gorski kotar tourism

Daily Travel Updates

Friday, 29 July 2022

Why is Croatian Region of Gorski Kotar Popular With Sportspeople?

July the 29th, 2022 - Gorski kotar is an often overlooked place in Croatia, seen mostly as part of the country one passes through when going to or from the coast. This gorgeous, green and mountainous part of the country has a lot to boast of itself, and is much more than simply a location one goes through aiming for the sea. For sportspeople and training, it's often a desired location.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, the rugged green region of Gorski kotar is very attractive to both professional and recreational athletes throughout the year, and especially during the summer months due to more tolerable, even pleasant daytime and cool night temperatures, as opposed to the extreme heat most of the rest of the country suffers through at that time of the year.

Any sort of physical activity in combination with extremely high daily temperatures increases the thermal and circulatory load of athletes and causes the rapid dehydration of the body, as shown by the research conducted in the field of thermoregulation of healthy and active people. It can be extremely dangerous. When it comes to training for sport, it is extremely important that the air temperature puts as little strain on the athlete's body as possible.

That's why Gorski kotar is often chosen for the preparation of athletes, because during the day they can prepare, warm up and participate in competitions with significantly less strain being placed on the body than doing it elsewhere in the country, where things could go very awry very quickly indeed. This way, they spend less time on the very necessary cooling down of the body, which optimises their time. At the same time, fresher, cooler nights provide them with a high quality dose of sleep for effective body renewal, which consequently affects their sporting performance.

This weekend, two sporting competitions are being held in Gorski kotar. One open Croatian championship in orienteering is being held, the 25th Croatia Open, which will be held from July the 31st to August the 5th in the area of Delnice, Mrkoplje, Risnjak National Park in Crni Lug and Krk. It is an international competition of a traditional character that has brought thousands of competitors from about forty different countries to the mountainous heart of Croatia.

The competition quickly became one of the most important in the entire region, and Gorski kotar was promoted as a desirable summer orientation destination in Europe. More than 270 participants from as many as 27 countries applied for this year's competition. It will take place on the karst grounds of Zrinski vrh next to Delnice, the old city centre of the city of Krk and in the forested parts of Crni and Sungerski Lug. The conception of the competition's courses was done by the chief course planner András Kersity with his assistants Balázs Gyenizse-Nagy and Zoltan Racz.

The second competition set to take place in Gorski kotar is the Croatian cross-triathlon championship for the categories of cadets, juniors and seniors, which will be held on Lake Lokvar on Saturday, July the 30th, starting at 10:00. The organisation of this event is being led by the best triathlon club in Croatia, "Maksimir", the newly founded "Triathlon Club Gorski Kotar" and the Municipality of Lokve. There will be a super sprint triathlon race and a standard cross triathlon race along two courses, both of which include swimming, mountain biking and cross running.

This is a form of the popular "Xterra triathlon" series of races, for which Gorski kotar is an extremely suitable location due to the tolerable temperatures and the type of terrain. The aim of this collaboration is to popularise this type of triathlon in Gorski kotar, which will generate a strong motive for visiting the destination.

"In the experience industry of today, it's really important to recognise the motives of visitors who remain loyal to the destination, and the support that the Gorski kotar area provides to athletes is comprehensive, from the natural microclimatic conditions to operational support, a rich gastronomic offer and quality accommodation facilities," said Petar Hrg, the director of the Tourist Board of Gorski kotar.

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

Tuesday, 1 March 2022

Walking Among the Treetops in Gorski Kotar May Soon Become a Reality

March 1st, 2022 - Seven locations in Gorski Kotar have been proposed for the construction of treetop promenades

The mountainous Gorski Kotar region would be a perfect setting for the so-called Walks in the Trees, i.e. promenades built a few metres above ground that make it possible to observe nature while walking among the treetops. Representatives of the Gorski Kotar Tourist Board are embracing the idea as they plan potential investments in the tourism infrastructure, writes Novi list.

At a recent tourism event in Slovenia, they got in touch with a prominent Czech investor Jan Hrebačka of the company Zažitkova Akademie who deals in construction of such facilities. He has shown considerable interest and requested additional information about potential locations in Gorski Kotar.

The tourist board contacted all local self-government units in this region and collected seven proposals as a result. In alphabetical order, Brod Moravice Municipality proposed the area around the Hunters’ House Lazica as a good location for a treetop walk. Delnice nominated the forest park Japlenški Vrh. Fužine proposed two options - the area along Lake Lepenica and the area around the lookout point on Preradović. In Lokve, there are plenty of scenic locations along the Lokvarsko Lake, Mrkopalj proposed the area Zagmajne, and Skrad proposed the mountain Skradski Vrh. Ravna Gora, Vrbovsko and Čabar have not yet come forth with their locations.

All the submissions are reinforced with data on the surface area of the proposed locations, as well as great video footage that will certainly help with the selection because it clearly shows the attributes of each proposed space. According to Gorski Kotar Tourist Board Director Petar Hrg, there are good chances of foreign investors deciding on one of the offered locations.

‘The fact that they were the first to contact us speaks of their interest in this area. They already have several such projects in Europe and each of them has become a tourist attraction, and the investors also benefit from the accompanying tourism infrastructure. Because of all this, the construction of such an attractive facility in any of the proposed locations would mean a lot for tourism in that particular area, but also for Gorski Kotar as a whole’, said Hrg.

He also pointed out that there are certain benefits associated with financing that could be seen as an incentive by the investor.

‘As a rule, this investor doesn’t call on the local self-government to participate, but starts the investment himself. Naturally, where these Gorski Kotar locations are considered, as well as any others that may be proposed later, each of the local self-governments will certainly try to set the best possible foundations through spatial planning and supporting infrastructure’ said Hrg.

Their potential future associates have been informed of this, and are soon coming to Gorski Kotar to visit all seven proposed locations.

‘We’ll strive to make the best possible impression on our guests, so that they wouldn’t only invest in one treetop promenade in this area, but more of them. In any case, their arrival presents us with a completely new idea for our region, which might motivate other investors to come up with similar ideas and ventures. Gorski Kotar is truly getting more and more interesting to many, which means that investors are increasingly turning to us. Of course, this should be appreciated, and we should try to attract as many of them as possible with a high quality offer’, said the Tourist Board director.

It should be noted that the proposal of the seven locations includes data on the proximity of big urban areas, the total population within 200 kilometres of Gorski Kotar, the strong tourist market of Kvarner and Istria which can easily generate visits to Gorski Kotar locations as well, etc. In short, this data can certainly convince potential investors that investing in tourism in the Gorski Kotar region is definitely worth their while.

Friday, 28 January 2022

PHOTOS: Snowy Riversides and Magical Mountains of Croatia in January 2022

January 28, 2022 – The snowy riversides and magical mountains of Croatia in January 2022 show a spectacular and all-natural winter wonderland.

Snow finally stuck to the streets of central Zagreb for a couple of days this week. Early morning temperatures dropped to the lowest yet of this winter. Despite the chill, clear skies and sunshine days were enough to see the snow soon melt away.

But, far from the city, the snowy riversides and magical mountains of Croatia in January 2022 have kept their white blanket for longer. These all-natural landscapes look epic after the snowfall. For winter walkers and climbers – or even just lovers of photography – these images are way more spectacular than the bright lights and theatre of the Advent season.

Let's take a closer look at the winter wonderland of snowy riversides and magical mountains of Croatia in January 2022.

Gorski Kotar

Delnice, Lokve, Fužine, Stara Sušica, Ravna Gora

From above, Dvorac Stara Sušica © Vladimir Franolić

Jezero Bajer near Fužine © Marino Kirinčić

Another view of Dvorac Stara Sušica © Branko Lautar & Višnja Bolf

Risnjak National Park and Snježnik Hrvatski

Snježnik hrvatski © Ivan Ćuća-Žentil

For more about Risnjak National Park, look here

Velebit

Northern Velebit National Park

For more about Northern Velebit National Park, look here

Velebit Nature Park

Ljubičko Brdo © Ivan Ćuća-Žentil

Paklenica National Park

Bojinac © Ivan Coric Photography

For more about Paklenica National Park, look here

Kloštar Podravski, Podravina and Koprivnica-Križevci County

For more about the Drava river in Koprivnica-Križevci County look here. For more about the area of Podravina containing Kloštar Podravski and Đurđevac, look here

Slavonski Brod

The wetlands and ponds in Oriovac near Slavonski Brod are not only home to fish - over 50 species of birds visit these waters © Antun Lukšić

For more about Slavonski Brod, look here

Žumberak-Samoborsko gorje Nature Park

The high peak of Sveti Gera, on the western edge of Žumberak-Samoborsko gorje Nature Park © Domagoj Novosel

The author would like to thank each of the photographers who kindly loaned their work to him for this article

Monday, 30 August 2021

Irresistible Gorski Kotar: Tourist Board Presents Largest Virtual Walk in Croatia

August 30, 2021 - You can now explore the irresistible Gorski Kotar landscapes with the largest virtual walk in Croatia!

The Gorski Kotar Tourist Board has created the largest virtual walk in Croatia - 360° Gorski Kotar / Spring-Summer, reports HRTurizam.

Thus, you can be virtually acquainted with a total of 168 panoramas in Gorski Kotar, 28 from the air and 140 from the ground. Panoramas by Rajko Mrvoš from ZooM video & photography are divided into: Gorski Kotar from the air, NP Risnjak, Brod Moravice, Čabar, Delnice, Fužine, Lokve, Mrkopalj, Ravna Gora and Vrbovsko.

Virtually explore Gorski Kotar HERE

According to data from eVisitor, Gorski Kotar realized 94.67% of tourist overnight stays and 95% of arrivals from the record 2019 by August 15.

In the first half of August this year, there were 10% more overnight stays compared to 2019. The greatest interest was expressed in accommodation in higher categories, and accommodation in households has 28% more overnight stays than in 2019.

“We are counting more than 30% of overnight stays of our domestic guests this year compared to 2019, and the number of reservations for the winter period is noticeable, especially private accommodation of a higher category. In addition, accommodation is already being reserved for the New Year and school holidays," said Petar Hrg, the Gorski Kotar Tourist Board director.

Last week, the Gorski Kotar Tourist Board stated on Index.hr that certain accommodation facilities of higher categories, especially holiday homes, are booked for 150 to 240 days a year.

"Gorski Kotar is the green lungs of Croatia, and we are strategically focused on preserving our natural values, which we defined in the Master Plan for Tourism Development. We want to enrich the experience of our visitors throughout the year by planning investments in tourist facilities. This will be reflected in the demographic picture and the turn towards tourism as one of the stronger levers of development in this area," they said.

Gorski Kotar's local self-government units want to enrich the sports-recreational and winter tourist offer with already prepared projects.

The Gorski Kotar Tourist Board president and mayor of Fužine, David Bregovac, said that more and more guests want to spend their summer vacation in mountainous areas and that Gorski Kotar has an advantage - the proximity to the sea.

"Our goal is to use the potential of the year-round destination, and I hope that the County and the state will join us with significant investments," said Bregovac, adding that Gorski Kotar is a safe region in which the epidemiological situation is systematically monitored.

They also stated that the average rating of Gorski Kotar accommodation capacities on Booking.com is 9.3 out of 10, on Google 4.7 out of 5, on TripAdvisor 4.6 out of 5, and Airbnb 4.9 out of 5. At the same time, about twenty Gorski Kotar restaurants are rated on Google with 4.4 and TripAdvisor with 4.

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

Sunday, 20 June 2021

Gorski Kotar's Eco-system, Tourism Suffer Due to Climate Change

ZAGREB, 20 June, 2021 - Climate change has left a huge mark on the forests of the Gorski Kotar mountain region in central Croatia, causing its tourism value to drop, experts say.

Over the past decade, ice, wind and the bark beetle have destroyed large parts of Gorski Kotar, whose economy, including tourism, is based on natural resources.

Dragan Turk, a manager at Risnjak National Park, says that due to natural disasters the national park will lose its value as a protected area. "If climate change is too fast, it will take more than 100 years for forests to regenerate."

Last week, an international team of experts presented the findings of a study on the effects of climate change in Gorski Kotar, warning that it could affect local tourism.

The study was conducted by the Zagreb Faculty of Economics and Business in cooperation with Leeds Beckett University and Bocconi University in Milan. The Croatian Meteorological and Hydrological Service cooperated on the project.

In four years, ice, wind and the bark beetle have destroyed more than a million square metres of wood, which has greatly affected the eco-system, experts says.

Beekeeper Damir Zanoškar says the various corridors resulting from deforestation are probably the cause of the increasingly strong winds registered in recent years.

He says the Hrvatske Šume national forest management company should ask itself what the current model forest management is leading to. "Thousands and thousands of logs are being driven somewhere far."

Beekeepers have joined forces and launched a fir-planting drive because fir is well-adapted to Gorski Kotar and is very useful to bees. Zanoškar says big fir-planting campaigns could give Gorski Kotar its former aspect back in 20-30 years.

"Time is running out," he warns. "We need forests and we must take immediate action."

Experts say that although extreme weather occurred in the past as well, today it causes bigger problems and is not related to only one season. That's why climate projections should be taken into account when planning new projects and infrastructure, they add.

Climate change could affect the tourism industry, notably in southern Europe, experts say.

Warmer and drier summers can result in bigger droughts, wildfires and negative changes in plants and animals, which would make summer vacations in Mediterranean countries uncomfortable. At the same time, northern countries with more moderate summers could see a rise in tourist turnover, experts say.

If it adapts, tourism can expect positive results, otherwise the negative effects are inevitable, they add.

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