Minister for Innovation and Technology László Palkovics called for the deepening of Slovenian-Hungarian economic relations and the expansion of innovation cooperation at an event held by the Slovenian Tourism Board in Budapest on Monday.

The Minister said he primarily sees new opportunities within the joint development of artificial intelligence, industry 4.0 and 5G communication. “But without effective economic cooperation, tourism cooperation is also inconceivable”, he added.

Mr. Palkovics emphasised that both Hungary and Slovenia are facing a new challenge with relation to the sustainability of tourism, but thanks to their central location both states could prove to be a favourable terrain for reinforcing relations between east and west.

At the event, Slovenian Prime Minister Marjan Šarec called relations between the two countries excellent, and declared that relations could be expanded with new cooperation opportunities. Mr. Šarec said he is also confident that tourism will continue to develop because, as he explained, as a green destination, Slovenia offers foreign visitors natural treasures that cannot be found anywhere else.

“Accordingly, the country’s tourism is focussing on the sustainability of a clean environment”, the Slovenian head of government added. Minister for Economic Development and Technology Zdravko Počivalšek said tourism not only creates a link between cultures, but also has a significant economic effect.

“13 percent of Slovenia’s GDP is derived from tourism, and in 2018, 6 million tourists spent 15.6 million tourism nights in the country”, he told reporters. The Minister welcomed the fact that an average of 3.0 percent more Hungarian tourists had visited Slovenia than in previous years, some 200 thousand, and accordingly called for the continuation of tourism-related cooperation.

(MTI)