OCCY’GENE in Toulouse confirmed the interest of the French in Croatia: sustainability, active holidays and direct flights in focus
The participation of the Croatian National Tourist Board at the OCCY’GENE fair in Toulouse once again showed that Croatia is becoming increasingly clearly profiled on the French market as a destination that combines accessibility, safety and an authentic stay in nature. The fourth edition of this specialised fair was held from 27 to 29 March 2026 at the MEETT exhibition complex near Toulouse, in the Occitanie region, and it is an event that in just a few years has grown into one of the more notable French meeting places for an audience interested in sustainable tourism, hiking, outdoor activities, nature travel and the increasingly popular vanlife. In this context, the Croatian appearance was important not only in a promotional sense, but also as a signal that the domestic tourism offer is increasingly being recognised precisely where experiences outside the classic summer model of “sun and sea” are sought.
According to data from the Croatian National Tourist Board, the fair featured more than 270 exhibitors and more than 14,000 visitors, while the organisers and regional partners presented OCCY’GENE as a major B2C gathering dedicated to destinations, active holidays, leisure time and vanlife content. The very profile of the fair is important for understanding why the Croatian appearance attracted attention. Toulouse and the wider Occitanie region are not a market that reacts exclusively to mass holidays at the peak of the season, but also to travel that includes movement, nature, local gastronomy, staying outdoors and more flexible forms of travel. It is precisely in this space that Croatia can present itself as a country that, in a relatively small area, brings together the sea, islands, national parks, mountain and hiking routes, cycling, sailing, camping and short city-break itineraries connected with the coast and the hinterland.
The Croatian stand targeted what the French market is currently looking for
According to information published after the fair, the Croatian stand attracted great interest thanks to a visual identity that placed the country’s natural beauties in the foreground, from national parks and islands to the offer of outdoor activities. Such a choice was not accidental. French travellers, especially those who visit fairs such as OCCY’GENE, are increasingly looking for holidays that combine staying in nature, an experiential component and the impression of a “real place”, and not just hotel accommodation and standardised arrangements. In that sense, Croatia has a clear advantage: it can offer both a Mediterranean holiday and active exploration of landscapes, while the distances between the coast, historic towns, nature parks and island destinations remain relatively small.
Additional importance to the Croatian presentation was given by the fact that fair visitors particularly singled out direct air connections from Toulouse to Split and Dubrovnik. Accessibility is one of the decisive criteria in modern tourism, especially in markets where a large number of trips are planned rationally, with careful weighing of time, price and the overall comfort of the journey. When a destination can be reached without transfers, its competitiveness automatically grows, especially in the segment of short and medium-length holidays and in the pre-season and post-season. That is why interest in Croatia at the fair did not remain only at the impression of the beauty of the destination, but very quickly turned into practical questions about flights, connectivity, routes and the types of stays that can be organised over a few days or in a weekly arrangement.
Direct connections with Split and Dubrovnik are an important market argument
Toulouse-Blagnac Airport states on its official website a direct Toulouse – Split route, while Volotea advertises direct flights from Toulouse to Dubrovnik on its official channels. In its report from the fair, the Croatian National Tourist Board highlighted that visitors particularly emphasised the importance of the two direct routes to Split and Dubrovnik operated by the airlines EasyJet and Volotea. It is precisely these connections that explain why the interest of audiences in north-western and south-western France can increasingly easily be translated into a concrete booking. In this context, Croatia is not only a summer destination for a longer annual holiday, but also a logical choice for travellers who want to combine cultural content, a stay by the sea and an active holiday in one route.
Split and Dubrovnik are not only two strong postcard points of Croatian tourism, but also gateways to wider regions. Split is a natural starting point for central Dalmatia, the islands, national parks in the hinterland, hiking and cycling itineraries, and combinations of urban and active holidays. Dubrovnik, on the other hand, carries strong international recognition and at the same time opens space for exploring southern Croatia, the Elaphiti Islands, Pelješac and other content that goes beyond a one-day tour of the old town core. For the French guest who wants “more than a beach”, this is an important message: arrival is simple, and the possibilities for staying are diverse.
Occitanie as an audience: closeness to nature, regional identity and a culture of active holidays
The Occitanie region itself further explains why Croatia could count on a good response at OCCY’GENE. It is an area with a strong regional identity, with a developed culture of staying outdoors, hiking, cycling, camping and shorter escapes into nature. The fair organisers emphasised that this is a place of inspiration for nearby trips, weekend stays, active holidays and travel adapted to personal interests. In such an environment, Croatia does not appear as an exotic and distant destination that requires complicated planning, but as a European country that can be reached relatively quickly and easily, while at the same time offering the impression of a change of space, climate and rhythm.
This is especially important at a time when some European travellers, including French ones, are paying increasing attention to sustainability, density of content and the feeling of “value for time”. In other words, what is decisive is not only how attractive a destination is in photographs, but how many different experiences it can offer within the real travel time. Croatia is competitive in this equation because it can offer the French market relative geographic proximity, a large number of micro-destinations and itineraries, but also a very recognisable combination of natural and cultural motifs.
French partners maintain a positive image of Croatia
Numerous representatives of the tourism sector were also present at the fair, including travel agencies and tour operators TUI, Arts et Vie, Allibert Trekking and Nomade Aventure. This information is not secondary, because it shows that OCCY’GENE is not only a place of contact with end visitors, but also an important space for strengthening relations with professionals who shape market packages, recommendations and sales channels. It is particularly significant that actors specialised in active travel, trekking and experiential forms of holidays were among those present. This is a segment in which Croatia can grow not only through the classic family holiday, but also through guest profiles who spend differently, travel with a purpose and more often choose the pre-season or post-season.
The Croatian National Tourist Board states that French partners continue to maintain a very positive image of Croatia and that they see our country as a safe and high-quality destination with authentic experiences and a wide range of tourism products. In market communication, these are extremely important determinants. Safety has become one of the main criteria in the choice of holidays after the last few years, while authenticity is no longer merely a marketing word, but a label for travel that includes local identity, food, landscape, the rhythm of a place and the possibility that the guest will not remain trapped in a monotonous tourist pattern. Croatia has an advantage here because it can present itself through coastal centres as well as through smaller destinations, and through protected natural areas as well as cultural heritage.
The French still prefer European destinations, and Croatia fits into that logic of choice
In the broader market context, it is additionally important that the official profile of the French market of the Croatian National Tourist Board states that French travellers still prefer travel to European destinations and that economic uncertainties, weather conditions and political stability strongly influence the choice of holidays. The same document also states that only one fifth of French people who go on holiday choose foreign countries, with Spain and Italy among the most sought-after foreign destinations, followed by Portugal and Greece. It is precisely within this circle that Croatia must and wants to position itself: as a Mediterranean and European country that is close enough, familiar enough and diverse enough to enter the shortlist of a French guest who nevertheless decides to cross the border.
This fits well with the message that was also coming from Toulouse. If French travellers this year really are more inclined toward geographically close and easily accessible European countries, then success will go to destinations that can offer a clear answer to three questions: how easy is it to get there, what can be experienced there and is there a sense of safety and quality. Croatia, according to the impression of French partners from the fair, is for now answering all three questions convincingly. Direct routes help with the first criterion, the indented and content-dense tourism offer with the second, and the stable reputation of the destination with the third.
Sustainable and outdoor tourism are no longer a niche, but a market direction
One of the more important elements of the OCCY’GENE fair is that it no longer treats sustainability and outdoor as side topics, but as the central framework of tourism demand. The official description of the fair itself speaks of inspiration for stays in nature, hiking, travel and vanlife, while regional partners further emphasised sports activities, a 2,000-square-metre vanlife area, a conference programme and an offer intended for visitors who want to actively participate in preparing their trip. This shows how much the logic of tourism promotion has changed. It is no longer enough to offer a destination as scenery; it is increasingly important to present it as a space of movement, experience and personal rhythm.
For Croatia, this is a great opportunity, but also an obligation. Natural heritage, protected areas, hiking and cycling trails, maritime experiences, sailing, diving, climbing, kayaking, camping and stays on the islands already exist as strong tourism resources. However, success in markets such as the French one will also depend on how clearly these offers are packaged, sustainably managed and transport-accessible. Fairs such as OCCY’GENE are therefore not only promotional stages, but also a kind of test of market perception: an indicator of whether the audience recognises Croatia in the way it wants to present itself.
That is precisely why interest in the Croatian stand should be read more broadly than as a one-off impression from the fair space. If the audience reacts to images of national parks, islands and outdoor activities, that means that the Croatian product in France has room for communication that goes beyond the peak of the summer season. If it additionally reacts to concrete flights to Split and Dubrovnik, then it is clear that the combination of inspiration and logistics is what turns interest into a real travel decision. On the French market, which is large, demanding and exposed to competition from numerous Mediterranean offers, it is precisely this combination that is often decisive.
It remains to be seen to what extent fair interest will turn into real figures during 2026, but the messages from Toulouse are, for now, in Croatia’s favour. In an environment in which French travellers are looking for nearby European destinations, natural content, a sense of safety and experiences that are not reduced to uniform mass tourism, Croatia is clearly maintaining a very good starting position. The OCCY’GENE fair confirmed this not only through the number of visitors and the interest in the Croatian appearance, but also through the fact that the domestic offer is being read more and more clearly through the terms that will mark tourism demand in the years to come as well: sustainability, active holidays, authenticity and accessibility.
Sources:- Croatian National Tourist Board – official announcement on the CNTB’s appearance at the OCCY’GENE fair in Toulouse, the interest in the Croatian stand and the importance of direct flights link
- Occ'Ygène – official fair website with information on the dates, the MEETT location and the thematic focus on travel, outdoor and vanlife link
- Tourisme Occitanie Pro – announcement of the fourth edition of the fair in Toulouse with data on 270 professionals and the market profile of the event link
- Aéroport Toulouse-Blagnac – official page of the Toulouse – Split air connection link
- Volotea – official page of direct Toulouse – Dubrovnik flights link
- Croatian National Tourist Board, Tourist Market Profile – France – overview of French market trends, preference for European destinations and the conditions that influence the choice of holidays link
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