Stories Croatia and eight Croatian tourism companies showcased the best of Croatia’s premium tourism offering at one of the world’s leading luxury travel events, connecting with key partners from across North America.
North America is one of Croatia’s most important long-haul tourism markets, with the United States playing a particularly significant role. In recent years, Croatia has recorded steady growth in US visitor numbers, with annual increases of between 8 and 10 percent.
US travellers are also among the higher-spending international visitors and are increasingly seeking authentic, high-end experiences – from food and wine, yachting and boutique hotels to wellness, active travel and immersive cultural experiences.
Reaching high-spending travellers and positioning Croatia as a destination capable of delivering highly personalised experiences are among the key objectives of Stories – Experience Premium Croatia at ILTM North America, one of the world’s leading trade events dedicated to premium and luxury travel.
“This is one of the most important global B2B events for premium and luxury travel, bringing together leading travel advisors, specialist media and premium tourism providers from around the world. Stories Croatia is presenting Croatia’s premium offering alongside eight Croatian tourism companies”, said Lana Petrović Blajić from the Tourism Sector of the Croatian Chamber of Economy (HGK).
“This year, we have seen exceptionally strong interest from travel advisors and received a large number of meeting requests. This reflects the steady growth in demand for Croatia from the US market in recent years, a trend that has continued this year. By showcasing the very best of Croatian tourism, our goal is to turn that interest into new arrivals and tangible business partnerships”, she added.
Strong Interest from North American Travel Advisors
Croatian exhibitors are represented within a dedicated Experience Premium Croatia area, designed as a hub for business meetings, presentations and networking with partners from across the North American market.
Interest in Stories Croatia has been particularly strong, with 52 business meetings scheduled over the three days of the event.
This year marks Stories Croatia’s third appearance at ILTM North America and the first time that the Croatian Chamber of Economy has independently brought together and organised the participating Croatian tourism companies.
The event, held at Baha Mar in Nassau, The Bahamas, provides an opportunity to showcase Croatia’s tourism offering to buyers and partners from the United States, Canada and Mexico.
“The North American market is extremely important to us and offers considerable potential for further growth. Through our cooperation with trusted travel advisors, we see that their clients are looking for tailor-made journeys and are willing to invest more in quality”, said Ines Palac, Director of Adriatic Allure, one of the participating travel agencies.
“They are drawn to our islands, natural beauty, history and gastronomy, as well as experiences that allow them to connect with the local way of life. This diversity of experiences is precisely what gives Croatia such a strong advantage in this market”, she added.
Diversity of Experiences Sets Croatia Apart
Alongside Adriatic Allure, Croatia’s DMC and travel planning sector is represented by Perfecta Travel, Permansio and Super Tours. The hotel sector is represented by Valamar Riviera, one of Croatia’s leading tourism companies, and Potestas, whose portfolio includes Hotel Park Split, Fenomen Plitvice and Villa Petra. Orgon is showcasing its portfolio of luxury villas, while Croatia Yachting is presenting Croatia’s premium charter offering.
“North America represents a market with significant growth potential for Croatian nautical tourism, and we are seeing increasing interest from US travellers in particular”, said Manuela Jukić, Head of Charter Sales and Business Development at Croatia Yachting.
“These clients place particular importance on trust, exceptional service and authentic experiences – values that are at the heart of everything we offer at Croatia Yachting. As a multi-award-winning charter company, our goal is to further strengthen our presence in North America while building strong, long-term relationships with partners in the market”, she said.
The importance of personal relationships with North American travel advisors was also highlighted by Ivan Čulo, Director and Management Board Member at Potestas.
“We are delighted that US travel advisors have recognised Croatia’s potential and selected Hotel Park Split and Fenomen Plitvice Resort for their clients. Their guests value authenticity, heritage and personalised service. Face-to-face meetings at ILTM are an important opportunity to strengthen trust, develop new partnerships and ultimately generate more bookings”, he said.
US Market Continues to Deliver Strong Growth
Tourism figures underline the growing importance of the North American market for Croatia.
In 2025, Croatia welcomed 849,331 visitors from the United States, generating 2.39 million overnight stays. Compared with 2024, US arrivals increased by 9.4 percent, while overnight stays rose by 10.1 percent.
The positive trend has continued this year. During the first six months, 372,849 US visitors travelled to Croatia, generating one million overnight stays – an increase of 7.7 percent in both arrivals and overnight stays compared with the same period last year.
Growing Potential in the Mexican Market
Business meetings held during ILTM North America, which takes place from 28 September to 1 October, have also highlighted growing demand for Croatia from the Mexican market.
Travel advisors report that Croatia is increasingly appearing on their clients’ destination wish lists. Mexican travellers typically plan longer stays, often travel as multigenerational families and tend to have higher spending power. They are also showing growing interest in Croatia’s premium and nautical tourism experiences.
With its combination of natural beauty, islands and coastline, gastronomy, cultural heritage, luxury accommodation and highly personalised experiences, Croatia is strengthening its position as a premium Mediterranean destination for travellers from across North America.
