ZAGREB, 22 April, 2021 - Over the past 24 hours, Croatia has registered 2,885 new cases of the coronavirus infection, and there were 46 deaths, the national COVID-19 crisis management team said on Thursday.

There are 2,229 COVID patients in hospitals, including 226 on ventilators.

Over the past 24 hours, 46 people have died, bringing the death toll to 6,738 since the start of the epidemic.

There are 16,116 active cases in Croatia today, and 33,940 people are in self-isolation.

To date, 1,734,234 people have been tested, including 10,537 people tested over the past 24 hours.

Since the start of the epidemic in Croatia, a total of 316,308 people have contracted coronavirus, and 293,454 of them have recovered, 2,103 recovered in the past 24 hours.

As at 21 April, 726,315 doses of the coronavirus vaccine have been administered in Croatia, and 578,273 people have been vaccinated, with 427,919 people receiving the first dose and 148,042 receiving both doses. For 2,312 people there is no data on how many doses they have received.

For more about COVID-19 in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

April 22, 2021 - The Representation of the Croatian Tourist Board in Italy, in cooperation with the Zadar County Tourist Board, is holding a virtual presentation intended for Italian travel agents and B2B media. The topic of the virtual meeting is the tourist offer of Croatia, with emphasis on the offer of Zadar County.  

As htz.hr reports, the virtual presentation gathered more than 60 participants. The presentation included information on the national safety label Safe Stay in Croatia and all measures implemented for the safe stay of tourists in destinations.

"While we are waiting for the full opening of Italy and the possibility of uninterrupted travel, activities such as virtual presentations are an ideal opportunity to, in cooperation with county tourist boards, present the tourist offer of Croatian regions for which Italy is one of the most important markets. In these uncertain times, it is essential to maintain presence and visibility on the market and continuously communicate all current information to partners and the media", said Viviana Vukelic, director of the CNTB Representation in Italy. 

Vukelic added that the Safe Stay's information campaign in Croatia would soon be launched on the Italian market, followed by a B2B campaign in specialized tourist media, and then the main invitation campaign for Italian tourists.

The gathered partners and media representatives were also greeted by the director of the Croatian Tourist Board, Kristjan Staničić. "Good expectations from the Italian market for this season are based on the feedback of the main partners from the Italian market, as well as on the announcements of new shipping and airlines that will connect Croatia and Italy this season," said Staničić.

The presentation of the potential of Zadar County to Italian agents and the media is especially focused on three products, namely outdoor, nautical, and gastronomy.

"Italy has always been our loyal market, which was, unfortunately, the most affected by the epidemic last year, and for which we still expect a good response this year. The Italians greatly appreciate our indented coastline and beautiful archipelago. On this occasion, we reminded the interested partners of our strengths and introduced them to the offer of various opportunities that can be experienced in various parts of the county. Nautics, i.e., islands, with an emphasis on gastronomy, capacities, and various tools to make it easier for our guests to organize their stay, are just some of the prominent topics. We are extremely pleased and optimistic about the great interest shown by the partners for our destinations, which is proven by this virtual meeting", said the director of the Zadar County Tourist Board, Mihaela Kadija.

Regarding traffic connections, along the international ferry line Zadar - Ancona, from July 24 to August 29, 2021, the fast ship of the tour operator Gomo Viaggi with 374 seats will connect Pesaro and Cesenatico with Mali Lošinj and Novalja and Cesenatico with Rovinj. The ship will operate three times a week in July and four times a week in August. The same partner confirmed that it would keep the airline from Ancona to Split in August. Other routes of companies such as EasyJet, Volotea, Ryanair, and Vueling will connect Croatian airports with Rome, Milan, Napoli, Bari, Palermo, and Venice. The cruise company MSC Crociere will start traveling again from June 2021, and Croatia is included in their program. It is planned that their cruisers from Venice, Trieste, and Bari will stop in Dubrovnik and those from Venice and Bari in Split.

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

For more on travel in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

Find more information about Zadar HERE and everything you need to know about the Zadar airport HERE. 

April 22, 2021 - Fathers and children from all over the world are sharing a special time this week, doing physical activities and challenges as part of Daddyhood Dadathlon.

As it was announced by Total Croatia News, Daddyhood Europe launched officially its Dadathlon event on Saturday, its biggest project this year. Fathers from several countries around the world are now participating in prizes but also, and most importantly, to spend time with their children and encourage all families to join the initiative.

Marino Manzoni, the Croatian co-founder of Daddyhood Europe, says that ‘‘Daddyhood Dadathlon is a sports event created to inspire dads and kids of all ages to do physical activities together, inspire kids to a healthy lifestyle, but most of all to create bonds and memories for life’’.

Fathers and their children will have to complete a set of challenges based on physical activities such as running, cycling, and hiking. Those parents interested in participating can join the competition virtually throughout the week. For all Croatian parents, you can also register with the team name Run Croatia, as part of a collaboration with Daddyhood Europe.

Taking into account the current epidemiological situation around the world, Daddyhood Dadathlon has been launched in a virtual format, where participants can share their times and results and these will be ranked on a leaderboard.

‘‘By signing up, dads are also becoming part of a community of dads who share similar values and inspire other dads to be present and active fathers’’, added Marino.

Daddyhood Europe is a nonprofit organization founded by Marino Manzoni from Croatia, and Thomas Pickelner from Sweden. Their goal is to raise awareness about the importance of active fatherhood and its role in the development of their children.

Daddyhood Dadathlon gathered in Punat a small number of fathers and their kids to promote the event.

Last Sunday, as part of the promotion of Daddyhood Dadathlon, Marino’s hometown of Punat on the island of Krk gathered a small number of parents and their children sharing a special time by adding their first distances and times as part of the competition. Kids of different ages achieved the 3k goal with their parents, even under cloudy and cold conditions.

Considering the epidemiological measures that are being carried out in different parts of the world and given the great reception from fathers outside of Europe, Daddyhood Europe has announced that it will extend the first stage of the Daddyhood Dadathlon for one more week, until May 2nd.

‘‘We decided to keep registration open until the very end of Dadathlon to all races, but only the ones who do each race in the set time frame are eligible to get the prize for each race’’, emphasized Marino.

If you want to register and find more information about this year's races, you might do so on the Daddyhood Dadathlon site. You can also sign up and find more about the prizes on RaceID.

For more Daddyhood Europe news and content, follow them on Facebook and Instagram (@daddyhoodeurope).

For more about lifestyle in Croatia, visit our dedicated TCN page.

ZAGREB, 22 April, 2021 - Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said on Thursday that the WW2 Nazi-style Independent State of Croatia (NDH) was one of the most tragic periods in Croatian history and added that the government was clearly against the use of Ustasha symbols.

The prime minister made this statement on the occasion of the 76th anniversary anniversary of the breakout of inmates of from the Ustasha-run World War II concentration camp Jasenovac.

Plenković laid a wreath, and on this occasion he was accompanied by the three deputy prime ministers Tomo Medved, Davor Božinović and Boris Milošević and several ministers.

He underscored that they came to pay tribute to all victims of the NDH regime and the horrific crimes committed in the Jasenovac concentration camp and other camps against Jews, Serbs, Roma, Croat antifascists and democrats.

"That is certainly one of the most tragic periods in Croatian history and it is important that young new generations of today are aware of these facts, (...) that this is a part of our education system and that all generations never forget the terrible crimes that were committed here and across Europe in similar camps during World War II, and that there is general and unequivocal condemnation of those crimes," the prime minister said.

He added that he would continue to come to Jasenovac with piety and awareness that we must not allow such crimes ever happen again.

As for amending the Criminal Code to ban Ustasha insignia, Plenković said that they were already banned and that it was a question of aligning action with court practice.

"This topic has been with us for a long time. Everyone who knows something about our history, about the Jasenovac camp, who understand what those symbols mean for members of the Jewish people, members of Serbs, Roma, antifascists, understands that these are not symbols to be used," Plenković said.

Regarding the initiative of the president of the Coordination of Jewish Communities in Croatia, Ognjen Kraus, to ban the Ustasha salute "For the homeland ready", he said that they had talked about it and would continue to discuss it. Also, he said that the position of the government was clear and firm when it came to condemning crimes and such symbols.

He denied claims by the Jewish representative that not enough had been done on the issue.

For more about politics in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

April 22, 2021 - The latest flight news to Croatia as British Airways flights to Dubrovnik resume mid-May, frequencies to Split have been increased, and the return to Zagreb Airport is further delayed. 

Croatian Aviation reports that British national airline British Airways has made changes to its summer flight schedule. It has further delayed its return to Zagreb but has increased the planned number of operations to Split Airport.

British Airways has not operated to Zagreb Airport since January this year. The company suspended all flights on this route after the UK strain of the virus appeared and a ban on commercial flights from this country was briefly introduced. After that, traffic to Zagreb was not renewed. Although companies are gradually returning to Zagreb Airport (Lufthansa, LOT, Austrian, etc.), British Airways has not yet done so, and it is obvious that it will not soon. Namely, the company canceled all flights until June 21 and currently plans to operate between Zagreb and London again from that date.

Currently, 11 flights per week are available for booking from the end of June, with a daily departure from Zagreb after 1 pm. A second daily flight will run on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays in the evening.

Given that British plans to return to Zagreb at the end of June, the realization of flights should not be in question, but the number of weekly flights certainly is. There is no doubt that the company will cancel certain flights and fly significantly fewer times a week compared to what is available today for booking on the airline’s website.

The first flight between London and Split has been announced for the end of May (May 28), and in the second half of June, there will be a significant increase in weekly frequencies (up to 5 flights per week). Additionally, from the same date, the company will operate on London City - Split line!

This carrier offers as many as 11 flights a week to Split, 8 weekly flights from Heathrow Airport, and an additional 3 flights a week from London City from the end of June.

The London Heathrow - Dubrovnik Airport - London Heathrow line should start operating first, in mid-May. From May 17, three flights are available a week, on Mondays, Fridays, and Sundays, and a month later (from mid-June), British plans to operate on this line as many as 10 times a week. Traditionally, Dubrovnik is the most popular destination for British tourists in Croatia, and after the outbreak of the pandemic, all operations to Dubrovnik were transferred from Gatwick Airport to Heathrow.

Pula Airport should also have two flights a week. The London - Pula Airport - London line will be in traffic from June 22, twice a week, on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Due to the global pandemic, British Airways renewed this line only in August last year and suspended it already in September, so Heathrow and Pula will be connected for a longer period this year. 

In total, British Airways will offer as many as 34 flights a week between London and Croatian airports in the peak of the summer season this year.

If we consider that other airlines (WizzAir, Ryanair, EasyJet, Croatia Airlines, Jet2.com, TUI,…) will operate between Croatian and London airports, the number of available seats on the market will certainly be more than enough. The demand of British tourists for Croatia will again be crucial for airlines' survival between these destinations.

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

For more on travel in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

April 22, 2021 - The 30th round of the Croatian First League was held mid-week on April 20 and 21, 2021. Osijek and Dinamo draw at City Garden Stadium in this round, while Sibenik and Gorica played 1:1, as did Belupo and Hajduk.

Sibenik v. Gorica (1:1)

Sibenik and Gorica opened the 30th round on Tuesday, April 30, 2021. 

Sahiti scored to put Sibenik in the lead in the 40th minute for 1:0 at the half. Lucumi was booked for his second yellow in the 87th minute, and a late goal by Delfi brought Gorica the equalizer one minute later for 1:1, which was the final score of the match. 

Sibenik is currently in 7th place with 29 points, while Gorica is in 4th with 50. 

Slaven Belupo v. Hajduk (1:1) 

Belupo and Hajduk met on Tuesday, April 30, 2021, in Koprivnica. 

Hajduk took the lead in the 10th minute when Dimitrov scored for 0:1. A red card for Todorovic forced Hajduk to play with a player less from the 60th minute, and Krstanovic scored for Belupo six minutes later. The match ended 1:1. 

Belupo is currently in 6th place with 31 points, while Hajduk is in 5th with 44. 

Lokomotiva v. Varazdin (4:0)

Lokomotiva and Varazdin met on Wednesday, April 21, 2021, in Zagreb. 

Males scored Lokomotiva's first goal in the 3rd minute for the early lead. Papadopoulos increased Lokomotiva's lead to 2:0 in the 32nd minute. Two goals by Simic in the 84' and 86' minutes made it 4:0, which was the final score of the match. 

Lokomotiva is currently in 10th place with 23 points, while Varazdin is in 8th with 25. 

Istra 1961 v. Rijeka (1:2) 

Istra and Rijeka met in Pula on Wednesday, April 21, 2021.

A goal by Muric made it 0:1 Rijeka in the 20th minute. Kulenovic made it 0:2 in the 36th. Istra's Galilea came back with one goal for Istra in the 44th minute but failed to equalize in the second half. 

Istra is currently in 9th place with 24 points, while Rijeka has jumped to 3rd with 51. 

Osijek v. Dinamo (1:1)

Osijek and Dinamo met in the highly anticipated match for first place on Wednesday, April 21, 2021, at City Garden Stadium. 

Majer scored in the 5th minute to give Dinamo the early lead. Erceg equalized for Osijek in the 64th for 1:1, which was the final score of the match. 

Osijek is currently in 2nd place with 66 points, while Dinamo is in 1st with 68. 

You can see the full HNL table HERE. 

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

To learn more about sport in Croatia, CLICK HERE. 

April the 22nd, 2021 - The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has changed the whole world as we know it. Working from home has proven more than possible in several sectors in which it was previously unimaginable, and the leisure and tourism industry, which has taken among the hardest blows, will have to change considerably. Croatian accommodation providers will need to adapt as guest habits change and recovery begins.

As Poslovni Dnevnik/Marija Crnjak writes, summer resorts are a growing focus of investors of late, as this segment of tourism is expected to be the first to recover after the coronavirus crisis finally draws to a close, and despite the fact that issues continue to persist seemingly unrelentingly, optimism still reigns in the sector.

That being said, investors and decision-makers must keep in mind that the pandemic has changed guest behaviour and accelerated hotel business transformation trends, primarily through the development of mixed-use resorts and residential properties, as was explained by Philip Bacon, the director of planning, development, valuation at Horwath HTL, in an interview for Hospitality Insights magazine. As Croatian tourism and Croatian accommodation providers rely heavily on summer resorts, alterations and adaptations are in the works.

This crisis is lasting longer than expected. What keeps your hopes high?

I believe there are differences between where we were a year ago and where we are today, and that tourism will continue to show resilience and introduce innovations that will save the day. It's important to keep in mind that this virus will not simply disappear, we're all going to simply have to learn to live with it. The good thing is that this isn't a demand crisis but a supply crisis, and with more than a year of working from home, we've never stopped working with our clients, helping them plan for the future and aiding them to adapt to changes in consumer behaviour brought by the pandemic.

This bizarre situation has served to accelerate some trends which were already taking place before 2020: a focus on healthcare and wellness, combining work, travel and private life anywhere in the world, the power of technology to connect people more effectively and efficiently, and the importance of truly sustainable values, especially those related to the production and consumption of energy and food. There's also the realisation that in tourism you cannot simply sit back and take anything for granted, where there are still only two types of hotels, the ones that needs to be changed and the ones that you have to demolish.

Numerous hotel companies that have developed business or city tourism are now turning to resorts. What advice would you give them?

We mustn't forget that bringing urban hotels to the beach was a good idea about 40 or 50 years ago, but that the world has changed significantly since then and guests are no longer attracted to the 20-square-metre air-conditioned room spread over several floors with narrow hallways. The way of life and the demands of guests have changed, and it is time to give people what they want, not what you already have, which is why the transformation of summer resorts across Europe has already begun. Today’s guests, especially when it comes to families and small groups, want a much more independent, residential style of accommodation, combined with excellent service when and where it's needed. As a result, more and more hotel operators are looking for a real estate concept, and this pandemic has only heightened the value of that approach.

Furthermore, it's time for a rethink in terms of the concept of health and wellness and we need to use it to create more reasons for people to come to a certain facility - the breadth and depth of the health and wellness segment is so extensive that today there's no reason not to put it at the centre of creating a measurable competitive advantage.

Which regions will be the first to return to the game when it comes to holiday tourism?

Currently, the possibility of safe travel without too many practical problems will determine the rate of re-growth for individual destinations in the short term. We're already seeing plans to create passenger corridors between countries based on a set of rules. This can create some short-term shifts in travel patterns, and of course, short trips close to home will be more popular, which could lead to rural destinations around the world being recognised as being just as attractive as beach resorts.

Places that offer a sense of space and place a real emphasis on health and wellness will be what many people are looking for now, and I believe this could become a long-term habit of guests. We'll also see a growing interest in travel involving adventurous experiences with little impact on the environment, especially to more remote regions of the world. This comes down in part to a change in generational attitudes that had already begun a few years ago, and what is interesting is the convergence of the older generation and the younger generation in terms of values ​​and behaviour. I think we’ll see more of that, as well as less strict segmentation based on age groups. What brings people together is their shared values.

How has the pandemic affected the real estate segment in the rental market?

Most of the development projects that have preoccupied me over the last year have been either combined-purpose projects (hotel and branded residences) or have focused on service apartments, either in urban centres or in resorts. Even before the pandemic struck, we knew we could work from home, and the digital nomad wasn't something simply thought up and invented last year. When travelling away from their primary place of residence, many will look for a place where they can easily set up their home offices and work.

Some guests want to stay longer than the holidays, and this will affect the operation of such resorts. We're also seeing a growing interest in residential private membership clubs, both in urban areas and in resorts. The desire to meet the people you're sharing a holiday with is stronger than ever.

Branded residences have long been a great opportunity for tourism and that's why they're still finding ready and willing buyers all over the world. That's why more and more hotel chains are entering the market of branded housing and the market of short-term and long-term rent. There are more and more projects that aren't putting much focus on the traditional hotel room, but instead are offering more flexible forms of accommodation in a residential style that can be used in multiple segments and at different times of the year.

For more on Croatian accommodation in 2021, from high end hotels to hostels and everything in between, make sure to bookmark our dedicated section.

April 22, 2021 - Recognizing the critical importance of using artificial intelligence in all aspects of life, business, and tourism, the Zagreb County Tourist Board accepts #AIChallenge and is the first tourist board in Croatia to do so!

Artificial intelligence is becoming an increasingly important factor in the intelligent management of all aspects of life and business and especially proved to be so in tourism. Artificial intelligence has taken an important place to achieve intelligent, sustainable, and responsible tourism - it provides a high level of ability to respond quickly, agile and personalized to the needs of tourists, local stakeholders, and the environment, but also improve welfare and transforms society for the better in the coming decades.

Zagreb County Tourist Board

That is why it is crucial to educate yourself about the advantages, possibilities, and challenges of artificial intelligence and master the skills of applying artificial intelligence, which the Zagreb County Tourist Board recommends learning more about at the Elements of AI course - a free online course on the basics of artificial intelligence, for which you do not need to know anything about higher mathematics or programming.

Namely, the Zagreb County Tourist Board recognizes the critical importance of using artificial intelligence in all aspects of life, business, and tourism. It is the first tourist board in Croatia to join the AI Challenge organized by CroAI, Agency 404, and the University of Zagreb and Reactor and University of Helsinki. This challenge aims to educate 1% of the Croatian population about artificial intelligence. With this, the Zagreb County Tourist Board invites everyone to join the #AIChallenge challenge and step together into the future of tourism - in an innovative, sustainable and responsible way.

Anyone looking to learn more about Zagreb County, its destinations, local specialties, wooden architecture, or 'green ring,' visit the Tourist Board website HERE. 

For more about lifestyle in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.