Wholesale FIT* tour operator Avanti Destinations and the Croatian National Tourist Office have launched an educational campaign to familiarize travel advisors with the many options for independent travel in this increasingly popular southern European destination. Avanti has also expanded its offering of vacations, tours and hotels for advisors’ independent travel clients interested in visiting Croatia.
The campaign consists of a new 50-page downloadable, shareable e-brochure, “Croatia: Hopping Across Islands”and a recorded webinar.
Within Croatia, Avanti now offers a total of nine customizable vacations, 56 hotels, 65 sightseeing tours and experiences in 11 different locations. Most hotels are four- and five-star, and most tours are private. The new e-brochure describes four recommended vacations, 27 hotels and 21 tours and experiences, many added within the past few years.
Avanti sells custom-crafted independent travel vacations exclusively through travel advisors, not directly to consumers. Tips: book in advance, travel off-peak season, explore less touristed destinations
“Now one of our top 10 European destinations, Croatia has been rapidly rising in popularity among international travelers — and with good reason,” said Paul Barry, CEO of Avanti Destinations. “Best known for its stunning Adriatic coastline, beaches, islands and seafood, the country also offers mountains, hilltop towns and hearty cuisine in the north and further inland. Game of Thrones has helped popularized locations such as Dubrovnik and Split. Because of the resulting high demand, we recommend advisors book clients to Croatia four to six months in advance. This is particularly true for travel between April and October, the season for island-hopping, which is featured in several of our itineraries. For clients who want fewer crowds and a more authentic experience, we encourage off-season travel November through March. And we always recommend traveling to several locations within any country — both the best-known and those more off-the-beaten-path -- to get to know the people and their culture in greater depth. Our new self-drive vacation can be done all year long.”
The e-brochure provides useful tools for trip planning — a map, information on getting around via Croatia’s rail, bus and ferry network, as well as descriptions of festivals and special events. Zagreb’s Christmas Market, which runs from early December until early January, was voted “Best in Europe” three years in a row in a poll of more than 200,000 international travelers. Ferries connect the islands to the mainland. There are more than 1,000 islands in Croatia.
Avanti’s Croatian Destinations
The 11 destinations Avanti offers in Croatia reflect the multilayered history of the country, which has seen ancient Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Venetian and Austro-Hungarian rulers: Dubrovnik, whose UNESCO-listed Old Town, encircled with more than one mile of massive stone walls built in medieval times, overlooks the clear turquoise waters of the Adriatic; Split, half of which is located within the jaw-dropping Palace of Diocletian, built in the third century CE by the Roman emperor who hailed from the area and retired there after abdicating his position; the island of Korcula is blessed with abundant sunshine, beaches, vineyards and a beautiful old town built behind city walls; the island of Hvar has more sunshine than any other Croatian destination, plus vineyards, beaches and Stari Grad, a town dating back to the 2nd century BCE; the island of Brac, best known for its white pebble beach on a V-shaped spit of land and as a top windsurfing destination; Makarska, a port town with a palm-fringed promenade located near the country’s second-highest mountain range, where active travelers can hike, cycle and climb; Trogir, another UNESCO Heritage site because of the harmony of its Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque architecture, with narrow medieval streets that invite wandering; the old town of Zadar dates back to the ninth century BCE and has an abundance of Roman ruins, uncrowded beaches and proximity to Croatia’s largest mountain range, ideal for hiking and climbing enthusiasts; spectacular Plitvice Lakes National Park has 92 waterfalls, 16 lakes and 20 hiking trails; the Istria peninsula in the north of Croatia on the border with Slovenia and just 57 miles from Trieste blends Italian, Mediterranean and Balkan influences with its dense forests, charming hilltop towns, renowned delicacies – including prosciutto, oysters, wine, olive oil and black and white truffles – as well as opportunities for cycling, hiking, paragliding, caving, as well as unspoiled beaches; and Zagreb, the nation’s capital and also its gastronomic capital, has a distinctly Austro-Hungarian feel -quite different from the Dalmatian coast – with many museums, 23 markets (Dolac is the best known), and an award-winning Advent/Christmas market.
Recently Added Tours and Experiences
Among the 21 commissionable sightseeing tours, excursions and experiences featured in the new e-brochure and which may be added on to any custom vacation in Croatia: private Game of Thrones walking tour of either Dubrovnik or Split (three hours); private Taste of Dubrovnik tour (seven hours) with stops to sample olive oil, homemade cheeses, smoked ham, sea salt (still made in Roman-era pans), seafood and wine in three villages; private full-day (11 hours, from Dubrovnik) excursion to the picturesque towns of Mostar and Positelj in the neighboring nation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a stop at a Dervish monastery; private speedboat cruise to the Pakeleni Islands to explore a fishing village on Vis and the Blue Cave of Bisevo (six hours, from Hvar); private Taste of Split walking tour (three hours) featuring pairings of olive oil with fleur de sel, aged red wine vinegar, tapenade, homemade bread, fig jam and cheese; private Plitvice Lakes tour from Split (12 hours) including boat ride and walking tour among the national park’s 92 waterfalls; private Krka waterfalls tour (nine hours from Split) takes clients not only to Krka National Park, but also the beautiful small coastal towns of Solin, Kastela, Trogir, Primosten and Sibenik; private Nin and Royal Vineyards tour with wine tasting (four hours, from Zadar) also includes walking tour of Zadar; private Truffle Hunter for a Day tour with truffle-sniffing dogs near a small village and light truffle lunch that clients can help prepare (six to eight hours) plus a visit to the medieval hilltop town of Motovun; private Varazdin and Trakoscan Castle tour (six hours, from Zagreb) in the Hrvatsko Zagorje cultural region bordering Slovenia.
Two Sample Customizable Independent Vacations
These two recently introduced FIT vacations featured in the new e-brochure may be modified to include additional nights, cities, tours and experiences, transfers, as well as other European destinations. All Avanti vacations are completely customizable, and all land components are commissionable.
- Discover Croatia (Self-Drive) – nine days/eight nights in Zagreb, Plitvice, Zadar, Split. Includes: private Taste of Split tour; shared Zagreb walking tour; Plitvice Lakes National Park entrance; private arrival and departure transfers; car rental; choice of accommodations; daily breakfast. Available year-round.
- Croatia Countryside and Island-Hopping – 10 days/nine nights in Zagreb, Split, Hvar, Korcula, Dubrovnik. Includes: private Zagreb tour; private driver-guide Dubrovnik to Split, stopping at Plitvice Lakes and Trogir along the way; private Plitvice Lakes tours; private Split walking tour; private Dubrovnik Old Town walking tour; ferry/catamaran tickets to travel Split to Hvar, Hvar to Korcula, and Korcula to Dubrovnik; private arrival and departure airport transfers; all transfers in Dubrovnik, Hvar, Korcula; choice of accommodations; daily breakfast. Available April 1 through October 31.
For more information on independent travel in Croatia and Europe generally, or to book custom-crafted, multi-destination FIT travel 365 days a year throughout Europe, Asia, the South Pacific, North Africa, the Middle East, or Central and South America, log onto the recently revamped advisor portal or call 1-800-422-5053 to speak with an expert travel consultant.
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