From technology and industry to events and innovation, Croatian communicators say the country’s global image still captures only part of the story
Croatia Is No Longer Just a Backdrop
Nevena Rendeli Vejzović,
CEO of Primetime Komunikacije
For Nevena Rendeli Vejzović, one of Croatia’s most underappreciated strengths lies in the growing intersection between business, events and creative industries.
While Croatia is globally recognised as a tourism destination, she believes the country increasingly functions as a regional platform for ideas, networking and contemporary cultural-business exchange. Projects such as Weekend, Women’s Weekend and Sunset Sports Festival, she says, demonstrate how Croatia is building visibility not only through hospitality, but through relevance.
“These events extend the season, attract returning audiences and position Croatia as a dynamic and intellectually open destination,” she says.
In her view, Croatia’s greatest opportunity lies in shifting from the image of a beautiful setting to that of a place where meaningful regional conversations, industries and collaborations actually happen.
“Hrvatska nije samo lijepa kulisa, već sadržajno bogat prostor susreta, razmjene i inspiracije,” she says.
In a Digital World, Physical Experiences Matter More
Lana Bedeković Rosandić,
Managing Partner at Alert
As digital communication becomes increasingly saturated, Lana Bedeković Rosandić believes physical experiences and direct human interaction are regaining strategic importance.
“We see growing demand for offline activities and events — not only from regional companies, but increasingly from international players as well,” she says.
She also points to Croatia’s growing visibility in technology and innovation, particularly through companies such as Rimac, alongside the continued transformation of the tourism sector toward more premium experiences and high-end hospitality investments.
According to Bedeković Rosandić, these shifts are reshaping not only tourism, but also sectors connected to hospitality, services and lifestyle. In an era dominated by digital noise, she argues, countries capable of combining innovation with authentic experiences may ultimately hold the strongest long-term positioning advantage.
The Problem Is Not Capability, but Positioning
Davor Bruketa,
Owner and Chief Creative Director, Bruketa&Gray
Davor Bruketa believes Croatia’s biggest communications gap is not tied to economic performance, but to how inconsistently that performance is translated into international perception.
“The problem lies not in the content, but in the absence of a clear positioning upon which a compelling narrative can be developed.” he says.
While Croatia remains strongly associated with sun and sea, Bruketa points to a growing industrial and technological ecosystem that receives far less global attention than it deserves. Companies such as Rimac and Infobip, he argues, have already demonstrated that Croatia can compete at the highest international level in sectors ranging from advanced mobility to communications technology.
He also highlights companies such as DOK-ING and Orqa, whose technologies increasingly intersect with strategic industries including defence, robotics and security, as well as major infrastructure projects such as the recently announced Pantheon AI data centre investment in Topusko.
For Bruketa, Croatia’s challenge is no longer proving that capability exists. The challenge is building a coherent international narrative around it.
Croatia Has a Stronger Story Than It Communicates
Nataša Trslić Štambak,
Managing Director of Grayling CEE Region
Croatia is still most strongly recognised through tourism, which is understandable given the sector’s importance to the economy. But the country’s business identity is far broader than the image it most often projects internationally.
Industry today accounts for roughly the same share of GDP as the wider impact of tourism, yet it remains far less visible in global perception. Companies such as Infobip, Rimac Group, Končar, Podravka and DOK-ING demonstrate that Croatia possesses the knowledge, industrial capacity and innovation potential to compete internationally while increasingly positioning itself as an important business player within Central and Eastern Europe.
According to Trslić Štambak, the challenge is not visibility itself, but the narrowness of the narrative. “Croatia has a much stronger story than it communicates,” she says, pointing to the need for a more ambitious and strategically connected international positioning.
Tourism, she argues, should remain part of Croatia’s identity — but not its only identity. The real opportunity lies in connecting the country’s global appeal with its technological, industrial and investment relevance.
