From Soil to Signature acquires an interregional dimension through the cooperation of the Zagreb and Karlovac Counties

The Zagreb County Tourist Board and the Karlovac County Tourist Board signed a Cooperation Agreement under which the project From Soil to Signature acquires an interregional dimension.

Project of the Zagreb County Tourist Board, From Soil to Signature It is based on the eno-gastronomic values ​​of local producers, winemakers and restaurants whose offer is inseparable from the area from which it originates.

In cooperation with the Karlovac County Tourist Board, the project opens up the possibility of a joint appearance of two continental counties on the domestic and international market, with the exchange of resources, content and communication channels towards an audience that perceives gastronomy as an important motive for travel.

The agreement was signed by Ivana Alilović, director of the Zagreb County Tourist Board, and Željko Fanjak, director of the Karlovac County Tourist Board.

Director of the Zagreb County Tourist Board Ivana Alilović She pointed out that the project arose from the need to better connect and more clearly present the existing quality in the destination to the market. 

"From Soil to Signature is not a project that just creates new value, but a platform that clearly positions the best that continental Croatia already has. Zagreb County has the quality, people, knowledge and products that can compete with the most relevant eno-gastronomic destinations, but they need to be strategically connected and more strongly presented to the market. That is precisely why this cooperation with Karlovac County has added value for us, it shows that continental tourism can build recognition through authenticity, partnerships and content that stems from space, not from trends. We believe that it is precisely such an approach that creates a competitive and internationally relevant destination in the long term.", said Alilović.

A similar direction of cooperation was also emphasized by Zeljko Fanjak, director of the Karlovac County Tourist Board, emphasizing that continental destinations can position themselves more strongly precisely through what distinguishes them.

"Continental tourism should build its strength on what distinguishes it: space, local production, gastronomy and the people who give credibility to its offer. Zagreb and Karlovac counties have exactly such a foundation, each with its own particularities, but with a very similar development direction. This cooperation is valuable precisely because it places existing qualities in a broader framework and builds recognizable tourist content from them.", said Fanjak.

The project was also supported by the Croatian National Tourist Board, which included it in co-financing through the Fund for Underdeveloped Tourist Areas and the Continent. For the implementation of the project Sustainable AgriGastro Innovation Hub - From Soil to Signature it was approved €300.000.

One of the concrete steps in the implementation of the project will be a joint appearance in the guide Gault&Millau Croatia 2026. For restaurants and producers from continental counties, such a presence means entering a gastronomic context followed by a professional audience, journalists, and travelers who choose a destination based on the quality of the culinary experience.

It was precisely the importance of professional recognition of quality that was emphasized Ingrid Badurina Danielsson, director of Gault&Millau Croatia.

"Guides like Gault&Millau don't just follow what has already been recognized, they have a responsibility to find quality where it is not yet sufficiently visible. Continental Croatia has long been underestimated in gastronomic terms, but that is changing. We see restaurants that work seriously, with a clear philosophy and deep knowledge of local ingredients. It is precisely such places that deserve to be in the guide.", pointed out Badurina Danielsson.

This approach is well illustrated in practice. Bruno Ceronja, restaurant representative Mon Ami from Velika Gorica, one of the restaurants that has put Zagreb County on the relevant gastronomic maps. Mon Ami is included in the Michelin guide, recognized in the Gault&Millau Croatia guide and is among the 100 leading Croatian restaurants. His experience confirms the basic premise of the project: that eno-gastronomic tourism grows on consistent quality, a thoughtful relationship with food and guests, and rootedness in the local area.

Project From Soil to Signature continues by involving local stakeholders and developing content that puts gastronomy, wine, restaurants and producers in a direct connection with the destination. The agreement with the Karlovac County Tourist Board expands this framework and establishes the basis for a systematic and joint presentation of the eno-gastronomic offer of continental Croatia.