January 25, 2023 - A survey was carried out to gain insight into the extent to which specific Croatian regions spark curiosity and desire of the local population to visit, what images are associated with which region, and at what time of the year which region is the most attractive.

Dalmatia, Istria, Lika, and Gorski Kotar are the Croatian regions most attractive for domestic tourists, with Slavonia following in the fourth place, while Zagreb is the urban centre that offers the most opportunities for shopping, culture, and entertainment.

At the same time, writes Poslovni, Istria did the best when it came to gastronomy and a longer tourist season, which is where Dalmatia and other destinations have enormous room for improvement. This was found in a survey conducted at the end of last year by the Improve agency in cooperation with BlueRock Consulting.

In the recently adopted Croatian tourism strategy until 2030, year-round and more regionally balanced tourism is set as one of the strategic goals, and it is thought that the unique tourist identity of certain regions should be developed, that is, the umbrella brand that connects tourist destinations. Accordingly, target groups of guests should be clearly defined, explains BRC.

The leaders

"The results show that the key brands are the tourist regions themselves, and there is no dilemma about the name of a particular tourist region either. Short and clear names were adopted, and regions were recognized as such. This is great for these tourist destinations and their further communication and the development of tourist products. It is great that Lika and Gorski Kotar are already almost as attractive to domestic tourists as developed coastal regions. Preservation of natural beauty is essential, but how much the other reasons for coming are lagging shows how wide the room for improvement is," emphasizes Emanuel Tutek, a partner in BRC.

For Dalmatia, natural beauty is a far more important asset than cultural heritage and gastronomy. Admittedly, in comparison to Istria, entertainment facilities are somewhat more attractive in Dalmatia, while quality and attractive private accommodation is the slightly less attractive factor. In addition to peace and relaxation (79%), the most common associations of those who chose Dalmatia are fun and joy, more than other regions except Zagreb.

Istria is perfectly positioned as a gastronomic destination, rich in culture and natural beauty, and guests associate it with comfort and romance. The authors note that Istria most successfully promoted the breadth of its offer, as those who chose that region to cite relatively more different motivating factors.

The most common are natural beauties (80%), followed by gastronomy (62%) and culture (heritage or events, 56%). Quality and attractive private accommodation is the fourth most common factor. However, recreational or sports activities are rarely mentioned as the motivation for visiting Istria.

New discoveries

Among those who are attracted to this region, the top associations are peace and relaxation. More than other regions, it attracts people with higher household incomes and higher education as well. For Lika and Gorski Kotar, natural beauty and peace, and relaxation are the leading reasons for visiting, but the region stands out by associations with health and opportunities for recreational, sports, and adrenaline activities.

Associations that stand out more than in other regions are health, adventure, and adrenaline, but also peace and relaxation and "new discoveries." In Slavonia, besides natural beauty, there is a very strong motivation for choosing gastronomy (61%), and it is just as strong as in the most successful region of Istria. Cultural heritage holds the third place, while recreation and entertainment rank poorly, and quality accommodation is hardly mentioned. Slavonia attracts older people (over 55 years) more than average. Motivation for local guests to visit Zagreb includes shopping (32%), cultural heritage and events (27%), and entertainment (for adults, 24%, for children, 26%), and the top associations are entertainment and variety.

The longest season is guaranteed in Lika and Gorski Kotar, which attract guests almost all year round. The spring and less warm summer months are chosen the most for both Istria and Slavonia. For Dalmatia, the focus is on the summer months, from June to September, and very few consider the spring months to be the best time to visit Dalmatia.

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated Travel section.

ZAGREB, 23 May 2022 - Prime Minister Andrej Plenković on Monday said that thanks to the EU's regional development and cohesion policy, Croatian regions would reach the EU's average development level by 2030.

Addressing a ceremonial session of the County Assembly on the occasion of Lika-Senj County Day, Plenković said that the process of decentralization has made the county stronger and has helped its fiscal capacities to rise by 78%. He added that strong cooperation on projects exists between the county and the government.

Plenković underscored that budget funds from the schemes adopted to alleviate the pandemic crisis saved 5,000 jobs in 1,144 employers in that county.

The Prime Minister listed this government's strategic successes such as drawing closer to the Schengen and Euro areas, and underscored that "today, Croatia has completely exited the macroeconomic imbalance mechanism," which he referred to as an "exceptional achievement."

Plenković expressed his empathy for the Ukrainian people and his respect for Ukraine. After the meeting, he met with Ukrainian refugees who have found shelter in Korenica.

Ukrainian Ambassador to Croatia Vasyl Kyrylych thanked Croatia and Lika-Senj County for taking in Ukrainian refugees who were forced to leave their homeland.

County Prefect Ernest Petry (HDZ) said that it was up to everyone in the county to raise this region to the level it deserves, to become recognizable and competitive and that requires optimism and togetherness between the government and the county, and with other counties.

"It is that new Croatian sovereignism that brings together all and that respects everyone'', said Petry, among other things.

 At the session, Plenković was declared an honorary citizen of this county.

For more, check out our politics section.

ZAGREB, Sept 9, 2020 - President Zoran Milanovic said on Tuesday evening while attending a formal session of the Varazdin County Assembly marking County Day, that renewed division of Croatia into regions would be disintegration.

"What was done in 1993 without a referendum, at the height of the war, when there were more pressing priorities than local government, will not be easily reversed," he said and added that the counties, as the form of administration and "transmission between the central government (and regional government) in a country of just four million people", made more sense than regions.

A renewed division of Croatia into regions would be disintegration, the president said.

He expressed hope that Varazdin County would continue "in the good direction", emphasizing the importance of absorbing EU funding as a measure of success.

PM: A harmonious approach to the development of northern Croatia

Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic, who also attended the ceremony, spoke of the efforts made by the government in its previous term to ensure a more balanced development of the country.

"That's the foundation of our policy which is based on four pillars: continued, steady and open dialogue, functional decentralization, fiscal decentralization, and project cooperation," the prime minister said.

He also recalled government aid to employers and workers, including those in Varazdin County, to help them cope with the crisis caused by the global coronavirus pandemic.

"The government has so far provided HRK 300 million (€40m) for the benefit of workers. Had we not done that, they would probably be in trouble now, many of them would possibly be out of work," Plenkovic said, that 34,000 workers in Varazdin County were covered by the government's aid measures.

He said that Croatia was facing the challenges of recovery and development which required aligning priorities for "a harmonious approach to the development of northern Croatia."

County Prefect Radimir Cacic said that for three years in a row Varazdin County was by far the most successful county in absorbing EU funds in the segment of energy renovation.

For the latest travel info, bookmark our main travel info article, which is updated daily. 

Read the Croatian Travel Update in your language - now available in 24 languages

Join the Total Croatia Travel INFO Viber community.