The story behind the statistics: Brod-Posavina County recorded the highest growth in the number of overnight stays

And while there are still discussions about how successful the current season will be, the results of the first part of the year indicate an increase in tourist interest in Croatian destinations. 

With the arrival of summer, the focus of interest shifts to coastal destinations, but the continent also has its trump cards. One of them is the Brod-Posavina County, which recorded excellent results compared to last year.

In terms of the number of visitors, it is rare that any continental destination can be compared with the one on our coast, and the development of year-round tourism is not just a platitude that we brag about every year, but a necessity, because without sun and sea, quality offers and facilities come first. 

By the way, year-round tourism on the continent is something normal, because all hotels, restaurants and other facilities are open throughout the year, not just seasonally. 

The support of the Croatian Tourist Board for the enrichment of the offer in touristic undeveloped areas gives continental destinations an additional tailwind. But financial aid is in vain, if there are no projects that do not transform it into added value in the best possible way.

And so we return to the beginning of the story, namely tourism in Brod-Posavina County. So let's present this success story in statistics, that is, raw numbers.

Brod-Posavina County is the first in Croatia in terms of the number of tourist overnight stays: A 42,55% increase in the number of overnight stays was recorded in the first six months of 2023.

According to the statistical data of the Tourist Board of Brod-Posavina County, from January to June 2023, this area recorded the highest growth in overnight stays. The growth is more than 42%, and it should be emphasized that the number of domestic tourists compared to last year was even 56% more. Foreign tourists are also discovering Brod-Posavina County, and there were 31% more than in 2022. In addition to all of the above, it should be emphasized that the number of arrivals also increased, 24% more domestic and 36% more foreign guests, and the total increase is more than 30%.

All of the above is a statistic, but also a fact. Every increase in the number of overnight stays on the continent is pleasing, and the data is growing year after year. On the other hand, the growth of over 40% in the number of overnight stays is significant. 

The question remains why domestic and foreign tourists decided to visit Brod-Posavina County, which does not hide its satisfaction with such results. The increase in the number of quality accommodation, content, events... are only part of the story. 

We wanted to find out firsthand about the "situation on the ground" and what is needed for an additional increase in traffic in this area. That's why we contacted stakeholders in tourism in this area, who told us a little more about the current situation, but also presented their plans for the future... and there is certainly no shortage of plans.

Ranch Ramarin in Garčin

Ranch Ramarin was founded in 2013, and its name came from the three children of the ranch owner: Rea, Anja and Marin. It is a family business, and they like to say that their horses are the most responsible for this beautiful beginning. They listened carefully to the wishes of the visitors of that time, so they decided to create new pleasures at the ranch. 

They soon opened a restaurant that still offers a variety of gastronomic offers, but in an even more modern guise. Every day they invest in new activities so that visitors can experience a wonderful vacation in pure nature. There are many activities in Ramarin. Horse riding, fishing, cycling, children's activities, team building, weddings, pub quizzes, yoga, meditation... these are just some of the facilities offered to visitors, and accommodation in hostels, bungalows and camps attracts an increasing number of visitors every year.

"The increase in traffic that we achieved in the first six months of this year is noticeable. It increased by 47% compared to last year, and this can be seen in particular in the new restaurant, whose capacity we expanded with the help of EU funds. The ratio of increase in domestic and foreign tourists is equal, and currently we invest mostly in online marketing and advertising. The number of those who inquire about team building is increasing, but most often our guests use facilities such as horse riding, cycling and the restaurant.", reveals to us Anja Galović, member of the Ramarin Ranch Management Board.

Ranch Ramarin is a family business with 23 employees. In addition to 11 bungalows and six rooms, there is also a camp that is most often visited by families, and the construction of a diffused hotel with the help of an EU project is also planned. But this is only one of the many plans that Ranch Ramarin will expand its offer in the next two years.

"Our plans include tennis courts, mini golf, an electric charging station, an offer of electric bicycles and an endurance center, which would be the first or among the first of its kind in Europe. We would achieve all of the above with the help of the European Union, which would co-finance the projects in the amount of 75%. In this way, we would further extend the season, which currently lasts from April to, most often, the end of October. We would also contribute to this with a prefabricated covered terrace that would be available throughout the year.", adds Galović.

According to the current situation, the number of visitors and overnight stays in the first half of July is also higher than in the same period last year. If the predictions and reservations come true by the end of this month and during August, Ranch Ramarin will achieve significantly better results compared to 2022.

Hotel and Eco ethno farm Savus

In the center of Slavonski Brod is the Savus hotel, which has been operating for many years. They survived the corona crisis, after which business recovered, but... The director of the hotel and the nearby Eco Ethno Farm Savus, Ivan Bogović, we found on the annual vacation, so although exact statistical data were missing, we found out that both facilities recorded better results.

"After the coronavirus, recovery began, which, in addition to the programs in this area, was certainly contributed to by Croatia's entry into Schengen. We are recording an increase in the number of overnight stays, but despite inflation and the increase in costs, we have not changed the prices. Business guests, both local and foreign, come to the Savus hotel most often, and there are more and more of them. There is a noticeable increase in the number of tourist groups. We were recently visited by two such groups from Slovenia who, like the majority of our guests, came from Slavonia and brought back the most beautiful memories.", Bogović points out.

The recovery and increase in the number of overnight stays is much more noticeable than the increase in the number of guests in the Savus restaurant and eco-ethno farm, where the team building offer is currently the most popular. According to the announcements, the plan is to maintain the quality of the Savus Hotel, which has four stars, and to further improve the offer of indigenous ecological products, i.e. cooperation with local producers, especially from the Brod-Posavina County.

Bebrina adrenaline forest

Compared to last year, Brod-Posavina County has a larger number of tourist attractions. One of these is the Bebrina Adrenaline Forest. It is a project of the Municipality of Bebrina worth around HRK 2 million, and it is co-financed by the European Union. Within the Forest, there are numerous outdoor facilities that will make any lover of active tourism grow fonder.

"Our adrenaline park is intended for all age groups, and according to the announcements and reservations, we expect a successful summer. Zip line, climbing wall, observation deck, training ground... are just some of the facilities in our park that many have not even heard of. The adrenaline forest was officially opened in November last year, but it was only on June 15 that charges for the use of the facilities were introduced.", explains the manager of the Bebrina Adrenaline Forest, Sabina Orešković.

Currently the only adrenaline park in the Brod-Posavina County, it will certainly further contribute to the increase of visitors eager for outdoor activities. For those who want a quieter vacation while enjoying the natural beauty, there is also an educational trail and a children's park. 

"At the moment, we mostly have group visits, but there are more and more individuals and families who are interested in our facilities. We are now planning to start work on the restaurant, and we are also negotiating cooperation with local producers and service providers in order to further enrich our offer in the future.", adds Oresković.

Finally, from all of the above, we can conclude that the increase in the number of domestic and foreign tourists, and thus the increase in interest in Brod-Posavina County, gives reason for optimism. The positive trends recorded in the first six months of this year are one of the reasons why our interlocutors announced an additional enrichment of the offer. 

The content was created in cooperation with the TZ of Brod-Posavina County.

Cover photo: Ranch Ramarin
Photo source: Tourist Board of Brod-Posavina County