New promotional film for Croatian tourism premieres in the United States

On the occasion of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports and the Croatian National Tourist Board, in cooperation with the Croatian Football Federation, organized a promotional event titled "CROATIA IN THE GAME - Tourism. Sport. Culture. Flavors." The event took place at the AKA Hotel in the city of Alexandria, which also serves as the base camp for the Croatian national football team.

The highlight of the evening was the premiere of the new promotional film for Croatian tourism, "CROATIA - I hear it's beautiful." The video stars the world-renowned actor of Croatian descent, John Malkovich, who, alongside the Vatreni (the Croatian national football team), was the main star of the night. Pete Radovich—a celebrated television and sports producer also of Croatian heritage and a winner of 45 Emmy Awards across 18 different categories—served as the creative director for the video.

The primary goal of the event was to promote Croatia's tourism strengths by highlighting the connection between Croatia and the US through sports and numerous athletic achievements. In addition to Tonči Glavina, Minister of Tourism and Sports, and Kristjan Staničić, Director of the Croatian National Tourist Board, the event was attended by Marijan Kustić, President of the Croatian Football Federation, Leila Krešić Jurić, Director of the CNTB New York Office, and players of the Croatian national football team led by head coach Zlatko Dalić and captain Luka Modrić. They were also joined by legendary basketball player Toni Kukoč, as well as numerous representatives from American diplomacy, the travel and sports sectors, and the media.

"This is the major step forward we are taking for the first time, strongly positioning Croatia on the global stage. While the legendary John Malkovich is the face of Croatia's new promotional film, global sports stars like LeBron James, Kyle Kuzma, and Rafael Nadal have simultaneously gathered in Dubrovnik. Through the E1 competition, which we successfully brought to Croatia, they are sending spectacular images of our country to every corner of the world. This is yet another confirmation of how tourism and sports make a powerful, authentic, and winning combination. Together, they create stories that transcend borders, connect people, and place Croatia among the world's most desirable destinations. And when our greatest ambassadors—the Croatian national football team, coach Zlatko Dalić, captain Luka Modrić, and the entire squad—join this story, Croatia’s promotion gains extra strength, emotion, and credibility. Today, Croatia is not just a destination the world wants to visit. Croatia is a story the world wants to experience," stated Minister Glavina.

The US market is Croatia's most important long-haul source market and one of the key strategic markets for Croatian tourism, as confirmed by its results and continuous year-over-year growth. Overall growth in arrivals and overnight stays has exceeded 30% since 2019. This confirms that Croatia now holds a strong position among the most desirable European destinations for American guests, a success driven by ongoing promotion, a high-quality tourism offering, and increasingly better air connectivity. Starting this year, Croatia has two direct routes to the US—from Dubrovnik and Split—with a total of 440 direct flights expected to operate between Croatia and the US. Furthermore, American tourists travel year-round and, according to TOMAS research, rank first in terms of average daily spending.

"For Croatian tourism, the American market represents the most important long-haul market from which we generate the highest tourist traffic. When we add the fact that the World Cup is being held right here, it is clear that this presents an excellent opportunity to further promote Croatia as a high-quality, attractive, and safe destination. It was also the ideal occasion to premiere the new promotional film for Croatian tourism starring John Malkovich. The video is original, different, and I would say quite special; it represents a departure from previous promotional videos and a major step forward in promoting Croatian tourism, which makes us particularly proud," said Director Staničić. He wished the national football team success in the tournament and emphasized that Croatian athletes and the football team have successfully contributed to Croatia's international recognition for years, serving as invaluable ambassadors for the country on a global scale.

Source and photo: CNTB