March 21, 2022 - According to all economic indicators, this year's 26th GAST Fair in Split exceeded previous figures and confirmed the status of the largest fair of food, beverages, and catering in Croatia.

From March 16 to 19, 2022, more than 600 exhibitors, co-exhibitors, and brands from the country and abroad presented their products and services for the upcoming tourist season, and more than 16,000 visitors attended the fair at Spaladium Arena this year, reports Dalmacija Danas.

The 26th GAST Fair has confirmed its status as a leading regional fair that brings together all the best of gastronomy, winemaking, tourism, and tourism companies for catering and furnishings. Judging by the interest of the public and the tourism workers in the fair program and numerous events held within GAST 2022 and the satisfaction of the exhibitors and visitors, Croatia, Dalmatia, and Split are ready to welcome another successful tourist season.

Exhibitors also couldn't hide their satisfaction:

"At this year's GAST fair, we premiered our brand KA3GA, an innovative program inspired by Dalmatia. In addition, we have noted a huge interest in our chairs, armchairs, booths, and outdoor furniture, especially for furnishing restaurants, hotels, and apartments. We follow market trends, and we can fulfill the wishes of each customer and adjust the offer according to their requirements and needs. They recognized this, and we are extremely pleased with the many inquiries and results we have achieved during all four days of GAST 2022," said Ivona Curak, spokeswoman for the Split-based company Creative Design, general sponsor of GAST 2022.

PPD Croatia, the representative of illy coffee, is also satisfied.

"This year, the GAST fair showed that the Croatian tourism and hospitality scene seeks and recognizes raising standards at the supply level. Therefore, uncompromising quality is required, from the first morning coffee to ice cream as a dessert, which the fair as such confirmed and proved. As a result, there was a great interest in our products from business people and end consumers," said Antonijo Špoljarić, director of illy coffee sales.

There was great interest at the fair for the products of the Perajica House of Cheese and Prosciutto, which use the highest quality materials in production, especially pigs from Slavonia and milk from pastures in the vicinity of Drniš. 

"Caterers, but also people who buy prosciutto and cheese for their use, are uncompromisingly looking for quality. That was one of our first questions when visiting the stand. As we are uncompromising in that sense and have only the best, interest in our products at the fair was not lacking. We have already agreed on some deals with caterers from all over Croatia, both prosciutto and other cured meat products, and mature and young cheeses. Therefore, we are more than satisfied," concluded Jakov Perkušić.

In addition to traditional specialized fairs and professional fair programs, GAST 2022 hosted two competitions for young chefs: the Regional Competition World Skills Croatia and the First National Competition for Young Chefs for the World Competition of the International Gastronomic Association Chaîne des Rôtisseurs. This turned GAST 2022 into a kind of "headhunting arena" where future employers, who are chronically short of the workforce in tourism, could see their "future employees" firsthand.

The 26th GAST Fair was held under the auspices of the President of the Republic of Croatia, Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development, Ministry of Regional Development and EU Funds, Ministry of Tourism and Sports, Ministry of Agriculture, Croatian Chamber of Commerce, Split-Dalmatia County, City of Split, Split Tourist Board. Dalmatian County and the Tourist Board of the City of Split.

The partners of GAST 2022 were Tommy, Bobis, and Petason, while the general sponsors were Premis and Creative Design.

For more, check out our lifestyle section. 

March 2, 2020 - The Split Gast Fair was held from February 26 to 29, 2020, with a record number of visitors registered for the Jubilee 25th edition. 

Dalmatinski Portal reports that the Jubilee, 25th Split GAST Fair, which brought together almost 800 brands, exhibitors and co-exhibitors from eight countries, surpassed last year by all economic and statistical indicators, and once again, by the quality of its exhibits and rich professional program, confirmed the status of the leading regional fair that brings together all the best of gastronomy, winemaking and tourism, as well as catering and tourism companies.

GAST 2020 was held at Split's Spaladium arena from February 26 to 29, 2020 and a record 25,000 visitors locally and abroad were recorded during all four fair days to experience the professional and entertaining program dedicated to the 25th birthday. At the same time, the fair offered innumerable business opportunities, a large number of jobs completed, 12 professional programs and workshops, as well as numerous tastings and presentations. All this, as well as the interest in the professional fair program and the many accompanying events within the GAST 2020 show, in support of another successful upcoming tourist season.

The offer of white and red wines, as well as spirits, was extremely rich and high quality, and within the educational program, five different wine workshops were held to popularize autochthonous, Croatian wine varieties.

GAST was sponsored by the Ministry of Regional Development and EU Funds, Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Economy, Entrepreneurship and Crafts, Croatian Chamber of Commerce, Split-Dalmatia County, City of Split, Split-Dalmatia County Tourist Board and Split Tourist Board.

The general sponsors of GAST 2020 were Rotodinamic, Premis, Samsara and Petason. Virovitica-Podravina County was a partner county, and Čistoća Split an ecological partner.

You can see the photo gallery of the event here.

To read more about lifestyle in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

February 26, 2020 - Before the start of another tourist season, the Croatian tourist offer will have the chance shine at the 25th International GAST Fair - the central gathering place for the target audience, such as restaurant owners, hotels and family hotels, small renters and catering establishments from all over Dalmatia. GAST 2020 takes place from February 26 to 29, 2020, at the Spaladium Arena in Split.

If you want to try your hand at competing, launch new products, show off the best you have, win new market space, find new partners and strengthen your relationships with existing ones, GAST 2020 offers quality exhibitors and a rich professional program of conferences and workshops, enabling you to be part of the most important, leading gastronomic and tourist event in Croatia, to realize your business potential and participate in a professionally managed media campaign.

GAST 2020 includes several specialized fairs:

25th International Nutrition Fair

25th International Beverage Fair

25th International Hotel and Catering Equipment Fair

25th Dionysian International Wine Fair

17th International Furniture Fair - Furnitura

15th International Coffee Fair

15. Tourism Fair - Saturn

5th International Ice Cream and Dessert Fair

GAST 2020, as in previous years, follows many interesting events:

Dionysian - 25th International Wine and Spirits Appraisal and Winemaking Ceremony - Leading Croatia!

9. Tourist network

Split gastro scene - gastro novelties for the tourist season

Everyday Show Cooking

Pastry workshops

Creating wine lists

Guided wine workshops

The Bartender Show

Chef's Charity Show: "Famous in the Kitchen

Dalmacija Danas reports that "Potentials, Perspectives and the Future" is the name of a panel conference to be held as part of the 9th Tourist Network at the GAST Fair, on February 26, from 12 to 2:30 pm at the Spaladium Arena Conference Hall. The co-organizer of the conference is the Croatian Chamber of Economy, County Chamber of Split.

The conference program includes three panels. The first panel is dedicated to the potential of cultural tourism and the presentation of the Mirabilia network. It will be attended by representatives of the Croatian Chamber of Commerce - County Chamber of Split, Tourist Board of Solin and Split, Virovitica-Podravina, Osijek-Baranja and Split-Dalmatia Counties.

Perspectives on adventure tourism are the topic of the second panel, which will be discussed by consultants and representatives of the Croatian Chamber of Economy - County Chamber of Split, Baranja Tourist Board and SDŽ, Nature Park Biokovo.

The future of plastic-free tourism, which is one of the main messages of this year's GAST 2020 fair and the topic of the third panel, will be discussed by representatives of the Tourism and Maritime Administration of the County Chamber of Commerce, CCE - Split County Chambers, Public Institutions of RERASDZ, EkoCortec, Institute for Organic Technology Chemical of the Faculty of Technology (Biocompack project) and the company Purity and Radisson Blu.

Tourism is one of the most propulsive industries both in the world and in Croatia. There are numerous examples of developmental and different challenges, and the need for new content that is year-round and sustainable has already launched many new activities and projects.

By organizing a panel conference, “Potentials, Perspectives and the Future,” awareness will be raised of the need to develop sustainable tourism throughout the year as an indispensable content of all forms of contemporary tourism.

Opening hours of the GAST fair are from 09.30 to 19.00. You can read more about the fair here.

To read more about travel in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page.

The 23rd GAST fair will take place from February 28 to March 3, 2018, at Split's Spaladium Arena. 

The round table "Entrepreneurial Center for New Technologies in Tourism" was held on March 2, 2017 within the framework of the 22nd International GAST Fair at the conference hall of Spaladium arena.