A major recognition for Zadar.
Lonely Planet, one of the world's most popular travel guides, has released its prestigious “Best in Travel 2019” guide, which includes recommendations on destinations to be visited next year, one of which is Zadar, announced the Croatian National Tourist Board (HTZ) on October 23, 2018.
The selection is part of the largest annual Lonely Planet campaign which, in addition to cities, recommends countries and regions, as well as the best value-for-money trips.
“The inclusion of Zadar in the list of top city destinations for 2019 is a great recognition for Croatian tourism as a whole. It is also a confirmation of quality offered in the destination, that is, the reputation which Zadar enjoys in the world. In cooperation with local tourist boards, we intend to use this recommendation to implement further promotional activities aimed at even better positioning of Zadar, the Zadar region and Croatia as a whole,” said HTZ director Kristjan Staničić, congratulating all tourist workers and citizens of Zadar on this success.
Mihaela Kadija, director of the Zadar County Tourist Board, expects excellent promotional effects of the nomination. “Last year's campaign reached a total of three billion people, and promotional videos were viewed ten million times, while the social networks recorded more than one million interactions. These results suggest that this success will bring our region, Zadar itself, as well as Croatia, even closer to world travellers,” said Kadija.
The process of selecting the best destinations includes a team of experts and members of the Lonely Planet community, which use a set of strict criteria to choose the best destinations in different categories. Zadar has been selected as one of the 10 most desirable cities in 2019, together with Copenhagen, Shenzhen, Novi Sad, Miami, Kathmandu, Mexico City, Dakar, Seattle and Meknes.
“We are exceptionally proud of the recognition given to Zadar. Zadar has been recognized by eminent tourist experts and one of the most influential guides, which is a confirmation that we are heading in the right direction. By winning the European Best Destination award in 2016, we achieved significant marketing effects in media, as well as on social networks. This year's Lonely Planet award will definitely result in even better positioning of Zadar,” said Mario Paleka, the director of Zadar City Tourist Board.
In its presentation of Zadar, Lonely Planet writes that “Zadar has risen from the ashes of its war-ridden past and blossomed into a spirited cosmopolitan city. Wander through the Old Town’s warren of bright marble streets to discover cool bars and laidback cafes, ancient Roman ruins, innovative museums and rustic, trattoria-style restaurants. The true phoenix of Zadar’s transformation is its imagination-stirring waterfront promenade, where scores of locals gather to listen to the magical chimes of the Sea Organ or bask in the mesmeric illuminations of the Sun Salutation. Zadar’s small stature instantly connects travellers to the local life and culture, with any fears of claustrophobia soon dispelled by those sweeping Adriatic vistas.”
