Selimir Ognjenović, a veteran of Croatian tourism and a long-standing tour operator born in Bjelovar, received the Certificate of Appreciation from Istra County for his outstanding contribution to the development and strengthening of tourism in Istra County. The award was presented to him by the county president, Boris Miletić, on the occasion of Istra County Day.
Ognjenović established the agency I.D. Riva Tours in 1995, which developed into a leading specialist tour operator for Croatia. The agency's headquarters are in Poreč, with branches in Trogir and the German town of Gräfelfing. In early 2025, Ognjenović sold the agency to the German tour operator group Dertour, a member of the REWE group.
Ognjenović played a key role in the development of private accommodation and agrotourism in inland Istria. When the agency was launched in the mid-1990s, it was difficult to find ten houses with pools for rent in the region, but under his influence, the number of houses with pools grew to thousands of luxury villas. He received awards for his contribution to the development of agrotourism, such as the Golden Goat.
"The award represents confirmation that I have participated in something truly significant," Ognjenović stated. He assessed that what has happened in Istria over the past 35 years is the greatest boom in world tourism viewed from the perspective of the local residents. He compared it to Dubai, stating that while Dubai invested vast sums in concrete and skyscrapers, Istria has taken care to consider the people living there in its development.
Ognjenović cited a team led by Veljko Ostojić, Ivan Jakovčić, and Branko Curic, and later Denis Ivošević. One of the main goals was demographic change – to bring people back to central Istria. Previously, the rule was that tourism was only possible within 1,500 metres of the coast, with parents going to the sea while the interior emptied out. The aim was to encourage new generations to restore the houses of their grandparents and bring life back to the interior.
Ognjenović recounted that they were offered a room with six iron beds in one house. At the time, the prevailing opinion was that only those seeking the lowest price would come to the interior of Istria, but in the first year, 80 percent of guests arriving through the new programs in the interior of Istria were staying for the first time. Today, the best houses in the interior are sold at prices comparable to the best hotels on the coast.
Ognjenović always highlights Veljko Ostojić, with whom he worked the most, considering him the absolute first in Croatian tourism. He mentioned Sonja Sacco from Medulin as a collaborator. He recalled that Ostojić said he would be happy if at least 5,000 guests stayed in the interior. Today, he noted, there are approximately two hundred holiday homes in the municipality of Svetvinčenat, and the number of beds in that municipality corresponds to a serious tourist destination.
Ognjenović stated that his working life is coming to an end and that the new generation has a huge responsibility. The system was difficult to set in motion, and in the future, it will be difficult to control, which can only be achieved through a high level of awareness. He firmly believes in the Croatian people, who are hardworking, modest, and willing to make sacrifices. The county award, he said, gives him the right and the obligation to point out things that displease him. He wishes to motivate younger colleagues in the field, in tourist associations, to pay attention to further development, primarily to the preservation of the environment and the sustainability of private accommodation.
