What Is a Fam Trip and Why Did Slovenia Invite Us

A familiarization trip, or fam trip, is when a tourist board or destination invites travel agents, tour operators, and travel media to experience a region firsthand. The goal is simple: let the people who sell travel actually see the product. No brochures, no sales pitches. Just real experiences.

The Slovenian Tourist Board and TU Magazin organized this travel trade trip to showcase Koroška’s tourism potential to regional agencies. The program ran from 19 to 22 May and was packed with activities, site inspections, and tastings, the kind of itinerary that gives you a real feel for what guests would actually experience.

As Zorica said, “The best way to recommend a destination confidently is to walk it yourself. Fam trips are how we stay honest with our clients.”

Day 1: Slovenj Gradec, Medieval Charm, and 250 Years of Honey

The group arrived in Koroška after a drive from Portorož via central Slovenia, pulling into Slovenj Gradec just after 1 PM. First stop: a guided walk through the town’s medieval core.

Slovenj Gradec punches above its weight. The main square is well-preserved and lively, with a blacksmith demonstrating his craft in the open, cyclists on vintage bikes weaving past, and children playing games from another century. A soprano singing traditional Koroška folk songs inside St. Elizabeth’s Church, described as one of the most beautifully decorated churches of its size in Slovenia, turned out to be one of the trip’s quiet highlights.

The afternoon included a visit to the Galerija SG art gallery, followed by a stop at the Perger family workshop. The Pergers have been making traditional gingerbread and candles for nearly 250 years, a proper craft heritage business that connects visitors to genuine local history. It’s exactly the kind of experience that’s hard to replicate and easy to sell.

The group spent the night at Hotel Korošica.

Day 2: Industrial Heritage, Thermal Water, and Cycling Underground in Podzemlje Pece

The second day was the most varied, and probably the most commercially interesting for agencies building active tourism packages.

The morning started at Rimski Vrelec in Kotlje, a thermal spring with genuinely mineral-rich, iron-heavy water that locals have long valued for its restorative properties. Worth knowing: the property is currently being redeveloped as Hotel Wada, a new wellness concept built around this exceptional natural water source. The old name, Rimski Vrelec, will soon give way to something new, but the water and the experience it enables stay just as good. From there, the group moved to Ravne na Koroškem to inspect the town’s sports infrastructure, followed by a visit to Štauharija, the Old Ironworks, which tells the story of Koroška’s industrial past in an engaging, hands-on way.

Lunch was at Gostilna Lečnik, a traditional Slovenian inn in Ravne na Koroškem, before the afternoon’s headline act: Podzemlje Pece.

Podzemlje Pece is a former lead and zinc mine in Mežica that has been converted into a unique underground tourism experience. Visitors ride bicycles through 3.5 kilometers of tunnels at a constant temperature of around 8°C. It’s genuinely unusual, well-organized, and memorable, the sort of experience that becomes the talking point of a trip.

Practical note for agencies: guests should bring a light jacket or windbreaker. The mine temperature stays cool regardless of the season.

The group stayed at Hotel Delalut in Ravne na Koroškem.

Day 3: Castle Ruins, River Rafting on the Drava, and a Craft Beer Stop

Day three moved toward the Drava River valley, with an itinerary that balanced history, nature, and a bit of fun.

The morning included a visit to the ruins of Dravograd Castle, followed by a stop at Pahernikove šume, the Pahernik Forest Estate near Radlje ob Dravi. The estate is a beautiful, privately owned forest property that surprises visitors with its scale and the quality of its facilities, including Dvorec Radlje (Radlje Castle) set within the grounds.

Next up was Vodni Park Radlje, the Radlje Water Park, a solid leisure option for families and groups. A quick tasting session at Time Brewery followed, where locally crafted beer rounded off the morning in a satisfying way.

The afternoon highlight was rafting on the Drava River near Muta. The Drava is a wide, relatively calm river in this section, which makes it accessible for mixed-ability groups and families, not just thrill-seekers. It’s a strong addition to any active Slovenia itinerary.

The evening was spent at Farm Stay Rotovnik-Plesnik near Slovenj Gradec, a rural accommodation property that gives guests an authentic taste of Slovenian countryside life.

Day 4: Hiking Kope, the Štrekna Cycling Trail, and Pohorje Herbs

The final morning took the group up to Kope, Koroška’s main ski and outdoor resort area in the Pohorje hills. In summer, Kope is a base for hiking, cycling, and forest walks, a good contrast to the valley-based experiences earlier in the trip.

A local herbalist met the group in a meadow and walked them through the medicinal plants native to Pohorje. Under her guidance, they made a small herbal infusion, one of those quiet, memorable details that guests tend to talk about long after a trip is over.

Before heading back to the valley, the group rode a section of the Štrekna cycling trail, a former railway line converted into a flat, scenic bike path that runs through the region. It’s ideal for leisure cyclists and families and links several of the towns visited during the trip.

The trip concluded at Dvor Jezeřek, where the Koroška group rejoined the wider Slovenia Incoming Workshop (SIW) event.