The development of apitourism as an innovative and sustainable tourism product took centre stage at the first focus group of Croatian stakeholders, held at the InterWine Centre in Velika Gorica as part of the Interreg VI-A project Let it BEE. The participants provided valuable input towards shaping a future cross-border apitourism destination linking the Posavje region in Slovenia with Zagreb County in Croatia.
The Let it BEE project focuses on developing a shared destination centred on beekeeping, local products, and cultural heritage, to create an integrated tourism product that connects natural resources, gastronomy, and authentic visitor experiences while reducing seasonality and strengthening the local economy.
The workshop brought together key stakeholders from Zagreb County, including beekeepers, accommodation providers, restaurateurs, family farms, local entrepreneurs and tourism professionals. Working in two thematic groups, participants conducted a SWOT analysis that opened a constructive discussion on the destination's genuine development potential.
The analysis highlighted the region's long-standing beekeeping tradition and the exceptional quality of its local products as key strengths, alongside the growing demand for authentic, small-scale and experience-based travel. Among the main challenges identified were limited cooperation between the beekeeping and tourism sectors and a lack of structured tourism products that could transform beekeeping into a compelling visitor experience.
Participants also identified several important opportunities, including the development of joint API routes, stronger integration with the existing wine and gastronomy offerings, and the creation of year-round tourism experiences that reduce seasonality. At the same time, they recognised the need for stronger destination branding and greater visibility of local producers within the tourism market.
The conclusions of the focus group will provide the foundation for preparing a joint Apitourism Destination Development Strategy and for designing future project activities, including the development of a digital platform and a network of apitourism experiences.
The Let it BEE project is implemented by a partnership of eight organisations from Slovenia and Croatia, led by the City Municipality of Krško. Project partners include the Regional Chamber of Crafts and Entrepreneurship Krško, the Regional Development Agency Posavje, the GRM Novo Mesto – Centre of Biotechnology and Tourism, the Zagreb County Development Agency, the City of Velika Gorica, the Crafts Training Institution – Adult Education Centre, and the Zagreb County Tourist Board.
The project's total value amounts to EUR 1,344,855.20 and is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the Interreg VI-A Slovenia–Croatia Programme.
The first focus group marks the beginning of a systematic process to involve local stakeholders in developing a new cross-border tourism product that combines the rich tradition of beekeeping with contemporary trends in sustainable tourism.
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