SLOVENIA | MATIJA DAMJAN AND KARMEN LUTMAN 641 The administrative requirements for performing the activities of organising and selling tourist packages and linked travel arrangements are laid down in the Promotion of Tourism Development Act, which requires tourist agencies to obtain a licence to perform these activities. Licences are granted by the Ministry of Economic Development and Technology, which also maintains an online register of such licenses granted. For travel organisers and facilitators of linked travel arrangements based in other EU Member States, the principle of mutual recognition applies both in respect of licensing and providing insolvency protection. The organiser of package travel must provide each organised group with a route leader who accompanies the package travel participants and provides them with practical local information and organisational and technical services throughout the travel, ensuring that the program is implemented as stated in the promotional material. If the tourist package or a related travel arrangement includes tourist guidance, the tour guide may also provide the service of a route leader. Whereas route leader is a deregulated profession, the law requires tour guides to pass an official examination and register as a tour guide in the ministry’s register. Municipalities may prescribe a tour guide programme for specific areas, which includes special knowledge. Furthermore, the Mountain Guides Act13 of 1999 prescribes the qualifications, the training programme and the conditions for practising the profession of a mountain guide. The list of licenced mountain guides is kept by the Slovenian Mountain Guides Association (Slo. “Združenje gorskih vodnikov Slovenije”). 2.4. Tourist Fees The Promotion of Tourism Development Act regulates the tourist fees and promotional fees, which must be paid by users of accommodation services in Slovenia, together with payment for these services. On the one hand, the tourist fee is collected locally and is a direct income of the municipal budget dedicated to local tourism development, such as the construction of information centres, walking and cycling trails, parks, sports facilities and local marketing activities. Moreover, the amount of fees is determined by each municipality separately from its municipal ordinances. On the other hand, the promotional fee is charged in addition to the tourist fee and amounts to 25% of the charged tourist fee. It is intended for the planning and implementation of marketing and the 13 “Zakon o gorskih vodnikih”, Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia, No. 69/99 with subsequent amendments.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTE4NzM5Nw==