Croatia brings largest delegation to ILTM Cannes in nine years - EXCLUSIVE

CE Report presents an exclusive interview with the Croatian Chamber of Economy and Croatian National Tourist Board (CNTB) regarding Croatia’s participation at ILTM Cannes 2025. The parts in kursiv reflect information provided by the CNTB, while the text in black represents the contribution of the CCE as co-organisers of Croatia’s participation.

Could you provide a list of the 16 companies and 40 representatives showcasing Croatia’s premium tourism offer at ILTM 2025?

This year’s participation of Croatian companies at the International Luxury Travel Market (ILTM) Cannes was organised by the Croatian Chamber of Economy (CCE) under the Stories – Experience Premium Croatia brand, together with the Croatian National Tourist Board. 16 companies and 40 representatives from the tourism sector took part. This was Croatia’s largest delegation at ILTM Cannes in nine years of participation.

The exhibitors presented themselves under the following brand names:

Liburnia Hotels & Villas; Esplanade Zagreb Hotel; Hilton Hotels Croatia; Valamar; Lošinj Hotels & Villas; Hotel Park Split & Fenomen Plitvice Resort; Le Meridien Lav Split; Hvar Boutique Villas; Katarina Line Cruises & Land Tours / Keight Hotel Opatija; Perfecta Travel DMC / Palazzo President Split; Leonidas Travel; Rewind Croatia DMC; Terranautika DMC; Sveta Ana – agence de voyages; Permansio Equilibri Travel; and Booker Travel.

What new initiatives or experiences is Croatia promoting for luxury tourism this year?

The Croatian Chamber of Economy this year focused on enhancing Croatia’s premium tourism image by showcasing the country’s most authentic experiences, carefully curated programmes, and personalized and attentive hospitality. Through our brand and platform, Stories – Experience Premium Croatia, we bring together high-end accommodation providers – including hotels, villas, and camps – as well as travel agencies, marinas, and gourmet partners, to collectively showcase Croatia’s most distinctive premium products We facilitate connections between visitors and Croatian companies, giving tourists the opportunity to discover Croatia through its gastronomy, sailing trips, wellness programmes, as well as cultural and nature-based experiences. We aim to position Croatia as a destination for travellers seeking authentic, personalized, and experience-driven holidays.

The Croatian National Tourist Board promotes authentic, unique and distinctive tourist experiences. The foundation of premium tourism lies precisely in the authenticity and exclusivity of the offer, combined with the highest level of service. The development and promotion of this segment is one of the CNTB’s strategic priorities, and Croatia’s premium experiences are showcased together with our partners – including the Croatian Chamber of Economy’s “Stories” platform and others – through trade fair appearances, dedicated presentations, promotional campaigns and collaborations with leading travel platforms.

How does the Croatian National Tourist Board measure the success of participation in ILTM and the expected impact on international tourism arrivals?

Given that the primary statutory role of the Croatian National Tourist Board (CNTB) is the promotion of tourism, not the sale of capacities, there is no direct tracking of tourist arrivals that can be attributed specifically to participation at ILTM. However, results and effects are evaluated through continuous communication with co-exhibitors and/or partners who are part of programmes such as “Stories”. Participation in key B2B events like ILTM Cannes is essential for maintaining and strengthening Croatia’s global visibility as an attractive destination in the premium and luxury travel segment.

The CCE wishes to clarify that measuring direct tourist bookings from trade fairs like ILTM Cannes is challenging, as such events primarily serve to build brand awareness, foster business relationships, and generate long-term leads which may convert into bookings over time.

Nevertheless, the engagement observed at ILTM Cannes provides valuable insights into Croatia’s growing visibility and appeal in the premium travel segment. Approximately 2,500 buyers from 84 countries attended this year’s ILTM Cannes, where they met with approximately 2,700 exhibiting brands from more than 100 countries. “Experience Premium Croatia” was represented by 16 brands. Croatia was marked as “of interest” by 1347 buyers, which is a great sign of Croatia becoming recognized as a destination for high-end travellers looking for premium services and accommodation. It is also noteworthy that several exhibitors from our delegation have participated in ILTM Cannes for up to eight consecutive years, reflecting their continued satisfaction with the outcomes. Since this year, there were 40% new buyers, which allowed Croatian exhibitors to make new connections and present their offer to new markets.

Are there any plans for collaborations or partnerships announced during the event to further promote Croatian luxury tourism abroad?

Participation in major European and global B2B platforms and business events in the premium and luxury travel segment will continue in the coming period. In addition to ILTM Cannes, the CNTB has also taken part in ILTM North America this year and last year — one of the key industry events connecting global luxury travel suppliers with specialized advisors from the US, Canada and Mexico. This participation was, once again, carried out in cooperation with the Croatian Chamber of Economy.

This year, the CCE participated at the ILTM North America alongside 11 other co-exhibitors receiving overwhelmingly positive feedback. Croatia is perceived as a secure, family-friendly destination with great gastronomy, beautiful nature and rich culture – which is just what travellers from these markets look for. We expect the number of tourists from the USA, Mexico and Canada to continue increasing. There is strong interest among the members of the Stories platform in organising promotional activities in new markets, particularly Latin America and Asia, so we are preparing to promote premium Croatian brands in those regions in 2026.

In 2024, Croatia’s offer was also showcased at ILTM Latin America, a highly important and promising market within South and Latin America. Furthermore, for several years now, the CNTB has been presenting Croatia’s premium & luxury offer at smaller boutique B2B events (workshops) such as the Venezia Travelux Club or Partance in Paris, which focuses on the premium MICE segment.

It is also important to highlight our long-term collaborations with some of the leading US and global luxury travel consortia, including Internova Travel Group and Signature Travel Network, which bring together top advisors and agents specializing in premium and luxury travel.

Photo: HINA

This interview was prepared by Julian Müller