Stories – Experience Premium Croatia, a platform developed by the Croatian Chamber of Economy, has received the Simply the Best 2026 Special Recognition Award, presented by the Croatian Association of Travel Agencies (UHPA) and the PUT Tourism Exchange. The award recognizes the platform’s outstanding contribution to promoting Croatia’s premium tourism offering through a carefully curated collection of hotels, campsites, nautical experiences, villas and holiday homes, travel agencies, wine and gastronomy experiences, and other authentic, high-quality tourism experiences.
Since its launch, Stories Croatia has established itself as the leading platform showcasing Croatia’s premium tourism offer to international travelers seeking authentic, personalized, and enriching experiences. This recognition highlights the platform’s long-term commitment to quality, excellence in service, and the promotion of distinctive experiences that reflect the richness and diversity of Croatia’s tourism landscape.
As part of its continuous development, Stories Croatia recently underwent a comprehensive redesign, introducing a refreshed visual identity and enhanced functionality. The upgraded platform delivers a more intuitive user experience, streamlined navigation, improved content discovery, and greater inspiration for travelers planning their journeys across Croatia.
„Alongside the visual and functional improvements that provide users – particularly those discovering Croatia for the first time – with a more intuitive and engaging browsing experience, we have also further enhanced the platform’s B2B and membership segments to ensure even greater ease of use for our partners and members. This redesign strengthens Stories Croatia’s position as a modern digital gateway to authentic Croatian experiences while raising the standards for presenting Croatia’s tourism offer online”, said Andreja Vukojević, Vice President of the Croatian Chamber of Economy.
The award comes at a time when global travel trends are increasingly shaped by experience-led decision-making. Travelers are choosing destinations based on the experiences they wish to enjoy rather than solely on geographical location, driving growing demand for authentic local culture, exceptional gastronomy, and distinctive boutique accommodation.
Recent research by Capital One and Amadeus confirms this shift, showing that luxury travel is increasingly defined by personalization and meaningful experiences rather than by price point or accommodation category alone. Today’s premium travelers are willing to invest more in carefully tailored products and services that align with their interests, lifestyles, and expectations. This has led to rising demand for bespoke travel experiences, from exclusive destinations and hidden gems to highly personalized services that emphasize authenticity, privacy, and quality.
With its enhanced features and user-centric design, the newly redesigned Stories Croatia platform responds directly to these evolving traveler preferences, making it easier than ever to discover, explore, and plan journeys built around Croatia’s finest premium experiences.
The Simply the Best Awards recognize innovation, creativity, quality, and contributions to the advancement of tourism. Since their inception, the awards have honored 93 individuals and companies for excellence within the tourism sector.
The 27th edition of the PUT Tourism Exchange, scheduled to take place in spring 2027, will be hosted by the City of Osijek and the Tourist Board of the City of Osijek.
