How Slovenia is using NFTs to showcase Julian Alps and help endangered species
The Slovenian Tourist Board (STB), in partnership with The Julian Alps Association, has presented the country’s first-ever tourism promotional activity featuring NFT and blockchain technology
The country’s first-ever tourism event to use NFT promotion took place this week in the Julian Alps, after being announced in November.
‘The Ultimate Julian Alps Sensory Adventure’ collection featured 15 of the digital tokens and was listed on the tourism NFT platform Vandri.
At the event, a group of selected journalists received NFT tokens which enabled them to obtain an NFT in their digital wallets which they could use in real life at the unique one-time event.
Using an NFT to promote the stories of two key endangered species, the ‘The Ultimate Julian Alps Sensory Adventure’ raised awareness about Slovenia’s aim to move forward with a digitalised tourism strategy while highlighting the plight of two natural species in Slovenia, and showcasing the stunning Julian Alps.
With help of the two stories about the Cock-of-the-Woods Western capercaillie, the largest member of the grouse family in Slovenia, and the Queen of the Alps Alpine eryngo, a rare protected flower, the ‘The Ultimate Julian Alps Sensory Adventure’ showed the deeper importance of balance and reconnecting with nature.
Guests had the opportunity to experience therapeutic yoga, sound baths and forest bathing.
The one-time multi-sensory adventure proved to be a great success through the guided tours, breathtaking nature and panoramic boat rides around Lake Bled, complemented with food from some of Slovenia’s top chefs.
Owners experienced the value of their NFTs first-hand by using them as tickets to participate in the exclusive preview, creating a unique synergy that combines digital and real-life experiences.
Slovenia and the Julian Alps stand out as smart and innovative destinations incorporating the advanced technology of NFTs into travel and tourism.
At the same time, in line with its sustainability ethos, the content draws attention to the issue of endangered flora and fauna species.
The STB is solidifying its position as a pioneer in the evolving tourism industry by embracing the digital future with new technologies in harmony with its traditional values.
It is not the first time NFTs have made history in the travel industry.
Last week, Trip.com made history as the first global travel service provider to delve into the world of NFTs, incubating its first collection “Trekki”.
The Trekki collection consists of 10,000 NFTs themed around a dolphin cartoon, now open for registration via the company’s official website.
It will be sold via blind boxes in Q3 of 2023.
Trekki is categorised according to its scarcity, with each one possessing a distinct persona and various travel backgrounds.
With the goal of connecting the Web3 nomads with the world of travel, Trekki allows travel enthusiasts who value unique experiences and digital collectables to enjoy various benefits on Trip.com.
The new NFT also carries a unique gamified growth mechanism – the more a Trekki holder travels, the more benefits the holder can unlock through Trekki.
It represents Trip.com’s inaugural foray into Web3 and marks its entry as one of the first global travel service providers to explore the market.
The project is also seeking collaborations with successful Web3 players and tourism partners to offer greater benefits to holders and foster a connection between the digital realm and real-life tourism experiences.
NFTs – non-fungible tokens – are certified, unique and unrepeatable digital tokens issued in limited edition as unique collectible electronic souvenirs.
