Scroll down for more Can Tourism Be Both Sustainable and Luxurious?
On the first day of the Greencajt Festival, experts explored how Croatia can protect its most popular destinations while promoting year-round, high-quality tourism. Discover how the Stories – Experience Premium Croatia platform is helping shape a more authentic and sustainable future for tourism.
Sustainable Tourism in Focus at the Greencajt Festival
Sustainable tourism took center stage on the opening day of this year’s Greencajt Festival, an event dedicated to shaping sustainable living and envisioning a better future.
At the heart of the conversation was the panel “Locally Sustainable and Globally Attractive: Can Tourism Have It Both Ways?” The panel explored key questions:
How can Croatia’s most popular tourist destinations remain livable for locals during peak seasons?
Is it possible to move from a seasonal to a year-round tourism model?
Tourism Pressure on Coastal Infrastructure
Croatia’s coastline welcomes over 20 million tourists each year, primarily during a few intense summer months. This seasonal influx presents mounting sustainability issues.
In some coastal cities, the population can quadruple or even quintuple during peak season, placing a heavy burden on municipal infrastructure, waste collection, and parking availability, impacting both residents and visitors alike.
Introducing the Stories Platform: A Premium Tourism Initiative
Andreja Vukojević, Director of the Tourism Sector and the Marketing and Communications Department at the Croatian Chamber of Economy, introduced Stories – Experience Premium Croatia, a platform launched a year ago.
The platform unites over 150 stakeholders across all segments of premium tourism with a mission to position Croatia as a year-round, sustainable tourism destination. It emphasizes authenticity and excellence in the premium segment.
Rising Demand for Authentic Experiences
Vukojević noted that research by the Croatian Chamber of Economy shows a consistent year-over-year rise in demand for authentic locations and experiences.
The long-term goal of the Stories platform is to create conditions for Croatia to become recognized as a high-quality destination.
The vision includes having premium and luxury tourists make up around 20% of all tourist arrivals.
Photo credits: Greencajt festival
