In the first three quarters of this year, Istria confirms its stable orientation towards the premium segment with growth in categories that carry the highest added value. Data from eVisitor regarding more than 4.8 million arrivals and over 29 million overnight stays show a slight increase, with hotels, higher-standard camps, and exclusive forms of accommodation achieving the best results.
Therefore, the campaign The Season of Stories of the HGK platform for the development of premium tourism Stories – Experience Premium Croatia continues precisely in Višnjan. The goal of the campaign is to promote the premium segment to increase the value of each overnight stay and create a long-term sustainable tourism story.
– Istria is a beacon for Croatia in the development of premium tourism. This region is the cradle of value-added tourism. The value-for-money offer is a model we want to replicate across the entire country. We are shifting the focus from counting towels and the price of a scoop of ice cream to the experiences that Croatia offers. Today, the focus is on the sustainable development of this key economic sector for Croatia.
Sustainable tourism means attracting as many guests as the infrastructure of our destinations can support without compromising historical, cultural, and natural heritage. Sustainability implies a smaller number of guests with high-quality offerings for a stable revenue side of tourism, in short – the development of the premium segment – stated Andrej Vukojević, Director of the Tourism Sector at HGK.
This event, which encourages networking among key stakeholders in value-added tourism, is the second of its kind, discussing sustainability, diversification of offerings, and stepping towards guests with higher purchasing power, highlighting Istria as a region that has been leading Croatian tourism in quality and innovation for years.
– We have had a successful summer, and September has shown encouraging results. We are recording about eight percent more arrivals and overnight stays than in the same month last year. Although we do not want to focus on counting guests, the growth in the off-season is important information as it shows success in moving away from seasonality. We remain focused on quality and the development of the premium segment, from top-level hotels and camps to unique experiences in the interior. Our goal is to maintain stable traffic throughout the year, with a clear orientation towards quality and sustainability – said Denis Ivošević, Director of the Istria Tourist Board.
The event gathered the Croatian tourism elite at Borgo Lapiso, a villa that combines architectural heritage and contemporary design for premium experiences. As a member of the Stories platform, the owner of Borgo Lapiso, Estelina Rudan, emphasized that the strength of premium tourism lies in the stories we tell guests through unique offerings.
– Premium tourism no longer means just luxury amenities, but unforgettable, authentic experiences. Guests today choose places that connect them with the local community, where they can feel the true spirit of the destination through flavors, stories, and people. This is precisely the role that the Stories platform takes on, connecting guests with local experiences through carefully told stories that bring emotion, identity, and character to each destination and offer authentic moments that remain memorable – said Rudan.
In premium tourism, the space in which guests stay is perhaps as important as the service itself. Architecture and interior design shape the experience of the destination and convey its identity. At the event in Borgo Lapiso, Boris Ružić, the interior designer of this villa, spoke about how a carefully designed space can support the authenticity and quality of premium experiences.
– The ideal backdrop for this event is precisely the vineyards and stone blended with the natural environment, and I placed the event in the garden on the lawn, a concept for a long “family” table and in an ambiance where we offered guests the flavors of local gastronomy, olive oil, wine, and liqueurs from Istrian vines and the experience of early autumn through the tastes and aromas of traditional Istria in a premium experience as a new driving force of Croatian tourism – explained Ružić.
Istria is a stop on the campaign The Season of Stories, and the plan is to promote premium as a clear option for the prosperity of the tourism sector through various locations and authentic experiences. Participants exchanged ideas, connected with key stakeholders in the sector, and received information about the advantages of membership in the Stories platform, which also includes appearances at international fairs and thus business expansion. This week, the platform is also participating in the ILTM North America premium and luxury tourism fair. At the platform’s independent stand, all members will be promoted, and more than 50 one-on-one meetings with agents have already been arranged over three days.
