Gospić Nearly Fully Booked Ahead of Festival Weekend
The Croatian Walking Festival, held on September 5-6, has drawn such interest that according to Booking.com, 95 percent of accommodations in the city are already unavailable.
The Croatian Walking Festival, held on September 5-6, has drawn such interest that according to Booking.com, 95 percent of accommodations in the city are already unavailable.
The Croatian Walking Festival is no longer just an event dedicated to walking and recreation; it has become a fixture with a clear tourism and economic impact on Gospić and its surroundings, as confirmed by the situation with overnight capacities for the first weekend in September. The festival is scheduled for September 5-6, 2026, and just weeks before it begins, finding available accommodations in Gospić is nearly impossible.
According to current availability data on Booking.com for the period from September 4 to 6, 95 percent of accommodation units are unavailable for those dates. The platform shows no available properties in Gospić and offers users options outside the city or alternative dates, which best illustrates the level of interest in this year's edition.
The Croatian Walking Festival is being held for the eighth time this year, and over the years it has grown into an event that brings walkers from Croatia and numerous countries around the world to Lika. Among this year's participants will be an organized group of more than 20 walkers from Taiwan, and registrations already show arrivals from the Netherlands, Canada, the USA, and other countries.
Many of them are not coming to Lika just for the two festival days; they are extending their stay to explore Gospić and its surroundings, local landmarks, natural and cultural treasures, and other destination offerings. In this way, the festival not only encourages participation on the trails but also multi-day stays, the use of accommodation and catering services, and additional tourism spending. The almost fully booked accommodations weeks before the festival are one of the most concrete indicators of its impact on the city and the broader destination.
Festival participants can choose routes of 10+, 20+, and 30+ kilometers. Saturday is reserved for walking the Tesla Trails, while Sunday is dedicated to the Starčević Trails, connecting active leisure with Lika's natural and historical heritage. The festival attracts recreational walkers, experienced hikers, and enthusiasts of an active lifestyle, and this year they are joined by Mario Valentić, a well-known advocate of a healthy and active lifestyle.
The high occupancy rate ahead of the festival weekend once again proves that the Croatian Walking Festival is not just an event on the trails; it brings people to Gospić, extends their stay, fills accommodations, and creates added value for the entire region. Registrations for the Croatian Walking Festival are open until August 31, 2026, and those interested can sign up via the official online form on the Croatia Walk website.
