Croatia’s promotion of rural tourism proves successful

The “Experience local. Explore rural country!” campaign has recorded 33 million impressions in two months

In May 2021, the Croatian National Tourist Board (HTZ) launched the country’s first campaign promoting rural tourism: “Experience local. Explore rural country!” Now, two months later, the board has announced that the promotional campaign has proven to be a success as it has already received 33 million impressions.

Promoting domestic tourism

The campaign has been created in cooperation with the Association of Rural Tourism Croatia and the Ministry of Tourism and Sports. Its ultimate aim, according to a press release by HTZ, is to encourage domestic tourism during a time when people prioritise safety and security.

To reiterate, “Experience local. Explore rural country!” has recorded 33 million impressions on social media networks, online channels, and other digital forms of advertising. What is more, the campaign’s 7 themed videos have also received a total of 4 million views. The director of the Croatian National Tourist Board Kristjan Stanicic commented on the success of the first wave of the campaign, noting:

“The excellent results of the first wave of the campaign for the promotion of rural tourism confirm that Croatia has an interesting and diverse rural offer and that there is a great interest in this type of tourism on the domestic market. The second wave of the campaign is planned for the fall, during which an additional four themed videos will be promoted. The demand for holidays in rural destinations is constantly growing, especially in the circumstances of a global pandemic.”

Rural destinations have seen a surge in tourism

According to the aforementioned press release, the broadcast of the promotional campaign has resulted in an increase in the number of tourists in Croatia’s rural destinations. Taking a case in point, the Papuk Nature Park has reportedly seen a 48% increase in visitors, compared to the same period in 2019. Director of the Papuk Nature Park Alen Jurenac noted that this percentage acts as proof that people now recognise the advantages and potential of rural destinations.

The “Experience local. Explore rural country!” campaign is run through various communication channels and social media networks. Moreover, themed videos have been broadcasted on national and local TV channels. Following the summer season, the campaign will release more content to further attract more visitors.