Jezersko, Slovenian pioneer of the Alpine Bergsteigerdörfer network

The Municipality of Jezersko solemnly joined the international Bergsteigerdörfer network on 26 May 2018 as part of the Alpine Convention Day and thus committed together with the Alpine Association of Slovenia to sustainable tourism, whose foundation is movement in the mountain world based on one's own power and without large technical infrastructure, with a responsible attitude towards nature and respect for the cultural and natural heritage of the place.



The international Bergsteigerdörfer network unites localities that develop their tourism on the foundations of mountaineering tradition, primarily basic mountaineering activities, without large tourist infrastructure and with a sustainable approach. The Bergsteigerdörfer thus fulfil the goals of the Alpine Convention in a special way, which strives for sustainable development throughout the Alpine region. The project is led by the alpine associations of Austria (ÖAV), Germany (DAV), South Tyrol (AVS), Italy (CAI) and Slovenia (PZS). On the sunny side of the Alps, the project leader is the Alpine Association of Slovenia, supported by the Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning, which is responsible for implementing the Alpine Convention in Slovenia, and the Ministry of Economic Development and Technology. Currently, 25 localities are involved in Austria, Bavaria, South Tyrol, Italy and Slovenia, where Jezersko is the pioneer of the mountain villages, and this year German Kreuth, South Tyrolean Lungiarü and Italian Val di Zoldo are also joining.



The basic characteristics of the localities included in the Bergsteigerdörfer network are their geographical location in a peaceful mountain environment, small size, living mountaineering and associated cultural tradition, commitment to nature conservation and developed activities that allow visitors active holiday spending without large infrastructure, getting to know local history, cultural and other attractions and enjoying hospitality and local cuisine, whereby the project also contributes to the development of the local economy and enables young people to plan their future in their home place. Jezersko offers a wealth of mountaineering experiences: it is criss-crossed with walking and hiking trails, in addition to hiking pleasures of all difficulties it also offers a rich selection of climbing tours both in summer and winter, fairy-tale ski touring descents and serious alpinistic descents, kilometres of groomed cross-country skiing tracks, and touring cyclists, recreational skaters and snowshoers also get their share.



"We are proud of our ancestors who managed to keep Jezersko largely unspoiled, our duty is to leave Jezersko to our descendants in all its pristine state despite the demands of modern times. That Jezersko in the past did not develop extensive tourist and other infrastructure, we long considered a shortcoming, but today it is clear to us that without large hotel complexes and other tourist infrastructure we have managed to preserve the environment that we are proud of, while at the same time enabling a very high-quality lifestyle. With the adopted Jezersko development strategy, we have committed to promoting both sustainable development of the place and sustainably oriented tourism. The provisions of the Alpine Convention and the vision of mountain villages development coincide with our development strategy, with the project of Gorniške vasi enabling us to address visitors for whom pristine nature means a lot and who have an appropriate and respectful attitude towards this wonderful Alpine world," proudly says Jurij Rebolj, Mayor of the Municipality of Jezersko.



Jezersko, located at the foot of the Kamnik-Savinja Alps and Karawanks, is one of 100 exceptional Slovenian landscapes or recognisable landscape areas important at the national level, as defined by the Spatial Development Strategy of Slovenia. The mountains enclose the valley world in a mighty amphitheatre consisting of Makekova and Ravenska Kočna, while to the west extend the less populated valleys of Komatevřa and Podstoržiča. The village stretches with many hamlets from Kokra in the south to the Jezerski Vrh border crossing in the north. Tourism in Jezersko has from the beginning relied on the exceptional mountain environment that gives it its identity. Rich geological past, an exciting wall of mountains, vast forests, legacy of glaciers, great biodiversity, ancient homesteads and rich mountaineering and alpinistic heritage are the charm of Jezersko waiting to be discovered. Therefore, take your time and enter the wealth of stories and experiences that meeting Jezersko offers - in the mountains and beneath them.



Tourism is the most important economic sector in the Alps, which has experienced extraordinary development, accompanied by negative impacts that the countries of the Alpine arc wished to limit to the greatest possible extent by signing the Alpine Convention. "The international Gorniške vasi project is one of the practical forms of implementing the protocols of the Alpine Convention, as it involves local communities that have opted for sustainable tourist development of their localities. The Alpine Association of Slovenia wishes to support sustainable tourism in those smaller Slovenian mountain localities that have a mountaineering tradition and see their development in the direction of the project's principles through the introduction of the project. This also aims to emphasise the role and importance of mountaineering and hiking activities and hiking trails and huts in ensuring such development. We hope that the development of the project in Slovenia will also be an opportunity to transfer good practices and experiences from other localities in Alpine countries included in the mountain villages network," emphasises Miro Eržen, Vice-President of the Alpine Association of Slovenia, who is the national leader of the Gorniške vasi project in Slovenia.



The Minister of the Environment and Spatial Planning Irena Majcen also emphasised that the Gorniške vasi are an example of successful transfer of good practice: "The experiences of soft tourism focused on hiking, experiencing nature and landscape, which does not change the space with large infrastructure but still offers local communities income opportunities and survival in the mountain area, which were set in Austria, have encouraged the first Slovenian municipality to join the family of mountain villages. I am very pleased that the Municipality of Jezersko, where the greatest wealth is the mountains and the life and culture associated with them, has chosen this development vision and committed to implementing it with its local partners and population, and the Alpine Association of Slovenia deserves credit for recognising its mission in promoting the connection of mountaineering with local development." The pilot extension of the project was also welcomed by State Secretary at the Ministry of Economic Development and Technology Eva Štravs Podlogar: "This is an excellent project of sustainable tourism development that is in line with the key strategic document in the field of tourism - the Strategy for Sustainable Growth of Slovenian Tourism 2017–2021, which we also support at the ministry. The picturesqueness of Jezersko is complemented by traditional activities associated with the mountains - hiking, alpinism, mountain biking and other forms of active free time spending in mountain nature. The project truly realises the vision of Slovenian tourism development, which is a green, active and healthy destination for five-star experiences."



The solemn event in Jezersko was also attended by Jože Rovan, President of the Alpine Association of Slovenia, Rudi Erlacher, Vice-President of the German Alpine Club, Liliana Dagostin, project leader of Gorniške vasi at the Austrian Alpine Association, Katharina Conradin, President of CIPRA International, and Markus Reiterer, Secretary General of the Alpine Convention, who said on this occasion: "I sincerely congratulate Jezersko as the first Slovenian mountain village and the Alpine Association of Slovenia for coordinating the project in Slovenia. I also thank the Austrian Alpine Association for the initiative and leadership of the Gorniške vasi project over all these years. I see the Gorniške vasi as an implementation project of the Alpine Convention and I am very pleased that a few years ago we also formalised cooperation in the form of a cooperation agreement. Jezersko, its inhabitants, tradition and wonderful location truly represent the Alpine spirit, motivation and commitment! I am also very pleased that the event takes place within the framework of the Alpine Convention Day and in such close cooperation with numerous Alpine stakeholders such as CIPRA International and the Connectivity in the Alps network."