Awards are granted by Green Destinations, a global non-profit organization established in the Netherlands, which has for many years been supporting sustainable development of destinations and tourism stakeholders, as well as encouraging good practices aimed at dealing with challenges posed by sustainable tourism. With over 600 destinations included in various Green Destinations programs and more than 160 certified and award-winning destinations in over 60 countries, the organization promotes the visibility of green destinations in the global tourism market.

THE PATH TOWARD SUSTAINABILITY

This award is an important step on the path toward sustainability, but it also serves as a key milestone for the public institution, confirming that we are heading in the right direction regarding nature conservation, management, social welfare, environment and climate, cultural heritage, business and communication. Our vision was clearly defined by the Green Destinations silver award in 2023, and this year’s golden award confirms that we are on the right path.

Given that the national park had previously been granted the Green Destinations award, after two years the renewal, or recertification, process followed, which started this year in April. On that occasion, the recertification expert team (Maja Vurnek, Zrinka Nenadić and Kristina Sigurnjak) collected documentation and described individual criteria that needed to be clarified, or harmonized, after the first audit. About 50 criteria were covered in the first phase, with another 34 criteria additionally clarified in 5 categories after the evaluator reviewed the documentation and visited the national park. Plitvice Lakes National Park was awarded the maximum score in the “Nature & Scenery” and “Culture & Tradition” categories.  This entire journey ultimately confirmed the attractiveness, quality, and investment in the sustainability of the largest and oldest national park in Croatia, allowing us to improve from the silver to the gold award!

GREEN DESTINATIONS CONFERENCE

 At the two-day conference, we had the opportunity to hear leading lecturers on the following topics:

• Destination management – toward successful sustainable tourism,
• Cultural heritage and tourism that strengthens and connects communities,
• Strategies, tools and activities for achieving climate resilience,
• Certificates (EcoLabel and regional cooperation in tourism),
• Innovations,
• Digital transformation,
• Decarbonization,
• Regenerative tourism through partnerships and social welfare.
  
  

The diversity of topics provided numerous opportunities for exploring sustainable solutions, exchanging best practices and connecting with various destinations from around the world (more than 300 participants), including Croatian representatives from tourist boards, counties, development agencies, Tourism Lab, and the Ministry of Tourism and Sports.

Objava Plitvice Lakes National Park honored with Golden Green Destinations Award pojavila se prvi puta na Nacionalni park "Plitvička jezera".

Green Destinations Gold Award for Plitvice Lakes National Park

Plitvice Lakes National Park, as one of the most recognized and most visited protected areas in Croatia, a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site, and a renowned green tourist destination, has successfully applied for recognition of its sustainability policies and achievements through the Green Destinations Award program. This program evaluates sustainable tourist destinations at an international level in accordance with environmental, socio-economic, and cultural criteria.

The Path to the Gold Award

After a period of extensive preparation and the submission of detailed dossiers covering more than 75 sustainability criteria, followed by an independent on-site audit, the Green Destinations Gold Award was attributed to Plitvice Lakes National Park. This award indicates excellence in all fields of sustainable destination management, such as nature and heritage conservation, waste management, energy, and climate action. It also recognizes the Park’s efforts to sustain the attractiveness of its tourism in the future. Not only visible and tangible aspects are measured, such as natural heritage, but also policies and management plans that take sustainable development principles into account.

Recommendations for the Future

As one of the improvements for the future, it was recommended to focus on:

• Monitoring sustainability indicators (environmental, economic, social, and cultural).
• Measuring inhabitant satisfaction.
• Encouraging the use of public transportation and low-emission alternatives.
• Involving the private sector in sustainability measures.
• Promoting recognition of good environmental practices among entrepreneurs.

Building on Previous Success

Since 2023, Plitvice Lakes National Park has been included in the Green Destinations Award program, first receiving the Silver Award. In 2024, the Park entered the Top 100 Destinations Sustainability Stories competition with the story “A Ticket that Opens Doors of Lika Destination – branding initiative for sustainable tourism development.”

This Green Destinations Gold Award is a major step forward toward fully evidence-based and independently verified certification of sustainability performance, in accordance with international standards set by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC).

Official Ceremony

The Award will be officially presented to Plitvice Lakes National Park during the Green Destinations Global Conference 2025 in Montpellier, Occitanie, France.

About Green Destinations

The Green Destinations Award & Certification Program challenges municipalities, counties, regions, and protected areas to promote responsible destination management on an ongoing basis and to encourage the tourism sector to implement sustainable practices. Participating destinations engage in a sustainability management system, with independent verification of performance and progress every two or three years, accompanied by recommendations for improvements. With support from regional partners and representatives, more than 120 destinations in 25 countries have already received Awards and Certification.

Since 2018, Green Destinations Certification has been accredited by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC).

More information: www.greendestinations.org

Objava Plitvice Lakse National Park once again in the global spotlight pojavila se prvi puta na Nacionalni park "Plitvička jezera".