Croatia and Premium Tourism: From Sun and Sea to Authentic Experiences

When we think of Croatia as a tourist destination, what first comes to mind? For most foreigners, it’s still images of beautiful beaches, crystal-clear sea, and sun-drenched coasts. But the question being asked more frequently is: Can Croatia break out of the framework of a “sun and sea” destination and reposition itself as a country of premium tourism?

This was precisely the topic discussed at this year’s Women’s Weekend on the panel “Can Croatia become a destination for premium tourism?” powered by Stories where key experts participated in a conversation with Hrvoje Krešić: Nikolina Brnjac, Member of the Committee on Transport and Tourism, and EPP Representative in the Tourism Task Force of the European Parliament; Andreja Vukojević, Director of the Tourism Sector, Marketing & Communication Department of the Croatian Chamber of Commerce; dr.sc. Irena Peršić Živadinov, Kvarner Tourist Board, Managing Partner and Josipa Jutt Ferlan, Cluster General Manager for Hilton hotels Zagreb, Opatija and Dalmatia & CEO of Zagreb City Hotels.

Croatia celebrated 180 years of tourism in 2023, but today the perception of Croatia as exclusively a summer destination is intensively changing. “Premium is actually experience tourism, authenticity tourism, the tourism we aspire to today,” emphasized Andreja Vukojević, explaining that we no longer talk about the tourist season, but rather the tourist year.

A key role in this transformation is played by the platform Stories, Experience Premium Croatia, launched by the Croatian Chamber of Commerce. This platform brings together around 150 members across 7 categories: hotels, vacation villas, camps, marinas, charters, travel agencies, and restaurants. Each member must meet strict quality criteria, as evidenced by the fact that the platform has rejected about 50 potential members who did not reach the established standards.

The Stories platform not only serves as an online database of premium offerings but actively supports its members through trade show appearances and educational programs. “What’s excellent is that the Ministry of Tourism and Sports adopted a legislative framework several years ago, along with all strategic documents and a sustainable development strategy, which emphasized to all of us, all stakeholders in the tourism sector, that we should jointly position Croatia as a high-quality sustainable year-round premium destination,” emphasized Andreja Vukojević.

To achieve the strategic goal of positioning Croatia as a premium destination, an appropriate legislative framework was created. Nikolina Brnjac explained: “We found ourselves in the challenging period of COVID, where we realized it was the ideal time to devise a new tourism strategy and implement a completely new reform.”

The reform is based on three key pillars of sustainability: economic sustainability, social aspect (impact on local population), and environmental aspect. “If we want to preserve our cultural heritage and the natural wealth that Croatia has, we must ensure that all three elements are in balance,” emphasized Brnjac. Particularly interesting is the fact that Croatia has become a leader in Europe when it comes to sustainable tourism management. “According to the World Tourism Organization, we are the first country to provide tools through legislation to local and regional self-government units,” she highlighted.

At the regional level, concrete results are already visible. Dr. Irena Peršić Živadinov shared experiences from Kvarner, where they created brands such as “Kvarner Family” for family tourism and “Kvarner Gourmet & Food” for gastronomy. Thanks to such work, Kvarner has earned the title of European Region of Gastronomy for 2026 and achieves 100% more overnight stays in the pre-season and post-season than 10 years ago.

“These guests simply spend more, with less burden on the destination, so you can live better from tourism with fewer guests,” highlighted Dr. Peršić Živadinov. “Of course, the population is then more satisfied because they can live from tourism throughout the year.”

Renowned hotel chains like Hilton play a key role in the development of premium tourism. Josipa Jutt Ferlan emphasized how hotels can sometimes be drivers of development for an entire destination, citing the example of the new Hilton hotel on Ugljan Island, in the town of Preko. “In a destination completely unknown for hotels, we have become the drivers of creating an entire product, and not just a hotel – but a destination,” she explained.

By connecting with local caterers and activity providers, a comprehensive tourism product is created. “The first reservations that came in are not only happening in July and August, but we’re also very pleased with October and November,” said Jutt Ferlan, adding: “It’s very important that a destination has something to offer in every period of the year, then it’s a premium destination.” Hilton currently manages three hotels in Zagreb, and with a hotel in Opatija and the new hotel on Ugljan Island, their presence in Croatia is growing. This is a clear signal to international investors that Croatia has potential for high-quality tourism projects.

The new tourism law, which came into effect at the beginning of 2024, requires local governments to collect data and develop tourism management plans. “Through these plans, we will obtain data that will also be useful to the private sector,” explained Brnjac. “This way, the private sector will finally be able to see exactly where to invest.”

Collaboration among all stakeholders is essential for the successful development of premium tourism. “I think it’s extremely important that we talk a lot first and foremost,” emphasized Dr. Peršić Živadinov. “That through conversation we learn where hoteliers want to go, and that on the other hand, we as tourist boards then be of service.”

To the question of whether Croatia can become a destination for premium tourism, Josipa Jutt Ferlan responded: “Croatia already is a destination for premium tourism. This is not something new happening to Croatia. We’ve just started talking differently, organizing strategically, and thinking about how to move forward.”

As Andreja Vukojević emphasized, “Premium is not the same as luxury. Premium is experience, premium means being sustainable, premium means raising the reputation of the destination, ensuring good jobs, ensuring stable economic growth, having satisfied local residents… And of course, most importantly, a happy guest.”

With a clear development vision, tools for its achievement, successful examples like Kvarner, and investments from renowned hotel chains like Hilton, Croatia is increasingly positioning itself as a destination for premium experiences throughout the year.