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Slovenia Tourism Hits Record Highs in the First Half of 2026

September 9, 2026 by Amara Nambinga

La Slovénie poursuit sa dynamique touristique en 2026 - Depositphotos.com @ DaLiu

Hurtigruten

Slovenia continues its tourism momentum in 2026.

Nearly 3 million arrivals were recorded in the first half of the year, up by 5 % year on year, while overnight stays grew by 5.7 %, surpassing 7 million, according to data from the Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia (SURS).

The international clientele now accounts for 71 % of overnight stays, with more than 5.2 million overnights between January and June, up 6.8 % compared with the same period in 2025.

The Germany, Italy and Austria are the main sending markets. Ljubljana, Piran and Bled, for their part, are among the country’s most visited towns.

Slovenia: June, record month for the destination

The growth notably accelerated in the spring. June 2026 became the best month ever recorded in Slovenia, with for the first time more than 2 million overnight stays in a single month.

This performance fits into a broader trend of extending the tourist season. After an increase in overnight stays of 12 % in May–June, 11 % in September and 10 % in October last year, the momentum continues in 2026.

The May and June months thus show a cumulative rise of 5.4 % in overnight stays year on year.

The structure of demand is also shifting. While the domestic market accounted for 44.4 % of overnight stays in February, its share fell to 21.4 % in May and 22.7 % in June.

Meanwhile, the international markets advanced throughout the period, up to representing 47.3 % of overnight stays in June.

The mountains record the strongest growth

Among the various categories of Slovenian destinations, mountain municipalities show the largest growth.

They registered 2.1 million overnight stays in the first half of the year, representing 29 % of the national total and a rise of 11 % compared to the first half of 2025. Bled, Bohinj and Kranjska Gora rank among the most visited destinations.

The trend was particularly confirmed in June, with nearly 731,000 overnight stays in mountain municipalities, i.e., 37 % of all overnight stays recorded in the country during the month.

The other destination categories also posted positive results. Spa towns generated 1.6 million overnight stays in the first six months of the year (+3.4 %), ahead of Ljubljana (1.2 million, +5.7 %) and the coast (1.2 million, +1.4 %). Urban municipalities recorded 500,000 overnight stays (+4.5 %).

The rise of the mountains comes as these areas already accounted for 31 % of national overnight stays in 2025, with 5.5 million overnight stays across the year.

Stable French visitation

On the French market, the momentum appears more stable. Between January and August 2026, Slovenia welcomed 187,532 French tourists, for a total of 449,190 overnight stays. These results remain relatively close to those recorded the previous year.

The Slovenian domestic market, for its part, generated more than 2.1 million overnight stays in the first half, up 2.8 %. Piran, Kranjska Gora and Brežice appear among its preferred destinations.

In terms of profiles, the 35–44 years age group constitutes the main bracket among tourists, while visitors aged 65 and over generate the largest number of overnight stays.

1.17 billion euros in tourism receipts

The solid attendance is also reflected in revenues. Between January and May 2026, the value of Slovenian tourism exports reached 1.17 billion euros, according to data from the Bank of Slovenia, up 6.2 % year on year.

These results reinforce the country’s strategy to better distribute tourist flows across space and over the year, while developing a model described as more sustainable.

The rise of mountain destinations occurs within a context of travel habit transformation, notably under the influence of climate change.

Like other European destinations, Slovenia aims to capitalize on the growing interest in the ‘coolcation’, which involves preferring destinations offering greater coolness in the summer period, as well as experiences oriented towards nature.

On a relatively small territory, the destination concentrates several types of landscapes and activities: the Alps, lakes, rivers, forests, thermal waters, karst landscapes, countryside and coastline.

Hôtels & Préférence Group Marks Its 25th Anniversary With a Record Year

September 6, 2026 by Amara Nambinga

le groupe Hôtels & Préférence signe une année record, Zoland Resort photo by Hotel & preference

TAP Air Portugal

A subsidiary of the Louvre Group and the Jin Jiang International holding, Hôtels & Préférence consolidates its business model around independent four- and five-star properties.

The brand relies on a portfolio of 150 properties representing over 13,500 rooms spread across 19 countries, including its variations Unique Boutique Hôtels and the five-star TemptingPlaces Collection lifestyle lineup launched at the end of 2025.

Operationally, the chain maintains its premium pricing indicators with an average nightly rate held at €230 and an average booking basket of €430.

International Deployment and Strengthening of Leadership Teams

To support this phase of growth, the organization has strengthened its executive framework with the appointment of Arnaud Boivent to the position of Commercial & Development Director.

The network has also expanded its geographic footprint by inaugurating its first representation for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region in Dubai, under the leadership of Adil Jabrayilov, followed by a Bangkok office entrusted to Jean-Christophe Moreaux to steer development in Asian markets.

The group’s commercial ecosystem is also enriched by joining the loyalty program “I Want”, a scheme bringing together 36 million members aimed at generating direct booking flows to affiliated properties.

Portfolio Expansion with 16 New Franchised Addresses

The network has welcomed 16 new properties in recent months under the Hôtels & Préférence and Unique Boutique Hôtels brands.

Among these additions are the Château de Noirieux in the Loir Valley, France, the Palais d’Akwa in Côte d’Ivoire, the Hôtel Maison St. Charles in New Orleans, United States, as well as the wine-tourism complex Schuchmann Wines Chateau Villas & Spa in Georgia.

The expansion is also confirmed in the Chinese market with the arrival of two hotel sanctuaries located on UNESCO-listed sites: the Zuowang Hotel on Qingcheng Mountain and the Zoland Resort on Mount Emei.

Finnair Reports Record Q2 2026 Results, Capacity Trimmed

August 25, 2026 by Amara Nambinga

Finnair revoit à la baisse sa croissance de capacité pour 2026 - Photo : Finnair

Costa Rica

Finnair shows a clear improvement in its performance in the first half of 2026, driven by strong demand and rising traffic.

The Finnish airline has, however, revised downward its annual capacity forecast, notably due to the cancellation of flights to the Middle East.

The second quarter of 2026 proved particularly favorable for Finnair. Between April and June, the group’s revenue rose by 16.4%, to €916.7 million, vs €787.7 million a year earlier.

The comparable operating profit reached €78.4 million, versus €10.3 million in the second quarter of 2025.

Finnair notes that the comparison period had been penalized by social movements, which had a direct negative impact of around €29 million on this indicator.

The operating result stands at €86.6 million, compared with €19.2 million a year earlier. Earnings per share reach €0.28, versus €0.06 in Q2 2025.

6.1 million passengers carried in the first half

The growth in traffic accompanies this improvement in results. Over the three months from April to June, Finnair carried 3.3 million passengers, up 7.6%.

The load factor rose by 3.4 points to 79.9%. Capacity, measured in available seat-kilometers (ASK), grew by 2%, to 10.4 billion kilometers.

For the first half of the year as a whole, Finnair’s revenue reached €1.69 billion, up 14.4%. The comparable operating profit stood at €77.8 million, versus a loss of €52.3 million in the first half of 2025. Operating profit meanwhile rose from €-34.2 million to €90.2 million.

Finnair carried 6.1 million passengers between January and June, up 7.4% from the same period last year. The load factor reached 79%, up by 3.8 percentage points.

The airline benefits notably from robust demand, especially in Asian traffic, as well as a rise in ancillary revenues and cargo activities. According to its CEO, Turkka Kuusisto, temporary capacity adjustments on the market have also allowed Finnair to benefit from higher unit revenues.

Annual capacity revised downward

Despite these results, Finnair has adjusted its outlook for 2026. The airline now expects an increase of about 1% in total capacity, measured in ASK, versus a growth of 3% anticipated in April.

This revision is explained in particular by the cancellation of flights to the Middle East. The number of passengers carried on Finnair’s own network should nonetheless rise by around 7% for the full year.

The company also maintains its forecast for comparable operating profit, now expected to be between €120-190 million. Its revenue guidance is, however, raised to €3.4-3.5 billion, up from €3.3-3.4 billion previously.

Geopolitical tensions weigh on the outlook

Finnair nonetheless highlights the uncertainties surrounding the second half of the year. International conflicts, political instability and the risk of renewed trade tensions could affect the operating environment.

The situation in the Middle East is notably a risk factor for fuel availability and price. Costs linked to environmental regulations continue to weigh on the group’s profitability.

Finnair says it has hedged 82% of its fuel purchases in the second quarter. The hedging rate reaches 81% for the third quarter, a strategy aimed at limiting the impact of volatility in oil prices.

The company gears up for renewal of its medium-haul fleet

On the commercial and operational front, Finnair continues to roll out its strategy. The carrier plans notably to resume routes to Turku and Tampere, to strengthen links between these two Finnish regional hubs and its international network.

The carrier is also preparing for the arrival of new Embraer E195-E2 aircraft and has signed letters of intent to lease six Airbus A320ceo. This renewal of the mid-haul fleet is intended to accompany the network’s development and strengthen the airline’s competitiveness.

Finnair also notes the improvement in customer satisfaction, with a Net Promoter Score held at 42, as well as the improvement of its employee engagement indicator.

Etna Eruption Draws Record Crowds, Dismaying Local Guides

August 14, 2026 by Amara Nambinga

Spectacular images of lava flows racing down the slopes of Mount Etna during an eruption have drawn crowds of tourists to the Italian volcano, much to the dismay of local guides. As Europe’s highest active volcano, Etna has been spewing ash and lava for several days, forcing the closure of the nearby Catania airport, a major entry point for visitors to Sicily.

An ascent that cannot be improvised

The companies organizing nighttime hikes to allow participants to observe the eruption up close say they are overwhelmed with calls. “Everyone wants to come see”, Daniele Perricelli, 41, a local guide, told AFP on Wednesday.

Perricelli’s group, “Etna Guide,” leads a few dozen visitors onto the volcano each evening, but is currently receiving about 300 requests per day, three times as many as a typical summer day, he said.

Ernesto Maria Magri, another local guide, dubbed the event a “tourist eruption”, noting that many residents of the region were also climbing to see the lava “sometimes in an unruly fashion”.

For lack of being able or willing to hire a guide, many attempt the ascent on their own. A risky practice, according to Mr. Perricelli, who explains that the volcano is unstable. “Up to 2,000 people make the ascent each evening: the trails are crowded”, he lamented. “Yesterday, we even saw some in flip-flops”, he added, calling on authorities for greater vigilance.

Certain hikers, including Italian television presenter Diletta Leotta, were criticized on social media for taking photos while seeming too close to the incandescent lava.

Nevertheless, guides emphasize that it is possible to approach within a few meters of the lava flow in the lower-altitude zones where the lava has already cooled.

Under current rules, visitors may ascend by themselves up to around 2,400 meters, but must be accompanied by a guide to go higher.

The summit reaches 3,324 meters. Italy’s Civil Protection Agency issued a yellow alert for Etna — the second level on a four-tier scale ranging from green to red — signaling frequent eruptions and potential explosions.

APST Reports Record Equity, but Prudence Remains for 2026 [ABO]

June 30, 2026 by Amara Nambinga

Présent au congrès annuel des EDV 2026 à Disneyland Paris, Mumtaz Teker, le président de l'APST a indiqué que le fonds de garantie était "en très bonne santé financière, avec un niveau de fonds inédit de 40 M€, et environ 70 M€ de trésorerie" - Photo : CE

CroisiEurope

With more than sixty years on the clock, APST is now leaning into financial security.

Indeed, nearly seven years after the collapse of Thomas Cook—and its 42 million euros in claims—the association has managed to replenish its equity.

By the end of 2025, they reached €39.7 million, up from €31.3 million a year earlier, according to the latest 2025 moral and financial report, which will be presented to members on June 24 at the 61st Ordinary General Assembly at the Salons Hoche in Paris.

In 2026, there is little doubt that the symbolic 40 million mark will be reached, as confirmed by the APST president, Mumtaz Teker, during a speech at the annual congress of the Travel Companies (EDV), referring to “an unprecedented fund level of 40 million euros, and around 70 million euros in treasury“.

“The results achieved exceed budget forecasts“, he enthuses in this regard, in the introduction to the moral report, attributing this performance notably to “the growth in activity volumes” realized by members and to “a stringent management of our charges“.

He also notes that the association “has reinforced its leadership position in the financial guarantee market for travel and stay operators, with about 52% of market share in the number of guaranteed operators, accounting for nearly 70% of the sector’s business volume.”

As of December 31, 2025, the guarantee fund thus counted 3,413 members, versus 3,454 in 2024 (-1.2%), while the number of guaranteed establishments rose sharply to 6,590 from 5,648 in 2024 (+14.2%).

This trend reflects both sector consolidation and a broader footprint of its players.

306 new memberships in 2025

In parallel, the APST president highlights in the report the “steady dynamism in business creations” in tourism, with 396 membership requests examined in 2025 and 306 accepted.

As for resignations and removals, they were also up in 2025, at 162 and 83 respectively, “reflecting a portfolio adjustment dynamic within a stricter management framework“, comments the association.

The guarantor’s teams also had a busy time with guarantee renewals – 576 decisions versus 161 in 2024 and 18 in 2023. An increase due to the approaching expiry of a large volume of memberships granted in previous years.

Note that 19 companies left the APST to go to another guarantor last year; a figure that balances with the 17 companies already registered who requested membership with the guarantor.

Thus, between the rise in its own funds and tighter risk management by its members, the association emerges stronger from the last decade and the trials it has faced.

With nearly €2 billion in theoretical gross commitments as of 31 December 2025 (1,988,840,300 € exactly), it holds a total of counter-guarantees (of all kinds) of €1,184,417,183, including €93,095,324 in bank counter-guarantees.

“Included in this amount are the letters of comfort given by companies guaranteeing a theoretical commitments amount of €402,484,863“, adds the report.

27 claims in 2025, including Jacqueson Tourisme

This tighter management does not prevent the fund from being exposed to the default of some of its members. And this despite a general 12.8% drop in sector failures compared with 2024.

Thus, of the 123 failures that occurred in 2025, 27 cases involve APST.

The most significant, according to the report, is Jacqueson Tourisme, for which the fund handled in service nearly 500 files for a little over 2,000 clients.

Globally, the service-based handling system applied by APST has, in their words, “enabled savings of more than 1 million euros compared to refunds that would have had to be issued“, the association notes with pride.

As for cash reimbursements for client files, the fund carried out 625 reimbursements during the 2025 financial year, of which 539 concerned Jacqueson Tourisme (516,752.41 €) and 10 Yam’s (84,647.62 €), for a total amount of 761,643.83 €.

Nevertheless, “the defaults of APST member companies are down 30.7% in 2025 compared to 2024“, notes the treasurer Michèle Laget Herbaut. In total, they account for 22% of sector defaults.

Result for APST: while the amount of contributions collected in 2025 exceeded forecasts by 11.3%, it remained 2.9% below those received in 2024.

“Because contribution scales were not modified, this slight decrease is explained 90% by a lower business volume realized by our members than in 2024, and by an increase in bonuses granted, with 2025 including a new bonus awarded to members with small business volumes“, analyzes the treasurer.

Thus, the guarantee fund generated a net positive result of €8.3 million (and €15 million excluding costs of claims and exceptional charges amounting to €6.7 million). This represents the “third best result achieved since 2019“, emphasizes Michèle Laget Herbaut.

Projects in the pipeline

Among other important measures or projects implemented by APST in 2025 are “the modernization of our operations, notably through the dematerialization of exchanges via the member space (declarations of business volume, online memberships)“, notes Mumtaz Teker.

These IT advances also concern the digitization of membership requests – prospects can now complete their file online and track its progress; as well as the signing of warranty deeds via Docusign; or the initiation of a reflection on artificial intelligence.

In the same vein, projects will be deployed this year, such as the dematerialization of invoices by the second quarter.

Furthermore, to facilitate the settlement of service providers in tourism within the framework of releasing APST guarantees in services, an interface must be created to automate banking flows.

Finally, a “AI project focused on evaluating and proactively managing members’ risk“, aimed at providing “concrete tools available in 2026” is in the works.

A recurring result of €14.5 million expected for 2026

Published by Anaïs Borios Journalist – TourMaG.com
See all articles by Anaïs Borios

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Record Year for Canada’s Largest Travel Trade Show

June 22, 2026 by Amara Nambinga

CroisiEurope

Rendez-vous Canada est le plus grand salon touristique professionnel organisé par Destination Canada, l’office de tourisme du pays.

« In three days of meetings in Toronto, more than 60,000 appointments took place between international buyers and Canadian sellers, generating CAD 100 million in sales. » Gloria Loree, Senior Vice President of Marketing Strategy and Chief Marketing Officer for Destination Canada.

More than 500 international buyers traveled, 100 more than last year, from 24 countries including Destination Canada’s nine strategic markets: France as well as the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Australia, Japan, China, South Korea, and Mexico. The invited buyers represent tour operators, travel agencies, OTAs and Canadian receptive operators.

Fifteen French buyers traveled to Toronto

Among the fifteen French buyers attending Rendez-vous Canada this year were the major players in travel distribution and tailor-made journeys: Cercle des Voyages, eDreams ODIGEO, FRAM, Imagine Canada / JMB Voyages, Interkal’Air, Kuoni / Vacances Fabuleuses, La Route des Voyages, lastminute.com, Les Maisons du Voyage, Naar, Travel Abroad and Voyage Privé.

One of them, Antony Enault, explains: “As Head of North America Production at Cercle des Voyages, I find Rendez-vous Canada essential for developing new partnerships with Canadian suppliers, discovering the latest trends in North American tourism, and enriching our product range through direct exchanges with key players in the Canadian travel industry.”

This French delegation illustrates the growing interest of the hexagonal market for a destination that focuses on authentic, immersive experiences deeply connected to nature, vast spaces, and human encounters that define Canada’s identity.

A strategic meeting for tourism professionals

The event is built on pre-scheduled ten-minute business meetings between buyers and sellers. An efficient organization that allows professionals to concentrate months of sales prospecting into just a few days.

“This year, buyers were able to meet more than 900 sellers representing 628 Canadian companies: destinations, receptive operators, accommodations, carriers and experience providers from across the provinces and territories. It’s a unique opportunity!” comments Cyrielle Bon, Chief Executive Officer of Destination Canada in France.

In addition to the business meetings, participants could discover the province of Ontario through several familiarization trips before and after the fair, and through tours of Toronto during the event. These programs allowed international buyers to experience authentic experiences, open to nature and the human encounters that characterize the Canada brand.

Toronto and the province of Ontario: a showcase of contemporary Canada

A cosmopolitan city and international gateway to the country, with direct air access from France, Toronto provides an ideal setting for urban explorers. A multicultural and dynamic metropolis, it fully embodies the image of modern Canada: open, creative, and oriented toward human experiences.

Wildlife watching, slow mobility, nature-based accommodations, Indigenous experiences, and multi-activity stays were among the products most sought by the French buyers in Toronto.

The host city treated them well: it is an ideal starting point for exploring Ontario, with Niagara Falls and wineries just 1.5 hours by road; the Muskoka chalet region 2 hours north; exploring lakes, rivers and streams on the way to Kingston and Gananoque toward the neighboring province of Quebec; and of course a visit to Canada’s federal capital: Ottawa!

Meetings scheduled for 2027

Rendez-Vous Canada 2027 will celebrate the event’s 50th anniversary: we look forward to welcoming many of you from April 28 to May 1, 2027 in Calgary, Alberta!

Travel agencies, OTAs, and tour operators based in metropolitan France, please contact Maryse Normandeau, head of trade partnerships for Destination Canada in France: [email protected]. She will provide you with all the essential information to plan your visit to this fair.

ADN Tourism Sets the Record Straight on the Consequences of Piracy

June 9, 2026 by Amara Nambinga

L’ensemble des données a été récupéré par ADN Tourisme, alors que Vacansoleil, du groupe Maeva, a été piraté à son tour - Depositphotos

Dream Yacht

One week after the hack it experienced, ADN Tourisme can now gauge the scale of the damage and implement a fix to the information circulated by the cyber attackers.

The federation of institutional stakeholders indicates that the exfiltrated data would concern not 50,702 individuals but 2,869 users.

An important difference also concerns the amount of data stolen, which would not be 100 GB, but actually 91 GB, covering around 50,000 contractual documents.

Far from being trivial, the damages therefore appear considerably less significant than what the hackers claimed.

ADN Tourisme retrieved the exfiltrated data

Thus, it was not ADN Tourisme’s platform that was compromised, but the association’s legal site. And contrary to what had been claimed, not all of the data had been deleted, but was retrieved by the entity.

Moreover, no identifiers leaked since this involved a Single Sign-On (SSO) connection.

ADN Tourisme wishes to emphasize that it has never contracted with companies such as SNCF, Leroy Merlin, BPCE or ALPA GROUP.

To read: Three hacks in three days: why the tourism sector will have to prove its security

The compromise of the platform allowed the attackers to move into other platforms of the same service provider and thus to siphon contracts with these companies.

The tourism sector has endured a dark May, with a series of hacks that shows no sign of stopping.