Kristijan Staničić to a new term at the head of the Croatian National Tourist Board
Kristjan Staničić will lead The Croatian National Tourist Board In the next four years, it was decided at the last session of the Croatian National Tourist Board's Tourist Council. This officially marks the end of the tender procedure, and Staničić, who has been at the head of the national tourism organisation since the summer of 2017, has been unanimously entrusted with a new mandate to manage the promotion of Croatian tourism.
This personnel decision comes at a time when domestic tourism sector is facing a necessary transition towards sustainability, but also in a week when major news for the domestic B2B segment has been confirmed – the arrival of one of the most influential global agency networks in Croatia.
Focus on airlines, artificial intelligence, and Malkovich
Looking back, domestic tourism has seen an increase of eight million overnight stays since 2017, breaking the barrier of 110 million overnight stays annually. For industry professionals, a key shift during this period has been a stronger focus on air travel destinations and the strengthening of far-off markets, vividly seen through the continuous growth in arrivals from the United States.
Over the next four years, HTZ's priorities will need to adapt to technological and market changes. According to the electoral programme announcements, the focus in the new mandate will be on the implementation of artificial intelligence in marketing processes, digitalisation, and the further development of year-round operations. For agencies and tour operators, the most important operational announcement is the maintenance of new airline route growth through strategic partnerships. In the short term, HTZ is preparing to launch a new overarching promotional video starring John Malkovich, which will serve as the foundation for future advertising campaigns.
With a leading position in Zagreb, the Tourist Board has also redefined its network of foreign representative offices in six key markets. While the current directors remain in their positions in Austria, Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia, new faces are taking over mandates in the logistically and strategically important markets of Slovenia, Scandinavia, and China.
In 2027, Istria will become the centre of the global agency business.
For B2B professionals, destination management agencies, and organisations, perhaps the most significant operational news from this session is the approval of hosting the Lufthansa City Center International (LCC) Annual General Meeting in June 2027. This is the world’s largest independent travel agency franchise, bringing together over 600 offices in 110 markets, with a business tradition spanning more than three decades.
This major business conference is held every two years, and Istria is slated to be the host in June 2027. The attendance of over 400 high-level representatives, agency owners, and top managers from around the world presents an exceptional opportunity for the domestic TMC and DMC segment. An assembly of this calibre facilitates direct networking with key decision-makers who can gain first-hand insight into the region's infrastructure and potential. This will be followed by the signing of letters of intent and agreements between the Croatian National Tourist Board, the umbrella LCC, and the Tourist Board of Istria County, formalising this logistically and financially demanding project.
