HTZ director Niko Bulic said that Croatia had managed to stabilise and improve its position in the international tourism market and prove that it was a respectable tourist destination.
According to the CBI, Australia is the top country brand, followed by the United States and Italy.
The CBI recognises country brands and new global travel trends in the the fastest-growing economy sector - travel and tourism.
The global research, which covered more than 1,500 international travellers and travel industry and hospitality experts, was conducted by FutureBrand, a leading global brand consultancy, in cooperation with the public relations agency Weber Shandwick's Global Travel Practice.
The research shows how country brands become brands and which are the main criteria according to which they are ranked.
Countries can no longer be viewed as raw material. A country brand is more than tourism, it covers export, trade and industry, FutureBrand CEO Rina Plapler said.