From 23 candidates with tourist projects based on the topic Innovative tourist product in nature, the Jakob 2016 was awarded to the local tourist organisation Laufer for their tourist product Forest Selfness.
The international jury consisting of Janez Bogataj (Slovenia), Jožko Sirk (Italy), and Lojze Wieser (Austria) explained their decision: "The Forest Selfness is actually a new, fresh tourist product. Into the project are intertwined the exceptional will and energy of the young creators, and the energy of the natural setting of the beautiful nature around Cerkno. The jury was exceptionally pleased to find a product which (as a model) can be successfully transferred to other tourist destinations by its authors. The product is also the proof that simple, local or regional tourist contents should be developed, arising from the local necessities and conditions offered by nature and its positive effects on human beings."
What is Forest Selfness?
Forest Selfness represents a new green trend in the Slovenian tourism, based on exploiting natural resources and the beauty of the Cerkno surroundings. They involve natural materials, sources, and local products. The first selfness programme organized in the nature was in 2014 awarded with the recognition Snovalec (Creator) for the most innovative idea in tourism, as it pampers the participants in a very special manner. It is a different kind of selfness arising from a conscious decision made by an individual to care for his or her wellbeing and health, as unlike other selfness programmes it is happening in idyllic nature.
The participants partake in unique forest adventures based on an organized hike on easy hiking trails, stop at different theme-based areas, where they experience and learn about healing effects of nature, and relax with the help of experts in fields of meditation, personal and spiritual growth, reflexology and cuisine, and enjoy tasting Cerkno culinary delights. The participants of the programme learn some useful techniques for coping with stress, improve their health and vitality through light physical activity, and get a different perspective of the forest and the environment by employing all the sense organs.
D. S.; translated by G. K.
