Discover Croatia holiday, small group

Planet

CARBON REDUCTION

The accommodation portfolio includes a mixture of locally operated hotels and international hotel brands. Where the named hotels are used, several have documented energy- and resource-efficiency measures. For example, The Westin Zagreb has an energy conservation programme and energy-saving thermostats. The hotel also has water-efficient taps, recycling, refillable toiletry containers and compostable food containers/cutlery.

Vegetarian food is available within the accommodation portfolio. The trip includes breakfast every day and one dinner. Other meals are generally at the traveller's own choice and are not included in the itinerary. Vegetarian/vegan requirements should be communicated in advance to ensure suitable meals at all included meals and planned group dining.

The itinerary actively includes local and regional food experiences. Examples include locally produced olive oil and traditional Dalmatian products at Stella Croatica, as well as oysters and wine from the Pelješac/Ston region. Stella Croatica states that its food is prepared from fresh, organic and local ingredients and that it sources directly from its own gardens and local farmers/family-run agricultural holdings. A precise percentage of all trip food that is local and seasonal is not currently published.

The Discover Croatia itinerary does not require any internal flights. It operates overland from Zagreb to Dubrovnik, using a private group bus for the itinerary. This avoids additional domestic flights within Croatia. Customers also have the option of arranging their own travel to/from Croatia independently of the package. Shared group transport is a core component of the trip. Exodus states that all itinerary transport is by private bus, shared by the group.
The trip also uses shared National Park visitor transport where applicable. For example, the Plitvice entrance ticket includes the park's electric boat and panoramic train within the selected sightseeing programme.

ENVIRONEMENT AND WILDLIFE

The accommodation partners have a number of measures to reduce environmental impacts. Hotel Salona Palace, for example, has water-efficient toilets and showers, towel and linen reuse, recycling, food-waste reduction, responsible disposal of electronic equipment and batteries, locally sourced food and beverages, responsibly sourced seafood, vegetarian and vegan meals, and no single-use plastic water bottles or straws. The A'mare Hotel in Zadar also reports responsible purchasing, organic and locally sourced food and beverages, responsibly sourced seafood, organic cage-free eggs, vegetarian and vegan meals and eco-friendly toiletries.

No specific nature-restoration project at the accommodation properties themselves has been identified. However, the itinerary includes a visit to Stella Croatica, a family-run estate with a Mediterranean botanical garden containing more than 500 Dalmatian plant species, including endemic and protected Croatian coastal plants. The garden was developed for conservation, interpretation and education around regional natural heritage.

The trip visits two Croatian national parks:
• Plitvice Lakes National Park – Day 2
• Krka National Park – Day 3
At Plitvice Lakes, the entrance fee contributes to the long-term protection and management of the National Park and includes the relevant sightseeing transport, including the electric boat and panoramic train within the selected programme.
At Krka National Park, the entrance fee contributes to the protection, conservation and improvement of the National Park and includes seasonal visitor transport such as the Skradin–Skradinski buk boat or Lozovac–Skradinski buk bus.

People

LOCAL ECONOMY

We aim to secure locally owned accommodation that is well located and provides good value and comfort. The accommodation portfolio for this trip includes locally operated Croatian properties such as hotel Salona Palace, Hotel A'mare as well as international accommodation such as The Westin Zagreb.

The itinerary is designed to maximise local economic opportunities through locally led and locally based experiences.
Examples include:
• Use of an expert local tour leader throughout the trip.
• A visit to Stella Croatica, a family-run Dalmatian estate producing traditional food and products and supporting local producers.
• Local olive-oil and traditional-food tastings at Stella Croatica.
• A visit to Ston and the Pelješac Peninsula, including locally produced oysters and wine.
• The winery experience and food-and-wine pairing directly support local agricultural and food-production businesses.
Stella Croatica states that its food is sourced from its own gardens and from local farmers and family-run agricultural holdings in the region, under its Local2local approach.


EMPLOYMENT, DIVERSITY and INCLUSIVITY

The trip employs local expertise through its expert local tour leader and uses locally based businesses for accommodation, food, wine and other experiences.
The trip uses local employment through its expert local tour leader and local suppliers, including family-run food and agricultural businesses. Exodus also operates wider programmes designed to create economic opportunities for disadvantaged groups and to empower local communities through tourism.
However, we do not currently have verified trip-specific data showing how many employees on this itinerary are from specifically marginalised groups such as people with disabilities, ethnic minorities or other excluded groups.

There are no LGBTQ+-specific restrictions or exclusions identified for the Discover Croatia itinerary. The trip can therefore be described as LGBTQ+ friendly, subject to the same normal considerations that apply to travel in Croatia.