19 June Zadar County in the focus of the Benelux MICE industry
Croatian National Tourist Board The Zadar County Tourist Board presented their local offerings at the MICE Cruise business meeting in Antwerp. They are aiming to attract high-value corporate events.
Business tourism in Croatia has been looking for a breakthrough beyond traditional frameworks for years. Zagreb, Dubrovnik and Opatija. The strategy for expanding the MICE offer to other regions has recently seen operational implementation in the Benelux market. In this market, local tourism representatives participated in a specialised B2B event in Antwerp. The objective is clear – to attract organisers of corporate events, congresses, and incentive travel from markets that traditionally value good logistics. In addition, the aim is also to attract those who value authentic local experiences.
For the Croatian tourism sector, and particularly for agencies and hoteliers, this represents a continuation of the push towards year-round operations. Furthermore, the Benelux market, known for its high purchasing power and developed corporate culture, is a key target for filling capacity in the pre-season and post-season. This is important when the demand for business gatherings is at its highest.
Zadar as a new point on the MICE map
Although Croatia as a whole enjoys recognised destination status, in Antwerp special emphasis was placed on Zadar County. This region is positioning itself as a logical choice for small and medium-sized business groups and incentive programmes. The key advantages communicated to around 70 Belgian and Dutch event agencies and representatives of international associations based in Brussels were recent investment cycles in high-category hotel infrastructure. Furthermore, the specific gastronomic and natural offerings were highlighted.
From an industry perspective, Zadar benefits from being a destination that offers a balance between modern infrastructure and still undiscovered, authentic locations for team building and corporate events. It is precisely this authenticity that has become the primary requirement for modern travel planners. Increasingly, they wish to avoid uniform, mass MICE locations.
The crucial role of air connectivity
All investments in hotels and conference halls lose value if the destination is not easily accessible. In this context, Zadar Airport plays a key role in attracting clients from the Benelux market. Direct air links connecting Zadar with Belgium and the Netherlands eliminate the need for complicated layovers or long transfers from alternative airports. This is often an eliminator for corporate clients with short time windows for holding events.
Ivan Novak, who heads the Croatian National Tourist Board's representation for Benelux, confirmed that competitiveness in these markets is directly linked to availability. The continuous maintenance and expansion of flight connections to Zadar therefore remains a prerequisite for any more serious growth in the share of business travel in the region's total traffic.
Networking on the path of new trends
The event itself, organised by The Contact Factory, was held in a unique format on the luxury yacht Grace Kelly while sailing in the port of Antwerp. This type of format, which combines classic B2B networking with an informal setting, reflects changes in the MICE industry itself. Business meetings are now also expected to offer an additional experience.
In this way, Croatian representatives have entered into direct interaction with corporate decision-makers, competing with destinations such as Malta, Monaco, and Switzerland. For domestic DMC agencies and hotel groups, this is a clear signal that the Benelux market is actively seeking alternatives to saturated Western European centres. The key to success will be the speed of response to enquiries and flexibility in creating personalised offers.
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