The number of foreign tourists visiting Slovakia is growing. Compared to last year, their number has increased by nearly 150,000 people, the SITA newswire reported on December 27.
According to the data by the Slovak Statistics Office, during the first three quarters of 2012 nearly three million people travelled around Slovakia, of which one third were foreign tourists, said spokesperson for the Transport Ministry Martin Kóňa. The statistics might be improved by the last quarter of the year when the tourists will visit the skiing resorts.
“Slovakia is getting into the global minds as a hot tourist destination,” said Kóňa, as quoted by SITA, adding that compared to last year the number of foreign tourists increased by more than 4 percent.
The largest number of tourists came from the Czech Republic. Also the number of people from the northern states, like Estonia, Denmark, Norway and Iceland, has grown. Slovakia also reported increased number of tourists from Africa.
The most visited region in Slovakia is the Bratislava Region, in which the number of tourists grew by 39,000, of which 28,000 visitors were foreigners. The highest increase of foreign tourists reported Banská Bystrica Region: by 25,000. The tourists have spent the most time in the Trnava Region, namely the Piešťany spa area.
Kóňa assumes that next year will be important for the Košice Region, mostly thanks to the title of the European Capital of Culture 2013, SITA wrote.
Source: SITA
Compiled by Spectator staff from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
