In the journal Geographies (2026, 6(1), 17), a scientific paper titled “Climate Study Insights for the Tourism Sector: Analysis of Selected Pilot Regions in Croatia” was published, authored by Dr. Mira Zovko and Dr. Izidora Marković Vukadin (Institute for Tourism), as well as Dr. Krešo Pandžić and Dr. Tanja Likso (Croatian Meteorological and Hydrological Service).
The paper provides a comprehensive analysis of long-term climate trends and their implications for tourism in Croatia, with a particular focus on five representative climatic regions: Lika, Kvarner, the Zadar region, and northern continental Croatia (Varaždin and Međimurje Counties). The analysis covers the period from 1961 to 2024, examining trends in mean annual air temperature, precipitation, and drought indicators (sc-PDSI and SPI).
Results indicate a continuous increase in mean annual air temperature and changes in precipitation patterns. To contextualize climate data for the tourism sector, semi-structured interviews were also conducted with tourism experts in the observed regions. Using a mixed-methods approach allowed for comparison between objective climatological indicators and the subjective perceptions of practitioners. Interviewees highlighted changes in the seasonality of tourism demand, growing concerns about heatwaves and water availability, and the need to adapt business and development models. The paper presents a methodological framework for developing climate change adaptation recommendations in tourism, taking regional specificities into account.
The paper is available at: https://doi.org/10.3390/geographies6010017
The research was conducted within the PACT-VIRA (IP-2024-05-9190) and COMMITMENT (Cro-Ris ID-95749) projects.