Conference “Can Croatia Have Sustainable Tourism”
On Tuesday, October 7, a business conference titled “Can Croatia Achieve Sustainable Tourism?” was held, organized by the Croatian Corporate Governance Society (CCGM).
The discussion focused on key challenges and perspectives of sustainable tourism in Croatia.
The event was opened by Robert Travaš, President of the CCGM Main Committee, who emphasized the need for in-depth reflection on the challenges and prospects of Croatian tourism in a time that raises numerous questions: how to respond to climate change, how to attract and retain qualified labor, how to manage waste and preserve ecosystems — while maintaining Croatia’s reputation as one of the most beautiful and attractive global destinations.
The participants were then addressed by Tonči Glavina, Minister of Tourism and Sports of the Republic of Croatia, who welcomed the initiatives of the academic community and highlighted the importance of quality research for creating informed and effective public policies. He particularly addressed the strategic importance of sustainable tourism, the issue of seasonality, and efforts aimed at developing year-round tourism.
An analysis of the state of tourism in Croatia in 2025 was presented by Prof. Dr. Josip Mikulić from the Faculty of Economics and Business in Zagreb and the Institute for Tourism. He pointed out that the current “peak” of the tourist season has become a constant, but is no longer a driver of development – therefore, the focus must shift to the pre-season, post-season, and continental areas. Special attention should be paid to the German market and the uncontrolled growth of non-commercial accommodation. He concluded that Croatia needs smart strategies and concrete measures to reduce the “leakage” of money from tourism through the import of goods and services.
Dr. Anita Knezović, Head of the CCGM Committee for Sustainable Development, spoke about the historical development of sustainable business and its application in the hotel sector. She highlighted the necessity of transitioning from a linear to a circular business model and presented inspiring examples of Scandinavian practices.
The program continued with a panel discussion and a fireside chat. Panel participants included Prof. Dr. Marko Perić, Dean of the Faculty of Tourism and Hospitality Management; Kristijan Pavić, CEO of ACI d.d.; Ante Vranješ, Executive Director of Corporate Functions and ESG at Jadranka Turizam; and Dr. Valentina Diviki Keblar, PhD, Director of Unija Nova. The fireside chat featured Ana First, Management Board Member of Westgate Group, and Mr. Branimir Blajić, Senior Lecturer at Algebra Bernays University. The panelists discussed strategic challenges and the state of sustainable tourism in Croatia, proposing concrete guidelines for improving current practices, while the fireside chat focused on younger generations of tourists and their expectations of the tourism offering. The sessions were moderated by Dr. Anita Knezović and Dr. Ernest Vlačić, PhD, Prof.
The event was held at Algebra Bernays University, concluding that it is essential to identify solutions and design guidelines to enhance the sustainability of Croatian tourism.
