Yesterday, in the courtyard of the old part of Hotel Lišanj, a beautiful Novi Vinodolski hotel that the town still proudly boasts, a photography exhibition was held. Exactly 40 years ago, the hotel was expanded, and in celebration of this anniversary, this year, when Novi Vinodolski also celebrates the major milestone of 145 years of tourism, the exhibition showcased the development and history of Hotel Lišanj through photographs.

The exhibition was opened with a few words by Đurđica Krišković, the former director of the Museum, who explained how the exhibition was organized and what visitors could see – old postcards and photographs from the early stages of construction, the context in which the hotel developed, and thus Novi Vinodolski’s tourism. She also thanked those who contributed old photographs and postcards for this occasion, including Mr. Martin Rubčić, Mrs. Vesna Buneta, and Mrs. Dora Grabar, as well as materials from the collection of the National Museum and Gallery of Novi Vinodolski.

The director of Hotel Lišanj, Sandra Marcel Tomašić, greeted all the attendees, after which the director of the Novi Vinodolski Tourist Board read the chronology of the development of the bathing resort and the hotel, as well as Novi Vinodolski’s tourism, starting from the year 1878, considered the beginning of tourism. In 1886, the first wooden public bathing facility was built in the harbor, which in 1889 was moved to the Lišanj bay, marking the beginning of the formation of the Novi Vinodolski bathing and tourist zone. Soon after, in 1892, the Potočnjak family built the first Novi Vinodolski hotel, “Lišanj,” which opened in 1894 with eight rooms and one social room. In 1896, construction entrepreneur Ivan Mažuranić built the “Slavuj” hotel, while another construction entrepreneur, Stjepan Piškulić, began building the third Novi Vinodolski hotel, “San Marino.” With the construction of hotels and the arrival of the first tourists, the need for public facilities arose, and so, in 1884, a water supply system was built, a coastal promenade was created, and a new bathing facility with 60 cabins was established. In 1902, the Society for the Beautification of Novi and its surroundings was founded, and in 1909, Novi was declared a seaside resort and climate health center. From 1934 to 1940, the Adriatic Tourist Road was built from Sušak to Novi Vinodolski, which further connected this area to European tourist centers, which reflected in the tourism results. In 1948, the local hospitality company Lišanj was founded, and in 1953, the Tourist Society was established. The founding of these two organizations marked the beginning of the third phase of Novi Vinodolski’s tourism development. In this third phase, Novi Vinodolski improved its infrastructure by building a gas station on the Adriatic Tourist Road and in the harbor, creating postal service facilities, opening a clinic, pharmacy, port station, bus station, shops, markets, fish markets, bathing areas, and beaches, transforming the town into a modern tourist destination.

From 1960 to 1980, the Zagori Tourist Resort and the Zagori campsite were built, as well as the Hotel Lišanj Horizon annex, along with the Povile bungalows and campsite. In addition to hotel accommodations, during this period, the capacity in private rooms and apartments significantly expanded, and today, private renters make up the majority of accommodation capacity, with over 1,000 units. Novi Vinodolski is also home to campsites, hotels, and pensions, and there is certainly a need for additional hotel capacity, which would further help in the development of tourism.

The exhibition was attended by the former director of Hotel Lišanj, Mr. Martin Rubčić, and Mrs. Dora Grabar, the niece of the former lessee of Hotel Lišanj from 1935 to 1941, Mr. Šajatović. Mr. Rubčić shared some interesting insights into the development of the hotel and the context in which both the hotel and tourism in this area evolved, and he thanked the opportunity to share his memories and experiences. Mrs. Grabar also shared several anecdotes from the time her uncle was the lessee of the hotel, recalling how it was indeed the golden age, with a large part of the aristocracy staying at Hotel Lišanj. It was truly fascinating to hear firsthand stories, and the pleasant conversation continued later with a buffet and refreshments in the beautiful surroundings of Hotel Lišanj. The exhibition will remain open at Hotel Lišanj for some time so that guests can also explore it and learn about the history of this significant hotel for Novi Vinodolski.