October 15, 2020 - After a successful presentation in June when members of the Cycle Croatia expert team hosted a free ride through the beautiful landscapes of the Sinj plain, the Sinj Tourist Board decided, in these challenging times for everyone, to support this form of promotion once again.

Therefore, to improve the tourist offer of Inland Dalmatia, everyone is invited to a free presentation of electric bicycles, which the company Cycle Croatia would include in its regular offer. The event will be held on October 18, departing from Hrvac (Most na Panju), along the beautiful river Cetina. The start is at 9:30, and the final destination is the miraculous source of the Cetina river.

In order to implement all necessary measures, in accordance with the recommendations of the Civil Protection Headquarters and the NZJZ, the number of participants is limited to 25. Participants must register by Friday (October 16) at noon.

Cycling route:

Source of the Cetina (33km, 330vm)

Join us on a cycling tour along Perućko Lake to the source of the Cetina!

The slopes of the Dinara and Vrdovo on one side and Perućko Lake on the other create a magical backdrop away from the murmurs and sounds of the city.

The starting point of this tour is the family farm Panj in Rumin. A quiet country road takes you outside settlements towards the lake. The clean air and blue of the lake will for sure bring a smile to everyone’s face. At the other end of the lake, you can visit old abandoned mills that still resonate with the sounds of the river. Before coming to springs, stop and see the impressive church of St. Salvation from the 9th century.

After that, head to the source of the Cetina and soak it all in!

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 15th of October, 2020, the National Civil Protection Headquarters and those working in the profession will determine the so-called ''scoreboard'' or ''coronavirus traffic light'' as soon as possible, and as such bring clear numerical criteria for the four levels of severity of the spread of infection (green, yellow, orange and red), as well as a list of measures to follow when a particular level is reached.

The duration of self-isolation for contacts of infected persons will be equal to the duration of isolation for actual infected persons, ie it will be shortened from 14 down to 10 days, and sparks are still flying between politics and the profession over whether contacts of infected persons should be located and quarantined by epidemiologists, as they are also lacking the help they have been promised for months, or if it will be enough to transfer that obligation to the sick themselves.

This is part of the decision made yesterday after the number of infected in Croatia reached an unexpected 748 new cases, and as for coronavirus traffic lights, as Jutarnji list writes, the goal is, following the example of most EU countries, to adopt clear, numerical criteria for each ''colour of the epidemic'' and the measures that would follow if those criteria are met. The most commonly used criteria are the average number of infected people per 100,000 inhabitants over a period of 14 days, followed by mortality and the share of positives in the total number of individuals tested.

The profession is also busy discussing whether self-isolation measures should be shortened to 7 days, but it is considered that 7 days is still too little and that after 10 days the risk of the number of patients is acceptable, ie that most who get sick will develop coronavirus symptoms within a period of 10 days.

This was also discussed at yesterday's Croatian Government Scientific Council for Health, and it was said that it is crucial to monitor and isolate contacts, which obviously people cannot just be expected to do alone.

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October 15, 2020 - The Lifestyle Check IN series is an event that focuses on products and services that nurture a philosophy of comfortable living such as fashion and fashion accessories, cosmetics, home decoration, the automotive and nautical industries, and technology.

The first partner country is Austria, so in addition to Croatian products, visitors will also be able to enjoy the products of Austrian lifestyle brands in the exhibition rooms of the Radisson Blu Hotel in Split on Thursday from 1 pm.

After the first two events in Austria, this will be the first edition of the event held in Croatia, and given that any private initiative is a rarity among local, let alone among foreign entrepreneurs due to the epidemiological situation, organizer Monica Ioanitescu revealed why she chose Split for the premiere edition in 2020.

"Split embodies the philosophy of comfortable and beautiful living and is an ideal place to live and do business, so your city this year is also my choice for permanent residence. On Thursday, Croatian lifestyle brands and colleagues from Austria will present their products to the domestic business and general public.

To avoid grouping visitors and provide them with a pleasant stay while allowing them to observe and enjoy undisturbed conversation with exhibitors, the exhibition spaces will be hotel rooms located on different floors of the Radisson Blu Resort & Spa. Also, we limited the number of visitors to a hundred, with the hotel being so spacious that keeping a distance of two meters can be easily respected. Still, masks are, of course, mandatory if, at some point, you cannot maintain a distance. Health is our priority, but we should not stop living and stop all our private and business activities. It is only necessary to invest a little more creativity in the organization of events in these new circumstances," said Ioanitescu.

What type of visitors are expected at the Lifestyle Check In event?

"Lifestyle Check In addresses the general public, the citizens of Split, but also local and foreign entrepreneurs. Everyone is welcome. Tickets are sold through entrio.hr, but the number is limited. Part of the guests will come with an invitation that we sent primarily to local entrepreneurs to have the opportunity to connect with Austrian companies from the sector. Entrepreneurs I approached presented the concept and suggested a presentation, both domestic and Austrian; most of them accepted with enthusiasm; entrepreneurs want to work and create. We need to allow them to continue creating."

Apart from the lifestyle brand products themselves, what else will welcome visitors on Thursday?

"Most of the brands are for ladies, and a hair & makeup corner has been designed for them, but we also thought of men who will be taken care of by the Marevo Cigar Club, and we have also provided a corner for the youngest. Then, from 4 pm, Radisson's happy hour starts, and at 6 pm, the workshop 'My skin by dr. Kaliterna' whose products have delighted ladies of all generations in recent years. At 8 pm, the program includes a fashion show by renowned Austrian designer Dali Oleschko, who will present the clothes she creates for the modern woman, colorful and of the highest quality fabrics. We will be introduced to the brand No7 by Šime Kovačević, which many Split residents already know, but those who are not familiar with his work, I would advise you to join us definitely!"

Source: Dalmatinski Portal

You can learn more about Radisson Blu HERE

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

ZAGREB, October 15, 2020 - Of 6,696 tests performed in Croatia for coronavirus in the last 24 hours, a record high 793 returned positive, and ten related deaths have been reported, according to a press release issued by the national coronavirus response team said on Thursday.

Currently there are 3,562 active cases in the country and 439 of them are hospitalised, including 26 who are on ventilators.

Since February 25, when the first case was confirmed in Croatia, 22,534 people have contracted the novel virus, 344 of them have died and 18,628 have recovered, including 431 in the last 24 hours.

Currently, 17,805 people are in self-isolation.

A total of 379,379 people have been tested for coronavirus to date.

On Wednesday, Croatia's national COVID-19 crisis response team reported 748 new cases.

October 15, 2020 - Croatia Coach Zlatko Dalic spoke to the press after the loss against France in the 4th-round Nations League match in Zagreb on Wednesday. 

Coach Zlatko Dalic was satisfied with most of what was shown against France, but he pointed out that Croatia again made mistakes that France always knows how to punish.

"Hats off to the team, especially for the second half, but we lost again, and we didn't deserve it; that's why we are upset," said the coach at the beginning of the press conference.

"We played well, but a mistake happened. We didn’t play against anyone but against world champions. They punish every mistake, and we must avoid mistakes. Against a team like this, which is worth a billion, you can't avoid it. But the second half was excellent. We started very badly, in the first 15 minutes we could have conceded another goal. We settled down afterward, and it tuned in," he added.

He denied that Pasalic played on the left-wing: "Pasalic was not a winger, but a midfielder. It may have seemed to you because he was a bit on the wing in defense, but he is a midfielder and should be in that position."

Dalic was also asked if he had made a mistake in choosing Vida instead of Caleta-Car.

"I wasn't wrong with Vida. He is our standard stopper. You have to look at the second goal again because Vida was not to blame for it. See who Mbappe was with and how he reacted. We have three more games where we can try some things. After that, I have to have a clear picture before the qualifications for the World Cup. We have to be objective. Croatia is putting together a new national team; there are no more Juventus and Bayern players here. I am satisfied with this, and my task is to put together a competitive team for March. Everything is important, and I am sorry that we did not win. Everyone should be given a chance. I am worried that we are receiving goals, and we need to work on that," believes Dalic.

He has a generally good opinion of this three-game mini-cycle.

"I can be satisfied with this mini-cycle. We got Switzerland who played 3:3 against Germany. With that match, we secured a top seed status in the World Cup qualifiers, and Sweden is our competitor to stay in the Nations League. We played a good second half against France, and I am glad that the fans applauded the players. I am very pleased, and I told that to the players in the dressing room. I am a great optimist because I see that we have players coming," the coach concluded.

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

October 15, 2020 – Istria the only Coronavirus free region in Europe, is safe to visit this autumn

Travel information provided by Belgian Foreign Affairs authorities currently places the Croatian region of Istria as the most successful in Europe at curbing the spread of Coronavirus. The region stands alone in being coloured green on the Belgian governmental map. As things currently stand, it can confidently be referred to as Istria, the only Coronavirus free region in Europe.

The map is produced by Belgian authorities as a travel guide. Although it currently says Istria the only Coronavirus free region in Europe, the situation could change at any time. The travel advice and map are constantly updated.

The green colour allocation is the highest possible allocation on the map. It means that 'travel is possible - hygiene and social distancing rules still apply.' This is great news for those hoping to visit Istria during autumn.

The autumn season is particularly inviting to many fans of Istrian cuisine as it is the time of year in which fresh truffles can be taken from the county's forests. Anyone planning to this year join the hunt for truffles can now do so confidently as Istria the only Coronavirus free region in Europe.

On 6th October 2020, Total Croatia News's Donatella Pauković wrote about the county's excellent epidemiological situation in an article in which Boris Miletić, mayor of Pula said 'Istria is Again an Example to The Rest of Croatia!'

The head of Istria County's COVID-19 crisis management team, Dino Kozlevac, praised residents of Istria for their widespread respect of suggested hygiene measures. Explaining the county's good epidemiological situation, he said that residents of Istria have been wearing protective masks in closed spaces for three months, and it is those efforts that have created these positive results. While the awarding of the green status does not mean there is zero risk of Coronavirus being currently present in Istria, its lone standing within the continent does mean that Istria is right now the safest place you can travel to in Europe.

Istria was in the world headlines earlier this month when it was voted the world's best olive oil making region in the world, for the sixth year running. Today it may be famous as Istria the only Coronavirus free region in Europe, but it will always hold its title as one of Europe's best areas of gastronomy. As well as olive oil and truffles, Istria is internationally recognised as one of southern Europe's best wine growing regions. Istrian malvasia and teran are famous all over the world.

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October 15, 2020 – To become a leading green county in Croatia, Zagreb County has devised strategic goals that include organic farming in all agricultural areas, organically grown food in public institutions, and eco-menus for all restaurants and rural tourism facilities.

As Lokalni.hr reports, Zagreb County leaders believe they have all conditions needed for achieving these goals. The goals are set in the action plan of the Program for the Development of Organic Agriculture in Zagreb County until 2030, which was presented last week.

With it, Zagreb County wants to become the leading green county, which bases its development on ecological and innovative food production, but also the development of smart villages.

An example to other counties

To achieve these goals, the development of organic food cultivation is prioritized, as well as the improvement of socio-economic conditions of villages and farmers, and the improvement of the population's environment and health.

"We want to enable producers to focus on organic production and provide our residents with healthy and quality food. I am sure that this plan can be an example to other counties of how to approach the development of organic agriculture in the Republic of Croatia," said Prefect Stjepan Kožić at the program presentation.

Head of Agriculture Josip Kraljičković said that this is the ‘bravest program’ of the Zagreb County in agriculture so far, and the program was presented by its authors Sonja Karoglan Todorović and Darko Znaor from the company Agro Eko.

Modern agriculture

"People have the perception that organic farming is a return to the 'old way', that it is our grandparents' agriculture. But they need to be reassured. Organic farming is modern agriculture, in which one does not dig with a hoe, but uses advanced, innovative technology. Today, organic agriculture is among the most innovative branches of agriculture," said Karoglan Todorović, adding that the program is in line with EU policies so that 25 percent of the area is under organic farming.

"This action plan is brave. For Croatia to have 25 percent of organic agriculture in the foreseeable future, someone has to pull more. And with this program, the Zagreb County has once again shown that it has a vision," added Karoglan Todorović.

On behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture, Assistant Minister Krunoslav Karalić attended the program presentation.

"Organic farming accounts for 7.2 percent of our agricultural production and is handled by 5,500 farms," ​ the Assistant Minister pointed out.

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October 15, 2020 - Dubrovnik Mayor Mato Frankovic has been very active promoting his city as a digital nomad destination. TCN catches up with him ahead of the Dubrovnik for Digital Nomads conference which starts tomorrow. 

One of the most interesting initiatives I have been involved with this year has been the push to develop Croatia as a destination for digital nomads. With more and more people working in the same office globally (the Internet), many of whom who are looking for lifestyle rather than living in the same village, and with Croatia the lifestyle capital of Europe, the potential to match up the two opens up some rather exciting new options for Croatian tourism. 

The imminent arrival of a digital nomad visa for Croatia (only the 5th in the world, and the second after Estonia) will make Croatia an even more viable option, and a debt of gratitude is owed to Dutch entrepreneur Jan de Jong for his successful campaign which resulted in Prime Minister Plenkovic tweeting his plan to introduce the visa just 44 days after receiving an open letter on Linked in from de Jong. 

Other officials have been very quick to react to the new opportunity as well, among them Dubrovnik Mayor, with whom I met in late July with a digital nomad concept for Dubrovnik. 

Having had many meetings with public officials over the years in Croatia, I was not quite prepared for what happened next. Not only did the mayor grasp the essence of the opportunity, but he agreed in principle to support the initiative during the meeting, and the wheels were set in motion the very next day.  

The results of that meeting will be twofold - the conference starting tomorrow as part of European Freelancer Week, and an international competition for digital nomads to be guests of Dubrovnik next Spring.  

1. Firstly, a quick word on the 2020 tourist season, which was the most challenging in living memory. As a flight destination and with no cruise ships, Dubrovnik suffered more than most. Can you give us a little insight into how it was, as well as any positives?

The start of the tourist season coincided with the ending of lockdown, so June and July weren't bad. We coped well with COVID-19. For 60 days we didn't have any cases of infection, and we had very good announcements for September and October. With the opening, we accepted the risk that more people could be infected, and when the first indications appeared that the UK would put us on the red list, I wrote to Prime Minister Johnson to look at the data by regions and counties. But after four weeks, we ended up on the red list even though we were doing everything in our power. The numbers of those infected were crucial.

2. From undertourism to overtourism. The change in tourism from last year to this could not have been starker. How have the events of 2020 shaped your thinking regarding developing tourism in Dubrovnik in the future?

At the beginning of my mandate, I was faced with the challenge of an excessive number of guests, and at the end of my mandate, we are facing a shortage of guests. I see this whole situation as an opportunity for a fresh, clean start. I believe that we will get out of this story quickly and successfully, but also wiser for the future. I am optimistic and I think we can come back relatively quickly, this time with some new rules and thinking about sustainable tourism. I also believe the vaccine will be available in the first quarter of the next year, which will ultimately allow people to travel more easily and safely.

(Press conference of October 12 for the Dubrovnik for Digital Nomads conference - Ana Hrnic, Dubrovnik Tourist Board Director, Mato Frankovic, and Tanja Polegubic of Saltwater)

3. One of the new opportunities for tourism in Croatia is catering to the remote worker industry. Prime Minister Plenkovic has committed to introducing a digital nomad visa for Croatia which should be in place in early 2021. What are your thoughts on that, and what could this mean for Dubrovnik?

We fully support this initiative and see it as one of the directions for the future development of tourism in Dubrovnik. We are the first city in Croatia to turn to the digital nomad market. After the Prime Minister announced an easier stay for digital nomads and special visas for them in Croatia, Dubrovnik is organizing a conference on this topic. By signing an agreement with Hrvatski Telekom (Croatian Telecom) and the Ministry of Regional Development, we are bringing a much faster Internet network to Dubrovnik, which will cover a wider area, thus enabling what is very important for digital nomads, and that is fast Internet. Everything else is already here. 

4. After this event in October, the City and tourist board of Dubrovnik have announced a digital nomad project partnership with TCN and Saltwater for another event next April. Can you tell our readers more about that?

This event in October will be some kind of an introduction to the whole story with digital nomads, for Dubrovnik and digital nomads to get to know each other. Next year we will go a step further. To popularize Dubrovnik as a destination for digital nomads, it is planned to organize an international competition in April. Dubrovnik would therefore host 10 winners as special guests of the city who would do their work from Dubrovnik and actively participate in shaping and developing strategies for developing these types of business.

5. What advice do you have for local Dubrovnik residents who are interested to know more about this digital nomad opportunity and perhaps reorientate their business/accommodation rentals in that direction?

All those who work in tourism are aware and must be aware that some things will change in the future. When it comes to digital nomads, it is important to offer better long-term rental opportunities, and the City is working to promote and provide other infrastructural conditions, such as high-speed Internet. This is, of course, an opportunity for everyone, not just for those dealing with accommodations. There are also caterers, as well as everyone else. Considering that these are the people who will stay here for longer, so they will need hairdressing services, health services, and maybe babysitting services if they are with their families, etc. 

6. And finally, a message from Dubrovnik for any digital nomads considering moving temporarily to Croatia. Why Dubrovnik, and what are the key things you can offer digital nomads should they choose your city?

Digital nomads are very welcome in Dubrovnik. Here they have everything for a good quality of life, from a good climate and pleasant living space to the people of Dubrovnik who have always been hospitable to their guests. They also have excellent working conditions here, and the City of Dubrovnik is constantly working to improve the quality of life and stay in this city.

To follow the latest digital nomad developments in Croatia, follow the dedicated TCN section. 

• If you would like to addend the conference, either virtually or in person, Tickets are available here. There are also a limited number of tickets available free for residents of Dubrovnik if you would like to learn more about the digital nomad lifestyle and opportunity. Regarding ticket purchase, please note that once you buy a ticket, you will be emailed your receipt and then a link and instructions on how to attend within. 
• Event program and speaker information is on saltwaternomads.com/events
• Speaker Bios: https://saltwaternomads.com/speakers/
• If you would like to ATTEND IN PERSON - there are some remaining spots for digital nomads who are in or get to Dubrovnik for EFWeek. Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.