Plitvice Lakes National Park is the first national park in Croatia to receive the prestigious Green Destinations award for sustainability in 2023. As a result, the Park is gradually increasing its visibility in the global market for sustainable tourism destinations. This recognition brings the Park closer to the growing trend of sustainable travel and attracts more tourists who wish to travel responsibly and contribute to nature conservation.
The Green Destinations certificate is the result of long-term efforts by all services and departments within the National park, all of whom are dedicated to preserving natural values, ensuring the smooth functioning of natural processes, and promoting the sustainable use of natural resources. The certification was granted based on the evaluation of 84 criteria across six key sustainability areas: destination management, nature and landscape, environment and climate, culture and tradition, social well-being, and business and communication.
In November 2023, a presentation titled “Plan for Implementing Activities Based on the Green Destinations Audit” was held. At this event, Park staff were thoroughly introduced to the certification process and its criteria. The presentation took place in the conference hall of the Jezero Hotel, with 70 participants in attendance.
In addition to preserving the extraordinary natural beauty of Plitvice Lakes National Park, the Institution carries out a range of activities that are often challenging to align with the high standards of nature protection.
At the end of 2024, we highlight a few activities that are part of the Park’s sustainable practices:
The Park’s service for protection, maintenance, conservation, promotion, and management, through the Cro Buzz Klima project, has supported initiatives to preserve the biodiversity of wild pollinators. This is achieved by mowing grass less frequently in certain areas, allowing various plant species to bloom and protecting wild pollinators. Interestingly, Plitvice Lakes National Park is one of the pilot areas for bumblebee research.
In 2024, the Hotel and Catering Branch initiated the procurement process for a biowaste device and a composter to produce compost from plant materials and food waste.
During 2024, the Park received another ZelEn certificate, confirming that all electricity supplied to the Park comes from 100% renewable sources. From 2018, when the Park first received its ZelEn certificate, until 2023, the trend of energy consumption has been declining, which is a positive indicator.
In the area of e-mobility, the Park joined a development project by HEP (the Croatian electric power company) in 2024. This partnership led to the installation of electric car charging stations at various locations within the Park. A total of 13 charging stations with 14 charging points were installed at Entrance 1, in front of the Jezero Hotel, and at the Borje Restaurant. These include 12 AC Wallbox chargers (up to 22 kW) and one AC/DC charger (up to 50 kW).
In 2024, the Park also joined the MOSI (Mobility of Persons with Disabilities) project, launched by the Ministry of the Sea, Transport, and Infrastructure. This project provides people with disabilities access to a national disability card, offering a range of benefits.
In collaboration with the Croatian Association of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, the Park became an associated partner in the “Nature for All in Sign Language” project, which aims to raise awareness of accessible tourism. The project focuses on improving the quality of tourist experiences for deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals. According to data from the Croatian Institute of Public Health (September 2023), there are approximately 19,000 people in Croatia with hearing impairments.
The Green Destinations Top 100 Sustainability Stories competition recognizes the best global practices in sustainability each year. In 2024, Plitvice Lakes National Park was selected as one of the Top 100 with its story “A Ticket That Opens the Doors to Lika Destinations – A Branding Initiative for Sustainable Tourism.” In collaboration with the Lika Destination Cluster and nine other attractions within the Lika region, the Park has offered a joint ticket for the Lika destination since 2018, with support for organization and marketing from Plitvice Lakes National Park.
As part of Earth Day 2024, two educational programs were held in the National Park: Water of Life and What’s Happening to the Climate? These are just some of the educational activities conducted by the Park’s service for protection, maintenance, conservation, promotion, and management throughout the year.
In 2024, a new visitor experience was added with the Tomićevo pogledalo viewpoint. Situated at an elevation of 684.82 meters above sea level, the viewpoint was designed with nature conservation in mind and offers a spectacular panoramic view of the Upper Lakes. This helps alleviate some of the pressure on the most visited areas of the lake zone by dispersing visitors.
The above and many other activities within Plitvice Lakes National Park contribute to nature preservation and the promotion of sustainable resource use. The Green Destinations certificate is a globally recognized award and also a commitment, as the sustainability criteria are re-evaluated every two years. The upcoming recertification in September 2025 will serve as an additional incentive for continued proactive efforts to improve the Park’s sustainable practices and adopt new ones.
