Marijana Biondić
Episode · #349
TURIZAM 385 Marijana Biondić
Guest Marijana BiondićHosted by Goran RihtarićMay 3, 2026
Marijana Biondić
About this episode
What you'll hear in this conversation
Croatian tourism proved exceptionally resilient through the recent years of uncertainty, not just surviving but thriving. Marijana Biondić, director of the Crikvenica Tourist Board, saw her region navigate "last minute" changes to achieve nearly 80% of its record 2019 numbers in 2021, even facing a shortage of beds during peak season. She discusses the specific choices that allowed Crikvenica to extend its tourist season beyond summer, leaning into its 130-year legacy in health tourism. This conversation offers a look at how a long-established destination adapts to new realities, focusing on the power of natural advantages and year-round programming over traditional seasonal models.
Insights from the conversation
What to take from this episode
01
Extending the tourist season year after year, as Crikvenica has done, is not a marketing trick. It is the direct consequence of sustained investment in quality, new content, and additional capacity. You don't market your way to a longer season; you build it.
02
Even when the market is unpredictable, a prepared destination can still see extraordinary demand. The guest recounts how Crikvenica faced a situation where "we simply had nowhere to put people" during peak season, proving that sometimes, the market will find you if you're ready.
03
When conditions are too uncertain for long-term planning, traditional marketing becomes futile. The Crikvenica Tourist Board shifted to a "last minute" strategy, adapting promotional activities and event planning in real-time as borders opened and health measures eased. Agility is the only plan when certainty is absent.
04
A commemorative event can be the unexpected seed of a significant industry platform. What started as a single-day forum to celebrate Crikvenica's 125th anniversary of organized tourism grew into the multi-day CIHT conference, now a fixture in regional health tourism.
05
Health tourism fundamentally redefines the operational calendar for a destination. It shifts the focus from seasonal peaks to a "tourist year," offering a built-in path to year-round activity that conventional tourism often struggles to achieve.
06
The most potent assets for a health tourism destination are often its existing natural elements, not just its developed infrastructure. The Kvarner region's unique blend of "mountain and sea air" and "Mediterranean vegetation" creates an immediate, palpable health benefit for visitors, which is hard to replicate.
07
For specialized tourism niches, individual destinations gain strength through regional collaboration. The Kvarner Health Tourism Cluster's involvement demonstrates how a shared identity and combined natural advantages can amplify the impact of individual efforts.
08
Extending tourism beyond the summer peak requires a calendar filled with distinct, diverse events throughout the year. It's not about stretching one season, but about layering a variety of experiences—from business conferences to sports marathons and cultural festivals—across the entire calendar.