Željka Stašić: Local people are the greatest wealth of the island and its greatest strength

The island of Cres is best known for its beautiful beaches, crystal clear sea and untouched nature.

When we mix culture, history, hundreds of kilometers of hiking and biking trails, top-quality accommodation facilities, local cuisine based on local ingredients and other rich tourist offers, we get a destination that offers everything you need for a perfect vacation.

The island's main tourist products are sun and sea, outdoors and health, gastronomy, culture and events, and nautical, he reveals Željka Stašić, director of the Tourist Board of the City of Cres.

"The enormous wealth of our island is the 'tamed wilderness' of which we are extremely proud, given that the island has managed to preserve its authenticity, biodiversity and originality and avoid the numerous pitfalls of mass tourism.", continues our interlocutor.

It is extremely important for them to preserve the aforementioned, so the preservation of the ecosystem and the protection of nature is such an important segment in the development of all tourist products.

"In all campaigns, we emphasize green and sustainable elements and point out the importance of responsible behavior in accordance with the goals of island protection. I believe that this is exactly the right way and what our guests greatly appreciate", points out Stašić, who was appointed director of TZG Cres in May 2022.

She came to this position after almost 10 years of work in the Tourist Board of the City of Opatija as project and marketing manager. By profession, she has a master's degree in economics, and she is from Opatija, where she graduated from the hotel and tourism school.

No stress on Cres

For years, the island of Cres has been perceived as a stress-free island that offers everything you need for a perfect vacation in harmony with nature.

"Perhaps our island is best described by the sentence: The perfection of the coexistence of nature and man with the relaxing sounds of the waves and the rustling of the leaves of centuries-old olive trees. Namely, by coming to Cres, our guests let go of the challenges and stresses of everyday life and, in the perfect harmony of blue and green, give themselves and their loved ones moments of peace and relaxation.", he describes.

It is the island that captivates with its unspoiled nature and Mediterranean charm. As such, it is the perfect destination to recharge your batteries and release the tensions of today's lifestyle.

"That's why the saying 'No stress on Cres' has been following us for a long time, which best describes the kind of vacation that awaits those who decide to come to us”, says Stašić, a longtime employee in tourism, promotion and public relations.

Perhaps the biggest advantage of Cres is that it has kept its 'tamed wilderness' and for years it has been developing sustainable tourism that serves the purpose of developing the island and improving the quality of life of the inhabitants, and the basic determinants on which it is based are green, natural, autochthonous, local and authentic.

Tourist products are developed in close cooperation with all stakeholders in the destination, for the benefit of the local community and the sustainable development of the island.

"The strongest link in development is made up of people - the local community - who, out of great love for their city and island, are happy to get involved in numerous events and activities, thus creating a special experience for visitors.", points out the director of the tourist board.

"We insist on the quality of the offer based on authenticity and originality, which guarantees the guest's satisfaction and his return", he states.

Tourism has long been an important branch of the economy of Cres, and along with agriculture, it was and remains the fundamental generator of development. Precisely through the sustainable development of tourism, the island will preserve its tame wilderness as well as old folk customs from the threat of mass tourism.

Cultural and historical heritage

The opportunity to learn something new, find out how people live in an area and how they used to live, as well as to get to know the cultural and historical significance of a particular destination, is increasingly in the focus of guests and becomes a strong motive in choosing a vacation destination.

"In this respect, Cres offers them something special in every corner of the island, so on the northern part of the island stands out the small ancient settlement of Beli, the former Roman Caput Insulae - the head of the island, which lies on top of a steep rock from where beautiful views open up. White is also home to an attractive visitor center and a recovery facility for griffon vultures", describes our interlocutor.

The city of Cres is the largest place on the island, and it is located in a bay whose structure provides shelter. Therefore, even in the past, it was a convenient port and a place where ships took shelter during bad weather.

The city abounds with numerous cultural and historical monuments, most of which originate from the Renaissance period. The presence of palaces of rich Renaissance families, churches, city gates, monasteries, towers, museums and the city lodge give Cres great cultural and historical significance.

Valun, a small picturesque fishing village and a place widely known for the discovery of the Valunska tablet, the first Glagolitic inscription and its translation into medieval Latin found on the island, is located on the southern coast of the Cres Bay.

"On the western edge of the plateau that rises south above Valuna, there is the historical town of Lubenice, extremely popular with visitors, whose medieval stone architecture leaves a strong impression. A walk through small, narrow and ancient streets takes you back to ancient times and gives the impression of walking through the corridors of history. It is interesting to visit the Museum of Sheep Breeding in Lubenice", says the director of the tourist board.

Martinšćica is the second largest place on the island, which owes its name to the medieval church of St. Martin, dedicated to the patron saint of the place.

"In Martinšćica, you can visit the 'Andrija Linardić' museum dedicated to the pioneers of essential oil production from sage, immortelle and laurel, father and son Andrija Linardić, who started the essential oil factory in Martinšćica in 1903", he calls.

They were the first in the world, back in 1908, to distill essential oil from immortelle, and they did business with the largest European and American pharmaceutical companies of that time.

"Other smaller towns on the island of Cres also preserve indigenous architecture as well as people's life in harmony with nature, which is of particular interest to our visitors", states Stašić.

Namely, the guests show more and more interest in the historical and cultural heritage, especially in the period before and after the season when an extremely large number of tourists arrive on Cres to get to know the local history.

Extension of the season

In the period before and after the season, the focus is on active tourism, local gastronomy and interesting events. Numerous events create a motive for guests to come throughout the year, even in winter, when Advent in Cres and the Cres Carnival are held.

The pre-season begins with an appropriate program for Easter, followed by the 4 islands MTB Epic Croatia race and the 'Cres„na pijatu' project, which throughout April and May presents top-quality local foods, while the post-season is about culture, local products and active vacations.

"We are pleased with the announcement of new investments in hotel facilities, which will certainly help extend the season. Considering that Cres is also a real natural spa, the focus of the season extension will be on the beneficial impact of staying on the island on human health.", we learn from our interlocutor.

He says, through the creation and support of attractive events outside the peak season, he will create a motive for guest arrivals and generate a positive image of Cres as a destination that definitely offers the best - from the sun and the sea during the summer months, to many interesting events during the rest of the year.

Events

The diversity and large offer of events and manifestations, created on the basis of natural resources, gastronomy, culture and tradition, on Cres attracts and delights an increasing number of guests every year.

"Numerous events, manifestations and festivals are held throughout the year, and from a really large number of quality events, I would single out the Creski Semenj, which has a tradition dating back to the 16th century, the Creski Kaić, which is dedicated to the maritime and fishing heritage of the island of Cres, and the Lubenika musical evenings that picturesque Lubenice turn into one of the most beautiful stages, the Cres butega that offers the best that is produced by the hardworking hands of local people, Cres na piata, which focuses on top Cres gastronomic products such as Cres lamb, cheese, olive oil, honey, traditional desserts and others, klapska and jazz the evenings of the island of Cres when music travels throughout the island, the attractive and always cheerful Summer Carnival, the Theater on Pjaceta, the Cres sheep, Tramuntana Days, Advent in Cres...", describes Stašić.

Of course, there are also sports events such as the 4 Islands MTB Epic Croatia race and the Cres Lošinj Trail Weekend, as well as the 'Florio Burburan Memorial' swimming marathon, he adds.

The special feature of the mentioned events is that they include the island's greatest strength, the strength of the local community, which presents its guests with what they are most proud of - heritage and tradition - creating strong connections and feelings for the destination.

Outdoor activities

Unspoiled nature and good weather throughout the year create numerous opportunities for outdoor activities. For lovers of being in nature and exploring, there are about 300 km of marked hiking trails that combine the wilderness of the interior with the beauty of the coast.

Cycling is an ideal opportunity to get to know the island, but it is a special experience to experience Cres through sea sports.

"There are very attractive sports events and numerous sailing regattas, which Cres, thanks to the winds that blow around the island, is the perfect host, as evidenced by the gold medal of Cres sailor Igor Marenić from the Olympic Games in Brazil.", says Stašić.

"This year we also hosted the interesting Deep Week Croatia event, which is part of the world's largest freediving festival. We also host a water sports festival with a special emphasis on swimming marathons called the Florio Burburan Memorial", he adds.

Moving through the nature of Cres, among olive groves, along macadam roads or narrow paths, on the sea surface or deep below it, is an experience that is deeply imprinted in the memory. Peace and quiet, where only the background sounds of nature are heard, create a unique experience on Cres.

"In order to create an additional motive for the arrival of guests, especially lovers of active vacations, in cooperation with TZG Mali Lošinj and OTRA, we designed and implemented a new tourist product Via Apsyrtides. It is a system of pedestrian bypasses that connect and present the natural and cultural attractions of the islands, and at the center of which is a 150-kilometer transversal path that stretches from the northernmost point of the island of Cres, Cape Jablanc, to the southernmost point of the island of Ilovik, Cape Radovan", he describes. 

With the development of this tourist product, they offered guests that, depending on their physical fitness, they could choose the entire route or individual parts and get to know the peculiarities of Cres and Lošinj in the most beautiful way and enjoy untouched nature.

Be green, keep it clean

Prompted by the devastating fact that, from a global perspective, the environment, especially the sea, is polluted by waste to a worrying extent and guided by the old saying 'think globally, act locally', the Tourist Board of the City of Cres decided to get started.

"We will do what we can to reduce this pollution and to talk about this huge problem and continuously warn about it.", reveals Stašić.

The project 'Be green, keep it clean' was primarily aimed at raising the awareness of the local population about the importance of preserving the sea and the coastal zone in the Natura 2020 area and continuously informing tourists and visitors about the importance of preserving the sea and the coastal zone from waste in order to preserve the fish stock and reduction of plastic and microplastics in the sea.

"In 2023, we improved the existing project in such a way that, in addition to the sea and the coastal zone, it also covers land and air protection. To the existing ambassador of the project, the Kvarner shrimp, we added a griffon vulture and a Cresian sheep, so that each animal represents its own ecosystem.", he describes.

At the same time, the shrimp is associated with the sea, the sheep with the land, and the vulture with the air. Thus, they additionally raise the awareness of the local community and guests about the importance of protecting the island and preserving nature for future generations.

"We applied the message to info tables, welcome billboards, but also in all our promotional materials. In this way, the project serves to raise awareness about the sustainable management of the destination, as well as calling for the maximum responsible behavior of visitors, as well as the local community.", says Stašić.

Through the project, an island manual was defined, which establishes the rules of behavior on the island. "So, for their perfect vacation, we give them the most precious thing we have - our island, with all its beauty and experiences, but in return we ask for maximum responsible behavior from them.", he reveals.

The island of Cres is ecologically completely unique, unrepeatable and significantly different from other Croatian islands, with several different climate and vegetation zones and the freshwater Vrana lake in the very center.

A wealth of biodiversity

It is one of the islands with the richest flora and fauna and one of the last habitats of a very rare protected bird - the griffon vulture. More than 1400 different plant species grow here. Sage, immortelle, milkweed, dandelion, nettle and other wild and medicinal plants make Cres a real botanical garden.

"It is this great wealth of plant and animal life that is a real pleasure for nature lovers and all our guests. But this great wealth also represents a challenge in terms of how to protect and preserve it for future generations", emphasizes Stašić.

Sheep farming and olive growing, along with tourism, are generators of development, but unfortunately shepherds are faced with big problems caused by non-native game brought to the island in the 80s of the last century.

"The damage that shepherds have faced in recent years due to the problem with wild pigs is huge, and a big problem is that wild animals directly affect the island's biodiversity, something we are especially proud of", he continues.

On the other hand, it is certainly pleasing that almost all the islanders, from the youngest to the oldest, are engaged in olive growing. This is a huge asset considering that the extra virgin olive oil from Cres was the first in Croatia to be protected by the label of origin.

"There is also a very strong community of beekeepers on the island, and knowing that on Cres you can find the largest field of wild sage in the world indicates that it is top quality honey.", points out Stašić.

In addition to the above, hard-working local people also engage in fishing and other agricultural activities.

Cultivating tradition

Trends in tourism are changing and guests, especially younger ones, are paying more and more attention to sustainable tourism in such a way that they want to travel leaving behind a minimal negative impact.

In addition to the importance they attach to sustainable solutions in tourism, today's guests increasingly choose the experience that destination can provide them as a strong motive for coming to a destination.

"One of the best experiences is when a guest manages to feel the way of life, heritage and tradition of a destination, and Cres has a lot to offer in this regard. It is a pleasure to see the many facilities and products that are offered to our guests, providing them with the best that was produced by the hardworking hands of local people.", says the director of the tourist board.

An excellent example of a local and authentic Cres association Ruta, which has been working hard for more than two decades on the popularization and promotion of Cres wool.

Wool, which is ecological waste, is thus reused. It is a special charm that guests, working with wool and participating in felting workshops, get to know this resource and make beautiful woolen flowers, bags and other souvenirs and useful items with their own hands.

The routine workshops are extremely well attended and highly rated by visitors and are an excellent indicator of what guests are looking for today, which is an impact on reducing waste along with great fun and the special experience of making your own autochthonous souvenir.

"What makes us special is certainly experiences based on tradition and domestic production, and that is something we try to present to our guests. Cres olive oil, cheese, honey, homemade liqueurs and jams, various handicrafts and other things are the best promoters of our island and the island way of life.", says Stašić.

When a guest feels that he is being offered authenticity, he creates a special memory, and more and more guests emphasize the opportunity to get to know local traditions and the way of life of the people as a reason for coming, he adds.

A large offer of tours

Guests are offered numerous thematic walks and programs on Cres, such as an olive oil tour with a visit to an oil mill and a tasting of Cres extra virgin olive oil, tours dedicated to honey with a visit to bee farms and tasting of various types of honey.

There is also a Cres food tour that includes a walk through the old town of Cres with tastings of the best local products, a tour dedicated to griffon vultures, and this year olive harvest programs have been prepared that allow participation in the traditional Cres harvest with local residents.

"We also offer a large number of attractive boat trips, since experiencing Cres from the sea is a special experience, with visits to attractions such as the Blue Cave, the beach at the foot of the historic town of Lubenica, or one of the beautiful hidden coves of Cres. Guests can also enjoy parasailing, diving, kayaking, rafting and many other activities", reveals the director of TZG Cres.

"We are also proud of the extremely large number of participants on our free guided tours 'Cres City Tours for Everyone', which are held from the beginning of June to the end of September every week in order to introduce our guests to our city and island, as well as the wealth of top local products and experiences", says.

During the entire summer, twice a week in the main town square, a well-attended fair of local products "Creska butega" is held, which presents the guests with what the local population has produced.

Local products

Olive oil, honey, cheese, jams from island herbs and fruits, lamb and lamb products, sheep prosciutto, Cres wool products, various handicrafts, leather products, traditional sweets, unique sweet olive spread and other delicacies are local products produced according to the traditional recipe and method of preparation.

"Local products are the best we have to offer because they represent island tradition, heritage and pride, and the goal is to market them through tourism. This is exactly how we present them to our guests, who appreciate them immensely", we learn from our interlocutor.

Local products are fresh, natural and prepared with love, and along with the Cres welcome, they also revive the memory of Cres in visitors' homes and encourage the desire to return, he points out.

"The demand for local products is often higher than the supply, which is a confirmation of their top quality. He is especially happy that some products manage to escape from oblivion, such as Cres cheese, which used to be made in almost every household, but at one point the production almost completely stopped.", says.

However, thanks to the commendable initiative of the Loznati Agricultural Cooperative on Cres, an open cheese shop was built that offers homemade sheep and goat cheese. A good example is also the traditional desserts that are made according to old recipes and thus have been torn from oblivion.

Domestic products are presented as part of the local products fair 'Creska butega'. Numerous local producers also have their own stores where they present their products.

"At the moment we do not have a common brand yet, but the idea exists and the plan is to implement a unique umbrella brand that will guarantee our guests that it is precisely local island products”, answers Stašić to our question about the possibility of branding, pointing out that many products of the island of Cres bear the Croatian island product label.

A strong community

Local people are the greatest wealth of the island and its greatest strength, he points out.

"Recently, I heard something that proved to be true many times during my, albeit short, life on the island, and that is that people do not change the island, but the island changes people, makes them more connected and ready to help. It makes them a very strong community, and life as it should be", says the director of the TZ of the City of Cres.

The strongest link in development is represented by the people - the local community, which, out of great love for its island and city, is happy to get involved in numerous events and activities, thus creating a special experience for visitors.

It is widely known that the people of Cres are excellent hosts and that tourists who come to Cres very often return, and one of the main reasons is precisely the local people.

"How good hosts are a strong lure for visitors is shown by the examples of guests who have been loyal to our island for more than 50 years and consider their hosts family members. In the tourist community, we have set high goals and tasks for the next couple of years, but what we will pay particular attention to and what is extremely important to us is to include the local community in the development of tourism, respect their wishes and listen to their advice", points out Stašić.  

In accordance with trends in tourism that focus on experiences, nurturing tradition and emphasizing diversity is extremely important.

"Therefore, we are planning to apply experience tourism methods, through which, with various tools such as storytelling, strong connections are created between visitors and the destination. Emphasizing our peculiarities, telling stories and legends, and innovative approaches to the interpretation of heritage are an extremely important segment in today's tourism and something we will continue to work on, developing innovative products based on tradition and heritage.”, reveals plans for further work.

Advantages and disadvantages of living on an island

Living on an island has its advantages, but also its challenges. Even though Cres also records a decline in population like the rest of Croatia, these figures are not as worrying as in some other parts of the country.

"This is certainly helped by tourism, which, as one of the drivers of the island's development, provides a large number of jobs and additional income for the population. It is challenging, on the other hand, that our island, like most of the Croatian coast, is a highly seasonal destination, so unfortunately a large number of them are seasonal jobs", he tells us.

Although the retention of young people is a burning problem that the City of Cres is working on with numerous measures, she is happy that there are many young families with children.

"Although Cres may not offer young people what larger cities offer in terms of entertainment, it is certainly a much better choice for families whose children grow up here in a happy and safe environment, playing freely in parks and on the streets - which has become increasingly rare these days. and I would even dare to say that it represents a kind of luxury", he comments.

Cres has also become home to young people who, attracted by the island's many advantages, came from the rest of Croatia and the region and decided to build a life here, he adds.

Sustainability

More and more younger residents are engaged in agriculture, especially olive growing and beekeeping, and all of them are extremely proud of their tradition because they were taught this way from a young age.

"Of course, there is room for development, but we are happy with all the developments, especially when we know that agriculture is hard work and not very attractive to young people. Agriculture must be in harmony with tourism, and local producers, catering establishments and other stakeholders in tourism must have the opportunity to tell their story, present it to visitors, and market their products and services through the tourism sector.", he says.

Tourism offers numerous opportunities to local people and is certainly responsible for improving the standards of the islanders, and additionally enables the placement of products from other activities important for Cres. However, of course tourism, like any other activity, has its challenges, he continues.

"The island of Cres has managed to avoid the biggest challenges brought by mass tourism, and we will definitely keep an eye on that. We have learned from other destinations what we do not want to happen to us, but primarily we have decided to do our best to preserve the island so that future generations can enjoy it. Of course, I don't think that there won't be new investments in tourism and additional capacities, but I believe that it will benefit the local community and follow today's trends that promote green and sustainable ways of building. In this way, new jobs will be created, which will be an opportunity for young people to stay on the island", says.

One of the most important goals, in addition to preserving the island, is to emphasize local and authentic traditions. Glad to see that today's guests are asking for it and extremely appreciating it.

"A very important element in this story will be education, which we will insist on and through which we want to present our fellow citizens with additional opportunities in tourism, as well as activities that are directly or indirectly related to tourism, which would encourage them to continue to engage in agriculture and production local products in order to further market them to guests, or to create additional value through experience tourism by presenting the island's tradition and heritage to visitors”, reveals Željka Stašić.  

Based on the above, it is clear that the development of tourism on Cres will continue to be in the function of: strengthening the identity of the island, increasing the quality of life of the inhabitants, developing innovative tourist products based on the specificities of Cres, and improving cooperation among all stakeholders in the destination.

Photo: Tourist Board of the City of Cres