140 YEARS AGO...

At the time of his visit, Dr Clar was exploring the climate of specific parts of the eastern Adriatic, then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. His goal was to find air temperatures higher compared to the adjacent coast, with minor fluctuations in humidity and temperature. His search led him to an island with natural preconditions for becoming a climatic health resort and winter rehabilitation destination. After just 3 weeks on the island, his son made full recovery.  While staying on Lošinj, he often met with Ambroz Haračić, who showed him the results of his meteorological observations started in 1880.

At the same time, Haračić and other locals were working on establishing a tourism society in Mali Lošinj. On 9 February 1886, their efforts led to the formation of one of our oldest tourism organisations.  Three months later, at the initiative of Dr Schrötter, the Society for Afforestation and Embellishment of Mali Lošinj was formed. That same autumn, they managed to plant over 80 thousand pine seedlings and landscape the coastal park Čikat. 

FIRST COMMERCIAL ACCOMMODATION

The first hotel in Mali Lošinj was Vindobona, built in 1887. It featured 13 modern spacious rooms right on the coast, on today’s promenade of Riva lošinjskih kapetana. Another hotel (A. Hoffmann) was opened in Mali Lošinj the same year, along with three boarding houses, three coffee houses, two taverns and one Viennese pastry shop. With the opening of the Vindobona hotel in 1887, Veli Lošinj also saw the opening of its first hotel “Archduchess Renata”, named after the daughter of Archduke Charles Stephen. Both hotels were open all year round! In addition to the hotels and boarding houses, guests staying in Mali Lošinj and Veli Lošinj could also choose from a fairly large number of private rooms. 

In the following years, a hotel boom led to the opening of 93 establishments in Mali Lošinj by 1903, housing 338 rooms and 36 cabinets, and 28 establishments in Veli Lošinj, with 138 rooms and 8 cabinets. In total, guests could choose from 476 rooms and 44 cabinets in various hotels, boarding houses and private homes.

Peak season was during the winter months, just like the nearby French and Italian Riviera, when the European aristocrats and wealthy bourgeois of the time flocked to their favourite playgrounds to escape the cold.  

Summer tourism on Lošinj started to develop after 1905, with the construction of bathing areas, hotels and boarding houses at Čikat, by that time already covered with a thick forest and a network of walking trails (17 km). The variety of interesting excursion options to the nearby small islands, as well as traditional boat and sailing boat tours, brought in many visitors, just like today, 140 years later!

CLIMATIC HEALTH RESORTS

In 1889,  a company from Vienna built a rehabilitation centre for children, and in 1903 a health institution was established, followed by a modern respiratory centre in Mali Lošinj. Thanks to the findings of Ambroz Haračić, and their own research, Dr Leopold von Schrötter and Dr Conrad Clar proposed to declare Mali Lošinj and Veli Lošinj winter climatic health resorts and rehabilitation destinations. This was achieved in September 1892, under the state law on climatic health resorts, and all the health resort activities were put under the supervision and management of a special committee. 

During the health tourism season, which lasted from 1 October to 31 May, visitors had to pay 50 coins in tourist tax per person per week, charged during the first 16 weeks of stay. 
 

MODERN TOURISM ON LOŠINJ...

Today, Lošinj with its surrounding islands and villages has a total accommodation capacity of 23 thousand beds in various hotels, campsites, private accommodation and other types of accommodation, and records 2,250,000 overnight stays and 310 thousand arrivals a year (data from 2024). 

Lošinj is one of the first destinations on the Mediterranean to be awarded the prestigious Green Destinations Award, and a leading sustainable tourism destination with unique natural beauty and attractions. For 140 years Lošinj has been writing the story of the relationship between man and nature. From the day it was declared a climatic health resort to receiving its status as the first green destination on the Mediterranean, our island sets an example of how sustainability and development can go hand in hand. Today, we are at the forefront of sustainable tourism, proud to be able to offer our guests a unique blend of natural beauty, health and care for the environment. This milestone is more than just a reminder of the rich history of our island. It motivates us to continue preserving everything that makes Lošinj special – the Island of Vitality for generations to come, says Dalibor Cvitković, Director of the Mali Lošinj Tourist Board.

LET’S CELEBRATE TOGETHER!

In February, we look forward to the promotion of “Zeleni Barba”, a documentary feature film about Professor Ambroz Haračić, the hero behind today’s lush greenery of the Island of Vitality. 

The tourism society in Mali Lošinj was established on 28 March 1887, when its members welcomed the Austro-Hungarian heir apparent, Prince Rudolf, and accompanied him on his climb of Osoršćica. In honour of this, a conference on sustainable tourism will be held on 28 March 2025 under the name “Lošinj 140 – an everlasting story; from a climatic health resort to the first green destination on the Mediterranean”. 

Celebrations continue in May, when the town square of Mali Lošinj will be turned into a workshop for preparing the largest and tallest krokant nougat on record, a famous traditional Lošinj treat! Events will also include the promotion of the monograph “150 Years of the Josip Kašman Wind Orchestra” and the re-enactment of the arrival of Emperor Franz Joseph on Lošinj (on the very day when the locals of Lošinj got together for the first time to play in honour of the emperor’s arrival). 

Besides a wide range of exhibitions, ceremonies and smaller events, the celebrations will culminate with a concert in May by the famous Croatian band Parni Valjak!

The celebration of 140 years of tourism on our island is a great opportunity to reflect on everything that has made Lošinj into the world-famous destination it is today – from its natural beauty and health to its unmatched hospitality. Ever since Lošinj was declared a climatic health resort, we have put all our love and our vision to foster its constant growth. This anniversary is not just a reminder of its rich past, but also a call to think about the future. Our goal remains clear – preserve the nature and heritage of our island so that it continues to stand as a shining example of sustainable tourism. I thank every single one of you, from those who laid the foundations of tourism on Lošinj to all of you who today passionately work towards its further development. We are proud of what we have achieved so far and are hopeful for what awaits, says Ana Kučić, Mayor of Mali Lošinj.

Let’s celebrate together 140 years of tourism on Lošinj!