Slovenian Town Doubles Tourism By Branding Salami ‘First Lady’ Because Why Not
KEY POINTS
- •Melania Trump, originally Melanija Knavs, was born on April 26, 1970, in Novo Mesto, during Yugoslavia's communist era.
- •She grew up in Sevnica, a small town in Slovenia with 17,672 residents, where her father sold cars and her mother worked in a textile factory.
- •After she became first lady, Sevnica capitalized on this by doubling tourism and selling 'First Lady' salami named in her honor.
Melania Trump, born Melanija Knavs on April 26, 1970, in communist Yugoslavia's Novo Mesto, rose from a car salesman’s daughter in Sevnica—a town with 17,672 hopefuls—to becoming the first naturalized US First Lady. Her humble origins include a childhood flat in a gray communist apartment block and schooling at Savo Kladnik Elementary, remembered by her principal friend as 'an angel'—likely before politics seeped in. Sevnica, once a mecca for lingerie, furniture, and salami (over 150 varieties, no less), saw its tourism figures double thanks to the Trump surge, even christening a salami in her honor. Now, nearly 7 million tourists can't get enough of the 'First Lady' meat, the town's new claim to political gourmet fame.
Share the Story
From communist-era flats to having a salami named after you: Melania just proves anyone’s past can be repurposed as a tourist gimmick. Sevnica really said ‘why not brand a lunchmeat with FLOTUS-level flair?’
Nothing screams global influence like a town rebranding itself with Trump-themed salami and hoping you forget it once sold lingerie.
Slovenian tourism's brilliant pivot: hope diplomacy fails and everyone comes eating salami named after a former model turned First Lady.
Source: Businessinsider | Published: 1/26/2026 | Author: Talia Lakritz
More Articles in World News
House Democrats Ordered Not to Bring Backup to Anti-ICE Party in Minnesota
Microsoft’s $625 Billion Azure Backlog Mostly OpenAI Bribes, Wall Street Nervous
Sydney Sweeney's $1M Flop, Trump-Approved Jeans & Bathwater Soap Fiasco
Trump’s Armada So Huge, Iranians Thinking It’s A Fleet Versus Their WiFi
Ukraine’s Defense Team Upgrades From Generals to Telegram Bloggers Overnight
Victoria Braces for Bushfires and Buys Wind Power to Fry Pizza at Home
Travel Planner Reveals You Wreck Vacations by Booking Cheap Parking Lot Views
Sydney’s Beaches Shut Early After Sharks Throw Uninvited Pool Party
