The Croatian Tourist Board presents the entire Croatian tourism offer at the WTM fair in London

It is traditionally held at the beginning of November. World Travel Market (WTM) in London, one of the largest and most important tourism fairs in the world, where this year too Croatian tourist agency represents the entire Croatian tourist offer. At the fair, which is held from 4 to 6 November, a Croatian tourist delegation led by Minister of Tourism and Sports Tonci Glavin i director of HTZ Kristjan Staničić, and 27 co-exhibitors are also presenting their offerings at the Croatian stand.

"This fair provides valuable insight into the trends that will shape tourism in 2026 - from travel preferences and habits, through interest in certain destinations, to available budgets and the general mood for travel, and we present Croatia as a quality destination that offers good value for money, as an authentic and year-round destination, just over two hours away from the UK. So far this year, we have recorded excellent results and trends from the UK market, and it is among the 10 most important foreign markets, and the perception of Croatia is extremely positive. Croatia is recognized as a high-quality destination that provides value for money, as shown by research by the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA), where Croatia is in the TOP 15 markets where Britons want to travel for 2026.", he said Minister Glavina, adding that the above represents good signals for next year in which price competitiveness remains key.

"It is important that we now come out with offers that offer a good price-quality ratio, and that is why I call on the entire tourism sector to be wise and careful when setting prices, especially taking into account the main part of the year, for which research shows that interest is falling, because the British are increasingly turning to trips outside that main part. In addition, we must also take into account the economic situation in this market, which is now being discussed in the UK and which will also be challenging and will certainly affect travel budgets.", the minister concluded The hub.

During the first day of the fair, meetings were held with representatives of partners and organizations such as: Jet2.com & Jet2Holidays, EasyJet Holidays, ABTA, P-11 Group (Wimbledon), Travel Weekly etc. During the meetings, previous activities and results were presented, and certain partners announced additional expansions in their programs towards Croatian destinations. The above is best confirmed by the signed Cooperation Agreement between Croatian National Tourist Board i Jet2 Group, under which Jet2.com operates as the third largest airline in the UK and Jet2Holidays as one of the leading British tour operators offering package deals for the entire Mediterranean. The agreement was signed by the director of HTZ Kristjan Staničić and director of corporate affairs and sustainability at Jet2 David Neil.

"This year, we are recording an increase in arrivals and overnight stays from the British market, which confirms that Croatia is increasingly taking a position among the most desirable Mediterranean destinations for British travelers. The British are good consumers who travel throughout the year, quickly make decisions about their trip, like to explore new destinations, and safety is one of the basic prerequisites for them when choosing a vacation spot. They value authenticity, sustainability and quality. We used our appearance at WTM to sign a valuable cooperation agreement with the Jet2 group, which makes an exceptional contribution to the accessibility and promotion of Croatian destinations. In this year's summer flight schedule, eight British cities were connected to Croatia via Jet2 flights, with a total of 16 routes. Such partnerships, together with continuous marketing activities and a focus on the quality of the offer, further strengthen Croatia's position as an attractive and well-connected destination.", he said Stanicic, adding that quality air transportation is of great importance for extending the main part of the tourist year. 

Positive trends from the UK market are also indicated by the results of tourist traffic, i.e. data from the eVisitor system, according to which this market in our country achieved 10 million visitors in the first 10 months. 825 thousand arrivals i 4,1 million overnight stays, which represents an increase of +1 percent in arrivals and +2 percent in overnight stays compared to the same period last year. The British recorded the most overnight stays in Dubrovnik-Neretva and Split-Dalmatia counties, and by destination in Dubrovnik, Split, Konavle, Župa dubrovačka, Rovinj and Zadar. 

"Presenting ourselves at the World Travel Market in London is extremely important because it gives us the opportunity to further strengthen Croatia's position in one of our most important source markets with great potential. British guests recognize Croatia as a destination that offers an exceptional combination of natural beauty, cultural diversity, excellent gastronomy and high-quality accommodation, and it is through events like this that we further emphasize these values. At WTM, we present novelties in our offer, sustainable tourism development and projects that contribute to year-round tourism activity, with a special emphasis on authentic experiences and the rich cultural heritage of our regions. We are proud that the interest of partners and media in Croatia is increasing every year, which confirms that continuous work on promotion and cooperation with the British market is yielding concrete results, which was confirmed by all conversations with our partners.", considers Bisera Fabrio, Director of the Croatian Tourist Board's Representative Office in London.

The special feature of this year's edition of the fair is WTM Trend Fest, a new cultural program that takes place in a completely newly built pavilion and that promotes gastronomy, wellness, pop culture, sports and adventure. This new zone of the fair enables destinations and brands to present their offer through live performances, sensory experiences and demonstrations chefs.

Rudolf Stefan, private and owner of the Šibenik restaurant Pelegrini, holder of a MICHELIN star, and Ante Udovicic, main private of the luxurious Lemongarden Hotel on Brač and a member of the JRE – Jeunes Restaurateurs association had the honor of being the first national gastronomic presenters. Their presentation united the rich Croatian tradition and contemporary culinary trends, highlighting the diversity of local ingredients, indigenous flavors and creativity that adorn the modern Croatian gastronomic scene.

The complete presentation of Croatian wine and gastronomy was complemented by a presentation and tasting of Croatian wines, cheeses and other foods, held as part of the Croatian stand in cooperation with Croatian National Tourist Board i Croatian Chamber of CommerceAt the fair, inside the CNTB stand, for the first time, a "Find your Little bit" a corner that represents a place for a short break, an escape from the stressful everyday life and getting closer to foreign partners of the Croatian a little bit way of life.  

Let us add that the Croatian co-exhibitors at the fair include the tourist boards of Dubrovnik-Neretva, Split-Dalmatia, Zadar and Šibenik-Knin counties, Zagreb Tourist Board, Dubrovnik Tourist Board, Split Tourist Board, Crikvenica Tourist Board, Croatia Airlines, the Croatian Chamber of Commerce, Plitvice Lakes National Park, Krka National Park, etc.

Source and photo: Croatian National Tourist Board