February 4, 2021 - Croatia's first UNESCO Geopark, Papuk Nature Park, strives to become a generator of tourism in Slavonia.
HRTurizam reports that fascinating news came from Papuk Nature Park last year. Although 2020 was very difficult for many tourist destinations in Croatia and the world, Papuk was a favorite destination for visitors. The increase in the number of visitors in the period marked by the pandemic, epidemiological measures, and bans is something that not everyone can boast about. But this result, or success, did not come by chance. This is the result of investments in the development of Papuk as a tourist destination - and not just financial investments.
“We want to be a generator of tourism development in this area. We have invested and will continue to invest in the future, but the coronavirus pandemic has accelerated the whole process, so we can say that the future is happening now. Visitors recognized our efforts and gave us confidence. This motivates us to further enrich the content, especially for families," said the Papuk Nature Park director, Alen Jurenac.
And it was the family visits to Papuk Nature Park that marked the past year and the beginning of 2021.
Namely, in January alone, the number of visitors to the Jankovac Forest Park increased by an incredible 400% compared to January 2020, or 4452 visitors this year compared to 882 last year. The weather and the snow, which both children and adults equally enjoyed, were certainly in favor. It is important to note that the increase in the number of visitors occurred despite the epidemiological measures due to which the Jankovac Mountain Lodge was closed.
"So far, in terms of tourism, we have mentioned Papuk as a destination that offers all the facilities for an active summer vacation in which we can match the Adriatic, and since this winter, Papuk has become an increasingly sought-after winter destination. Cold winter days have thus become an opportunity for the most beautiful family gatherings. These figures oblige us to make additional investments to bring Papuk closer to visitors through all 365 days of the year," said Jurenac.
However, in addition to the announced investments in year-round tourism, it is necessary to motivate the local population to engage in tourism and monitor the development of Papuk as a tourist destination. The fact is that Papuk is developing in a good direction, and statistical data support it. Namely, from year to year, there is an increase in the number of visitors, as well as the content in the Papuk Nature Park.
"Our wish is to become a destination where tourists will spend a few days. The whole story is heating up. A weekend settlement with luxury villas has already grown in Zvečevo, for which there is great interest. The villas are constantly full over the weekend, and interest in buying real estate in this area is growing. Now we want to achieve even better cooperation with the local population. This would increase the number of accommodation capacities and enable tourists to stay longer in Papuk," says Jurenac.
In times of limited possibilities, Papuk has become a destination where you can enjoy the unique gift of nature all the time.
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