Tourist boards of the Rijeka Ring at PLACE2GO: a joint appearance for stronger visibility of Kvarner on the domestic and international market
This weekend, the tourist boards of the Rijeka Ring are presenting themselves in Zagreb at the PLACE2GO fair, the largest international tourism fair in Croatia, which is being held from 20 to 22 March 2026 at the Zagreb Fair. The joint appearance of the destinations encompassing Rijeka, Kostrena, Bakar, Kraljevica, Čavle, Jelenje, Viškovo, Kastav and Klana comes at a time when competition among domestic and regional destinations is increasingly being driven by the quality of the experience, brand recognition and the ability to combine different contents into a convincing and easily understandable tourism story.
This year's presentation is important not only because of the presence at a large specialised event, but also because of the message it sends to the market: the Rijeka Ring is no longer presented as a group of separate points, but as a connected whole that combines the sea, urban life, cultural heritage, active holidays, gastronomy and nature in a relatively small area. It is precisely this combination that is one of the greatest strengths of the Rijeka area, because it allows visitors to experience very different contents in a short time – from city walks and cultural sites to trips into the green hinterland, cycling routes and stays by the sea. For visitors planning a longer tour of the region,
accommodation offers in Rijeka and the surrounding area also have additional practical value, especially when the trip is intended to be linked with several locations within the same area.
A fair that brings together professionals and travellers
Since its first edition in 2012, PLACE2GO has established itself as the central meeting place of tourism supply and demand in Croatia. According to the organisers, it is an event that combines both the business and consumer segments, so in the same place tourist boards, agencies, carriers, hoteliers, specialised companies and end travellers who are looking for holiday ideas or concrete information about destinations meet. The organisers also state that over the years more than 800 exhibitors from more than 50 countries have appeared at the fair, while this year's edition brings together more than 250 exhibitors from more than 20 countries, confirming that the fair retains a strong international character.
An important special feature of the fair this year as well is its dual orientation. On the one hand, there is the B2C component, intended for the wider public, that is, visitors who want to get to know destinations directly and gather inspiration for future trips. On the other hand, Friday is also reserved for B2B meetings, which gives the fair additional business weight because it opens space for new contacts, product promotion and connecting with partners from the tourism sector. Thus, PLACE2GO is not only a stage for presentation, but also a workspace in which future collaborations are arranged, experiences are exchanged and new tourism packages are shaped.
The Rijeka Ring as a unified destination
This is precisely why the joint appearance of the tourist boards of the Rijeka Ring carries special strategic importance. When Rijeka, Kastav, Kraljevica, Bakar, Kostrena, Viškovo, Čavle, Jelenje and Klana are promoted as interconnected points of the same region, the visitor is offered a clearer and stronger image than the one that would be created by individual, fragmented promotion. Instead of each place separately explaining its own distinctiveness, the joint appearance makes it possible to present the area as a comprehensive destination of different rhythms and contents: urban Rijeka as a traffic, cultural and event centre, coastal places such as Kostrena, Bakar and Kraljevica as a combination of sea and history, and the hinterland with Kastav, Viškovo, Čavle, Jelenje and Klana as an area of nature, recreation and tradition.
Such an approach is particularly important in contemporary tourism, in which guests increasingly rarely choose only one place or only one type of holiday. Travellers want flexibility, shorter trips with more contents, active holidays, local gastronomy, cultural motives and authentic experiences. The Rijeka Ring has room for growth precisely here, because at a short distance it offers contrasts that are harder to connect elsewhere: morning coffee in the city centre, an afternoon walk through the historic core or castle, time by the sea, dinner with a Kvarner signature and a trip towards the wooded hinterland. For visitors considering a weekend stay or an extended holiday, the practical aspect is also important, so when planning a trip it is natural also to search for
accommodation near the event venue and for overnight options that allow visiting several points within the region.
Emphasis on authenticity, active holidays and sustainability
According to the available information about the appearance, the tourist boards of the Rijeka Ring at the fair are placing emphasis on authentic experiences, natural beauty, active holidays and sustainable tourism. This is not merely a usual promotional formula, but also a reflection of the broader direction in which Kvarner's tourism development is moving. In recent years, the region has been positioning itself more strongly through the quality of the experience, local gastronomy, outdoor contents and a more responsible relationship towards space, and in 2026 it also holds the title of European Region of Gastronomy, which further strengthens its visibility on the European map.
For the Rijeka Ring, this means that the story no longer stops only at the sea and the summer season. Contents that function during a larger part of the year are becoming increasingly important: walking and cycling routes, cultural events, heritage locations, gastronomic stories and events that attract guests outside the peak season as well. In that sense, the fair appearance is an opportunity to send a message to potential visitors and business partners that the Rijeka area has the capacity for year-round tourism, and not only for short-term seasonal traffic. This can be one of the key messages to the domestic market, where interest is growing in shorter, content-rich trips and holidays within Croatia.
What a joint appearance can bring to the destination
Participation in a major tourism fair in itself does not guarantee new arrivals, but it is an important tool of visibility and positioning. In practice, such appearances have several levels of effect. The first is promotional: the destination comes before an audience that is actively looking for ideas, comparing destinations and making travel decisions. The second is business-related: representatives of tourist boards and other stakeholders can open talks about collaborations, media presentations, study trips, package arrangements and inclusion in broader promotional campaigns. The third is reputational: a joint, coordinated appearance shows that the destination has a clearer strategy and the ability to cooperate, which is an increasingly important signal in tourism.
For the Rijeka Ring, which lies in the shadow of strong Adriatic brands, this can be particularly useful. Rijeka is recognised as an urban centre with developed events, cultural contents and transport accessibility, but the wider surroundings still have room for stronger tourism affirmation in the perception of domestic guests. Through a joint appearance, this gap is being reduced: the fair visitor is not offered only one city or one place, but a whole network of experiences within relatively short distances. Such a presentation can be attractive to families, couples and active travellers, but also to those looking for shorter weekend trips with a larger number of contents. In this sense,
accommodation offers for visitors also play an important role, because a well-connected overnight base often decides whether the guest will stay for one day or for the whole weekend.
Why the Camping & Outdoor segment is also important
Additional value to this year's fair is given by the fact that, alongside PLACE2GO, the specialised Camping & Outdoor fair, launched in 2023, is also being held. According to the organisers, this part of the programme is focused on the offer of camping, staying in nature, active tourism, excursions, equipment and campers, and it is held during the weekend. This is an important detail for the tourist boards of the Rijeka Ring as well, because their area has strong potential precisely in the segment of active holidays and short outdoor stays.
Today's travellers are increasingly looking for destinations that combine accessibility, safety, a natural environment and a variety of activities. In this sense, the Rijeka area has several advantages: proximity to a large urban centre, access to the sea, connection with the green hinterland and relatively quick accessibility from most of Croatia. Such a geographical position opens the possibility for the Rijeka Ring to be promoted more strongly not only as a classic coastal destination, but also as a starting point for an active weekend, a family excursion or a shorter holiday combining recreation, culture and gastronomy. At a time when the market increasingly rewards precisely such hybrid travel models, presence at a fair that gives space to the outdoor segment can have additional promotional weight.
Rijeka and the surrounding area are seeking a stronger place on the tourist map
The tourism potential of Rijeka and its ring has long been somewhat dispersed among different identities of the area: port and industrial heritage, city events, historic sites, coastal places and the green hinterland. That is precisely why joint promotion can be useful, because it tries to assemble a unique story from those different layers. In such a story, Rijeka is not only a transit point or administrative centre, but an entrance to a wider region; Kastav is not only a historic little town, but part of a cultural arc; Kostrena, Bakar and Kraljevica are not only individual coastal destinations, but points of the marine identity of the region; and Čavle, Jelenje, Viškovo and Klana are not merely the hinterland, but an area of active holidays, tradition and a different rhythm.
It is precisely this breadth that can be key to strengthening competitiveness. Tourism markets today seek clear and emotionally convincing narratives, but also practical reasons for arrival. The Rijeka Ring can offer both: a sufficiently recognisable identity, but also concrete benefit for a guest who wants more contents in one trip. This is particularly important for the domestic market, where the decision on a trip is often made quickly, and destinations must be easily accessible, clear and rich in content. If this potential is clearly translated into promotional messages, joint fair appearances could become more than protocol representation and grow into a tool for more serious positioning of the region.
Visibility today, effects tomorrow
Fairs such as PLACE2GO are often measured by the number of contacts, audience interest and media visibility, but their real effect is seen only later. Whether the joint appearance of the tourist boards of the Rijeka Ring will result in a greater number of arrivals, new partnerships and stronger recognition will also depend on how much the messages from the fair will further spill over into digital channels, promotional campaigns and the concrete offer on the ground. But the very fact that the destination is being presented in a coordinated way, with an emphasis on authenticity, sustainability and diversity, indicates that the Rijeka area is trying to adapt to the new rules of the tourism market.
At a time when domestic destinations compete not only by price, but also by the quality of the experience, it is important to be present where the audience is looking for travel ideas and where professionals are seeking new collaborations. PLACE2GO is exactly such a place, and the joint appearance of the tourist boards of the Rijeka Ring shows the ambition to present the area around Rijeka as a rounded, contemporary and content-rich destination. For guests looking for a combination of city, sea, culture, nature and active holidays, this is a message that the market will recognise ever more easily, especially when it is accompanied by clear information about contents, accessibility and
accommodation in Rijeka and the Rijeka Ring.
Sources:- PLACE2GO – official general information about the fair, dates, the B2B and B2C segment and the Camping & Outdoor programme (link)- PLACE2GO – official announcement of the PLACE2GO / CAMPING&OUTDOOR 2026 fair and description of the simultaneous holding of the two fairs (link)- PLACE2GO – official list of exhibitors for 2026 with information on more than 250 exhibitors from more than 20 countries (link)- Zagreb Fair – official publication of the events programme and confirmation of the fair dates from 20 to 22 March 2026 (link)- Visit Kraljevica – post about the joint appearance of the tourist boards of the Rijeka Ring at the PLACE2GO 2026 fair (link)- Kvarner.hr – official information about Kvarner's title as European Region of Gastronomy 2026 (link)- Visit Rijeka – official documents and plans for the development of Rijeka tourism, including the tourism development plan until 2028 (link)
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