Croatia – Innovative, creative, stimulating
Croatia has made a major contribution to the development of modern civilization and has left a lasting imprint on its foundations.
The great inventor Nikola Tesla was born in Croatia. Without him modern civilization would look substantially different than it does today. And it was from Croatia that two symbols of the business world, the fountain pen and the tie, were presented to the world.
It was as if these things put Croatia on the road to developing its meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE) industry, for which there are many other compelling arguments. Scientists, innovators, and artists from this country have made major contributions to modern society, and either independently or as part of a team, they have explored the possibilities for further progress, united in their desire to make the world a better place.
Croatian athletes have also been successful in team and individual sports, and by winning medals have pushed boundaries and contributed to the development of the sporting spirit and world sport.
With 10 sites under the protection of UNESCO, eight national parks, 11 nature parks, and many other examples of an outstanding cultural and natural heritage, Croatia is in the eyes of many people the most beautiful European garden. It is readily accessible by plane, modern highways, and by sea. The country is also investing heavily in security, which is another of its great advantages.
Therefore, it is not surprising that the country is the choice of many congress organizers, for business meetings and team-building and incentive programs because here they will have all of the conditions for success. At the same time, there is also a stimulating environment here for strengthening unity and cooperation, and an atmosphere that promotes ecological awareness and sustainable development.
Three beautiful cities are the leaders of the MICE industry in Croatia: the capital city Zagreb with its unique atmosphere; one of the most beautiful cities in the world, Dubrovnik; and Opatija, once a trendy Austro-Hungarian health resort. These three cities also have congress offices, organized by their respective tourist boards, whose purpose is to be the link between offers and demands, to organize inspection trips, to publicize and promote offers, and in general to improve and guarantee the quality of the offer for conferences.
In addition to these three leaders of the MICE industry, we should mention the Istrian cities of Rovinj, Poreč, Umag and Pula; the Dalmatian cities of Zadar, Šibenik, Vodice, Split, and Makarska; and in the continental portion of the country Osijek and many others that are making rapid strides in the market for congresses. This commitment is evident in the number of new or newly-renovated hotels that they have, which include very well-equipped conference halls for large, plenary sessions and for smaller meetings.
WHY CROATIA
• The most Googled destination in the world in 2016
• Close to all european cities
• Excellent flight connections
• 1244 islands, islets, stacks and reefs
• 6.278km coastline
• Untouched nature
• 8 UNESCO sites and 14 Elements on the UNESCO Lists of Intangible Cultural Heritage
• Exceptional eno-gastronomy
• Numerous open-air festivals
• Locations of making of ”Star Wars”, ”Game of Thrones”, ”Crossing Lines”, ”Winteou” and many more
…and few more interesting facts:
• Orson Wells shot his adaptation of Franz Kafka’s “The Trial” in Zagreb.
• Jules Verne set the plot of his novel “Mathias Sandorf” in the town of Pazin.
• Alfred Hitchcock claimed that “Zadar has the most beautiful sunset in the world”
• Lord Byron christened the city of Dubrovnik “The Pearl of the Adriatic”.
