Miss Universe Croatia 2024: Meet the 15 Finalists

(Photo: Meet Miss Universe Croatia PR)

The 28th edition of Miss Universe Croatia will take place on May 6, 2024, at the Emerald Hall of the Esplanade Hotel in Zagreb. 

Fifteen beautiful finalists will compete for the title and they will gather in Zagreb this weekend.

During their stay in the capital city, the girls will reside in the luxurious Esplanade Hotel. Their time will be filled with promotional photoshoots, selecting attire from Bariba evening and cocktail dresses, Pletix swimsuits, and Humanic footwear for the competition. 

The girls will also visit Svjetlost Clinic, Zagreb School of Economics and Management, and the Franck factory. Additionally, they’ll attend a workshop hosted by Franck’s baristas, teaching them how to prepare Croatians’ favourite beverage. For convenient travel, Nova Rent-a-Car and Samoborček have ensured transportation.

Continuing their preparations, the contestants will head to Dubrovnik. At one of the seven pools of Royal Hotels & Resorts, they’ll continue photoshoots, have their first official photo session with photographer Emanuel Mancy, and practice choreography. Beauty Studio MZ, led by Maja Zatezalo, along with Aura cosmetics, and Studio Marcela hair salons will ensure the finalists shine on camera. 

Every step of their preparation will be closely followed by Dorian Gašparović’s camera, later to be showcased during the final evening.

“We thank Royal Hotels & Resorts for recognising the value and media visibility this project brings, providing our finalists with an unforgettable experience in one of the most beautiful cities, not only in Croatia but worldwide. This year, we’re delighted to have Dr. Vivian Jurković, owner and founder of Dr. Vivian Esthetics, joining our preparations, offering valuable skincare tips to the girls,” revealed the director of the pageant, Marija Kraljević. 

Following the recent trend where married women and mothers competed in the Miss Universe pageant for the first time in history, Croatia follows suit. 

For the first time ever, two married women will compete in Miss Universe Croatia, confirmed by the license owner, Vladimir Kraljević. Alongside the preparations in Zagreb and Dubrovnik, Andrea Erjavec, the current Miss Universe Croatia, will join the finalists. 

“I’m immensely looking forward to bonding with this year’s finalists, though I’m also aware and somewhat saddened that this marks the end of my tenure. When they tell you that the obligations of Miss Universe Croatia last a year, initially, it’s intimidating and feels like a very long period. However, I can say that this has been an unforgettable year for me, flying by so quickly that I can’t believe I’ll be passing on the crown to my successor in about 30 days. I’ve met so many wonderful people, seen so many beautiful places, traveled to the other side of the world, witnessed an active volcano firsthand, seen the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, swam in the Atlantic Ocean, tasted food I never dreamed I’d try, flown in a helicopter, and met two presidents! I think only the title of Miss Universe Croatia can offer such experiences in one year, and I can only thank Marija and Vladimir Kraljević from the bottom of my heart for investing so much effort and love into this project, as well as all the sponsors supporting them,” shared Andrea Erjavec.

We’ll find out which of this year’s finalists Andrea Erjavec will pass the crown to at Zlatarne Dodić on May 6, earning the right and privilege to represent Croatia at the Miss Universe pageant, taking place in Mexico in mid-November.

The winner will receive numerous valuable prizes, including one of the most significant, a scholarship from the Zagreb School of Economics and Management (ZŠEM) for a four-year undergraduate or MBA program worth up to 20,000 Euros. In addition to Mexico, the winner will travel to Dubai in October as a special guest for a conference organized by Tiens, one of the leading global producers of vitamins and dietary supplements.

The current Miss Universe® is 23-year-old Sheynnis Palacios from Nicaragua, a mental health advocate and audiovisual producer from Managua, Nicaragua. During her tenure, Miss Universe dedicated herself to mental health advocacy, having faced anxiety issues herself. Coming from a country where this issue is rarely discussed, she initiated the “Understand Your Mind” campaign, interviewing emotional care experts in her television segments, and producing events and other audiovisual projects on this topic. Her life goal is to serve humanity by leading editorial teams and producing content and advertisements for international brands.

MISS UNIVERSE® is an international spectacle watched by up to a billion people directly or in delayed broadcasts in 170 countries worldwide.

MISS UNIVERSE CROATIA 2024 FINALISTS

1. Laura Aleksa, 18, Đakovo

Laura Aleksa (Photo: Meet Miss Universe Croatia PR)

2. Sara Antić, 18, Zagreb

Sara Antić (Photo: Meet Miss Universe Croatia PR)

3. Dajana Barišić, 19, Gradište

Dajana Barišić (Photo: Meet Miss Universe Croatia PR)

4. Hannah Anastasia Bičanić, 23, Zagreb

Hannah Anastasia Bičanić (Photo: Meet Miss Universe Croatia PR)

5. Lorena Čačija, 18, Rijeka

Lorena Čačija (Photo: Meet Miss Universe Croatia PR)

6. Zrinka Ćorić, 22, Dubrovnik

Zrinka Ćorić (Photo: Meet Miss Universe Croatia PR)

7. Anastasia Ičević, 22, Vukovar

Anastasia Ičević (Photo: Meet Miss Universe Croatia PR)

8. Matea Ilić, 20, Podgrađe

Matea Ilić (Photo: Meet Miss Universe Croatia PR)

9. Sofya Kotava, 19, Rijeka

Sofja Kotava (Photo: Meet Miss Universe Croatia PR)

10. Marta Leković, 22, Jezera

Marta Leković (Photo: Meet Miss Universe Croatia PR)

11. Ana Marjolović, 28, Zagreb

Ana Marjolović (Photo: Meet Miss Universe Croatia PR)

12. Arijana Martinović, 18, Vinkovci

Arijana Martinović (Photo: Meet Miss Universe Croatia PR)

13. Claudia Mihoković, 28, Garešnica

Claudia Mihoković (Photo: Meet Miss Universe Croatia PR)

14. Vlatka Pačarić, 21, Slatina

Vlatka Pačarić (Photo: Meet Miss Universe Croatia PR)

15. Lana Vuković, 20, Split

Lana Vuković (Photo: Meet Miss Universe Croatia PR)

You can follow all Miss Universe Croatia events on social media: Facebook: facebook.com/MissUniverseCroatia, platform X (formerly Twitter): @MissUniverseCro, and Instagram: @missuniversecroatiaorg. MISS UNIVERSE® is the most prestigious beauty pageant globally, with a tradition spanning 73 years.