MEDITERRANEAN ACTION PLAN

Annexe 2
Etudes de cas
Case studies
2.11 Cres-Losing Archipelago * - CROATIA
Geographical framework
The Cres-Losing archipelago is located on the northern Adriatic coast. It belongs to
the Primorsko-goranska County (centre: Rijeka).
The archipelago area rise to 512,9 sq km with 2 biggest islands: Cres with
407,1 sq km and Losing with 74,7 sq km. Other important islands are Unije with
16,8 sq km, Ilovik with 5,9 sq km, Susak with 3,8 sq km and uninhabited Zeèa with
2,4 sq km. From the north to the south, the archipelago is 81 km long, but the
maximum width of Cres is 10, and of Losing less than 5 km.
The total population of the archipelago is 11 796 inhabitants (23 per sq km). The
distribution of the population is unequal:
• − Losing is representing 15% of the total area, with 8 134 inhabitants or
69% (109 inhabitants per sq km)
• − Cres is representing 79% of the total area, 3 238 inhabitants or 27% (8
inhabitants per sq km).
The archipelago is divided in two administrative units : the town of Cres and the
town of Mali Losing.
Attractivity factors
The archipelago is well known for big variety of landscape and climate in small
area due to long north-south exposure: three different climatic and vegetation belts
can be noted. All islands are very hilly and known for magnificent landscapes and
views. On Cres, there are a fresh-water lake (Vrana Lake) and the bird specie
griffon vulture. Susak Island is sandy and completely covered with vineyards.
The archipelago is rich in cultural heritage. Osor is a well preserved 3 000 years
antique town with completely preserved monuments from the early Middle Ages.
Cres, Mali Losing and Veli Losing have well preserved medieval town centres.
Many small villages are very picturesque.
Proximity to the tourist market : 300 km to Venice, about 600 to Milano and
Vienna. Cres-Losing archipelago functions also as an oasis of nature for
industrialised and urbanised neighbouring areas. It is necessary to mention also
the long tradition of tourism in the area and good conditions for health tourism.
Main parties
The company "Jadranka" is the key party in the development of tourism on the
archipelago: it is the owner of the majority of hotel and camping capacities, bars
and restaurants and others facilities (food, laundry, transportation...), the biggest
employer (700 full time employees). It is a shareholding company, with 63% stake
by small local stakeholders and 37% by government funds.
* Author: Dr. Zoran Klaric, Institute for Tourism, Zagreb, Croatia.
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