At the international Premium Tourism & Investment Forum 2026 in Zadar, which brought together leading stakeholders from the tourism and investment sectors, discussions focused on the development of Croatian tourism and ways to create greater added value.
During the panel “How Croatia Can Increase the Value of Its Tourism” Andreja Vukojević, Vice President of the Croatian Chamber of Economy, emphasized that Croatia is entering a phase where further tourism growth cannot rely on volume, but on improving quality and overall value – due to spatial, human, and natural resource limits.
She identified sustainability, technological innovation, and data-driven destination management as key priorities, while also underscoring the importance of developing the premium tourism segment, which already contributes significantly to revenues and holds strong potential for further growth.
“The development of accommodation capacities is extremely important—hotels currently account for only 10 % of total accommodation. Global hotel brands are also welcome, as they bring service standardization to Croatia. Beyond accommodation, content development is crucial— higher-quality tourism products, from eno-gastronomy to year-round experiences that connect tourism more strongly with local culture and nature.
Finally, storytelling is essential to convey all these unique experiences. This is where our premium tourism platform Stories – Experience Premium Croatia plays a key role, promoting top-tier tourism products and highlighting what Croatian premium tourism truly is – authentic, locally rooted, and experience-driven,” Vukojević said.
The panel also featured representatives of the public and private sectors, including Veljko Ostojić, President of the Croatian Tourism Association, Ivana Budin Arhanić of Valamar, and Valentin Rottger. Discussions covered investments, premium tourism development, and positioning Croatia as a high-value destination.
The forum gathered numerous domestic and international experts and decision-makers, including Minister of Tourism and Sport Tonči Glavina and U.S. Ambassador to Croatia Nicole McGraw, as well as representatives of leading tourism companies, investors, and hotel brands.
The event was organized by Jutarnji list and Slobodna Dalmacija in cooperation with the Embassy of the United States in Croatia.
