Čvrljak launches county-wide program: bus stops, beaches and public spaces are getting a new look
Bus stops in Nin and Sukošan have taken on a role in recent days that goes beyond waiting for public transport. Visuals, slogans and messages connected with natural features, cultural heritage and local tradition have transformed the shelters into small information points and distinctive destination postcards. According to information published on 28 July 2026, the interventions are part of a broader program by the Zadar County Tourist Board aimed at improving public tourism infrastructure from the coast and islands to the hinterland. The program also includes horticultural works, the installation of beach facilities, the renewal of tourist signage and the improvement of spaces used every day by residents and visitors. It is a series of smaller interventions that, taken together, are intended to create a tidier, more functional and more recognisable public space.
In Sukošan, the cooperation model has already been presented to the public in greater detail. Croatian Radio reported that the improvement project there was launched by the local tourist board, with co-financing from the Zadar County Tourist Board and in cooperation with the Municipality of Sukošan and the Zlatna luka municipal company. The shelters were visually enhanced so that they would better reflect the identity of the town while also making the wait for a bus more pleasant. The Mayor of the Municipality of Sukošan, Andrija Vanjak, said that the project demonstrates how joint action can improve public spaces and strengthen the recognisability of a destination. This example also reveals the operational framework of the entire program: the regional tourist board provides support and coordination, while local communities define their needs and participate in implementation.
From bus stops to beaches and signposts
The first interventions are not limited to two coastal towns. According to published information, horticultural works have been carried out and public spaces improved in Bibinje, while new changing cabins have been installed for beach users in Kukljica. Tourist signage is being renewed in the Biograd na Moru area, on the islands of the Zadar archipelago and in the Zadar hinterland. The program is therefore expanding to different types of spaces: transport points, coastal zones, green areas and routes used by visitors travelling between settlements and attractions. The total value of the program, individual investment amounts and a detailed schedule for the completion of all interventions have not yet been provided in publicly available announcements, meaning the full scope of the initiative will become clearer as the works progress.
The improvement of bus stops is a particularly visible move because such facilities are located at places where local residents, seasonal workers and visitors meet every day. A well-designed visual can convey the basic story of a place, but its value also depends on the functionality of the shelter itself, cleanliness, shade, safety and the availability of public transport information. The same applies to beach changing cabins and tourist signposts: these are elements that users often notice only when they are missing or unclear. Small investments can therefore have a disproportionately large impact on the experience of a destination, particularly in smaller communities where public infrastructure simultaneously serves residents and a large number of seasonal visitors. The success of the program will therefore be measured not only by appearance, but also by durability, maintenance and genuine practical value.
New director emphasises visible results on the ground
The program is one of the first publicly highlighted initiatives by Vanja Čvrljak since he assumed the position of director of the Zadar County Tourist Board. The Tourism Council elected him on 30 April 2026 for a four-year term, following a procedure in which the responsible committee unanimously nominated him and the Council subsequently appointed him unanimously. Before that, Čvrljak worked in the hotel sector and within the tourist board system, including as director of the Benkovac Tourist Board and the Ravni kotari Area Tourist Board. Upon taking office, he announced a stronger focus on year-round tourism and on environmental, economic and social sustainability. The current works show that part of this program is being implemented through direct cooperation with cities, municipalities and local tourist boards.
"Tourism does not develop solely through major promotional campaigns. Well-maintained public spaces, high-quality infrastructure, clear signage and every detail a guest encounters upon arriving at a destination are equally important," Čvrljak said.
According to him, the objective is for the activities of the county tourist board to be visible on the ground and to benefit both residents and visitors. This approach shifts part of the focus from conventional advertising towards destination management, meaning the everyday conditions in which tourism takes place. The local level remains crucial because cities, municipalities and their tourist boards are best acquainted with the problems of individual locations, from a lack of signposts to the need to improve beach facilities or public greenery. A regional institution can connect these needs, ensure more consistent standards and assist communities that do not have equal financial or professional capacities. Čvrljak announced the continuation of evenly distributed investments throughout the county, although specific future projects and allocation criteria have yet to be presented in greater detail.
The program fits into the new destination management model
The broader context for these investments is provided by the Croatian Tourism Act, which has been in force since 1 January 2024. The Ministry of Tourism and Sport states that the Act assigned tourist boards new destination management duties and directed their transformation into organisations that not only conduct promotion, but also coordinate development, monitor sustainability indicators and manage tourist flows. Destination management plans have become one of the key tools and are intended to connect tourism objectives with spatial plans, cultural heritage, municipal infrastructure and the needs of the local population. In this sense, the renovation of stops, signage and beach equipment is more than an aesthetic intervention: it belongs to the field of practical services that shape the quality of a stay and everyday life in tourist destinations. At the same time, the new framework requires measurable results, meaning that data on use, accessibility, maintenance and user satisfaction will be important.
The published Destination Management Plan for the Zadar County area through 2029 directly emphasises the need to connect the coastal, island and mainland areas into a recognisable but balanced tourism product. The document, prepared for the Zadar County Tourist Board by the Faculty of Tourism and Hospitality Management at the University of Rijeka, warns of the spatial and seasonal imbalance of tourism, environmental pressures, the effects of climate change, labour shortages and the need to preserve residents' quality of life. Its strategic priorities include improving tourism infrastructure, developing and equipping beaches and enhancing signage and other facilities required for specialised forms of tourism. The plan also stresses that development should be based on cooperation between the county, local government units, tourist boards, the private sector, associations and residents. The current public intervention program can therefore be viewed as one of the first practical tests of such a coordinated model.
Large numbers of visitors increase the importance of everyday infrastructure
The scale of tourist traffic also confirms the need for systematic investment. A statistical analysis by the Zadar County Tourist Board shows that 2,222,139 tourist arrivals were recorded during 2025, around two percent more than the previous year. At the same time, 15,526,914 overnight stays were recorded, approximately one percent more than in 2024. Of the total number of arrivals, more than 1.84 million were foreign visitors, while foreign guests accounted for more than 11.7 million overnight stays. These figures illustrate how many people use transport routes, beaches, promenades, public spaces and information systems throughout the county during the year.
The official management plan states that the county has 246 registered beaches, 91 hiking trails, 139 cycling routes and 293 information boards and elements of tourist signage. Such an extensive network requires continuous maintenance, the harmonisation of signs and adaptation to different user groups. A particular challenge is the fact that tourism is not concentrated solely in Zadar and several large coastal centres, but also encompasses the islands, smaller coastal settlements, Ravni kotari, the Velebit area and other locations in the hinterland. A visitor planning to tour several locations often makes decisions based on the clarity of signposts, the availability of public transport and basic infrastructure at the destination. For journeys involving a longer stay in different parts of the region, a timely review of the accommodation available in Zadar County may also be useful, but the quality of the overall experience will largely depend on public facilities that are accessible to everyone.
Smaller communities gain an opportunity to highlight their own identity
One of the more important elements of the program is the announced more balanced distribution of investments. Smaller municipalities and island communities often possess strong natural and cultural resources, but do not have equal opportunities to develop a visual identity, renew signage or regularly equip public spaces. Regional support can reduce these differences if it is based on clearly identified needs and if projects are agreed upon with local residents. In practice, this means that a visual at a bus stop in Nin should not merely be decoration, but rather a concise and recognisable interpretation of local heritage, just as signage in the hinterland should lead to real attractions and be understandable to international visitors. Authenticity is not achieved by repeating identical graphic solutions, but by connecting a shared regional identity with the distinctive features of each location.
Čvrljak said that every city, municipality and settlement has its own story, whether it is based on the sea and beaches, cultural monuments, gastronomy, tradition, active holidays or the natural assets of the hinterland. According to his explanation, the task of the regional tourist board is to help local communities present these values with quality and recognisability and to connect them into a shared tourism image of the county. Such an approach can be particularly important outside the main summer season, when individual destinations attempt to attract visitors with experiences related to culture, hiking, cycling, gastronomy or rural tourism. Nevertheless, recognisability will not depend solely on design, but also on whether facilities are open, clearly marked and connected with transport and information. Public space becomes convincing promotion only when the promise shown in the visual matches the experience on the ground.
The next challenge will be maintenance and impact measurement
New equipment and improved surfaces are most visible immediately after the completion of works, but long-term quality depends on maintenance. Visuals at stops are exposed to sunlight, salt, wind and vandalism, beach changing cabins require regular cleaning, and signage must remain legible and accurate even after changes to traffic routes or the tourism offer. It will therefore be important to clearly determine who is responsible for each facility, how often inspections are carried out and how damage is reported. The involvement of municipal companies, as in Sukošan, may be an important part of this system, but responsibilities vary from one place to another. Without a stable maintenance model, even the smallest project can eventually lose the function it was intended to provide.
The impact of the program will be assessable only when more complete data become available on the number of improved locations, funds spent, accessibility standards and user satisfaction. The Destination Management Plan through 2029 envisages the monitoring of social, environmental, economic and spatial indicators, including tourism infrastructure, accessibility and the satisfaction of residents and visitors. This creates an opportunity for future investments to be selected not only according to visibility, but also according to demonstrated needs and impact. The bus stops in Nin and Sukošan, changing cabins in Kukljica, greener areas in Bibinje and renewed signposts in Biograd, on the islands and in the hinterland are currently the first visible elements of a broader initiative. Their real value will be confirmed if they become part of a permanently well-maintained, legible and functional space that serves equally well the people who live there and those who come to visit.
Sources:
- 023.hr - information about the investment program, intervention locations and statements by the director of the Zadar County Tourist Board (link)
- Croatian Radio, Radio Zadar - information about the improvement of bus stops in Sukošan and cooperation between local partners (link)
- Zadarski list - information about the election of Vanja Čvrljak, his term of office and professional experience (link)
- Zadar County Tourist Board - Destination Management Plan through 2029, analysis of infrastructure, objectives and development priorities (link)
- Zadar County Tourist Board - Statistical analysis of tourist traffic for 2025 (link)
- Ministry of Tourism and Sport of the Republic of Croatia - legal framework and tools for managing tourism development in destinations (link)