The new Wellovar complex combines ten pools, wellness facilities and international-standard sports infrastructure in a bid to strengthen year-round tourism in inland Croatia
Croatia has added a major new thermal and wellness destination away from its traditional Adriatic tourism centres. The €42 million Wellovar complex has opened in Veliko Korenovo near Bjelovar, combining geothermal resources with swimming, wellness, recreation and sports facilities designed for both local residents and visitors.
The project is particularly significant for Bjelovar and continental Croatia, where tourism plays a considerably smaller role than in the country's coastal regions. By creating an attraction capable of operating throughout much of the year, local authorities hope Wellovar will generate additional demand outside Croatia's main summer season and stimulate investment in accommodation and other tourism services.
Ten pools and an Olympic-standard facility
Wellovar has five indoor and five outdoor pools, giving the complex a mixture of year-round and seasonal facilities. Among them is a 50-metre Olympic swimming pool certified for international competitions, allowing the site to target sporting events and training alongside leisure visitors.
The complex also includes wellness and recreational facilities. Rather than following the model of a conventional thermal spa, Wellovar has been conceived as a combination of thermal tourism, sport, wellness and leisure.
Construction took 23 months. The €42 million investment makes the development one of the largest individual tourism-related projects undertaken in Bjelovar.
Geothermal resources underpin the project
A central element of Wellovar is the use of geothermal resources from the Bilogora area. An extensive energy system was developed as part of the project, allowing locally available geothermal water to contribute to the complex's energy concept.
The project therefore combines new tourism infrastructure with the use of locally available geothermal resources as part of its energy concept.
Part of the development was financed through Croatia's National Recovery and Resilience Plan.
Hotel development could expand tourism potential
The opening of the thermal complex is intended to have effects beyond the facility itself. A hotel project is being prepared nearby, while existing accommodation and hospitality businesses in the region could benefit if Wellovar succeeds in attracting visitors from outside Bjelovar.
The complex is initially expected to employ 47 people. Additional economic activity is anticipated in accommodation, gastronomy and other services as visitor numbers develop.
The planned hotel could be particularly important for Wellovar's tourism ambitions. Combining overnight accommodation with thermal, wellness and sporting facilities would provide the infrastructure for longer stays alongside local and day visits.
With construction now completed, the focus shifts to visitor demand and the development of the surrounding tourism infrastructure. For inland Croatia, Wellovar represents an attempt to use geothermal resources, wellness and sport to create a new year-round attraction beyond the country's established coastal destinations.
Image Credit: © AI generated illustration
