March the 9th, 2024 – Croatian destinations have wowed the public once again at the famous ITB Fair in the German capital of Berlin, giving promise for this year’s tourist season.
As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, Croatian destinations saw exceptional success at the world’s largest tourism fair, ITB in Berlin. The gorgeous Telašćica Nature Park was awarded a silver Green Destinations award, while the Zagreb County Tourist Board and the Lika Destination cluster received a bronze Green Destinations award each. Croatian destinations were recognised by Green Destinations, an organisation that improves and valorises the sustainability of various global destinations and service providers in the tourism sector. It also has the most comprehensive operational tool for sustainable management in tourism.
At the awarding of the prestigious Green Destinations award, there were as many as three Croatian destinations among the laureates. The new Green Destinations awards confirm this country as being among the leading destinations for sustainable tourism both in Europe and across the world. It duly recognises and rightfully rewards the efforts and dedication of these three destinations, as well as the tourism service providers within them. Villa Nai 3.3 from Dugi Otok also deservedly became the first ever hotel within the Leading Hotels of the World organisation with the Good Travel Seal certificate.
Proof of a good path for Croatian destinations
“The Green Destinations awards given to Telašćica Nature Park, the Zagreb County Tourist Board and the Lika Destination cluster are solid proof that Croatia is on the right track in regard to sustainable tourism management. We’re extremely proud of the destinations that have shown that they can be an example of excellence in tourism to the rest of the world, and we hope that other destinations across Croatia and the region will follow their path,” said Dr. Katarina Miličević, director of the Tourism Lab company, which is the official representative of Green Destinations.
The methodology and prescribed standards for a successful certification process according to the Green Destinations model are extremely stringent and demanding. It is the most comprehensive process of sustainability certification in tourism in the entire world, which includes four components of sustainable development – social, environmental, economic and cultural. In addition to the fact that recognition is very demanding to obtain, it’s also then necessary to reconfirm it. As such, after two years, a new evaluation process awaits all of the awarded tourist destinations.
In addition to the tourist destination certification programme, Green Destinations implements the tourism service provider certification programme. Green Destinations programmes for destinations and service providers in tourism have strong support from the United Nations (UN) and the Global Council for Sustainable Tourism. They’re also by far the most famous destination certification at the global level.
