The Kvarner Tourist Board and the tourist boards from the Crikvenica–Vinodol area (Crikvenica Tourist Board, Novi Vinodolski Tourist Board, and Vinodol Municipality Tourist Board), in cooperation with the Croatian National Tourist Board’s representative office in Poland, hosted 180 Polish tourism professionals and media representatives in Kvarner on May 12 and 13.

The study group consisted of 140 representatives of the Polish tourism sector, Polish airports, and leading tour operators and agencies, as well as around 40 journalists from major Polish media outlets. The Polish guests arrived at Rijeka Airport on May 12 on the first promotional flight of the Polish national airline LOT.

The official welcome ceremony took place on the unique terrace of the historic Hotel Kvarner and was hosted by the Director of the Kvarner Tourist Board, Irena Peršić Živadinov. Attendees included the Croatian Minister of Tourism and Sports Nikolina Brnjac, Director of the Croatian National Tourist Board Kristjan Staničić, Head of the CNTB office in Poland Agnieszka Puszczewicz, as well as numerous Polish tourism officials such as LOT CEO Rafał Milczarski, board member Michał Fijoł, and Paweł Niewiadomski, President of ECTAA (the European Travel Agents’ and Tour Operators’ Associations) and the Polish Chamber of Tourism.

The Crikvenica–Vinodol Riviera tourist boards were actively involved in organizing the visit, preparing a rich and engaging program that presented the subregion in the best possible light. Upon arrival, part of the group headed to Selce to the Hotel Katarina, followed by a panoramic catamaran cruise showcasing the beauty of the Crikvenica–Vinodol coastline from the sea.

At the Pavlomir Wine House, guests were introduced to local Vinodol wines and enjoyed authentic regional cuisine accompanied by live music. The hotel company Jadran d.d. hosted a gala dinner at Hotel Katarina for all participants.

“It is a great honor to be one of the hosts for this visit and to have had the opportunity to showcase the highlights of our Riviera in such a short time. Although the Crikvenica–Vinodol Riviera is already a favorite self-drive destination for Polish tourists, we look forward to welcoming even more visitors from Poland thanks to our cooperation with LOT. Thank you to everyone who helped make this study visit happen,” said Marijana Biondić, Director of the Crikvenica Tourist Board.

Tena Peričić, Director of the Novi Vinodolski Tourist Board, added:
“I’m glad we were able to present the Riviera through our traditional cuisine, local music, guided boat tours, and top-quality wines. Poland is a very important market for us, with a growing number of visitors. I believe our guests enjoyed the beautiful weather and atmosphere of the Crikvenica–Vinodol area, and that we can expect many Polish tourists again this season.”

During their stay, the Polish delegation was divided into smaller groups and will also visit Opatija, Rijeka, and the island of Krk. In addition to the natural beauty of the destinations, they are being introduced to the region’s eno-gastronomic offerings and cultural-historical attractions — elements that will certainly contribute to future LOT flights being fully booked to our region.