Wine ViP Event 2026 opens the anniversary tenth year: free entry, trainings and a charitable dimension in five cities
Early February 2026 brings an important anniversary to Croatia’s wine, gastro and tourism scene: Wine ViP Event enters its tenth year, and the organizers announce a cycle of meetups that will connect Zagreb, Rijeka, Pula, Zadar and Split in just three weeks. According to the program published ahead of February, this is a series of professional gatherings with an emphasis on knowledge, tastings, workshops and networking, with a concept that has proven recognizable over the years – entry and content remain free for participants from hospitality, tourism and related industries.
At a time when service quality is increasingly measured by guest experience, supply-chain stability and the authenticity of the offer, events like these carry additional weight: they become the place where, at one address, winemakers, producers, chefs, sommeliers, hoteliers, owners and managers of hospitality venues, as well as experts from education and sales, meet. The organizer emphasizes that in 2026 the same idea set at the start continues – raising standards through the exchange of practice, concrete tools and conversation with people who implement quality in tourism and hospitality every day.
Ten years of growth: the figures that show why the event endured
The anniversary year comes after continuous expansion of the format across Croatia. According to data cited by the organizer, in the past nine years 43 events were held in 14 cities and seven counties. More than 80 lecturers, sommeliers and experts have gone through the program, and in the culinary segment more than 50 chefs and cooks participated, presenting over 150 authentic specialties. In business terms, over the years the event connected more than 200 exhibitors and partners with an audience made up of hospitality and tourism professionals, with the note that the program annually attracts more than 2,500 industry participants.
For a part of the industry facing chronic challenges – from labor shortages and seasonality to constant cost pressure – it is worth noting that such statistics are not merely promotional data. They show that within Croatian tourism and hospitality a lasting need has emerged for places where one can learn, taste, compare and arrange without excessive administrative barriers. Precisely this “easy entry, and a high standard of content” is cited by many in the profession as the reason for returning.
What to expect at the events: trainings, tastings, workshops and business contacts
Wine ViP Event has positioned itself as a format where the emphasis is on practical knowledge and direct contact with producers and brands. In the anniversary announcement, the organizer highlights a combination of trainings and workshops, an exhibition section and tastings, and in practice this means that visitors in a short time can:
- talk with exhibitors and suppliers about the portfolio, cooperation terms and product availability
- taste selections of wine and gastronomic products under controlled conditions
- listen to expert talks and take part in workshops that target everyday challenges in hospitality
- connect with colleagues from other cities and segments of tourism, from hotels to restaurants and distributors
In the anniversary edition, an attractive “show” segment is additionally highlighted, which includes a cooking show by top chefs, live music, prize games and elements that enhance the experience, but do not distract from the professional purpose – creating contacts and exchanging knowledge.
As these are events held in large cities and hotels with conference capacities, it is expected that a large share of the audience will come from other counties as well. For those planning to come from outside the host location, in practice this often means arranging logistics the day before or the same day, especially if one wants to take part in the entire program from start to finish. In that context, it is useful for visitors coming from other areas to consider in advance
accommodation close to the event venue, so they can use their time at the event without rushing.
Schedule and locations: five cities, a consistent time slot and hotel hosts
According to the organizer’s announcement, Wine ViP Event 2026 takes place in February, in five cities, always in the 14:00 to 20:00 time slot. The schedule looks like this:
- Zagreb – Hotel Antunović, 5 February 2026
- Rijeka – Hotel Bonavia, 10 February 2026
- Pula – Resort Ribarska Koliba, 12 February 2026
- Zadar – Hotel A Mare, 24 February 2026
- Split – Hotel Amphora, 26 February 2026
The organizer notes that programs and city-specific details are published through the event’s official channels, so it is important for participants to follow announcements due to possible additions and operational information, such as registrations or workshop schedules.
Given that the events are held in hotels that are also business destinations, strong interest is expected from the local profession, but also from guests coming from outside the city. For example, Zagreb traditionally attracts a large number of participants from continental Croatia, while Rijeka and Pula often also gather professionals from Istria, Kvarner and part of Gorski kotar. Zadar and Split, in weeks that in tourism often serve to prepare for the pre-season, are additionally interesting to hospitality operators and hoteliers who at that time deal with planning wine lists, procurement and team training. For those combining a business trip and a short stay, it is practical to check in advance
accommodation offers in Zagreb,
accommodation in Rijeka for event visitors or
accommodation in Split close to the location, depending on the city in which one participates.
Charitable dimension: “luxury that makes sense” and voluntary donations
One of the key messages of the anniversary is the charitable segment, which is highlighted in announcements as an integral part of the experience. According to the organizer’s official announcement, high-quality wine glasses will be used at all events, and participants are invited to make a voluntary donation, with proceeds directed to charitable purposes related to helping patients and supporting prevention and the fight against malignant diseases, primarily through the Croatian League Against Cancer.
In communication related to the Rijeka edition, the local association “Jako srce” is additionally mentioned, which shows that in some cities the charitable focus can be supplemented with local partners and specific community needs. In practice, precisely this connection with local associations and institutions often gives events additional social weight: the profession gathers for business and training, while leaving a measurable mark in the community.
The organizer states that nearly 66,000 euros have been raised through Wine ViP Event so far, with the information that around 19,500 euros were raised in 2025 alone. Such figures, although at the level of individual events may seem modest compared to large campaigns, in the context of continuous work year after year show a sustainable model: charity is not a “one-off action”, but part of the project’s identity.
Continuity of institutional support and importance for tourism
In the anniversary announcement, the organizer cites continuous support from the Ministry of Tourism and Sport of the Republic of Croatia, the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Croatia and the Croatian National Tourist Board, as well as support from the host cities and counties and their tourist boards. Such institutional presence, when long-term, usually means that the project is recognized as useful for the broader picture of tourism – not only as a “one-day” event, but as a platform that affects the quality of the offer, the knowledge of people in the system and the visibility of domestic products.
Croatian tourism in recent years has been increasingly emphasizing sustainability, authenticity and added value. In that sense, the wine&gastro segment is not only a matter of prestige, but also a concrete tool for destination differentiation. When a local restaurant, hotel or winery can offer a convincing story, quality service and a professionally structured menu or wine list, that directly translates into guest experience, length of stay and spending in the destination. Wine ViP Event is positioned in that logic as a practical “working tool” for the profession: a place where in one afternoon one can do more to prepare for the season than in weeks of correspondence and individual meetings.
Who stands behind the project: Dantes and Ricerca Mercato from Kastav
The organization of the anniversary and all previous editions is signed by Dantes – an event management agency and market research company Ricerca Mercato from Kastav. According to data published by the organizer, it is a team that, alongside organizing events, also runs service quality assessment programs, including Mystery Guest (“Secret guest”) and related methodologies. Precisely that combination – understanding the market, measuring quality and operational experience in event production – explains why Wine ViP Event endured and expanded despite market changes, pandemic years and growing competition in the event industry.
For participants, one more fact is important: when the organizer comes from a profession that systematically monitors service quality, programs often have a clearer focus on “what I can apply in my venue tomorrow”, and less on declarative messages. In that sense, the anniversary is not only a celebration of a round number, but an opportunity to, ahead of the tourism pre-season, reopen topics that in practice determine guest satisfaction – from supplier selection and standardization to team training and the presentation of local products.
What is key for visitors: planning the visit and following official announcements
As the first stop of the tour is held on 5 February 2026 in Zagreb, participants planning to visit multiple cities have relatively short gaps between events. This is especially true for professionals who work in hotel chains or hospitality systems with multiple locations, distributors and producers, but also for chefs and sommeliers who use events to exchange experiences and follow trends.
In practice, the best “return” from such an event is obtained when the visitor sets goals in advance: which suppliers they want to meet, which workshops they want to attend, whom they want to talk to, and how much time they plan to spend in the exhibition area. For guests coming from outside the host city, it makes sense to consider
accommodation for visitors so that participation is complete and without logistical compromises, especially in cities where traffic loads and parking can affect arrival in the afternoon hours.
Wine ViP Event enters its tenth year with a clear message: quality is not assumed, it is built – through knowledge, cooperation and real encounters. If the traditional interest tied to this tour is any indication, February 2026 will once again show that Croatia’s wine and gastro scene has both an audience and professional strength for projects that simultaneously raise standards and return part of the value to the community.
Sources:- Dantes (Ricerca Mercato) – official announcement of Wine ViP Event 2026, schedule and charitable focus (link)- Croatian League Against Cancer – official information on activities and programs (link)- Hotel A’mare Zadar – official website of the hotel hosting the Zadar edition (link)- Hotel Amphora Split – official website of the hotel hosting the Split edition (link)- Istra24 – report on collected donations at Wine VIP Event in Pula (League Against Cancer Pula) (link)- Novi list – information about the association “Jako srce” in Rijeka (association context) (link)
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