Croatian National Tourist Board and Croatian exhibitors at the Mostar Fair: tourism as part of broader economic connectivity between Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina
From 14 to 18 April 2026, Mostar once again became one of the more important meeting places for businesspeople, institutions and investors from the region. At the 27th International Economy Fair, which the organiser describes as the largest and most significant economic event of its kind in Bosnia and Herzegovina, industry, energy, construction, agriculture and the food industry, tourism, services, and new technologies were presented. Within that framework, Croatia presented itself in an integrated manner, through the appearance of the economic and tourism sectors, and the opening was also attended by the Director of the Croatian National Tourist Board, Kristjan Staničić. For a city that has already been a regional trade fair centre for years, such an event also means increased visibility among business guests, the media and partners, but also additional interest in
accommodation in Mostar during the fair days.
The Croatian appearance as a combination of economy and tourism
The organiser of the Croatian stand was the Croatian Chamber of Economy, and exhibiting alongside it were the Croatian National Tourist Board and the tourist boards of Dubrovnik-Neretva, Šibenik-Knin and Lika-Senj counties. According to official announcements, this is a presentation model intended to show that tourism is no longer a separate promotional niche, but part of the broader economic picture, connected with exports, transport, investments and regional development. Such an approach is particularly important on the market of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which for Croatia is at the same time neighbouring, transport-close and tourism-relevant. In Mostar, therefore, not only the offer of individual destinations was promoted, but also the broader image of Croatia as a country accessible for short breaks, extended weekends, pre-season and post-season travel, which is a travel model already well established in this market.
At the joint exhibition space, according to data from the state's export portal, Croatia presented, alongside tourism entities, a number of companies and manufacturers from various sectors. It is precisely this combination that shows how much the Mostar Fair has profiled itself as a place where business contacts are not built only within one industry. For tourism, this is important because there is no longer a clear boundary between classic tourism promotion and economic diplomacy: the quality of transport connectivity, the investment climate, the food and beverage offer, regional brands and business infrastructure all influence the decision to travel. That is why the presence of the Croatian National Tourist Board at the fair in Mostar is more than a protocol gesture; it is part of a broader strategy of positioning Croatia in a market that has for years been among the most important when it comes to arrivals from the immediate neighbourhood.
Why Bosnia and Herzegovina is an important source market for Croatia
According to data from the Croatian National Tourist Board from the eVisitor system, guests from Bosnia and Herzegovina recorded 46,943 arrivals and 185,726 overnight stays in Croatia in the period January–March 2026. Compared with the same period in 2025, this represents growth of 8.51 percent in arrivals and 3.75 percent in overnight stays. The Croatian National Tourist Board states that Bosnia and Herzegovina is among the more important foreign markets, and by share in total overnight stays in the first three months of the year it occupies a high position among source countries. These data confirm what the tourism sector has been repeating for years: the proximity of the two countries, safety, good road connectivity and the habit of shorter but more frequent trips make Bosnia and Herzegovina an exceptionally stable market for Croatian tourism.
For Croatian destinations, this is especially important in the months outside the peak summer season. While in July and August traffic relies predominantly on a broad range of European markets, in the pre-season and post-season it is often precisely guests from neighbouring countries who are decisive, as they make travel decisions more easily and are more inclined to arrive by car. This increases the resilience of the tourism system and reduces dependence exclusively on air traffic or on distant markets. The fair appearance in Mostar therefore also has very practical value: it maintains the visibility of Croatian destinations in a market from which guests often react faster than more distant source groups and who do not perceive Croatia as a one-time summer destination, but as a place for repeated visits throughout the year.
The Mostar Fair as a regional platform, not just a local event
The organiser of the Mostar Fair states that this is an event that long ago outgrew local frameworks and is included in the annual calendars of business people from Bosnia and Herzegovina, neighbouring countries and the wider region. This year's edition, according to media and official announcements about the fair, gathered around 900 exhibitors from 27 countries. This is a figure that shows that Mostar is not only a place for presenting products, but also a stage for political messages, investment announcements and economic networking. In such an environment, the presence of tourism institutions carries additional weight because tourism increasingly functions as first contact, but also as an entry point for broader economic ties.
This is also visible from the very structure of the fair. The thematic units include areas that at first glance are distant from tourism promotion, but in practice are firmly linked to it. Energy and infrastructure affect the costs and sustainability of the hotel sector. Agriculture and the food industry directly shape the gastronomic offer of destinations. New technologies determine the way reservations are made, accommodation capacities are managed and communication with guests is conducted. The service sector, on the other hand, creates the framework in which tourism spending flows into the broader local economy. That is why it is logical that Croatia presented itself in Mostar in an integrated way, and not through separate, narrowly specialised appearances.
Political message from the opening: strengthening cooperation between Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina
The opening of the fair was also attended by the Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia, Andrej Plenković. According to the announcement by the Government of the Republic of Croatia, in his speech at the opening he emphasised the importance of further strengthening the economic connectivity of Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina and pointed out that mutual economic exchange in 2025 reached a record four billion euros. In the same context, he also mentioned energy cooperation, especially the Southern Gas Interconnection project, as well as the importance of completing infrastructure routes such as Corridor Vc. In this way, the Mostar Fair once again served as a place where tourism appears within a much broader story about transport, energy, investments and regional stability.
Such messages are not unimportant for the tourism sector either. Although at first glance it seems that economy fairs are primarily intended for manufacturers, distributors and exporters, stable political relations and good institutional cooperation also directly affect tourism traffic. Borders that function without major delays, quality road infrastructure, security perception and a predictable business environment are often just as important as the attractiveness of the destination itself. When tourist boards, chambers, manufacturers and the state leadership meet at one place at the same time, the message is clear: economic cooperation and tourism traffic in this region are interconnected and cannot be viewed separately.
Tourism promotion in the neighbourhood: what Croatia actually offers
For the market of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia does not build its message solely on seaside holidays. Fairs such as the one in Mostar show that the emphasis is increasingly being placed on the diversity of the offer: from short city break trips and weekend stays to active holidays, gastronomy, national parks and cultural content. The participation of the tourist boards of Dubrovnik-Neretva, Šibenik-Knin and Lika-Senj counties suggests precisely such breadth. These are areas that cover the southern Adriatic, the Dalmatian hinterland, islands, historic cities and continental-mountain content, so toward the Bosnia and Herzegovina market Croatia can be communicated both as a nearby destination and as a destination of different experiences.
This is also important because of the change in traveller behaviour. There are fewer and fewer people who plan their summer holiday exclusively once a year and in advance for a longer period, and more and more of those who travel several times, for shorter periods and more flexibly. In such a model, neighbouring markets have a natural advantage. Travelling by car, lower logistical complexity and good familiarity with the destination lower the decision threshold. That is precisely why promotional appearances in Mostar make operational sense: they maintain contact with an audience that responds easily to new offers, special programmes and off-season motives for arrival. At the same time, for Mostar as the host, this means increased interest from business visitors and additional demand for
accommodation for fair visitors in Mostar throughout the entire duration of the event.
Mostar between fair identity and tourism visibility
Although the news is primarily related to the appearance of the Croatian National Tourist Board and Croatian exhibitors, the Mostar Fair every year also raises the question of the broader position of the city itself. Mostar has long been recognised as a tourist destination thanks to the Old Bridge, the historic core and its status as one of the best-known cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, but the fair dimension gives the city additional value. During such events, Mostar becomes a place where business and tourism motives for travel mix, which is a model many European destinations are trying to strengthen through congress and fair tourism. When regional accessibility and strong media presence are added to that, it is clear why during the time of the fair there is increased interest in
accommodation offers in Mostar, especially among visitors arriving for business meetings and accompanying events.
It is precisely this combination of business and tourism character that is one of the reasons why the appearance of the Croatian National Tourist Board in Mostar can be read more broadly than mere protocol information. The fair is not only an exhibition space, but also a place for creating the perception of the region as a connected market. In that sense, Croatian tourism promotion in Mostar addresses not only future guests, but also partners, agencies, institutional stakeholders and the business community that can influence future flows of travel, cooperation and investment.
What the figures show and what the broader picture is
The Croatian National Tourist Board's data for the first quarter of 2026 show that the market of Bosnia and Herzegovina remains stable and growing, but also that Croatian tourism in the same period is recording a broader upward trend. In total, in Croatia from January to March 2026, according to data processed on 7 April, around 1.14 million arrivals and 2.99 million overnight stays were recorded, which is growth of around 9 percent compared with the same period in 2025. In that picture, Bosnia and Herzegovina is among the important markets not only because of the absolute figures but also because of the traffic structure, that is, the fact that these are guests who often arrive individually, by road and outside the peak months. This gives the tourism system additional balance, and helps destinations outside the main season maintain traffic and revenues.
On the other hand, the political and economic framework emphasised at the Mostar opening shows that tourism in this story is not isolated. Record merchandise exchange between Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, the theme of energy security, talks about transport projects and broader regional connectivity create a context in which tourism traffic also develops more easily. When institutions speak about strengthening cooperation, this is reflected not only in macroeconomic indicators, but also in everyday patterns of people moving, weekend trips, business arrivals and seasonal demand. That is precisely why the news about the appearance of the Croatian National Tourist Board at the Mostar Fair should also be read as an indicator of the continuity of a broader policy of bringing the two markets closer together.
The broader importance of the Croatian National Tourist Board's appearance in Mostar
The participation of the Croatian National Tourist Board at the 27th International Economy Fair in Mostar therefore has several levels of meaning. At the most direct level, it is about presenting Croatia's tourism offer in a market that provides a significant number of guests and in which Croatia enjoys a high level of recognition. At the second level, it is an appearance within a joint economic platform, where tourism gains additional weight through its connection with exports, regional development and business partnerships. At the third, perhaps most important, level, it is a confirmation that relations between Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina are no longer reduced only to administrative proximity and traditional ties, but to the active maintenance of the market, cooperation and mutual visibility.
Ultimately, the Mostar Fair once again showed this year that in the region there is still strong interest in events that simultaneously bring together politics, economy and tourism. The Croatian appearance, led by the Croatian Chamber of Economy with the participation of the Croatian National Tourist Board and regional tourist boards, fit precisely into such a framework. And for Bosnia and Herzegovina as a source market, this means that Croatia continues to be present where business contacts are shaped, but also decisions about future travel, short breaks and seasonal arrivals.
Sources:- Croatian National Tourist Board – official announcement about the Croatian National Tourist Board's appearance at the 27th International Economy Fair in Mostar and the participation of Kristjan Staničić (link)- Croatian National Tourist Board – tourism traffic statistics for the period January–March 2026, including data for the Bosnia and Herzegovina market from the eVisitor system (link)- Croatian National Tourist Board – information on statistical indicators of tourism traffic for March 2026 and the cumulative first quarter of 2026 (link)- Government of the Republic of Croatia – speech and key points of Prime Minister Andrej Plenković at the opening of the fair in Mostar, including the figure on record exchange of 4 billion euros in 2025 (link)- Export portal of the Republic of Croatia – overview of Croatian exhibitors and assessment of the fair as an opportunity for stronger economic connectivity with Bosnia and Herzegovina (link)- Mostar Fair – official description of the event as the largest and most significant economic event on a wider scale in Bosnia and Herzegovina (link)
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