The topic of the visit is Slovenia between the Alps and the Mediterranean, with an emphasis on the Slovenian coast, including the towns of Izola and Piran and the Sečoveljske soline saltpans.

The programme of the study visit also includes a visit to the Postojna Cave, the near-by Predjamski grad castle, the capital of Ljubljana and the lakeside resort of Bled.

Majda Rozina Dolenc of the STO office in Germany told the STA that study visits by partners always included visits to "Slovenian tourism icons", adding that the country's biggest competitive advantage was diversity.

This is the fourth visit from Germany after the April visit by 15 tour operators of historical sites and religious centres in Slovenia. In May, 40 tour operators visited the north of Slovenia, with the visit focusing on spas.

In June, a group of representatives of German tourism agencies visited the country as part of the Slovenian Incoming Workshop (SIW), the biggest business event of Slovenian tourism.

In October, German partners of the STO will visit the Terme Maribor spa and hotels in Portorož, while the representation office is also preparing a campaign in specialised German media for the end of the year.

Germany is a major market for Slovenia, as German tourists generated 10.9% of total overnight stays by foreign guests in the first eight months of the year.