Organised by the Slovenian Tourist Board (STO), the event is celebrating its 20th edition this year and STO director Maja Pak said she was especially happy that the jubilee conference would see a record number of newcomers, as 67% of the participants will attend the SIW for the first time.

The conference officially started already with a welcoming event on Thursday evening and will continue with four different thematic tours of Slovenia on Saturday and Sunday, but the STO also prepared a two-day pre-tour of Slovenia's must-sees for foreign participants ahead of the main events.

The most foreign participants come from the Czech Republic, Italy, Austria, Germany, the UK, Belgium and Poland, while many also come from oversees countries like Japan, Indonesia, Australia, the US and the United Arab Emirates.

Participants of the tourism conference hold prearranged 20-minute business meetings, and also have ample time to talk business at informal meetings organised by the STO during the event.

"We are happy that we carry out an effective business event every year, where we present the green, active and healthy Slovenia, which is becoming an increasingly recognised and desired destination," Pak told the STA before the event.