July 30, 2021 - The Split-based public relations agency VAJT has received a new major professional recognition.

For the second time in three years, VAJT has been awarded the most significant professional award, the Golden World Award given by IPRA, the International Public Relations Association, the world’s umbrella organization in public relations.

VAJT was again awarded in the Public Affairs category, this time for the project "Introduction of a visa for digital nomads - how a Dutchman provided Croatia with the first official digital nomad", on which VAJT worked with Jan de Jong. There are many peculiarities of this communication campaign, including the fact that it's the first one done entirely on LinkedIn, and the end result is that Croatia was among the first countries in the world and the second after Estonia in Europe to adjust its legislation and respond to the new phenomenon. in the market - young people who want to work for employers in their country, but physically out of it and at the same time enjoy the benefits that such a lifestyle provides.

"In the time of Rimac and the Olympians, little can delight, but for us there is nothing further than this. We are lucky that we can repeat good projects, and the domestic and international professional public recognizes and rewards us. The IPRA Golden World Award is the pinnacle in professional terms and I never dreamed it could be repeated to us in such a short period of time. I am especially glad that this is the Public Affairs category because working in this segment is extremely demanding, especially because the domestic public does not yet understand the role of public relations in public policies in the best way. Of course, the key to success this time was Jan de Jong as the bearer of communication. With maximum trust in us, he invested exceptional effort, gathered a small number of international experiences, was maximally positive and open to the Croatian authorities and showed how laws can be changed through affirmative communication. We are going to continue to learn and grow, and with other colleagues from Croatia we regularly take the first places because they certainly belong to us in terms of knowledge and effort ", said the director of the VAJT agency Jerko Trogrlić.

In just four months, VAJT and Jan de Jong managed to initiate changes to the law and ensure that digital nomads have a regulated stay in Croatia for a year, instead of the three months they used to be able to stay with a tourist visa. The story started with Dutchman de Jong, who moved to Croatia 14 years ago as a 22-year-old and has been changing it for the better ever since. Launching an initiative to introduce a visa for digital nomads is just one of the projects that helps its new homeland and all those who recognize Croatia as a beautiful place to live and work.

„From the moment I moved to Croatia, I fell in love with this country. But that doesn't mean that everything is perfect and great here. Over the past 10 – 15 years, nearly 500.000 mostly young and talented Croats have left the country in search of opportunities abroad. At the same time, Croatia's economy depends for over 20% of its GDP on tourism. When the world stopped traveling last year as a result of the global pandemic, Croatia's economy was severely hit by not being able to welcome tourist any longer. That was the moment we connected all the dots. By introducing a digital nomad visa we could turn Croatia into a year-round destination, while at the same time reverse the brain-drain by welcoming young and talented professionals – by granting them 12-month staying permits. With a strong believe that “digital nomad tourism” could turn into a new industry for Croatia as a whole, we started our campaign on LinkedIn. After winning the support from the LinkedIn community, we managed to get the support from Prime Minister Andrej Plenković and his cabinet which I thank very much. In a country known for its bureaucracy, we have shown that Croatia was able to pivot when its presented with opportunity. None of our efforts were done with the goal to win awards. We wanted to help prepare Croatia for the next generation. This award however is an amazing recognition for the efforts we have made and serves as a reminder of an amazing journey I feel proud to have been part of“, said Jan de Jong.

For this project, VAJT has already been awarded two professional awards this year - the Polaris International Award and the Grand Prix of the Croatian Public Relations Association. In total, this is the ninth professional award for VAJT and the fourth international. As a reminder, VAJT was awarded three years ago for the campaign "Do you want to switch places?" for the client Split parking with the IPRA Golden World Award, Polaris and the Grand Prix of HUOJ.

Among this year's IPRA laureates are the world's best public relations agencies and large companies such as T-Com, Nestle, numerous banking houses, foundations ...

The annual IPRA Golden World Awards (GWA) have been awarded since 1990 for excellence in public relations practice around the world in a variety of categories.

For more news and features on digital nomads in Croatia, follow the dedicated TCN section. 

ZAGREB, 30 July 2021 - Croatia's stockpiles of finished industrial goods in June 2021 were 6.9% lower than in the previous month and 1.6% lower than in June 2020, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics (DZS).

Broken down by main industrial groupings, compared with May 2021, energy stockpiles fell the most, by 17.8%. Stockpiles of capital goods decreased by 12.7%, non-durable consumer goods by 6.2%, intermediate goods by 4.7% and durable consumer goods by 0.1%.

Compared with June 2020, energy stockpiles increased by 10.1% and stockpiles of non-durable consumer goods by 8.3%, while stockpiles of capital goods fell by 19.9%, intermediate goods by 12.3% and durable consumer goods by 12.2%.

For more on business, CLICK HERE.

ZAGREB, 30 July 2021 - Croatia has registered 170 new coronavirus cases and four COVID-related deaths in the last 24 hours, and currently there are 1,088 active cases in the country, Health Minister Vili Beroš said at a press conference of the national coronavirus response team on Friday.

This is a slight decrease in the number of new cases compared with 176 cases registered seven days ago. "What the future trends will be like depends on ourselves alone," Beroš said.

In the last 14 days, 2,009 new cases have been recorded, which puts the 14-day incidence rate per 100,000 population at 49.1.

A total of 5,397 persons have been tested for coronavirus in the last 24 hours and 3.15 percent of the tests have returned positive.

Currently, 154 people are receiving hospital treatment, five more than on Thursday, and 12 of them are on ventilators. In the last 24 hours, 25 new COVID patients have been admitted to hospitals and 15 have been discharged.

The four persons who have died were at an advanced age and were not vaccinated, Beroš warned.

Since the outbreak of the epidemic in Croatia in late February last year, 8,254 people have died from COVID-19.

By 29 July, 3,057,321 doses of vaccine against COVID-19 had been administered, with 1,639,095 people having been vaccinated, which is 40.4 percent of the total population and 48.6 percent of the adult population. 36.18 percent of the total population and 43.57 percent of the adult population have been fully inoculated.

Follow the latest travel updates and COVID-19 news from Croatia HERE.

ZAGREB, 30 July 2021 - In just two days the new mayors of Pula and Vodnjan rejected two major projects by the Istrian Democratic Party (IDS) worth about HRK 90 million, Jutarnji List daily said on Friday.

Both projects are from the EU's Integrated Territorial Investment (ITU) mechanism, and a portion of the funding was grants from the European Regional Development Fund. But both independent mayors decided to forgo the grants arguing that the stakes of their respective cities in the investment projects were too high.

The aim of the projects was to convert a former industrial complex in Pula and an old oil mill in Vodnjan into tourism and cultural centres. A HRK 34.9 million grant agreement for the Mehanika polyvalent centre in Pula was signed in February, while Vodnjan's MMC Torcio project was awarded a HRK 7.15 million grant.

Both mayors said that the main reasons for rejecting the projects were too short implementation deadlines, an excessive credit burden on their budgets and too high bids for the performance of construction works.

For more on politics, CLICK HERE.

ZAGREB, 30 July 2021 - The Croatian public relations agency Abeceda Komunikacije has won a prestigious IPRA Golden World Award in the Country, Region and City category for the campaign "When You Drive Safely, You Arrive Safely".

The campaign was designed for the Ministry of the Interior and the award was presented by the International Public Relations Association (IPRA). It already received this year's HUOJ Grand PRix award from the Croatian Public Relations Association (HUOJ).

Abeceda Komunikacije said that the success of this campaign can be measured not just by the awards it has received but also by its results, as the number of road accidents has decreased by 31 percent, the number of those with fatal outcomes by 50 percent and those with injuries by 30.2 percent.

For more news, CLICK HERE.

1 August 2021 - It’s a sailing holiday in Croatia with the family. The sailing, sea air, and sun will be great for the kids, and there are some special considerations to make when sailing with children on board - especially toddlers. It also means a little extra planning and forethought, so here are SIX things to think about when planning and preparing to go on a sailing holiday with the kids:

Life jackets (PFD or personal flotation device)

While most charter companies will offer children's PFD, most do not have the correct sized PFD for children under 5 years old. Some may and it is always a good idea to check with your charter company to see what sizes they have in stock. If you have a toddler, it is highly recommended to buy a PFD that you know fits from a local supplier. When looking for a PFD for a baby or toddler, there are a few things to consider.

- A crotch strap is a NECESSITY in any personal flotation device for a child, as it prevents the PFD from riding up over the child's head. 

- Think about comfort. Kids love to wiggle out of anything that they are restrained by that is digging into them or scratchy and uncomfortable. If their PFD fits them snugly and comfortably, then they are far less likely to fight you about wearing it.

- A wide V-shaped neoprene crotch strap won’t ride up as easily, and contoured panels, adjustable drapes and neck support will all contribute to a much better fit.

- Fit is important in keeping a child's head above water, so do not get a too-big PFD thinking he or she will grow into it.

- CE approved: All European life jackets must carry the CE mark.

- Make sure that this is all checked and fitted before you leave home, so that you and your baby are well prepared.

A good tip is to actually introduce the PFD to your child as a plaything well before you step on-board the boat. This will help your child create a positive association with the PFD before the sailing holiday even begins!

Safety Netting

Another safety feature that you can choose to have installed is safety netting. This is an add-on that most charter companies offer for an extra charge. What this means is that netting is installed down each side of the boat on deck, tied to the lifelines and stanchions. This means that small animals and children are far less likely to slip on the deck and fall overboard. And yes, “far less likely” and not “impossible” because nothing is 100% effective. It is strongly recommended that children are always under adult supervision when moving around the boat, whether safety netting is installed or not!

Sun Protection

If you are thinking of a sailing holiday during the peak months of summer, protecting your child from the sun should be a priority.  Ensure that the boat that you are on has plenty of shade to sit/sleep/play in. Shade is always a much better sun safety strategy than simply relying on sunscreen. And with the sun also reflecting off the water, be mindful that your baby will likely soak up more than their usual amount of Vitamin D, and all that goes along with that. Don’t forget to pack plenty of your preferred brand of child-friendly sunscreen. Make sure that you have a good full-coverage sun hat!

Water Water Water

Children dehydrate FAST. Much faster than adults. So it’s important to keep a strict eye on how much your wee one drinks. Having a bottle that bub can constantly drink from is going to keep the little one hydrated, and water can easily be flavoured naturally with local fruits. Good advice for adults and children alike, staying hydrated can actually help you avoid seasickness too. Which is always a good thing!

Play and Toys

An amused baby is much easy to sail with than a bored, cranky baby. Bringing a couple of favourite toys from home (make sure that they are waterproof and not too precious, just in case they end up in the Adriatic!) is a great way to help keep your child appeased and amused. Having a foldable or inflatable paddling pool that you can fill up and have in the shade of the cockpit is also a fantastic and safe way to keep your child occupied during long passages or hot days. Making sure that there is at least one safe play space for your child on the boat that you are chartering will make everyone’s sailing holiday much more enjoyable!

And don't forget water toys! An inflatable water float is great to help your child feel safe in the water. Stand-up paddleboards are also great water toys that kids and adults alike can use as giant floats. NOTE: If you do buy an inflatable toy, please make sure that it is firmly secured when not in use so that it does not escape and end up floating in the Adriatic Sea.

Trust Your Skipper

Your Skipper is in charge of the boat and thus, in charge of the safety of your family on-board. If you have additional crew on-board, ensuring that they are child-friendly can make or break your holiday. Extra eyes to watch out for bub, extra hands to make sure that any dangerous lockers are locked up or to catch bub if he/she is old enough to start climbing. There is a myriad of situations where the more baby minders on board, the better for everyone’s sanity.

If you can arrange to talk with your skipper prior to your trip. You should feel comfortable asking your Skipper and crew questions if you are unsure of anything. The more comfortable you are, the more at ease your child is going to be, so having a good crew is a must!

Of course, there are many more aspects to consider when traveling with a child. Booking with a crew who specializes in families with small children can help to alleviate a lot of stress and worry. 45 Degrees Sailing are one such company that love to have small children on-board!  Small details can often make a huge difference in the success of a sailing holiday with small children, which Nick and Mahina from 45 Degrees Sailing know well!

Check out their Youtube channel for testimonials, like this one from David and Katherine Liola and their three kids.

If you have questions on anything sailing in Croatia, feel free to ask below in the comments or check out Total Croatia, Sailing in Croatia: Your One-Stop-Shop for everything sailing.

If you’re looking to experience an amazing family sailing holiday that keeps you wanting more, find more details here about 45 Degrees Sailing

For more about Travel in Croatia follow TCN's dedicated pages on Travel.

July 30, 2021 - Tonči Stipanović will enter the race for an Olympic medal in the Laser class from 3rd place! On Sunday at 7:33 am Croatia time, he will have the opportunity to win his second medal at the Olympic Games after winning silver in Rio de Janeiro.

The top ten sailors in the class will sail in the medal race, reports Sportske Novosti.

The Mornar Split sailor has 74 negative points, three more than the second-placed Norwegian Hermann Tomasgaard and two less than the Cypriot Pavlos Contides, otherwise a club colleague. The gold has already been secured by Australian Matt Wearn, he is the successor of compatriot Tom Burton. Tomasgaard, Stipanović, and Kontides will try to secure two spots on the podium in a regatta in which the points are doubled (2, 4, 6, 8...). Every other sailor is quite far away - German Philipp Bühl in 5th place has 85 negative points.

The last two regattas that sailed on Friday proved to be very interesting. Stipanović recorded results of 7 and 10. Through the second regatta, he climbed from 21st place in the first turn, but the key thing was the big drop of Kontides (24), as well as Tomasgaard (19) in the first voyage. In the same way, the legendary Brazilian Robert Scheidt (24, 16) dropped out of the medal competition, falling to 6th place.

Sunday will be another great day for Croatian sport, as the 35-year-old from Split will have the opportunity to climb the Olympic podium for the second time!

To follow the latest sports news in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

To learn more about sport in Croatia, CLICK HERE. 

July 30, 2021 - The announcement of 25 new routes from the Croatian capital by Ryanair is the latest step in the evolving nature of Zagreb tourism, which has a very bright future.

When I first moved to Croatia back in 2003, my budget travel options from the UK were extremely limited. There was the unenviable choice of London to Trieste, bus transfer to Rijeka, then 11 hours on a bus to Split and the ferry to Hvar. Much preferred was Ryanair to Graz, then 4 hour train to Zagreb and onward bus to Split.

I got to know Graz a little during that time, as I would sometimes stop for a night or two to explore that very pretty Austrian city, but Zagreb always left me a little cold. There never seemed to be much going on, and I remember that the only international cuisine available back then was an average Indian and an ever more average Chinese.  For me, Zagreb was always just a transit point, and not somewhere to spend time. 

My opinions of Zagreb have changed 100% over the years, but then so too has Zagreb, which was named by Lonely Planet at the best destination in 2017, something unthinkable 15 years previously. Indeed, one German newspaper even labelled it the most boring captial in the EU back in 2014.   

I have spent a lot of time in the Croatian capital, having moved from Jelsa to Varazdin 5 years ago, and it has been a pleasure watching the transformation of the city into one of Croatia's tourism jewels with outstanding potential to develop further.

Zagreb was not really known for tourism until relatively recently, but it has made enormous progress in recent years to become one of the leading destinations in terms of visitors and overnight stays. As the Croatian tourism gurus were trying to figure out how to extend the season, the rise of Advent in Zagreb was meteoric. From a standing start of just a few stands on the main square, within a few years Advent in Zagreb has been voted the Best Christmas Market in Europe, with hundreds of thousands of visitors at a time of year when things were pretty dead in Croatia. The success of Advent in Zagreb inspired other cities to follow suit all over the country, and Advent is now an established part of the tourist calendar in Croatia. 

(Photo credit J.Duval)

But the arrival of  Ryanair to Zagreb, the first low-cost carrier to offer a signifcant presence in the capital, brings with it untold possibilities to develop Zagreb tourism, and in ways that meet the needs of the modern traveller, not just those heading for the typical beach holiday on the coast. And with Ryanair CEO Eddie Wilson claiming that the Irish airline will bring no less than 700,000 passengers by the end of the financial year, the tourism boast both for Zagreb and Croatia should be significant. 

Unlike most visitors to Croatia from European cities, I have long forgotten the luxury of choice with low-cost airlines, especially out of season.  Looking at the new schedule, with December flights at bargain fares to destinations such as Cyprus, Thessaloniki, Malaga, Rome, Malta, Milan, Scandinavia, and even my native Manchester, it brought home to me just how significant the arrival of Ryanair will prove for Zagreb. Not only will other destinations be a lot more accessible for those living in Croatia, but now Zagreb will be open to so many more passengers at affordable prices from a number of destinations previously inaccessible. And with Ryanair planning to increase the number of routes to more than 40 by next summer, as well as potentially entering the domestic market, there will be choice as never before. 

(Bagatin Clinic was voted the best international cosmetic surgery clinic of the year at the International Medical Travel Journal Awards in Berlin in December 2019)

This new accessibility offers great opportunities for Zagreb in various tourism sectors. Croatia has always had an outstanding medical tourism offer, for example, as good as - if not better - than elsewhere in the region, but the inaccessibility of affordable flights to Zagreb has been arguably the major hindrance to developing the sector. In stark contrast, medical tourism in neighbouring Budapest has exploded, with its dental industry bringing in an impressive US$600 million annually. Choice of low-cost flights form the UK is a major factor in that success, but industry experts predict that Croatia could take 25% of that market if it could become competitive with flights.  

Budapest is also worth examining for future Zagreb tourism trends with the budget airline factor. A couple of years ago, I had a very interesting interview with Jost Lammers, CEO of Budapest Airport, on the rise of Budapest Airport after the collapse of state airline, Malev. You can read it here. 

(Photo credit J. Duval)

Zagreb is an ideal city break destination, with an enviable offer of parks, culture, musuems, gourmet, events and one of the most chilled lifestyles in Europe. The Around Zagreb concept, connecting the city with the nature, traditions, wine roads and adventure tourism of the surrounding region, offer plenty of choice all year. The missing link - affordable accessibility from multiple destinations - is now in place. Where once Zagreb was a stepping stone to the coast, now it looks increasingly set to become a 2-3 city break destination in its own right. 

And let's not forget this new breed of tourist which has the ability to significantly impact both the tourism numbers and the mindset - digital nomads. Events such as the recent Zagreb Digital Nomad Week have shown the level of interest in Zagreb, but also how much the city has been a pleasant surprise.  Great Internet, English-widely spoken,  laid-back lifestyle, great gourmet, cultural and adventure tourism scenes, and spectacular nature, even with the city limits.  As Dean Kuchel of Digital Nomad World, put it when asked what Zagreb was missing for digital nomads, his reply was 'More digital nomads.'

(Zagreb's first digital nomad ambassador, Veronica Mulhall, leaves her impressions of Zagreb on a mural in Art Park Ribnjak)

As the word continues to spread about the cool vibe coming out of Zagreb in 2021, coupled with more budget flight announcements, it is only a matter of time before they come.

Good times are in store for Zagreb tourism. Have you paid a visit recently? Learn more about the city in the Total Croatia Zagreb in a Page guide.