It is a generation which grew up in the world of social networks and smart phones, which results in a different way of planning their travels, choosing locations, booking accommodations, and research of destinations.

Slovenia is making decisive steps towards digitalisation of its tourist offer with the central Slovenian tourist portal www.slovenia.info. The design of the portal complies with the newest trends in the field of web technologies; it makes the Slovenian tourism look much more organized. The aim of the new portal with its motives WHERE TO? And WHAT? is to boost interest and desire to visit Slovenia especially in guests from abroad. The web links its visitors to providers of tourist services and accommodations, and leads the guests to concrete tourist arrangements.
Mobile first
The redesigned portal is following the "mobile first" idea that a consumer will browse through the contents mainly using small screen devices. This year's statistic data for the now already obsolete website show that 40% of the webpage visitors accessed the portal from their mobile devices. They remained on the pages for approximately two minutes. And as the space on the mobile devices screens is a precious commodity, the emphasis is on good photographs, concise video context, and short text in the style of advertisements. Obviously, today tourism is sold through concise stories with pictures, and not through words. The integration of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and tourist portal Tripadvisor adds an important socially critical reference.
Access to the shopping process
The Slovenian tourism needs good consumers. With this need in view, the redesigned web portal of the national tourist organisation accesses the tourists' shopping process, the stage of fantasizing and research. The purpose of the portal is to induce in the guest the wish to visit Slovenia, and to encourage them to purchase services from the providers. The tourist's experience at the destination is then upgraded by sharing the experience, again with the help of the modern website, which through its connections with the modern digital tools allows sharing of experiences which will trigger new fantasizing and research by other people. Social networks thus became extensions of the modern website, and contribute to a comprehensive communication story.
The web portal of the national tourist organisation is designed according to the needs of a very well informed tourist who effortlessly surfs online between experiences of others, and experiences of his reality. This kind of a guest appreciates speed, efficiency, and rationality of online selection. His apparently spontaneous choices are always planned, the consumption is accurate and strictly local, and descriptions and photos of his trip with the help of social networks immediately turn into travelogues.

The end of ready-made tourism
Ready-made tourism is slowly, but certainly dying. Same offers for all are simply not enough anymore. At the redesigned web portal target groups or personalities of the Slovenian tourism have been created, in order to give some assistance. These personalities differ in their attitude regarding the way in which they spend their spare time, regarding their motives and the expectations they have when visiting certain destinations. Social foodies, adventurers, green researchers, forever young, active nostalgists, relaxed escapists, informed urbans, and pampered beauties.
Three motives in tourism were considered crucial when defining personalities: experience, socializing, and care for oneself. The animal ambassadors were also of great help at promotion of Slovenia: from the proteus and its 22 dragon cubs to the Carniolan honey bee and the Lipizzan horse. All of them confirm the slogan - Slovenia is a green, active and healthy destination.

The record year of the Slovenian tourism
The redesigned tourist portal is supported also by the world digital campaign Slovenia - Make New Memories which has reached more than 42 mil of customers. More than 217 million advertisements were shown, and the most surprising were the results achieved on Instagram and YouTube channel; instead of the expected three million there were actually more than15 million viewings.
This year was a record year for Slovenia: it received the flattering title of the first Green Country of the World; it entered the finals of the National Geographic contest for the world legacy award, and for the global sport tourism impact award of the WTM London Tourist Market. The ITB Berlin tourist market gave Slovenia awards for two videos promoting Slovenian tourism. 11% increase in arrivals of foreign tourists, and 10% increase of their overnight stays keep us above the European average.

There are large events in store for the Slovenian tourism in the coming year as well. On May 20, the honey bee day will be celebrated for the first time, which was introduced on the initiative of the Beekeepers' Association of Slovenia. In March, Slovenia will introduce itself at the ITB tourist market in Berlin as a partner state.

There is no doubt that digitalization is taking Slovenia along the path of the developed tourist countries. If we take a look at Portugal - after adopting a strategic decision in 2012 about the transfer of the contents to the web, the number of guests increased by 24%, and the income increased by 39%. The website of their national tourist organisation is available in 12 languages, and they communicate through their profiles at social networks in 13 languages.