These Croatian Destinations Have Most Tourists, Here's Why
Which Croatian destinations have the most tourists to boast of in the coronavirus era? There are several, and there are reasons and lessons to be learned from them for many others...
As Morski writes on the 20th of July, 2020, across Croatia, one million overnight stays were realised in the first half of July, and the Croatian destinations with the highest number of overnight stays were Rovinj, Medulin, Vir, Mali Losinj and Porec.
However, although the aformentioned areas achieved the best results, they will still face significantly lower revenues than they enjoyed last year, not only due to the lack of guests compared to last year but also due to the fact that many accommodation facilities have lowered their prices, some others working in hospitality and catering have also lowered theirs, while the flat rate of sojourn tax has been lowered for private renters by as much as 50 percent.
Although the gorgeous island of Vir is one of the top destinations in terms of attendance, it should be taken into account that most Croatian guests going there also own property there, so only 22 percent of guests actually paid for accommodation on Vir during the first half of July.
''When observing the type of accommodation (commercial or non-commercial accommodation), in Vir, 22 percent of overnight stays in the first half of July were realised in commercial accommodation facilities (hotels, camps and private accommodation), while in Rovinj, 96 percent of overnight stays, in Medulin 89 percent, in Mali Losinj 76 percent and in Porec 89 percent of overnight stays were realised in commercial accommodation facilities,'' the Croatian National Tourist Board (HTZ) stated in response to a question on the topic from Index.
The Istrian city of Rovinj has been enjoying first place for years
The directors of the tourist boards of these five most visited Croatian destinations described the things they can attribute such good results to, given the circumstances, and some of them provided some rough estimates for the rest of the season and guessed how much, approximately, they will face in terms of revenue decline this year.
The long-standing number one on the list of the most visited cities in Croatia (along with Dubrovnik) is Rovinj.
The director of the Rovinj Tourist Board, Odette Sapac, told Index that they were most helped by the fact that Rovinj is a destination that many can sit in their cars and drive to from some of Croatia's closest to emitting markets, while Dalmatia is far more dependent on airlines. Over 50 percent of Rovinj's guests are from Germany and Austria, followed by guests from Slovenia, Italy and the Netherlands.
''In the last part of July, we realised 612,040 overnight stays, which is about 60 percent of the turnover from last year for the same period. Since the prices are different from last year and have been adjusted to this situation, our revenues will certainly be lower. Accommodation prices at the beginning of the season were at the level of last year's prices during the pre-season,'' said Odette Sapac.
Apart from the fact that, she says, Rovinj is a close destination for both Italians and Slovenes, the reason for their success is that they are also very attractive to foreign guests along with Dubrovnik. According to Sapac, they also sent out a good promotional message to the guests that, regardless of the coronavirus pandemic, they are well prepared and are firmly adhering to the anti-epidemic measures. For a while, as she recalled, Rovinj was entirely without coronavirus patients.
''There were a couple of good promotional actions that we carried out with the County Tourist Board towards Germany and Austria, and with that action, we included some other countries.
According to them, the camps are also a great advantage because guests feel safer as they can more easily achieve social distance and at the same time stay outdoors, where the new coronavirus finds it more difficult to spread.
''We now have about 19,000 guests a day, which is a large number for many in Croatia even during normal circumstances, and that's at the level of 60 percent when compared to last year during the same period. This time last year, we had 37,000 guests a day. It's being speculated that at the end of the year, the total result would be around 30 percent at the level of last year, or 40 percent if August and September are good for us. That would be a very good result. We must be humble and content. We're trying not to hold mass events to prevent infection,'' Sapac told Index.
Istria generally did very well throughout the ongoing coronavirus epidemic, when the number of tourists dropped drastically, yet it still managed to attract the most guests. Thus, in addition to Rovinj, two other Istrian towns took places on the list of the five most visited Croatian destinations. The proximity of emitting markets, the fact that they are easily driven to and don't depend heavily on air traffic, which is still significantly reduced, are all reasons for Istria's general level of success.
In Medulin so far, 251,244 overnight stays have been realised, which is 60 percent compared to last year, according to the director of the Medulin Tourist Board, Enco Crnobori.
Medulin had 10 million kuna in revenue last year, now they expect 3.5 million...
We have about 15,000 guests a day and we're second in Istria, only Rovinj is ahead of us. We're still Croatian destinations without a single coronavirus case, we've worked a lot on educating the locals regarding the implementation of measures in order to maintain a positive epidemiological picture,'' said Crnobori.
Just like in Rovinj, the advantage is that there are a lot of camps, as many as 7 large and 22 smaller family camps in Banjole, and they also have a lot of holiday homes, where guests, just like in the camps, feel safer.
The cccupancy of camps and holiday homes stands at about 50 percent, so we're left with only hotel accommodation. Only one hotel has been opened, and now another one should open, while two remain. closed. We also have three marinas and the situation with charters is good, so they're also at 50 percent occupancy. This year, if we have a million overnight stays, that would be good, last year we had 2.8 million. But the situation is changing day by day. It's very important that previous guests return to us, we're branded as a destination for family and sports tourism, and we're still working on branding the promotion of cultural tourism,'' said Crnobori.
As for income, Crnobori believes it will drop dramatically...
''Last year, we had over 10 million kuna, and now the plan is 3.5 million kuna in revenue, so... 35 percent of 2019's figure,'' the director of the Medulin Tourist Board noted.
Almost the same number of overnight stays, around 193,000, were realised in both Porec and Mali Losinj in the first part of July, with Mali Losinj standing slightly better because they achieved 64 percent of turnover when compared to the same period last year, while Porec achieved 47 percent.
The director of the Mali Losinj Tourist Board, Dalibor Cvitkovic, told Index that private accommodation and camps have the best occupancy rates, which isn't surprising due to the situation with the coronavirus, while their main markets are Slovenia, Germany and Austria, from which old guests regularly return.
''In order to attract guests, we went with the ''ferry free action'', so everyone who stays with us for seven days, the price of their accommodation is reduced by however much it cost them to use the ferry. This ranges from 50 to 120 euros, depending on whether they're in a car or a motorhome. Considering that 40 percent of our guests are in the camps, for which the ferry is 120 euros, that means that with this action they get practically two nights free, so we have equated ourselves with mainland destinations,'' said Cvitkovic.
In addition, he stated that they are the only ones in Croatia who have the so-called an insurance policy for guests suspected of having contracted the new coronavirus.
''For guests who have to go into self-isolation, while they're still in Croatia, the Tourist Board covers the cost of food and accommodation and ensures the delivery of medicines and supplies. At the same time, we find alternative accommodation for the landlord with whom that guest is staying, and we reimburse that landlord for the cost incurred. In addition, after the guest who is coronavirus positive leaves the apartment, we take over the cost of cleaning the apartment. So, we told the landlords that they're not alone in this, and the guests know that they're safe and know that if something happens, and it won't be at their expense. We don't look at guests as potential patients, but instead we invest in the future, so these guests will return in other years as well,'' Cvitkovic explained.
Although they are far better filled than most Croatian destinations, in Mali Losinj, they're also aware of the drop in income...
''The overnight stay index isn't the same as the income index and the income index will be 10 to 15 percent lower. Hotels generate the highest sojourn tax for us, private individuals participate with a 50 percent smaller lump sum than before. Certain actions are undertaken in private accommodation. As for hospitality facilities, some are getting better traffic. Regular guests already have a certain habit of going to certain restaurants, and those restaurants on the waterfront that depended on the masses aren't doing as well. For us, the consumption is on average around 100 euros per day per guest, and 160 for a hotel guest. Now that we don’t have those hotel guests, the drop in spending is higher. There will definitely be a drop in traffic,'' said Cvitkovic.
The director of the Porec Tourist Board, Nenad Velenik, said that they had realised 193,000 overnight stays in July so far, which is 47 percent compared to last year, emphasising that this was a phenomenal result for them.
''In the first 10 days of July, we realised all of the overnights from June. We started on June the 1st with 523 people a day, to now when we have 14,000 guests a day. In terms of markets, most come to us from our traditional points such as Germany, Slovenia, Austria and Italy. There are slightly fewer Austrians than usual, but we can attribute those good results to the fact that the quality of the destination has been recognised, as well as the fact that we're a destination to which one can drive,'' Velenik stated.
He added that the positive epidemiological situation also benefits everything, so the demand for Porec is higher than in the rest of Croatia.
''We're traditionally a hotel destination and we have only one camp, unlike Rovinj, which has about 20,000 beds in their campsites, so they achieve better results. There will definitely be a drop in revenue. We don’t count on 50 percent of the lump sum income from private accommodation, so we're removing a piece of the pie that was significant. I don't know the policy of hotel companies and how much they've reduced their prices. I hear the bookings are going solidly, but they probably lowered their prices as well given the situation. Private accommodation prices have been reduced, you have overnight stays costing 10 euros per person, so the total income will certainly be much lower than it was last year,'' said Velenik.
Vir has a large number of overnight stays, but will have a meagre profits...
Vir realised 276,000 overnight stays in the first half of July, which is more than some of the above, but it should be noted that, according to the CNTB, only 22 percent of overnight stays were in commercial accommodation, which means that most people were coming to their own property on the island.
The director of the Vir Tourist Board, Srdjan Liveric, says that foreign guests realised 120,000 overnight stays, while domestic guests realised 167,000.
''We're extremely satisfied, we're now at 75 percent when compared to the same period last year, which is very good for us. We hope for the further growth of this trend and it's realistic that we'll achieve 50 percent less turnover than we did last year, and revenues will be lower,'' said Liveric.
He pointed out that they achieved such good results with foreign guests because they invested a lot of money in advertising and did not depend on flights like Dubrovnik does.
For more on Croatian destinations during the coronavirus era, follow our travel page.
Croatian IT Expert Returns from Ireland, Creates Booking Platform for Vir
As Kazimir Skrbic/Morski writes on the 20th of July, 2020, a young marketing and IT expert from Vir, Tomislav Lukic, and his wife Matea, launched a platform to offer free marketing for all businesses on the island of Vir.
In just a few days, this free web platform, the Island of Vir (otokvir.eu), managed to attract the attention of dozens of businesses located on Vir, primarily those who rent to tourists and those who own restaurants, in order to create a unique online place where users can make their own accounts and represent their businesses. In the same place, end users can also use the platform to find and select the best products and services from Vir, so their common denominator is actually already contained in the platform's subtitle: Find everything you need - top-notch accommodation, businesses and services, restaurants, beaches and popular events.
''Everything is completely free, because the initial idea of this project was to create an online place where businesses affected by the pandemic can advertise their business. For now, we have about twenty new accounts, and our plan is to have at least a hundred registered business entities by the beginning of the summer season. In this way, we want to be part of the solution in the fight against the pandemic, and everyone can get involved,'' says Tomislav Lukic, a young IT expert and master of economics specialiding in website development and digital marketing, who quickly made the idea a reality along with his wife, Matea. On the platform, Lukic posted several video presentations for everyone using this kind of marketing for the first time, in which he explains to users, step by step, how to open an account and present their business.
''Everything is very simple, but still, I'm very happy to answer questions or explain any ambiguities to all those interested. This platform is one of the projects I’m working on because I’ve been thinking about this type of project for a while now. With the arrival of the pandemic, I realised that digitising business and online content would be a good solution, so the platform was conceived as a free place to add everything in one place,'' says Tomislav.
''Most importantly, everything placed on the site can be easily evaluated so that end users can be sure to choose what suits them best,'' says this young IT expert from Vir who is constantly on the road from Rijeka to Vir with his wife.
Before returning to Croatia, he lived and worked in Ireland in the IT sector for four years. Although the business situation in Ireland was not bad at all, Tomislav and Matea decided to return to Croatia and try their hand at business at home.
For more, follow our Made in Croatia section.
Zagreb Experts Working on Cars of the Future for Large International Brands
Croatia is a small country that continuously spawns an enormous amount of talent across all fields. From the world of science and medicine to innovation, sport and art, this country has a lot to give. Zagreb experts from one large company with a branch here in Croatia are dipping their toes into the future...
As Darko Bicak/Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 20th of July, 2020, Zagreb experts working for GlobalLogic Croatia, a multinational company in the product engineering segment, are participating in the development of a system for the cars and other vehicles of the future, and recently a prototype of an autonomous car model was developed in one of its branches in Poland.
As explained by Josko Rogulj, programme director at GlobalLogic Croatia, the car is based on the Suzuki Samurai model made entirely with the help of a 3D printer. It is an electric vehicle, and thanks to the Raspberry Pi minicomputer, it can be connected wirelessly to a central system that performs complex data processing operations.
The plan is to implement advanced functions of the driver assistance system, which will, among other things, enable the identification of traffic signs and the detection of pedestrians, animals and various other objects on the road.
"Zagreb experts from the city's office work every day on software improvements for the cars of the future for some of the world's largest brands. The automotive industry is among those which are changing rapidly and in which the shifts in the coming years will be enormous.
We're working on security systems, such as software for vehicle control systems, as well as on infotainment and communication systems, which are much more visible to the user. Autonomous vehicles are our present, and very soon there will be more and more of them on our roads,'' assured Josko Rogulj.
Otherwise, GlobalLogic is headquartered in the famous Silicon Valley, USA, and in addition to its Zagreb office, it has thirty engineering centers and design studios and employs more than 14,000 professionals worldwide.
For more, follow our business section.
'Pozdrav s mog prozora' Facebook Group Lets You Experience New Cities
July 20, 2020 - A few months ago, in the wake of the spread of Covid-19, each and every one of us found ourselves in a crisis, when we had to stay home in order to protect ourselves and others.
Lockdown has distanced us from our usual social contacts and patterns and forced us to look at the same view each day. In those times various groups and initiatives have emerged on social networks, where people from all over the world started sharing their views. The former manager of booking.com for the Central European region and one of the initiators of running tourism through Run Croatia project, Iva Hafner from Zagreb, saw a chance to continue traveling and give each other support, even though it was not possible for us.
"During the pandemic, various groups and initiatives were created on social networks, in which people from all over the world started to share their views from the windows and balconies. Back then I was in contact with my longtime friend from Subotica, Slavka Antić, and we talked about how great it would be to connect people from the former Yugoslavia by letting them virtually peer out of other people’s windows anywhere around the world. As soon as we opened 'Pozdrav s mog prozora' ('Greeting from my window') on Facebook, we started receiving fantastic photos and testimonies from all over the world. We couldn't believe that people from our region who live in Alaska would send us their view or from the deck of a ship in the Atlantic Ocean, where they got stuck because they could not travel home due to the crisis. An avalanche of support and positive emotions started among the members, which additionally encouraged over 60,000 members to join within just 3 months of forming the group. We may not be allowed to travel, but we can always fantasize about travel. Technology is enabling us to connect with each other in authentic ways, so we can build up positive anticipation for the times when we will be able to travel again." says Iva.
From view to the wall of a neighboring building to the views over the pools, from big cities to jungle, from beautiful gardens to the top of the mountain... each view is a story with emotion that sends a spark to the world. Thanks to these views from all over the world, that our folks were sending, we could travel, even when it was not possible. A large number of processed images and maintaining the group itself requires a lot of time, energy, attention, and love. From the very beginning, friends joined the project, volunteering in shifts to approve hundreds of pictures a day: Dragana Vilus (Subotica), Iva Bencun (Zadar), Miljan Brašanac (Vienna), Damir Subotić (Arnhem), Goran Pleše (Poreč). But the group didn't just stop at virtual socializing. Since the measures were relaxed, the founders have been recording live meetings of members - in the south of France, in Florida, in Mexico, in Greece.
"We listen to the dynamics in the group and we take note of the wishes among our members. So naturally came the idea to launch a crowdfunding campaign to raise funds for the book, which will be a valuable testimony of the times we live in and a positive clue for future generations. Our plan is to organize traveling exhibitions with the possibility of meeting members live, and the plan is to launch a website, through which members could contact and arrange visits. We recognize the great desire among members to go on trips when the borders open. They are delighted with foreign and distant, but also with our domestic destinations, which serve as a reminder of the times when they traveled and explored. Friendships are also formed, as between members in the south of France, who are already agreeing to see each other live. That is the charm of this group, that the members feel at home in a large colorful neighborhood, which has become a large extended family in a short time," says Iva.
This is one of the great examples of community building and excellent tourist promotion of the destination because it is an authentic individual way of promotion. Thus, one view from the window from Dubrovnik attracts thousands of likes from the region and the diaspora with a great desire to visit this destination, when we start traveling again. The group has recorded over 5 million enthusiastic comments so far, which shows a high engagement and an interesting opportunity to create the image of the destination.
You can support their book publishing project, as a valuable testimony to the times we live in when we have not lost our sense of beauty and togetherness. Part of the funds raised from the campaign will be donated to charity for those who need it most.
How you can support "Pozdrav s mog prozora"
Your contribution will help us finance costs of 7.000 € that we need to raise in order to publish the book and build the website. Book will be published by ourselves, on a voluntary basis, but we need your help in order to cover the following costs:
- book production (hard cover, 300 pages, edition: 1000 pcs)
- print, design, lecturer, editing
- website
- book promotion through local travel exhibitions with the possibility of members meet up
- extra costs, crowdfunding fees
- donation to humanitarian causes that we support in Serbia "Budi Human" and in Croatia "Ljudi za ljude"
Book and project content
Book "Pozdrav s mog prozora" will bring striking author’s pictures as well as stories of our folks from all over the world, taken in time of the global pandemic. This global crisis has shaken us through, but like any crisis, it represents an opportunity for better and more sustainable initiatives for a happy and fulfilled life. In this book, we would like to explore further what gives us strength and inspiration to move on, in time when circumstances are a great challenge to us – both on a collective and individual level. Our plan is that book sees the light of day beginning of February, 2021.
More ways you can help this project
Share this campaign with your friends on social networks and by e-mail
Follow us in our Facebook group as well as on the official Facebook page
We believe you can help us so we can together leave a positive trace and reach the goal to publish the book "Pozdrav s mog prozora"
Thank you all for your support! ❤️
(Written by Iva Hafner)
Croatian Red Cross to Provide Financial Aid to Owners of Quake-Damaged Homes
ZAGREB, July 20, 2020 - The Croatian Red Cross will donate HRK 2 million to residents whose homes were severely damaged in the 22 March earthquake that hit Zagreb and northwestern Croatia.
Applications for financial aid can be submitted from 21 July to 17 August.
Aid can be sought by owners of properties declared unfit for use provided that such applicants also meet some other social criteria that make them eligible. For instance, single parents with a minimum gross monthly wage of HRK 4,062 or pensioners with a pension allowance of less than 2,000 per member of their household are eligible for aid.
The two million kunas for this purpose was raised through donations from private individuals, companies, and international organisations.
More information is available at www.hck.hr.
(€1 = HRK 7.5)
Epidemiologist: Lower Number of Infections Due to Use of Protective Masks
ZAGREB, July 20, 2020 - The head of the Croatian Institute of Public Health, Krunoslav Capak, said on Monday that the latest figures showing 25 COVID positive cases as against threefold higher numbers in the previous days were the result of the mandatory use of face masks.
In the last 24 hours, of 1,028 COVID-19 tests performed in Croatia, 25 have returned positive, the country's coronavirus crisis management team stated on Monday. Currently, there are 1,150 active cases, 57 fewer than the day before.
By comparison, there were 92 new cases on Sunday and 116 on Saturday.
Asked by the press about the decision by Lithuania to place Croatia on the red list of epidemiologically unsafe countries, which means that people travelling to the Baltic country from Croatia would have to self-isolate for 14 days, Capak said that the European Commission had recommended the opening of borders and imposition of criteria for free passage in accordance with epidemiological situations.
The criterion is that there are no more than 16 new patients per 100,000 inhabitants in the past 14 consecutive days.
Some countries have introduced stricter measures and some have applied milder measures, he explained, adding that it might be that Croatia has exceeded the 14-day incidence which was why Lithuania placed Croatia on the red list.
Capak said that new recommendations for organising cultural events could be announced on Tuesday.
Health Minister Vili Beros said that cheaper prices for COVID-19 tests, when taken by individuals on their own, could be expected later this week after the Croatian Health Insurance Agency (HZZO) approved lower prices last Friday, whereby they were halved to HRK 500-700 per test.
Ruling Majority to Chair 16 Parliamentary Committees, Opposition Gets 14
ZAGREB, July 20, 2020 - Branko Bacic, the head of the 66-strong Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) parliamentary group, said on Monday after meeting with Opposition MPs that the HDZ would chair 16 parliamentary committees and the remaining 14 would be chaired by the Opposition.
Bacic expressed satisfaction with today's meeting at which he informed the elected MPs about the work schedule of the 10th 151-seat national legislature and the distribution of chairpersons.
Of the three Croatian Parliament delegations, the delegations for NATO and the Council of Europe will be led by lawmakers from the ruling majority and the delegation to the OSCE Assembly will be headed by a representative of the Opposition.
Bacic said that the distribution of the duties and the makeup of the parliamentary committees were similar to those of the previous parliament, the only change being that the Agriculture Committee will be chaired by the majority whereas the European Affairs Committee will now be chaired by the Opposition.
The 10th parliament is due to hold its inaugural meeting on Wednesday, with Bacic saying that it would be definitely sitting this and next week.
Croatia Notches 25 New COVID Cases, Two Deaths
ZAGREB, July 20, 2020 - In the last 24 hours, of 1,028 COVID tests performed in Croatia, 25 have returned positive, the country's coronavirus crisis management team stated on Monday.
Currently, there are 1,150 active cases, 57 fewer than the day before, Health Minister Vili Beros said at a news conference in Zagreb today.
Unfortunately, in the last 24 hours, two people have died due to the COVID complications, bringing the total number of deaths to 122, the minister said adding that those victims were two elderly women with underlying medical conditions.
Since 25 February when Croatia reported its first confirmed case of COVID, 104,132 tests have been performed, and 4,370 people have been diagnosed with this infection.
The percentage of positive tests is 4.20%.
To date, 3,098 people have recovered from this communicable disease.
Currently, 147 COVID patients are being treated in hospitals, including nine placed on ventilators.
Milanovic: Croatian Parliament Is Independent of the President
ZAGREB, July 20, 2020 - President Zoran Milanovic said on Monday that the reason why he would not attend the inaugural session of Parliament lay solely in his understanding of the role and status of the Croatian Parliament.
"The reason why I am not coming to the session lies solely in my understanding of the role and status of the Croatian Parliament - its independence of the President. That's all. This is at the same time both affirmative and well-intended towards the Sabor," Milanovic wrote in a Facebook post.
He said he had read comments saying that all his predecessors had attended such sessions and that this was the first time the President would not come.
"Tudjman attended and firmly controlled the work of the Sabor, often outside his (otherwise great) constitutional powers. Presidents Mesic, Josipovic, and Grabar-Kitarovic attended for their own reasons, I'm not going into them here, but I believe they meant well. My view is different," the President said.
"I have been elected by the will of the citizens to the office of the President, which is largely (but not exclusively) ceremonial. I am not going to automatically repeat everything that someone before me did or did not do," Milanovic said and added: "This is just the beginning. There will be more changes."
"Finally, a big kiss to all haters. The biggest kiss to false analysts who all have their petty business arrangements with the government. They have been faithfully following me for a decade and a half," he concluded.
Plenkovic: Milanovic's Decision Not to Attend Parliament Inauguration Very Unusual
ZAGREB, July 20, 2020 - Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic described on Monday as very unusual President Zoran Milanovic's decision not to attend the inauguration of the new parliament on Wednesday.
Milanovic's office said on Sunday he would not attend the session.
Speaking to the press, Plenkovic said, "I know what is certain, parliament will be inaugurated. It's very unusual from what I've seen in the media. We haven't talked about it. It was news to me."
He recalled that everyone who had been invited attended Milanovic's inauguration. "We received an invitation and attended because we respect the Croatian institutions, state symbols. That was our logic. I can't see why he doesn't want to do it, you should ask him."
Plenkovic would not say if this was a case of disrespect and derogation of the office of the president. "Very unusual. It's no reason for us to bicker via the media," he added.
