Tomi Brezovec

1

• Tomi Brezovec
• University of Primorska, Slovenia

A century of tourism in Portoro, Slovenia
ARCHWAY Tourism Development and Visitor
Management Piran Workshop 24 - 27 April
2006 Piran, Slovenia
2
(No Transcript)
3
(No Transcript)
4
(No Transcript)
5
(No Transcript)
6
Stages of tourism development

• before 1914
• 1920 - 1940
• (1945 1954)
• 1960 - 1990
• after 1991

7
(No Transcript)
8
First steps

• Development of tourism was based on natural
  factors
• climate
• sea water
• acqua madre
• fango

9
(No Transcript)
10
pre - 1914

• health tourism
• wintering
• discovery of the seaside
• increasing popularity

11
(No Transcript)
12
(No Transcript)
13
(No Transcript)
14
(No Transcript)
15
(No Transcript)
16
The Palace Kur Hotel - 1910
17
(No Transcript)
18
(No Transcript)
19
Arrival of tourists
20

• costume parties at the beach
• sea battle with flowers
• sailing and rowing
• music dancing
• horse and donkey riding
• ...

21
(No Transcript)
22
1920 - 1940

• Development of summer tourism
• more sun sea bathing
• less spa health
• sport music

23
Activities and events
24

• costume party at the beach
• sea battle with flowers
• sport competitions
• plane, car boat races
• garden parties
• dancing, concerts
• excursions
• ...

25
(No Transcript)
26
(1945 1954)

• AMG-FTT
• limited tourism(mostly workers and military)

27
1965 - 1976

• Intensive development
• hotels
• casino
• marina
• convention centre
• sport facilities
• cultural centre

28
(No Transcript)
29
(No Transcript)
30
1970-80
31
1965
32
Portoro 1980-90
33
Activities and events

• international music festivals
• entertainment programmes
• folklore performances (non local)
• medieval market
• knightly games
• sport competitions
• gambling
• The night of Portoroz

34
(No Transcript)
35
After 1991

• Privatisation of tourism industry
• Concentration of ownership
• New investment cycle
• renovation of hotels
• congress facilities
• wellness

36
Tourist Arrivals and Bednights Portoro, 1956 -
2002
millions
1.6
1.2
0.8
Bednights
0.4
Arrivals
37
Tourist Bednights in Piran, 1990 - 2004
38
What about the product?
Health Spa
Seaside Resort
Entertainement Fun
Congress Destinat.
???
39
1960a
40
New Portoroz - 1970s
41
Portoro today
42
Back to the roots?

• back from where it started
• wellness spa
• salt pans
• historic town of Piran

43
Conclusions

• man made attractions can easily be copied
• artificial events have short life
• natural and cultural heritage create the identity
  of the place
• tradition is hard to copy and provides
  sustainable competitive advantage

44
(No Transcript)