Plitvice Lakes on the cover of an Italian magazine, Lika presented as a destination for sustainable holidays

Plitvice Lakes on the cover of a renowned Italian magazine, Lika at the centre of a feature on sustainable and authentic holidays

Plitvice Lakes appeared on the cover of the new issue of the Italian specialised monthly Caravan e Camper Granturismo, while inside the magazine an extensive feature dedicated to Lika-Senj County was published. This is a media publication that goes beyond ordinary tourism promotion because it presents Lika and its most recognisable locations not merely as a stopover on the way to the sea, but as a complete destination for travellers seeking nature, peace, content and a more sustainable way of travelling. At a time when European tourists are increasingly choosing less crowded destinations, stays in nature and flexible travel models, being featured in a magazine dedicated to camping, caravanning and motorhome travel carries special weight for the Croatian mainland and the northern Adriatic. It is especially important that the Italian media portray the region as a combination of untouched nature, cultural heritage and a modern tourism offer, rather than merely as a series of isolated attractions. For readers planning a trip, this is also a concrete invitation to explore natural landmarks and also accommodation in Lika, as well as the possibilities of a multi-day stay in the immediate vicinity of the region's most important points.

Why this kind of publication matters for Croatian tourism

A publication in an Italian magazine dedicated to wheeled tourism comes at a time when Croatia is increasingly developing an offer that does not rely exclusively on the peak of the summer season and beach tourism. Lika-Senj County is precisely one of the areas where this shift is most clearly visible. On the one hand, it is an area exceptionally rich in protected natural sites, and on the other, it is a region that, due to its relief, transport position and diversity of amenities, naturally fits the habits of guests travelling by motorhomes, cars, or combining a stay by the sea with trips inland. The Italian market is by no means secondary. According to official data from the Croatian National Tourist Board, Italian guests in Croatia recorded 948,213 arrivals and 3,918,610 overnight stays during 2025, confirming that this is a stable and important source market. When such an audience is presented with a Croatian region through the prism of nature, sustainability, culture and the travel experience, the effect may be more long-term than that of a one-off promotional campaign.

For Lika, it is additionally important that this is an audience that does not seek exclusively mass tourism or a strictly seasonal holiday. Readers of specialised camping and caravanning magazines often look for routes, shorter and longer stops, places for active holidays, local gastronomy, viewpoints, cultural spots and authentic areas that are not burdened by overcrowding. This is precisely the profile of traveller that matches the character of a region that in recent years has been increasingly clearly profiled as a destination for a slower, richer and more sustainable holiday. In that sense, the cover featuring Plitvice Lakes is not merely a visually attractive detail, but a strong message about how Croatia, and especially Lika-Senj County, is perceived on the foreign market. For visitors who want to combine visiting national parks with a longer stay, an important part of planning also becomes accommodation near Plitvice Lakes, as well as the offer in the wider Lika area.

Lika between mountain and sea as an increasingly sought-after travel model

The central message of the feature published in Caravan e Camper is based on what tourism professionals in the region have long been trying to highlight: Lika is not merely a transit area, but a place to stay. Located between the Velebit mountain range and the Adriatic coast, it brings together landscapes and experiences that are difficult to find elsewhere within such a small radius. In a single day, it is possible to visit waterfalls and lakes, high-altitude meadows, forest areas, historic towns and the coast, while at the same time avoiding the pressure of the most crowded tourist centres. This is one of the region's main competitive advantages in a market that increasingly values diversity, authenticity and a sense of space.

In tourism terms, a particular value of Lika lies in the fact that its offer does not rest on one dominant attraction. Plitvice Lakes are indeed its best-known symbol and the most internationally recognisable point, but the feature in the Italian magazine clearly indicates that the region is not exhausted by a single site. Two national parks, mountain and river landscapes, cultural heritage, historical fortresses, memorial and educational points, and the contrast between the calm continental area and the livelier coastal scene create content that enables travellers to stay longer. It is precisely here that Lika gains weight as a destination for multi-day exploration, and not merely a short stop. Because of such diversity, it is practical for travellers to check in advance accommodation offers in Lika-Senj County in order to more easily connect the mountainous, river and coastal sections of the trip.

Plitvice Lakes remain the global symbol of the region

It is no coincidence that Plitvice Lakes were chosen for the cover. Plitvice Lakes National Park is Croatia's best-known protected area and the first national park in Croatia, proclaimed as early as 8 April 1949. Its international significance was further confirmed on 26 October 1979, when it was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List due to the exceptional universal value of the travertine formation process and the lake system. This fact is important not only as a historical fact, but also as an indicator of why images of Plitvice still have a strong promotional effect at the international level. They represent not only the beauty of the landscape, but also one of Croatia's strongest symbols of preserved nature.

For foreign readers of a specialised tourism magazine, a cover with Plitvice Lakes has a double function. On the one hand, it immediately communicates the recognisability of the destination. On the other, it opens up space to discover the broader story of the region surrounding the national park. This is precisely one of the more important shifts in the approach to promotion: instead of keeping attention only on a single site, Plitvice becomes an entry point for getting to know the wider area of Lika and Northern Velebit. For visitors who want to stay longer than a one-day excursion, the logical continuation of such a visit also includes accommodation for visitors to Plitvice Lakes and exploring the surrounding places and natural zones.

From Northern Velebit to the Gacka: a region that offers more than sightseeing

The feature particularly highlights the natural and landscape diversity of Lika-Senj County. Alongside Plitvice Lakes, an important role is played by Northern Velebit National Park, known for its mountain landscapes, the Premužić Trail, rich flora and fauna, and the fact that parts of its beech forests are part of UNESCO World Heritage. Such locations position the region as an area attractive not only to lovers of classic sightseeing, but also to hikers, nature photographers, recreation enthusiasts and travellers seeking a richer stay outside the densest tourist flows.

Alongside the major protected areas, the Italian magazine also highlights a series of sites that reveal another side of Lika. The Kosinj Valley and the flows of the Lika and Gacka rivers evoke the image of an area in which water is the foundation of identity, landscape and activity. The Gacka has long been known for its exceptional purity and calmness, and the entire river area is an important stronghold of fishing, recreational and excursion tourism. Such places are particularly attractive to guests who are not looking merely to visit sights, but want to experience the landscape, the rhythm of the place and contact with the local area. In such a travel model, the region builds an advantage over destinations that offer a lot of content, but little real space for rest.

Kuterevo, Nehaj and Zavratnica as a sign of the breadth of the tourism offer

One of the values of the feature is that it does not remain with the best-known postcard images. The inclusion of the bear sanctuary in Kuterevo, the Nehaj Fortress in Senj and Zavratnica Cove shows that the region is presented in layers, through nature, education, heritage and special sites that remain in memory. Kuterevo is recognised as a place that combines animal protection, education and a strong experience of the Velebit hinterland. For many foreign guests, it is precisely such smaller, authentic points that make a trip personal and different from a standard tourist itinerary.

The Nehaj Fortress in Senj introduces an important historical dimension. Built in 1558, it is not only a symbol of the town, but also one of the most recognisable fortification points of the Croatian coast. In the feature, its inclusion naturally follows the broader idea that Lika-Senj County is not exclusively a region of nature, but also an area of strong historical and cultural memory. On the other hand, Zavratnica, a protected landscape within Velebit Nature Park, shows how even at the transition between mountain and sea, scenes and experiences can be offered that leave a strong visual impression. It is precisely this combination of mountain hinterland, historic towns and coast that gives the region a breadth that is difficult to reduce to a single tourism label. For guests wishing to connect Senj, Velebit and the coastal belt, accommodation close to places of events and excursions will often also be important in order to more easily organise their visits.

Novalja and Lun: two faces of the same area

It is particularly interesting that the feature does not shy away from contrasts within the county itself. Novalja and Zrće Beach are presented in the text as a symbol of the more dynamic, entertaining and younger-public-oriented part of the offer, while Lun is singled out as an area of a completely different rhythm and atmosphere, known for its unique landscape of centuries-old olive groves. This contrast is not a weakness, but an advantage of the region. It shows that Lika-Senj County can simultaneously communicate with several types of guests: from those seeking active nightlife and summer energy to those for whom natural landscapes, peace and the cultural-landscape distinctiveness of the area are more important.

Such diversity is particularly important in international promotion because it allows one region not to be one-dimensional. It can be presented as a destination where experiences can change within a relatively short time: from high-mountain trails and protected parks to coastal towns and island settings. In that sense, the feature in the Italian magazine very clearly hits the contemporary tourist interest in combined travel, that is, in routes that connect nature, heritage, gastronomy and different forms of holiday. Travellers who want to combine a quieter stay inland with coastal amenities may find it useful to look in advance at accommodation in Novalja, Lun and the surrounding area.

Tesla as the cultural and identity capital of the region

An important place in the feature is also occupied by the Nikola Tesla Memorial Centre in Smiljan. It is not merely a tourist stop visited in passing, but one of the rare places in Croatia where local identity is connected with a globally recognisable name. The fact that Nikola Tesla was born in Smiljan gives Lika-Senj County additional cultural and symbolic weight. The memorial centre does not speak only about the life and work of the great inventor, but also about the area from which he originated, which gives the entire story of the region a deeper historical and educational dimension.

For an international audience, precisely this combination is exceptionally valuable. Natural beauty attracts attention, but the cultural layer often prolongs interest and gives the destination additional recognisability. When, alongside national parks, rivers and the coast, the birthplace of one of the most famous scientists in modern history is also highlighted, the region gains one more argument in the competition for guests seeking a more meaningful journey. In that context, Lika is not merely a place for rest, but also a place of story, knowledge and identity.

What the publication says about the direction of the region's development

One of the most important elements of the whole story is the emphasis on sustainable tourism. In the feature, Lika is presented as a destination that does not base its attractiveness on aggressive construction or mass tourism, but on a preserved environment and thoughtful development. This is a message that is particularly important on the camping and motorhome tourism market, where part of the audience consciously chooses travel in nature, fewer crowds, local experiences and destinations that have not lost their spatial identity. For Croatian tourism, this is an important direction because it confirms that competitiveness no longer arises only from the quantity of accommodation capacities, but also from the quality of space, experience and the way the destination is managed.

In that sense, Lika-Senj County has a strong asset. According to data from the Croatian National Tourist Board, during 2025 it recorded 791,409 arrivals and 3,493,466 overnight stays, which confirms that the region has stable demand, but at the same time remains far from the image of an overcrowded tourist area. It is precisely this balance between recognisability and spaciousness that may be its greatest development advantage in the years to come. In an era when more and more guests seek experience instead of mere sightseeing, Lika has the opportunity to further strengthen its position as a region for holidays that combines nature, culture, mobility and peace.

Promotion that can have an effect beyond a single season

The significance of the publication in Caravan e Camper magazine should not be viewed only through current visibility. Such specialised media address an audience that often plans trips in advance, follows routes, returns to the same destinations and shares recommendations within strongly connected communities of travellers. For that reason, one quality feature can have a longer lifespan than a daily news item or a short promotional post on social media. Additional weight is given by the fact that the magazine has been continuously published since 1974 and, according to data published in the press release of the Croatian National Tourist Board, is issued in eleven issues per year, including a summer double issue, and reaches an audience of around 150,000 readers through newsstands, subscriptions and digital platforms.

For Lika, this is important also because such media visibility can strengthen the pre-season and post-season, that is, periods in which continental and mountain destinations often have particularly good potential. Spring and autumn are ideal for many guests to visit Plitvice Lakes, Velebit, the Gacka, Kuterevo or Smiljan, and the motorhome and caravanning audience is among those who more often travel outside the peak season. When such an audience is presented with a region as complete and diverse, the effect does not have to be seen only in one wave of interest, but also in the gradual strengthening of its image on the foreign market.

Sources:

• Croatian National Tourist Board – press release on the cover of Caravan e Camper magazine and the feature on Lika-Senj County (link)
• Croatian National Tourist Board – official tourism statistics for 2025, including data on the Italian market and tourist traffic by counties (link)
• Plitvice Lakes National Park – official data on the park's status, year of proclamation and inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List (link)
• Northern Velebit National Park – official information on the park and its natural features (link)
• Velebit Nature Park – official description of Zavratnica Cove and its protected landscape (link)
• “Nikola Tesla” Memorial Centre Smiljan – official information about the centre and Tesla's birthplace (link)
• Senj Town Museum – official data on Nehaj Fortress and its historical role (link)
• Lika-Senj County Tourist Board – official information about the region, attractions and travel planning (link)
• Zinio – description of Caravan e Camper Granturismo magazine and its digital distribution (link)
• In Camper – information on the subscription to 11 issues per year of Caravan e Camper Granturismo magazine (link)