The Ljubljana urban region, together with Kočevje and Bela krajina, presented itself through many attractive stories. A replica of the oldest bicycle, about 5,200 years old, found in the Ljubljana Marshes, is on display for numerous visitors. Guests can also pour themselves a glass of water and view Plečnik’s heritage with the help of VR animation.
The world’s largest bee received the most attention – the Carniolan lavender. The bee is a replica of the 3D queen, located in front of the Slovenian Beekeeping Center in Lukovica, and is accompanied by a joint video of the region, which illustrates the extremely rich beekeeping history and knowledge. Furthermore, the Slovenian pavilion presented Kočevsko and Bela krajina region with a story of rich cultural heritage, unspoiled nature, extensive forests and their commitment to sustainable and responsible tourism.
Director of Tourism Ljubljana, Petra Stušek, said: “Ljubljana is presenting itself for the second time at this year’s EXPO Dubai 2020, the world’s largest exhibition to date, which has extraordinary promotional potential after the past few years that have severely affected tourism. Through our activities, we want to show visitors of Dubai the beauties of Ljubljana, with an emphasis on our respectful attitude towards nature, people and cultural heritage. Not least, Ljubljana is the recipient of the prestigious title of Green Capital of Europe 2016 and has also been declared the best green capital in Europe, which we are extremely proud of.”
During the workshop attended by nineteen representatives of travel agencies and tour operators of the United Arab Emirates, the representative of Tourism Ljubljana presented Ljubljana as a green and safe destination with a wide range of experiences and other services, including the Ljubljana Tourist Card Urbana.
Peter Kozmus, head of the Carniolan bee breeding program at ČZS and vice-president of the international beekeeping organization APIMONDIA also presented the importance of beekeeping as a generator of new tourist products. He presented the new Slovenian acquisition – Carniolan Bee House – ApiLab and the “Honey Plantation Day” initiative. The project will contribute to the EU’s targets of planting 3 billion trees by 2030 while making a significant contribution to the EU’s planned reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and Europe’s climate neutrality.
