First in Croatia, second in the world: Golden Green Destinations award for Krka National Park

"Krka" National Park is the first destination in Croatia and the second national park in the world to receive the Green Destinations gold award for sustainable tourism.

On the eve of the World Tourism Day, which we celebrate on September 27, the "Krka" National Park received the most famous destination certificate in the world: Green Destinations. This recognition is awarded at the world level to tourist destinations that make a special effort to take care of the environment, culture, sustainable development and the well-being of the community.

Thus, NP "Krka" became the first tourist destination in Croatia and the second national park in the world to win this golden award in the history of awarding it.

The prestigious award was given to Krka National Park by Green Destinations, an international organization that sets standards for sustainable tourism and rewards cities, towns and tourist centers - all small and large tourist destinations - that want to preserve nature, protect cultural heritage and improve the lives of local residents.

The sustainable development of NP "Krka" is based on the preservation of natural values, protection and preservation of cultural heritage, management of visits, interpretation and education, and cooperation with the local community. All these elements are part of the strategic and development documents of the Public Institution "Krka National Park" and are implemented in the annual work programs and the daily routine of all employees, who continuously and dedicatedly work to apply the principles of sustainability in order to preserve this protected area in its originality for future generations. This is also recognized through this extremely demanding certification model, which includes more than one hundred strict criteria.

"We are proud because we fulfilled the strict criteria of sustainable management in tourism and successfully finalized the demanding process of Green Destinations certification. This required a comprehensive job of collecting and systematizing data, which showed that NP 'Krka' has been working successfully for years to implement the sustainability model in its management vision and applies it in practice. We are the first and currently the only destination in Croatia with a gold Green Destinations award, which shows that NP 'Krka' is a leading example of responsible and sustainable management in tourism., but also a partner open to cooperation with local stakeholders in achieving common sustainability goals, which was especially requested and emphasized through the certification process", said Nella Slavica, director of the Public Institution "Krka National Park" and added: "This is an exceptional recognition at the world level, which makes us particularly proud, but also brings a great responsibility to keep up with global indicators, so we try to constantly introduce new, even better and more innovative practices in sustainable development."

The gold award means that NP "Krka" is extremely dedicated to the protection of nature and culture and that it reaches high standards in sustainable tourism. For local residents, this can mean more visitors who appreciate nature and cultural heritage, but also better management of tourism activity, which brings benefits to the community, such as the preservation of resources and jobs. For a destination, receiving this award can help attract visitors who are looking for "greener" options and value places that preserve nature, culture and people.

Green Destinations is a global non-profit organization based in the Netherlands. Its goal is to improve the sustainable development of tourist destinations and actors and promote their recognition on a global level.

Green Destinations advocates, following the principles of the United Nations and the goals of the Global Council for Sustainable Tourism, for the development of sustainable and responsible tourism, which is why it enjoys a great reputation among tourists and key participants in the development of tourism. On the other hand, it brings great recognition on the global tourist market through presentation at tourist fairs and in world guides.

Source and photo: "Krka" National Park