19.05.2026.
The visitor centre “Vrata Papuka” (the gate of Papuk mountain), the first completed public infrastructure project was opened in Slatinski Drenovac. The project is worth more than €3.3 million and was financed mainly from EU funds under the Recovery and Resilience Facility. The Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund and the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Energy Transition also contributed to the financing, and the opening ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Andrej Plenković and ministers Radovan Fuchs, Tonči Glavina, and Alen Ružić, as well as the director of the Fund, Luka Balen."The connection between Podravina and Slavonia, which blend in Virovitica-Podravina County, is additionally highlighted in Papuk Nature Park, one of the most valuable natural areas of continental Croatia," said Prime Minister Plenković. "The purpose of such large investments in public tourism infrastructure is to put emphasis on continental tourism, and as much as 75 percent of the funds are directed to projects on mainland. The figures show that the number of arrivals and overnight stays is growing, and when we add up public and private investments in the tourism and sports sector in the past period, we are approaching the amount of one billion euros of investments," said Plenković, adding that in this way Croatia wanted to achieve a more even tourist development of the country.
On that occasion, the director of the Fund commented that Papuk Nature Park was a long-term partner of the Fund having implemented 15 projects together, for which the Fund had provided over 1.8 million euros. Balen said that the Fund financed the project documentation for the “Vrata Papuka” with about 50 thousand euros, which was a prerequisite for the project to apply for EU funding.
Acting Director of the Public Institution Papuk Nature Park, Anita Lovreković, pointed out that the "Vrata Papuka" was not only a new visitor centre, but a meeting hub for nature, education, tourism and the development of the local community, and announced that this project marked the completion of the investment cycle in visitor infrastructure. "The focus is on nature restoration, strengthening habitat resilience and sustainable management of natural resources. The new project, worth more than €1.5 million, will aim to increase the resilience of forest ecosystems to climate change."
The mayor of Čačinci municipality, Alen Jurenac, announced that last year alone more than 65 thousand people visited Papuk and Jankovac. "This confirms that such facilities will play an important role in the further development of tourism and will be a driving force behind new content and opportunities in our area," said Jurenac.
"According to the data of the Croatian Bureau of Statistics, in 2025 Virovitica-Podravina County achieved the highest percentage growth in tourist arrivals in the Republic of Croatia," explained Igor Andrović, Virovitica-Podravina County prefect, reminding numerous investments in tourist infrastructure, the renovation of castles, manors and visitor centres, and the development of the so-called green and noble route, with a pride of place being held by Papuk Nature Park as the UNESCO Global Geopark.
