life. Their vision is to create a paradise for mountain bikers and they are well on their way. Their project is proof of the high level of collaboration and solidarity, which is crucial for the development of tourism in such a sensitive area.
#005 - MATEJA HRVATIN KOZLOVIČ, tourism entrepreneur - Istrian breakfast, Truške, Slovenia
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LANGUAGE Slovenian – DATE August 2020 – LENGTH 46 min – CONTENT:
- Istrian Breakfast business model
- Successful communication between stakeholders
- Online reservation systems and flexibility
- Connecting tourism stakeholders
- Systematic tourism planning
- Following or setting trends?
- The future of Slovenian tourism
In the fifth podcast episode, Rudi had an interesting talk with Mateja Hrvatin Kozlovič from a small but beautiful village Truške in the Slovenian Istria. Mateja is an exceptional entrepreneur and has more than 16 years of working experience in tourism. She successfully manages the Holiday houses of Slovenian Istria. With the help of students and mentors from the University of Primorska, she developed a new business model of the Istrian breakfast and she has an important role as a president of the tourism cooperative “Zakladi Istre”. They talked about the activities and projects she is successfully developing in the region. She also gave us some insightful tips on how to (not) follow trends and how to manage tourism stakeholder collaboration on your destination.
#004 - ALEŠ KACIN, shoemaker - Alojz Karner Handcrafted Shoes, Žiri, Slovenia
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LANGUAGE Slovenian – DATE July 2020 – LENGTH 42 min – CONTENT:
- How shoes are made (old school)
- Knowledge transfer and preservation of national heritage
- Shoemaking process experience
- Promotion of the local artisans
- Tourism in the municipality of Žiri
- Is Žiri at the end of the world?
- Can professional football boots be made in the old school way?
In this podcast episode, we traveled to the end of the world! Rudi was joined by Aleš Kacin, a shoemaker from the municipality of Žiri, an architect and designer by formal education. Aleš is not a regular shoemaker. With his handcrafting skills, he is reviving and sustaining the rich Slovenian and Žiri’s shoemaking tradition. His shoes represent a synthesis of handcrafting tradition, modern design, and the idea of sustainable consumption. In this episode, you will follow the shoemaking process from the measurements to the final product. A boutique experience, which is being presented by Aleš in his workshop, is an important added value to the tourism offer of the municipality of Žiri and the wider region.
#003 - NATAŠA DOLEJŠI, button maker - Dolejši Fashion Buttons, Šempeter v Savinjski dolini, Slovenia
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LANGUAGE Slovenian – DATE July 2020 – LENGTH 42 min – CONTENT:
- Presentation of the company Dolejši Fashion Buttons
- Covid-19 and new ways of communicating
- Industrial tourism in Slovenia
- Importance of preserving local crafts and traditions
- Role of the Tourism Union Velenje
- Stakeholder collaboration in Velenje region and in general
- Future ob the button-making industry and Nataša’s company
In the third episode of our podcast (in Slovenian) Rudi Medved hosted Nataša Dolejši, owner of the Dolejši Fashion Buttons company (the largest button manufacturer in Slovenia) and president of the Tourism Union of the Municipality of Velenje. They talked about the button manufacturing process and the future of the company and emphasized the importance of industrial tourism for the preservation of certain crafts and traditions. Nataša also gave some examples of the benefits of cooperation between stakeholders in her region and spoke about their successfully managed activities.
#002 - BOGDAN ŠTEH, curator - Virtual Museum of Mining Heritage, Trbovlje, Slovenia
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LANGUAGE Slovenian – DATE Jun 2020 – LENGTH 41 min – CONTENT:
- Covid-19 and use of new technologies in tourism
- Virtual vs physical travel
- Challenges of attracting guests in 2020
- Involvement in the national tourism offer
- Collaboration of tourism providers
- Getting on the tourism map of Slovenia
- Local community and development of tourism
- Development of tourism in the Zasavje region
In our second episode (in Slovenian language) Rudi Medved hosted Bogdan Šteh, curator of the virtual museum of mining heritage, which is located in Trbovlje, a city with an industrial background, changing its way to becoming an interesting destination worth visiting. Did you know that Trbovlje has the tallest chimney in Europe, reaching 360 meters? Rudi and Bogdan talked about the combination of the virtual/physical experience we can see in the museum and how important it is to be in touch with the latest trends. Bogdan gave us a lot of reasons to visit Trbovlje.
#001 - Igor Jurišič - Najstarejša trta, simbol raziskovanja in povezovanja sveta
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LANGUAGE Slovenian – DATE Jun 2020 – LENGTH 43 min – CONTENT:
- Travel restrictions and the potential for expanding tourism to lesser-known destinations
- Tourism in the municipality of Maribor (Slovenia) and the importance of local experiences
- Collaboration and flexible legislation for local and authentic tourism
- The famous story about connecting North & South Korea and the Maribor vine (the oldest vine in the world)
- Travel association of Slovenia and the mobility of young people
- Backpacking, spontaneity and creativity
- Cuba, Israel and solo-travel