Destination Cerkno has once again demonstrated its commitment to sustainable development by passing the Green Scheme of Slovenian tourism reassessment at the beginning of June, the fourth time in a row that it has passed the assessment process, making it the only destination in Slovenia to have done so.

This remarkable achievement means that Cerkno has retained the Slovenia Green Destination Gold Label, despite the fact that this time the assessment was carried out according to a newer and more demanding standard, which measures performance in the areas of sustainable management and operations even more rigorously.

The destination has been committed to sustainable tourism development since 2015, when it was one of the first destinations to join the Green Scheme of Slovenian Tourism. It is a national programme and certification scheme that brings together all efforts for sustainable tourism development in Slovenia under the umbrella brand SLOVENIA GREEN, offers concrete tools for assessing and improving sustainable performance, and promotes green behaviour.

The assessment, which is carried out by the Slovenian Tourist Board in cooperation with the accredited verifier GoodPlace, is based on six categories: destination management, nature and landscape, environment and climate, culture and tradition, social climate, and tourism business operations & communication. Cerkno achieved an average score of 8.5, with the highest scores in two categories, Culture & Tradition and Nature & Landscape, demonstrating a systematic and strategic approach to preserving natural and cultural resources. The Social Climate and Tourism Business Operations & Communication are also among the higher scoring categories. These are closely followed by the Destination Management category, where the preparation of a new strategic document in the field of tourism development has potential. The lowest score was in the Environment & Climate category, which is certainly an area where improvements are needed, both in terms of reducing energy consumption, raising awareness of climate change, etc.

The following examples of good practice were highlighted in the assessment: an informative wooden ‘visitor cube’ with a QR code to the POT CERKNO hiking and cycling trails app and a QR code to access a satisfaction questionnaire; a donation of €1 from every ticket sold to the Divje babe Archaeological Park, the renovation of the Franja Partisan Hospital and the installation of eco-toilets at the four most congested points.
The successful completion of the audit is the result of excellent work over the past three years and the dedication of the Green Coordinator, Katja Dežela, and her Green Team, whose commitment and networking with local stakeholders ensure that Cerkno remains a model of a responsible and holistically sustainable tourist destination.
The Slovenia Green Gold Label is certainly an additional motivation and impetus to continue on the green path in the future. The Cerkno Tourist Board will continue to actively pursue the objectives of sustainable development and promote good practices that will preserve Cerkno as a green, authentic and welcoming destination.