Kristjan Staničić reappointed as Director of Croatian National Tourist Board

Tonči Glavina and Kristjan Staničić (Photo: HTZ)

ZAGREB, 4 June 2026 – The Croatian National Tourist Board (HTZ) has confirmed the reappointment of Kristjan Staničić as its Director for a further four-year mandate, following a unanimous decision by the Tourism Council at its 6th session.

The appointment formally concludes the selection process for the position, which was open until 30 March this year. Staničić has held the role since July 2017, when he was first appointed Director of the HTZ.

The Council also highlighted continuity in leadership as a key factor in maintaining Croatia’s strong performance in international tourism markets.

Following his reappointment, Staničić expressed gratitude to the Tourism Council and Croatia’s Minister of Tourism and Sport Tonči Glavina for their continued confidence.

He said the renewed mandate represents a responsibility towards the Croatian tourism sector, industry partners, and the wider national economy, describing tourism as one of Croatia’s most important economic sectors.

Staničić added that, over recent years, the HTZ has successfully responded to various challenges while strengthening Croatia’s position internationally as a quality, safe and sustainable year-round destination.

Record growth in overnight stays

The HTZ Director also underlined strong tourism growth since 2017, noting that Croatia now records more than 110 million overnight stays annually.

This represents an increase of around eight million overnight stays compared to 2017, supported by extensive international and domestic promotional campaigns.

The organisation also highlighted increased traffic from key source markets across Europe and long-haul destinations, with the United States standing out as a market showing consistent growth in arrivals and overnight stays in recent years.

The HTZ has also played a significant role in positioning Croatia as an established air-accessible destination, supporting expanded airline connectivity.

Outlining priorities for the new mandate, Staničić said focus will remain on strengthening the competitiveness of Croatian tourism, further developing year-round tourism products, and ensuring sustainable destination management.

Key strategic directions will also include increased digitalisation, the use of new technologies such as artificial intelligence, and continued cooperation with strategic partners to support the expansion of international air routes.

He also announced that a new promotional video for Croatian tourism, featuring actor John Malkovich in the lead role, will soon be released. The video will serve as a foundation for future innovative marketing campaigns.

Staničić said the aim is to further enhance the quality and sustainability of Croatian tourism for the benefit of local communities, the wider economy, and citizens.

At the same session, the Tourism Council adopted decisions on the appointment of directors for HTZ representative offices across six markets.

In Austria, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, current directors were reappointed. New appointments were made for Slovenia, Scandinavia and China.

These markets are considered strategically important for Croatia’s international tourism promotion and development.

The Council also approved Croatia’s hosting of the annual general assembly of Lufthansa City Center International GmbH, one of the world’s largest independent travel agency franchise networks.

The organisation operates around 600 offices across 110 markets and has been active for more than 35 years.

The general assembly is held every two years in different destinations, and Istria has expressed interest in hosting the event in June 2027.

The gathering is expected to bring more than 400 participants, including senior executives, agency owners and leading figures from the global tourism industry.

Following the decision, preparations will begin on a letter of intent and the signing of an agreement between the Croatian National Tourist Board, Lufthansa City Center International GmbH, and the Istria County Tourist Board.