Dr. Izidora Marković Vukadin, project lead, recently gave an interview to Forbes Croatia where she highlighted the urgent need for Croatia’s tourism sector to adapt to climate change. As she explained, the Mediterranean is considered a climate hotspot, with temperatures rising up to 50% faster than the global average. For a country like Croatia, this means facing more frequent and intense heatwaves, wildfires, and droughts. All of these phenomena directly affect tourism infrastructure, safety, and the overall visitor experience.
NaTour4CChange is responding to these challenges by working with local communities to develop nature-based solutions that support long-term resilience. One notable example is the Climate Strategy for Tourism in Zadar County, along with the Action Plan for Dugi Otok, created in partnership with project partner JU Natura Jadera. These include pilot measures for adapting Sakarun beach, a popular destination that is particularly vulnerable to climate impacts.
In the interview, Dr. Marković Vukadin stressed that a fundamental transformation is essential. She highlighted the importance of shifting away from a dependency on mass summer tourism toward models that are more sustainable, year-round, and climate-resilient. “The biggest losers will be those who rely solely on mass summer tourism without adaptation, while winners will be destinations investing in infrastructure and offers that are resilient to climate change”, she noted.
Through its actions, the NaTour4CChange project is contributing to this transition. It strengthens the tourism sector’s capacity to manage climate risks and supports a more sustainable development path for Mediterranean destinations.
Read the full interview here.
