The Croatian National Tourist Board (HTZ) continued its successful business workshops, including the recent "Sell Croatia" workshop in Budapest on October 10, 2024. These workshops play a crucial role in connecting Croatian tourism stakeholders with international partners, facilitating direct meetings and business discussions that encourage the development of cooperation and strengthen Croatia's presence in emitting markets. The workshop in Budapest gathered 20 Croatian and 45 Hungarian partners, and the event served as an important platform for arranging new projects and business initiatives.

A special emphasis during this event was placed on the results of the 2024 tourism season. As highlighted by the director of the HTZ Representation in Hungary, Ivana Herceg, the Hungarian market has once again shown exceptional potential. In the first nine months of this year, arrivals and overnight stays of Hungarian tourists increased by 8 percent compared to the previous year. This growth was not limited to the summer months – a significant increase in visitor numbers was recorded during spring, indicating that Croatia is increasingly becoming a year-round destination for tourists from Hungary. It is interesting to note how this trend coincides with the rise in tourist arrivals from other Central European countries, allowing Croatia to continue building its reputation as an attractive destination even outside the main summer season.

Featured destinations and tourism results

According to data presented at the workshop, the Kvarner region was once again the most visited by Hungarian tourists, while Istria recorded an impressive growth of 11 percent in arrivals. Among specific destinations, Crikvenica topped the list with the highest number of overnight stays, while Poreč achieved the highest growth – up 17 percent compared to 2023. These figures not only confirm the popularity of Croatian coastal destinations among Hungarian tourists but also indicate a growing interest in destinations that offer rich cultural and natural attractions beyond traditional tourist hotspots.

Participants and B2B meetings

The Sell Croatia business workshop in Budapest was organized as a B2B workshop, where participants had the opportunity to engage in a "speed dating" format, enabling quick but effective meetings with potential business partners. This approach facilitates the exchange of information and the establishment of contacts in a short time frame, which is particularly beneficial for companies looking to expand their business into foreign markets. Coffee breaks and informal networking also provided a more relaxed atmosphere for continuing business discussions outside the formal workshop setting.

The Sell Croatia workshops, both in Hungary and in other key markets, such as Germany and the Czech Republic, aim to encourage the arrival of foreign tourists to Croatia through direct contacts between domestic and foreign partners. HTZ continuously invests efforts to make these workshops as effective as possible, and the results speak for themselves – an increasing number of tourists from Hungary are showing interest in visiting Croatia outside the main tourist season, opening new opportunities for year-round tourism.

This event in Budapest is yet another example of how Croatia is increasingly positioning itself as an attractive destination, not only during the summer but throughout the entire year. With a growing interest in cultural and health tourism, as well as authentic local experiences, further growth in arrivals from Hungary and other Central European countries is expected.