Study trip: members of the tourism cluster from Latvia visiting Lika
During November, members of the tourist cluster from Latvia "Gauja National Park Tourism Association" visited the members of the Lika Destination cluster in order to get acquainted with an example of good practice in destination development: how to build a recognizable, sustainable and developed tourist destination from a rural, natural and culturally rich region. That visit was more than a formal exchange of contacts, it was a study visit in the true sense: an opportunity to look at the tourism development model that unites nature, local community, tradition and sustainability.
For colleagues from Latvia, it was the diversity of the continental and coastal part that offers a unique combination of nature, mountains, sea, cultural heritage and gastronomy that was key: Lika offers something that rarely any destination succeeds, which is the possibility for the visitor to experience various climatic, natural and cultural aspects in a relatively short time. Lika Destination offers not only landscapes, but the experience of a combination of nature, tradition, local production and tourism.
During the visit, members of the Latvian cluster learned about the key elements that make up the success of Lika Destination:
- Quality system and local production: they visited members of the Lika Quality system and had the opportunity to taste cheeses from Sirana Turkalj and participate in the creation of souvenirs Ajda Lavanda and Gačanka Otočac
- Integration of natural and cultural resources: Lika Destination cooperates with protected areas and visited the Plitvice Lakes National Park, the Cerovac Caves as part of the Velebit Nature Park and the Velebit House as part of the Northern Velebit National Park
- Extension of stay and diversification of offer: projects such as "Stay 3 Days in Lika" and Joint tickets for nature parks motivate visitors to stay for more days and explore lesser-known parts of the region, and networking of stakeholders in the destination proved to be key for this visit as well, and they visited Sokol - Feel good estate, Velebit activities, Pizzeria Ruspante
For visitors from Latvia who come from the context of tourism clusters, such a "holistic approach" was particularly inspiring because it shows that tourism does not have to be mass or seasonal, but that it can be sustainable, locally rooted and diverse.
The work of the Lika Destination Cluster has also been recognized internationally: the region has been included in the Global Green Destinations Foundation TOP 100 several times (2020, 2021, 2024) as an example of sustainable tourist destinations. In 2024, the cluster also received the Green Destinations Bronze Award, which testifies that their standards, approach and implementation have been recognized by international experts. In addition, the model of connecting stakeholders from different tourism sectors, also applied during this visit, is the reason why the destination development model has been included in the European Commission's Travel Guide
Thus, Lika Destination today serves not only as a destination, but as an example of good practice, from which other regions in Croatia and beyond can learn. The visit of the Latvian cluster showed that sustainable development, caring for the community, valorization of tradition and nature are not just nice phrases, but a concrete model that brings results.
News - All