Modern tourists are increasingly searching for green and responsible destinations with real and authentic experiences, which is the reason why sustainable forms of tourism are becoming a necessary direction of development. Since cuisine is an indispensable part of the tourist offer, it is only right we build our competitive advantage on locally grown food in our kitchens. These are the foundations on which we began the Exchange of local products projects, with the objective to encourage the Ljubljana's hoteliers and restaurant owners, as well as schools and day-care centres, to use 100 % locally grown food in their kitchens.

The first Locally Grown Food Exchange was successfully concluded in February 2018. There were 39 local producers, as well as 19 representatives of Ljubljana schools and day-care centres, and 9 restaurant owners and hoteliers present there. In the area of organisation, we collaborated with the Department for Environmental Protection of the City of Ljubljana, the Regional Development Agency of Ljubljana Urban Region (RRA LUR), the Agricultural and Forestry Regional Institute and the Ekometer Institute. The Exchange of local products represents an important business opportunity to the hoteliers and restaurant owners, where in one place, they can meet the producers of local products in person and even taste some of the products.

The Ljubljana Tourism later implemented a professional analysis of project value and set direction for the future. In the following month, we are planning the second Exchange of local products, which is to be more extensive and elaborate in content.

Project went public via several channels; the population’s knowledge on sustainability and self-supply positively affects the development.
The awareness the tourists are looking for responsible destinations affects hoteliers’ activities pursuant to the sustainability policy and the local products offer.
Farmers contribute by introducing their offer to the final user.
The organisation partners assist with coordination with their channels and by recruiting local farmers for this project.

Using local ingredients in hotels and restaurants introduces an advantage for the guests, the local community and others.
Buyers (hoteliers and restaurant owners) become personally acquainted with the producers of local food and taste their products.
Farmers directly receive information which product is in demand; useful for their annual planting calendar.
It has a positive financial effect; it encourages the population towards self-supply and supports the local economy and preserves agriculture

The Locally Grown Food Exchange is an example of good business practice and a result of good collaboration between various institutions or organisations, which are striving for encouraging local self-supply in the City of Ljubljana. The purchase and use of local ingredients in Ljubljana’s hotels and restaurants benefits both the guests and the local community – by purchasing local ingredients, we can reduce the pressure we put on the environment; the shorter transport path lowers the carbon footprint and exhaust of the greenhouse gases; we support the Slovenian farmers, local producers and the agriculture itself and make path for local self-supply; we contribute to the development of the local environment, preserve genetic diversity and the countryside; we maintain a harmonious regional development and assist in creating new employments positions.

Until now, farmers, hoteliers and restaurant owners were not involved in the organised partner network, which would stimulate important business opportunity. In a collaboration with with the Department for Environmental Protection of the City of Ljubljana, the Regional Development Agency of Ljubljana Urban Region (RRA LUR), the Agricultural and Forestry Regional Institute and the Ekometer Institute we successfully overcame this barrier. Now hoteliers and restaurant owners, can meet the producers of local products in person at the Locally Grown Food exchange. With successful coordination between the project developer and the shareholders we encouraged the system of local self-supply, because shorter supply chains show positive effects on several perspectives of the sustainable development of the city and the wider region, as well as on the field of economy, the environment and social relationships.

The key element of the project implementation is the successful coordination between the project developer and the shareholders in the largest number. The important aspects of the project implementation are financial means, constant monitoring and the motivation of all involved in the project. We also established an appropriate connecting infrastructure for communicating with the shareholders, who form the basic core of the human resources, believe in the project and continue to upgrade it. The project implementation itself is also important from the perspective of implementing various strategies.

The Locally Grown Food Exchange is an excellent model for application even in other sectors, and mostly it is an example of good practice for introducing same activities in other destinations, locally and abroad. The example of good practice has been presented on various presentations of the Ljubljana Tourism in the past year, and we learned many other destinations are interested in the implementation of the Locally Grown Food Exchange.

The project shareholders are impressed by the Locally Grown Food Exchange, as it is an example of good business practice and a result of good collaboration between various institutions or organisations, which are striving for encouraging local self-supply in the City of Ljubljana.
After the Exchange of local produce, we forwarded all the participants the catalogues via e-mail. The shareholders recognised the business potential of the Exchange; some have already concluded collaboration agreements, which can only mean they welcome the implementation of similar projects also in the future.

The Ljubljana Tourism believes the Locally Grown Food Exchange project has connected the shareholders in a unique and innovative way within this project. It is of key importance that the involved shareholders are satisfied with the wholesome experience and wish to upgrade it.

The locally grown food is incredibly important for the quality of life of the residents and the sustainable development of the destination. Satisfied visitors and citizens are an indicator of the fact the project of Exchange of local products is being successfully developed in the right direction.