Experimental statistics: Use of mobile operators data for tourism purposes, 2nd quarter 2024
In June almost half more Slovenian mobile phone users visited Germany than a year ago
In June, 610,000 Slovenian mobile phone users visited Croatia, followed by Austria and Italy. 99,000 of them went to Germany, 48% more than in June 2023. In April, the largest number of foreign mobile phone users came to Slovenia from Italy, in May and June from Germany.
In the 2nd quarter of 2024, Slovenian mobile phone users travelled to at least 170 countries as multi-day visitors (tourists), as same-day visitors or as transit passengers. In all three months, the largest number of Slovenian mobile phone users travelled to Croatia, followed by Italy, Austria and Germany.
In June 2.3 times more mobile phone users visited Croatia than Italy
The largest number of different Slovenian users of mobile phone services travelled to Croatia in June (610,000) and the lowest in April (more than 494,000). The largest number of Slovenian users travelled to Austria also in June (more than 244,000) and to Italy in May (almost 273,000). In June almost 260,000 users visited Italy, which is 2.3 times fewer than the number of users who visited Croatia in that month.
In June, in the time of European football championship, the highest growth among users who went to Germany
In June 2024, besides three neighbouring countries and Germany more than 10,000 different Slovenian users visited the following countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Hungary, Serbia, France, Greece, Spain, Czechia, the Netherlands, and Belgium. The number of Slovenian users who travelled to the stated countries increased in almost every stated country in comparison to the same period a year before. The highest increase (by 48%) was registered by users who travelled to Germany. The exceptions were France and the Netherlands, which were visited by 1% fewer, and Belgium, which was visited by 2% fewer Slovenian users than in June last year.
The largest number of Slovenian mobile phone users as tourists visited Croatia, in June second placed was Germany
In all three months of the 2nd quarter of 2024, the largest number of Slovenian users as multi-day visitors (tourists) visited Croatia.
In April, 212,000 users visited Croatia for several days or 10% fewer than in April 2023, in May 260,000 or 22% more and 354,000 in June or 17% more than in June 2023. They stayed in Croatia on average 4.5 days in April and 6 days in June. In the 2nd quarter 2024, they stayed in Croatia as multi-day visitors 4.3 million days.
Besides Croatia, most mobile phone users in April and May visited for several days Italy (more than 77,000 in April and 82,000 in May) and in June Germany (78,000).
More same-day visits to neighbouring countries
Slovenian users most often travelled to neighbouring countries also as same-day visitors. The data on same-day visits also include non-touristic same-day visits (i.e. daily work migrations). They most often visited Croatia (about 984,000 same-day visits or 11% more than in the same quarter of the previous year). The number of same-day visits to Austria was about the same as in the same quarter of the previous year (839,000) and to Italy almost 523,000 (5% more). The number of same-day visits to Hungary was a lot lower (almost 88,000 or 3% more). The largest number of same-days visits to all the neighbouring countries was registered in June, only to Italy in May.
In April, the largest number of foreign mobile phone users came to Slovenia from Italy, in May and June from Germany
Mobile phone users from at least 134 countries visited Slovenia in the 2nd quarter of 2024.
In April the largest number of foreign users came from Italy (almost 823,000 or 8% more), in May and June from Germany (in May almost 1,032,000 or 15% more, in June more than 1,059,000 or 22% fewer). In May and June German users were followed by mobile phone users from Austria, Italy and Croatia.
Most foreign mobile phone users in Slovenia only in transit
In all the countries from where most foreign users came, transit passengers (stayed in Slovenia for less than 6 hours) represented the highest share of all users from a particular country.
Among all Italian mobile phone users in Slovenia in May and June, 93% were transit passengers. Among German users the share of transit passengers was the highest in May and June (90%) and among users from Austria in June (89%).
Among mobile phone users from neighbouring countries Italian same-day visitors stayed in Slovenia for the shortest time
Austrian mobile phone users made more than 1,026,000 same-day visits to Slovenia in the 2nd quarter of 2024. Italian users made more than 701,000 same-day visits – among them 68% were shorter same-day visits, during which they stayed in Slovenia 6–12 hours, while on 32% of same-day visits they stayed in Slovenia longer, 12–18 hours. Austrian same-day visitors stayed on 52% of same-day visits for a longer time (12–18 hours). Croatian users made almost 611,000 same-day visits and Hungarian users 264,000.
Tables with the latest data are available in the SiStat Database.
Slovenian mobile phone users abroad by most visited countries, June 2024
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The data are published as experimental because the survey is new and because the measuring instrument, the methodology of data collection and the indicators are still being developed.
Some mobile operators still have problems with (correct) coding of users by countries. Data on users can include besides mobile phones also data on other smart devices. In addition, data can also include usage of mobile phone networks by devices that connect and exchange data with other devices (Internet of Things).
The usage of eSIM cards, which are offered by mobile phone operators in the EU, is counted to the country of the mobile phone operator that provides eSIM card service and not to the country from where foreign mobile phone users are actually coming.
As there are many methodological and definitional inconsistencies between the surveys, mobile operators’ statistics, which in this case are cited as experimental statistics, and statistics of other official surveys on tourism statistics, cannot be compared directly.
As part of the mobile operators' statistics, an individual is defined as a user of a mobile device roaming in a foreign network during the trip. In order to be recognized as a "traveller", they must therefore have an active mobile device, which is not a requirement in the case of other surveys.
Mobile operators' statistics also do not contain other details about individuals' trips (e.g. the reasons for travel) on the basis of which it is determined whether an individual visit is actually a "tourist" visit or not. It is highly possible that data on one-day visitors who travel between Slovenia and neighbouring countries included many of those that are otherwise not taken into account within tourism statistics (e.g. daily work migrants, truck drivers in transit, etc.).
Additional explanations are available in the methodological explanations.
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