Slovenia’s Tourism Booms Thanks in Part to Melania Trump

Slovenia’s Tourism Booms Thanks in Part to Melania Trump
President Donald Trump waves to supporters along the parade route with first lady Melania Trump after being sworn in as the 45th president of the United States in Washington on Jan. 20, 2017. (Evan Vucci - Pool/Getty Images)
The Associated Press
1/31/2017
Updated:
1/31/2017

LJUBLJANA, Slovenia—The tiny European nation of Slovenia is undergoing a tourism boom partly because it is the native country of U.S. first lady Melania Trump.

The national Statistics Bureau said Tuesday that the number of overnight stays in Slovenia by American tourists has jumped by 10 percent in 2016 when compared to 2015.

Nearly 4 million foreign tourists visited the country of 2 million in 2016, up by about 10 percent.

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Slovenian tourist agencies have been organizing special tours “on the footsteps of Melania Trump” showing the places where she lived, studied and worked before she left in her 20s to pursue a modeling career.

A website promoting the Alpine nation of stunning natural beauty says: “Welcome to the homeland of the new First Lady of the United States of America!”