“The Slovak Tourist Board is very pleased by this success. It shows that Slovakia as a travel destination is more and more visible in the world. It doesn’t draw the attention only of the tourists but also of the travel professionals,” commented the board’s general manager Svetlana Gavorova.The methodology of ATTA when evaluating the destinations was not based on the reviews of tourists but rather on the statistics and research. The awards thus reflect the suitability of the country or the current conditions for adventure tourism. Besides ATTA the countries were also assessed by George Washington University and Xola Consulting.The evaluation criteria included the governmental support of environment protection and industry, destination safety, suitable infrastructure, natural and cultural sources, health facilities as well as the positive image of the country with respect to adventure tourism. Among the developing destinations the fourth position after Slovakia was achieved by the neighboring Czech Republic and Hungary was the fifth. The best developed adventure destinations on the other hand are Switzerland, Sweden, New Zealand, UK and Spain.
