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Karlobag 1971 – 1989

The Tourist Zenith and the Yugoslav Standard

Grb Karlobaga

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The seventies and eighties were the period of Karlobag’s full maturity as a tourist center. The infrastructure built in the previous decade was now working at full capacity. Guests arrived to enjoy the clear waters of the Adriatic Sea and the unique contrast of stone and blue. Summer holidays became accessible to everyone, and Karlobag was a destination that offered everything: from hotel pools and organized beaches to boat excursions.

Tourist demand was so high that the town decided to prepare for the arrival of an even greater number of guests. This led to new, large-scale construction: Motel Karlobag was demolished, yielding its place to the larger and more modern Hotel Zagreb, significantly increasing accommodation capacity. Places like Hotel Jadran, the new Hotel Zagreb, and expanded campsites became synonymous with summer vacations for the working class and tourists from all over Europe. More private guesthouses and summer terraces were also developed.

The atmosphere of carefree days dominates the pictures from this period: family photos on the waterfront (riva), tourists enjoying hotel amenities, and long evenings with music and dancing. The Adriatic Highway (Jadranska magistrala) became a vital artery, full of cars bearing Czech, German, and Polish license plates.

However, the late eighties brought a slight sense of economic stagnation and the first signs of unrest in the country. Although the season was still full, the end of an era was slowly becoming apparent.

These photographs and postcards perfectly capture that last, peaceful era. They testify to a time of a high standard of tourism, stability, and carefree enjoyment of the Adriatic sun, just before major historical events changed both Karlobag and the entire region forever.

Postcard 1

Postcard traveled in 1979.

Stamp: SFR Yugoslavia

Publisher: Vijesnik.

(Collection T. Potočnjak / Inv. nr. ZTP-KB-1401)

Postcard 2

Period around the 1970s.

Publisher: Agefoto, Zagreb.

Photographed by D. Rendulić.

(Collection T. Potočnjak / Inv. nr. ZTP-KB-1402)

Postcard 3

Postcard traveled in 1969.

Stamp: SFR Yugoslavia

Publisher: Photo Documentation Agency, Zagreb.

Photographed by D. Rendulić.

(Collection T. Potočnjak / Inv. nr. ZTP-KB-1403)

Postcard 4

Postcard traveled in 1975.

Stamp: SFR Yugoslavia

Tourist Society, Karlobag.

Photographs: Photo Studio "Beograd", Trg maršala Tita 7, Belgrade.

(Collection T. Potočnjak / Inv. nr. ZTP-KB-1404)

Postcard 5

Period around the 1980s.

Stamp: SFR Yugoslavia

Fotolik, Celje.

Photo by M. Gorjanc.

(Collection T. Potočnjak / Inv. nr. ZTP-KB-1405)

Postcard 6

Period around the 1980s.

Stamp: SFR Yugoslavia

Fotolik, Celje.

Photo by I. Prekalj.

(Collection T. Potočnjak / Inv. nr. ZTP-KB-1406)

Postcard 15

Postcard traveled in 1986.

Stamp: SFR Yugoslavia

Fotolik, Celje.

Photo by I. Prekalj.

(Collection T. Potočnjak / Inv. nr. ZTP-KB-1415)

Postcard 7

Postcard traveled in 1986.

Stamp: SFR Yugoslavia

Fotolik, Celje.

Photo by M. Gorjanc.

(Collection T. Potočnjak / Inv. nr. ZTP-KB-1407)

Postcard 8

Postcard traveled in 1995.

Stamp: Republic of Croatia

Info & Design "Technoart", Zabok.

(Collection T. Potočnjak / Inv. nr. ZTP-KB-1408)

Postcard 9

Period around the 1980s.

Info & Design "Technoart", Zabok.

(Collection T. Potočnjak / Inv. nr. ZTP-KB-1409)

Postcard 10

Period around the 1980s.

Zrinski.

(Collection T. Potočnjak / Inv. nr. ZTP-KB-1410)

Postcard 11

Period around the 1980s.

Interpublic.

Hotel Zagreb Industrogradnja, Karlobag.

(Collection T. Potočnjak / Inv. nr. ZTP-KB-1411)

Postcard 12

Postcard traveled in 1986.

Stamp: SFR Yugoslavia

Interpublic.

Hotel Zagreb Industrogradnja, Karlobag.

(Collection T. Potočnjak / Inv. nr. ZTP-KB-1412)

Postcard 13

Postcard traveled in 1973.

Stamp: SFR Yugoslavia

Publisher and print: NIP "Vjesnik", Zagreb.

(Collection T. Potočnjak / Inv. nr. ZTP-KB-1413)

Postcard 14

Postcard traveled in 1971.

Stamp: SFR Yugoslavia

Publisher and print: NIP "Vjesnik", Zagreb.

(Collection T. Potočnjak / Inv. nr. ZTP-KB-1414)

Postcard 16

Postcard traveled in 1993.

Stamp: Republic of Croatia

(Collection T. Potočnjak / Inv. nr. ZTP-KB-1416)

Postcard 17

Postcard traveled in 1970.

Stamp: SFR Yugoslavia

Fotolik, Celje.

Photo by F. Mauer.

(Collection T. Potočnjak / Inv. nr. ZTP-KB-1417)

Postcard 18

Postcard traveled in 1977.

Stamp: SFR Yugoslavia

Fotolik, Celje.

Photo by F. Mauer.

(Collection T. Potočnjak / Inv. nr. ZTP-KB-1418)

Postcard 19

Period around the 1970s.

Vuk Karađić, Belgrade.

(Collection T. Potočnjak / Inv. nr. ZTP-KB-1419)

Postcard 20

Period around the 1970s.

Publisher and print: NIP "Vjesnik", Zagreb.

(Collection T. Potočnjak / Inv. nr. ZTP-KB-1420)

Postcard 21

Postcard traveled in 1979.

Stamp: SFR Yugoslavia

Publisher and print: NIP "Vjesnik", Zagreb.

(Collection T. Potočnjak / Inv. nr. ZTP-KB-1421)

Postcard 22

Period around the 1970s.

(Collection T. Potočnjak / Inv. nr. ZTP-KB-1422)

Postcard 23

Postcard traveled in 1984.

Stamp: SFR Yugoslavia

Fotolik, Celje.

Photo by M. Gorjanc.

(Collection T. Potočnjak / Inv. nr. ZTP-KB-1423)

Postcard 36

Period around 1975.

In the photo: Marinko and Ruža Potočnjak.

Publisher and print: NIP "Vjesnik", Zagreb.

(Collection T. Potočnjak / Inv. nr. ZTP-KB-1436)

Postcard 24

Period around the 1970s.

Vuk Karadžić, Belgrade.

(Collection T. Potočnjak / Inv. nr. ZTP-KB-1424)

Postcard 25

Postcard traveled in 1975.

Stamp: SFR Yugoslavia

Publisher: Photo Documentation Agency, Zagreb

Photo by Ivan Bratuša.

(Collection T. Potočnjak / Inv. nr. ZTP-KB-1425)

Postcard 26

Postcard traveled in the 1980s.

Stamp: SFR Yugoslavia

Fotolik, Celje.

Photo by M. Gorjanc & F. Mauer.

(Collection T. Potočnjak / Inv. nr. ZTP-KB-1426)

Postcard 27

Period around the 1970s.

Stamp: SFR Yugoslavia

Agefoto, Zagreb.

(Collection T. Potočnjak / Inv. nr. ZTP-KB-1427)

Postcard 28

Period around the 1970s.

Stamp: SFR Yugoslavia

Publisher: Cooperative Press, Ilica 35, Zagreb.

(Collection T. Potočnjak / Inv. nr. ZTP-KB-1428)

Postcard 29

Postcard traveled in 1972.

Stamp: SFR Yugoslavia

Publisher and print: NIP "Vjesnik", Zagreb.

(Collection T. Potočnjak / Inv. nr. ZTP-KB-1429)

Postcard 30

Period around the 1980s.

Stamp: SFR Yugoslavia

Fotolik, Celje.

Photo by M. Gorjanc.

(Collection T. Potočnjak / Inv. nr. ZTP-KB-1430)

Postcard 31

Postcard traveled in 1973.

Stamp: SFR Yugoslavia

Publisher and print: NIP "Vjesnik", Zagreb.

(Collection T. Potočnjak / Inv. nr. ZTP-KB-1431)

Postcard 32

Postcard traveled in 1975.

Stamp: SFR Yugoslavia

Publisher and print: NIP "Vjesnik", Zagreb.

(Collection T. Potočnjak / Inv. nr. ZTP-KB-1432)

Postcard 33

Postcard traveled in 1983.

Stamp: SFR Yugoslavia

Fotolik, Celje.

Photo by M. Gorjanc.

(Collection T. Potočnjak / Inv. nr. ZTP-KB-1433)

Postcard 34

Period around the 1980s.

Fotolik, Celje.

Photo by M. Gorjanc.

(Collection T. Potočnjak / Inv. nr. ZTP-KB-1434)

Postcard 35

Postcard traveled in 1975.

Stamp: SFR Yugoslavia

In the photo: Marinko and Ruža Potočnjak.

Publisher and print: NIP "Vjesnik", Zagreb.

(Collection T. Potočnjak / Inv. nr. ZTP-KB-1435)

Postcard 37

Postcard traveled around the 1980s.

In the photo: Ivan Brčić.

Fotolik, Celje.

Photo by M. Gorjanc.

(Collection T. Potočnjak / Inv. nr. ZTP-KB-1437)

Postcard 41

Period around the 1980s.

Fotolik, Celje.

Photo by: M. Gorjanc.

(T. Potočnjak Collection / Inv. No. ZTP-KB-1441)

Postcard 42

Postcard sent in 1984.

Fotolik, Celje.

Photo by: M. Gorjanc.

(T. Potočnjak Collection / Inv. No. ZTP-KB-1442)

Postcard 38

Postcard traveled around 1987.

Fotolik, Celje.

Photo by M. Gorjanc.

(Collection T. Potočnjak / Inv. nr. ZTP-KB-1438)

Postcard 39

Postcard traveled in the 1970s.

Stamp: SFR Yugoslavia

Publisher: Hospitality Company "Jadran".

(Collection T. Potočnjak / Inv. nr. ZTP-KB-1439)

Postcard 40

Postcard sent in 1988.

SFR Yugoslavia Stamp

Fotolik, Celje.

Photo by I. Prekalj.

(Collection T. Potočnjak / Inv. nr. ZTP-KB-1440)

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