With so much focus being placed on just what to do with not only Croatian tourism but the tourism industries of the whole world, could something Made in Croatia manage to help rescue what's left of tourism from coronavirus?

As Poslovni Dnevnik/Bernard Ivezic writes on the 12th of May, 2020, Ivan Bestvina is the co-founder and chief data scientist at ViraTrace. He graduated from the school in Osijek, and then five years ago, he graduated from FER. Back in 2017 he received his master's degree from there. In parallel, he worked as a programmer, analyst and data scientist at the likes of Spin Informatics, Ericsson NT and Mire.

The biggest new startup ''miracle'' from right here in Croatia is called ViraTrace. Just a couple of months ago, Ivan Bestvina from Osijek, who lives in Zagreb, and his partners from Romania, the USA, Canada and India, set out to research how to use technology in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic using contact monitoring applications and maximally protect citizens' privacy.

Now, they have freshly founded a company over in the US. They received an offer for investment from there, and various state institutions around the world warned them that they couldn't continue talks with them without a defined legal form in place.

You may have heard of the Apple-Google initiative in the field of mobile applications to monitor the spread of the new coronavirus, but this "contact tracing" platform is still in the development phase and is not yet available to the public. ViraTrace's technology, on the other hand, is already under the proverbial ''hood'' of the world's most widespread contact tracking software.

It is built into the official Indian COVID-19 app called the Aarogya Set, which is expected to exceed 100 million users in the next three days alone. Within it, ViraTrace calculates who might be infected with the new coronavirus based on a model developed by Bestvina, who offered it for free to anyone fighting coronavirus. Last week, ViraTrace was declared as one of about thirty winners at the European Commission's hackathon #EUvsVirus, as the only one from Croatia to win first place in one of the categories.

There were three more winners from Croatia, but they took second to fourth place in each category.

On that occasion, ViraTrace presented its own mobile application for tracking contacts, its model and the concept of the new hardware used. The aforementioned hardware is the type that would be added to the server and that would prevent even the server's owner from directly accessing the personal data of its users.

Data processing would be possible, but only in an anonymised form. This gave ViraTrace the opportunity to appear in the fast-growing digital health and IoT markets. ''I wouldn’t like to talk about the financial prospects of a startup, because that’s not my area,'' Bestvina said briefly.

Bestvina otherwise helps German company FoodTracks to develop data analytics in order to reduce waste, and has also created the AI ​​startup Courier Data.

Along with him in the ViraTrace team are Romanian Andrei Taranu, with whom he initially started this project. Then there is Wayne Thornton from Americam who also runs the startup, Canadian Anjana Pai, Indian Surbhi Gupta and Anne Frankovic, as well as the epidemiologist, Dr. Joseph Frankovich from the USA.

"Infrastructurally, we've been supported from the very beginning by one of the largest data science platforms, the American Alteryx, which is also in Gartner's Magic Quadrant for Data Science and ML Platforms, and we have the personal support of its director Dean Stoecker," explained Bestvina.

He added that cooperation with Alteryx is currently limited to resources, and not investments. Several investors from the USA have shown interest and are being talked to, he noted. However, ViraTrace first wants to examine investment opportunities in the sequel to the EC hackhaton, where it has already won a 3,000 euro prize sponsored by Capgemini. Bestvina pointed out that this is also a coincidence.

''In the next two to three weeks, we'll be talking to investors and potential beneficiaries under a programme that the European Commission has called Matchathon, so we'll see what happens next with investors,'' Bestvina said, adding that the most important thing for him is that they have chosen the right path from the beginning: the protection of user privacy.

He explained that today, more and more countries in Europe are turning to this approach. One of Europe's strongest economic powers, the United Kingdom, in addition to its centralised application, which it is currently testing, is developing another one based on the decentralizsd approach advocated by Apple and Google. Germany has signaled that it is open to the approach taken by Apple and Google, and, much like Austria and Switzerland, has shown interest in accessing DP-3T.

Bestvina's solution, as he explained, is almost identical to Apple and Google's approach. But the key is which approach the EU will recommend so that EU citizens don't have to install COVID-19 applications for each country separately when crossing any borders. In addition, Apple and Google are under pressure to enable the recording of geolocations and other data on their platform, which will be the basis for the development of mobile applications for coronavirus monitoring.

Bestvina stated that the most important thing is gaining and then maintaining the trust of citizens, because in order for these applications to be functional, more than half of the citizens need to install them. Here, Apple and Google, as seen in Croatia, have an advantage. Bestvina declined to comment on the fact that the Indian Government, meanwhile, has made the Aarogya Setu application mandatory, and it is the only democracy to have done so.

He explained that in Croatia, where tourism, hospitality and transport are extremely important industries, contact tracking applications would be an alternative to quarantine in the early stages of a pandemic, but also later because, as has since been seen in France, the manual tracking of contacts is difficult.

Make sure to follow our dedicated section for more on coronavirus in relation to Croatia. Follow Made in Croatia for more on Croatian innovation.

Some are winning, some are not. Under this title, a list of countries according to a single criterion was published on the Endcoronavirus.org website: whether they managed to curb the ongoing coronavirus pandemic or not, reports Slobodna Dalmacija.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 11th of May, 2020, the countries listed are divided into three categories: those that are winning the war against the new coronavirus, those that are just about to put an end to the epidemic, and those that have yet to take decisive action to stop the spread of the infection. The classification was made on the basis of processed data on the number of new cases up to the 4th of May, 2020.

In the first group - those who are claiming victory over the virus - there are a total of twenty countries across the world. Along with Australia, Austria, South Korea, China, Slovenia, Vietnam, Iceland, Slovakia, Greece, Taiwan, New Zealand and others, Croatia is also included.

''Croatia is once again among the countries winning the fight against coronavirus! This is a compliment to everyone and an incentive for #OstanimoOdgovorni/Let'sStayResponsible,'' the Croatian Minister of Health, Vili Beros, wrote on from his Twitter profile with pride.

Germany, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Italy, Iran, Denmark, France, Spain, Turkey and Italy are among the countries that are one step away from defeating the coronavirus, and there are 21 such countries in total.

The third group highlghts the countries which have dealt badly with the spread of the new coronavirus. It includes either countries that have not yet flattened the curve, or those in which the curve is falling, but still not by enough to avoid the danger of a new flare up of infections. This group includes, but is not limited to, the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, Brazil, Sweden, Mexico, Finland, India, Hungary, Romania, Poland, Chile, Egypt, and Belarus.

Federal states within the United States are also discussed in detail, and the results are somewhat striking because as many as 36 of them belong to the third, worst group. The group for which the war against coronavirus is still very intense.

Endcoronavirus.org is a website launched by the American New England Complex Systems Institute (NECSI) under the leadership of Dr. Yaneer Bar-Yam. The institute brings together epidemiologists, physicians, analysts, professors, and students from MIT, Harvard, and other American universities. The institute advocates a strict five-week lockdown, travel bans, mass testing, self-isolation for those with little or no symptoms, wearing masks in public places, and an emergency supply of protective and medical equipment for hospitals and medical staff.

Make sure to follow our dedicated section for more on coronavirus in relation to Croatia.

May 12, 2020 - The head of the National Civil Protection Headquarters and Interior Minister Davor Bozinovic was a guest of RTL Direkt on Monday. 

In the beginning, Bozinovic commented on the statement of the HZJZ director, Krunoslav Capak, that those who are in self-isolation can also vote if they put on a mask and have no symptoms.

Isn’t that contrary to everything we’ve heard and done so far?

"Mr. Capak elaborated on one issue. It is not the position that this is a rule that will be applied. When such a decision is made, then the State Election Commission will contact the HZJZ and create a framework for the elections to take place," said Bozinovic.

E-passes are no longer valid. So can people go where they want without needing a reason?

"The recommendation is not to go if you don't have to, but there are no restrictions, except on the island of Brac. Citizens can travel freely," the minister said.

From Monday, there is also more freedom for those coming to Croatia. When asked how many foreigners are already registered in Croatia and the justified reasons they can come, Bozinovic said:

"Today, according to some recent data, more than 800 foreigners came to Croatia. Here we are talking about EU citizens. The reasons are either business meetings or the economic interest of the Republic of Croatia. There are also personal reasons. These are situations that are allowed. And epidemiological measures must be respected," he said.

Are Croats allowed abroad? In which case are they allowed to travel?

"We have allowed our citizens to enter and leave the Republic of Croatia. The second part is whether the countries they intend to go to will want to receive them and under what conditions. Most EU countries receive EU citizens. We are in talks with our Slovenian neighbors and I think we are in a situation where we could reach an agreement to help our citizens," Bozinovic said.

And tourism continues. So people in Croatia can now go to hotels, camps, rent rooms, boats, go sailing...

"Yes, Croats can, but also foreigners, EU citizens, if they have reservations in hotels and with the application of all measures. This is a situation of normalization; this is not the old normal, this is the new normal. We will have to get used to a new way of life. They must have no symptoms; it is important that they have an invitation if it is a meeting or a reservation if they are coming on vacation," Bozinovic said.

Goran Latković said that flights to London and Amsterdam would soon return. Does that mean we will be able to travel around Europe normally?

"If airlines are opened, that means the consent of the other side, then that's it. Everyone in Europe is trying to find the least painful way out of this situation," he said.

Up to 40 people can gather. Are weddings and parties allowed?

"Parties? No. People can gather, preferably outdoors and while maintaining a physical distance. We are all trying in this situation, not just in Croatia, no matter that the New York Times says we are among the best in Europe, we are trying to find a way to normalize life. If it is a meter and a half, people can gather in a public place," he pointed out and added:

"What is important is for people to be aware that the fight against the coronavirus is not over. It is going back to where it started, there is no cure."

Asked whether cafes are allowed to have newspapers, the minister replied:

"I know that it is not forbidden. I remember that discussion of epidemiologists who concluded that the virus does not spread through newspapers," Bozinovic said.

Should the elections be held in the summer, in July?

"I didn't say that and I can't tell you because I don't know that."

Finally, when asked if Vili Beros, Dr. Capak and other people from the headquarters will be on the list, he said:

"I am not compiling lists, I know Capak said that he was not interested in that," Davor Bozinovic said at the end of the interview for RTL Direkt.

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

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 11th of May, 2020, countries like Croatia and Greece, which introduced early measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus epidemic, have experienced greater citizen cooperation, which is linked to the experiences of wars and financial crises, according to The New York Times.

During the coronavirus pandemic, a paradox was observed in the world: Rich countries didn't prove to be any better at fighting the crisis than poorer ones.

Wealthy countries, which have traditionally been able to allocate resources quickly, strengthened by well-funded government mechanisms designed to better overcome crises, have generally not managed the coronavirus pandemic well at all.

In Europe, the disease has ravaged Britain, France and Italy, three of the four largest economies on the European continent. But smaller, poorer countries in Europe have quickly imposed and applied the strict restrictions they have adhered to and have so far had more success in curbing the spread of the new virus.

Among these countries, some of which are now cautiously re-opening their economies and societies, are those with strong reserves of resilience as a result of experiences from relatively recent difficult times. Given what their residents went through not so long ago, these coronavirus-induced measures seemed less strenuous and prompted far greater social cooperation.

As an example of these countries, the New York Times points out countries such as Greece and Croatia, in which the authorities have a positive view of the resilience of their population, reports N1.

In Croatia, many still remember being indoors listening to the sound of sirens during the Homeland War. In Greece, where restrictions imposed during the tragic debt crisis are still fresh in the memory of the population, the possibility of one in three people losing their job is nothing all that new.

They cite the experience of Iza Morovic, a 45-year-old barber from Zadar, who, after being isolated in his house with his wife and two young daughters, recalled the war in the early 1990s, when he ran up to a nearby hill to sound an air raid siren.

“I was a kid, I remember playing football and seeing them falling from the sky,” he said. He believes that the disciplined and calm way in which Croats responded to the coronavirus pandemic was a consequence of the recent memories of war and the harsh legacy of communism.

Analysing different responses to the pandemic, Oxford University scientists have developed a scale of stringency, seeking to assess the strength of measures taken by various governments to stop the spread of the new coronavirus, COVID-19.

Here in Croatia, whose ratings are at the very top of the scale that measures the severity of the anti-epidemic measures, 90 people have so far died from coronavirus, bringing the country's death rate to 2.1 per 100,000 inhabitants. In New York State, that number is 137 per 100,000.

Overall, the severity of the measures is higher in Eastern Europe than it is in Western Europe, said Thomas Hale, an associate professor of public policy at Oxford University who is also the project leader. Many of these European countries are run by centre-right governments.

"Croatia has reached the maximum on our scale of stringency," Hale said. Reiterating Iza Morovic's thoughts on discipline, he added: "It's possible that people are less willing to resist and more willing to accept tougher measures."

This way of managing the crisis has enabled Croatia to be one of the first, back on April the 27th, to cautiously ease some restrictions. Greece lifted its restructions on May the 4th, and other countries in the area, such as the Czech Republic and Croatia's neighbour to the north, Slovenia, are gradually returning to a sense of normalcy.

The word that is sometimes applied to societies in these parts of Europe is “resilience”.

Professor Frosso Motti-Stefanidi, who teaches at the University of Athens, is a global authority in interpreting this type of resilience. He says this trait is best defined as “a person or society that functions well despite experiencing acute stress or long-term adversity”.

But in the context of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, she said, resilience alone doesn't explain why some countries are better able to deal with the crisis than others: Positive outcomes rely on citizens who believe the measures the government is taking are appropriate, leading to trust and respect.

For more on coronavirus in relation to Croatia, follow our dedicated section.

May 11, 2020 - Week 3 of the relaxation of corona measures took effect in Croatia today. A video report on ferry and cafe traffic and life on Hvar on the first day.

A day that many people have been looking forward to in Croatia, and especially for those wanting to visit the island of Hvar. After weeks of self-isolation, the third wave of easing of measures came into effect today, which included freedom of movement within Croatia (apart from the island of Brac after a recent outbreak of cases), as well as the opening of cafes - a psychologically important milestone for coffee culture Croatia. 

So how was the opening day? How busy was the ferry, and where were all the visitors coming from?

TCN went to Stari Grad to meet the first ferry after the lockdown, the 10:30 arrival from Split. Life on Hvar is slowly beginning to return to a semblance of normality, not that things will ever be the same perhaps. The first local buses for weeks appeared to meet the arrivals. 

After the ferry, TCN took in a coffee in Split, Stari Grad and Jelsa, braving the jugo wind and the inclement weather on this day of supposed freedom, this after weeks of glorious sunshine. 

You can get an overview of the first day in the video above, including details of how many foot passengers, how many private cars and trucks, and where the vehicle licence plates were from. 

By way of comparison, this is how the ferry experience was on April 18, 2020, during the height of the lockdown:

(Videos produced by Miranda Milicic Bradbury)

Life on Hvar continues, as the island hopes for the commencement of the 2020 tourist season, which is currently very much in doubt. 

For the latest from Hvar, follow the dedicated TCN section, and you can also get the latest corona news here. 

May 11, 2020 - Tourism is on hold, but most of us have plenty of time. So let's look at the virtual resources available to explore Croatia virtually. We continue our new Virtual Croatia series with the tools to discover Trogir.

A few weeks ago I wrote that being a tourism blogger in the corona era was about as useful as being a cocktail barman in Saudi Arabia. I feel less useless now, a few weeks later, and I am encouraged by the number of Croatian tourism businesses who are contacting us wanting to start thinking of promoting post-corona tourism. 

One of the challenges of writing about tourism at the moment is that there is nothing positive to write about. With people confined to their homes and tourism in Croatia currently not possible, many have decided to go into hibernation until it is all over. 

I think that this is a mistake, and I have greatly enjoyed the TCN series by Zoran Pejovic of Paradox Hospitality on thinking ahead to tourism in a post-corona world.  You can find Zoran's articles here.

Way back on March 14 - several lifetimes ago - I published an article called Tourism in the Corona Age: 10 Virtual Ways to Discover Zagreb. The way I saw things, now was an OUTSTANDING opportunity for tourism promotion. People have time, they yearn for their freedom and former lives, so give them the tools to thoroughly research and enjoy your destinations, and you will have then longing to be there. And when they do come, they will have a deeper understanding of the destination due to their research. 

South Africa and Portugal were the first to do their post-corona tourism promotion videos several weeks ago (Post-Corona Tourism Planning: Lessons from South Africa and Portugal), a trick which has been followed by other tourism countries, the latest being Croatia with the national tourist board campaign, #CroatiaLongDistanceLove, going live yesterday.

But while these campaigns create longing and market presence, they don't really educate. People now have time to really get into destinations. And dreams of escape to somewhere more exotic are high on the list of priorities of many. 

So TCN has decided to help with that education with a new series called Virtual Croatia, where we will be helping you discover many of Croatia's destinations with all the best virtual tools available on your self-isolating sofa at home. 

We started last week with Tourism in the Corona Age: 10 Virtual Tools to Discover Hvar.

After this, we put our a press release (which you can read here in English and Croatian) offering a free article to any local tourist board in Croatia who would like the free promotion in our Virtual Croatia series. 

The Sinj Tourist Board was the first to respond, and now you can see just how rich the tourism offer is in this proud Alka town - your virtual tools to Discover Sinj. This was followed by DIscover Opatija, Discover Brela, Discover Rogoznica, Discover Klis and Discover Omis.

Next up, Nina Misic from the Trogir Tourist Board, who sent me some virtual tools to help us discover Trogir. 

Let's begin! 

#TakeMeBack to Trogir, Marked by Masters, Inspired by Stone

Travel has the power to bring us all together. It allows us to explore it in compelling ways so that we can better understand each other, destinations, and their history and culture.

Collect Your memories and relive them.

We are waiting for You

#TAKEMEBACKTOTROGIR

Trogir, Marked by Masters, the new official video launched in November 2019 to coincide with Trogir's new branding.

Trogir, Inspired by Stone promo video.

Timelapse Trogir

Trogir by drone.

Discover Trogir magic by night. 

Remember when the whole world was HAPPY, inspired by the Pharrell Williams hit song? The Trogir version.

Discover Trogir, among National Geographic's Top 10 Island Cities, and UNESCO World Heritage Site

The old town of Trogir became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979, and the official UNESCO video above is introduced as follows. 

"Trogir is a remarkable example of urban continuity. The orthogonal street plan of this island settlement dates back to the Hellenistic period and it was embellished by successive rulers with many fine public and domestic buildings and fortifications. Its beautiful Romanesque churches are complemented by the outstanding Renaissance and Baroque buildings from the Venetian period."

Take a tour of the rich cultural heritage of this remarkable Adriatic coastal town, which was named by National Geographic in its top 10 island cities in the world.

Trogir as It Once Was: A Journey Back to 1985

How was holidaying in Trogir in years gone by? Some wonderful snapshots of a family holiday in Trogir in this home video from 1985. 

Activities and Things to Do in Trogir

Trogir is a delightful and compact little town, with thousands of years of history around every corner. Get to know it in detail through the eyes of its visitors. 10 things to do.

A walking tour of the streets of Trogir. 

And another...

There are plenty of beaches nearby and across the bridge on Ciovo.

Nautical tourism is popular - meet the ACI marina in Trogir.

So how is the sailing experience to Trogir? 

Or parasailing, perhaps? 

UNESCO kayaking heaven. 

A scuba diving paradise. 

Mountain biking.

Climbing.

And there are of course plenty of day trips to enjoy - Krka National Park, Split, Ciovo all come to mind. But don't miss the fabulous Blue Lagoon.  

Wine heaven, home of the original Zinfandel

Did you know that the original Zinfandel comes from Dalmatia? A DNA study by the University of Davis in 2001 concluded that California's iconic red was a 100% match for Kastelanski Crljlenak, which - as the name suggests - hails from Kastela, just the other side of Split Airport. 

As well as the vineyards of Trogir. 

One of the finest views from a vineyard in Europe (and with excellent quality wines to match) can be enjoyed at the Kairos vineyard in Trogir. 

A dream wedding destination

Or perhaps you would like to tie the knot there...

Or perhaps you would prefer to celebrate your magical day in a fortress in a UNESCO World Heritage Site? Weddings in Trogir are on the rise. Find out why in this wonderful Trogir destination wedding video. 

Truly Marked by Masters, in the past and the present day

One of the key concepts behind the new branding of Trogir, Marked by Masters is the outstanding artisan traditions of the town's population over the centuries, a tradition which is very much alive today. As destinations such as Dubrovnik have traded traditional craft shops within its UNESCO walls for the sale of cheap souvenirs, Trogir's old town has a number of family businesses which are carrying on the artisan tradition of several generations, such as coral jeweler, Misel.  

Klapa Trogir

Nothing encapsulates the romance of a Dalmatian holiday than the wonderful local klapa music. Meet Klapa Trogir.

Advent and New Year in Trogir

Summer may be the main tourist season in Trogir, but Advent is also a lovely time to visit. 

And there can be few more spectacular settings to welcome the New Year. 

Official Trogir Tourist Board Website & 25 Things to Know about Trogir

Discover Trogir via the official tourist board website.

Learn more about Trogir with the TCN feature article, Trogir: 25 Things to Know about UNESCO Old Town Heaven.

THIS. IS. TROGIR. When can we expect your visit? 

To discover more of virtual Croatia, you can follow this series in our dedicated section, Virtual Croatia. 

If you are a local tourist board in Croatia and would like your destination featured in this series for free, please contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Subject Virtual Croatia (and destination name)

ZAGREB, May 11, 2020 - Homeland Movement leader Miroslav Škoro and representatives of the Croatian Sovereigntists party signed on Monday a coalition agreement on joint participation in the coming parliamentary election.

Škoro told a press conference that after the agreement with the Bloc for Croatia his Homeland Movement had also reached an agreement with the Croatian Sovereigntists to run in the elections together.

"We are extremely pleased. We still want talks to continue so that everyone seeking change in Croatia can join this political camp," Škoro told a press conference.

"Croatia wants all of us to be together and finally offer a political alternative. The Croatian Sovereigntists will be, together with the Homeland Movement and other partners, the alternative that Croats have been looking for a long time," Hrvoje Zekanović of the Croatian Sovereigntists said.

Expressing satisfaction with the agreement, Marijan Pavliček, the leader of the Croatian Conservative Party, said that the patriotic and sovereigntist camp had been fragmented for the past 20 years and that this was the first time Croatian citizens were provided with a joint political option that would be an alternative to the left and right political elites.

Pavliček believes the newly-established coalition will be the biggest surprise in the upcoming election.

Noting that Croatia has been waiting for real political changes for a long time, Ladislav Ilčić (HRAST) underscored that real changes could not be expected to stem from the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) or the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

More news about Miroslav Škoro can be found in the Politics section.

ZAGREB, May 11, 2020 - A shipment of protective equipment arrived in Bosnia and Herzegovina on Monday as a donation from Croatia and was received by Bosnia's Foreign Minister Bisera Turković and Croatia's Ambassador in Sarajevo Ivan Sabolić.

The shipment consists of protective masks and glasses, visors, tents, sleeping bags, blankets and medicinal alcohol.

Speaking to Hina, Ambassador Sabolić said that the shipment was confirmation of Croatia's readiness to help its neighbour in the current crisis too.

He recalled that Croatia had previously helped health institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Mostar University Hospital, for example.

Croatia is continually earmarking budget funds for the hospitals in Nova Bila, Jajce and Orašje as well as eight health clinics.

In early April the Croatian government approved HRK 43 million as aid for health institutions throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina, primarily in those areas where Croats live, and in an effort to curb the COVID-19 epidemic and to settle dues to suppliers of medicines and other medicinal products.

Bosnia and Herzegovina's Assistant Foreign Minister Almir Sahović said that his country is grateful to Croatia for the aid it sent and that it is welcome because it is obvious that the fight against the epidemic is not over yet.

More news about relations between Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina can be found in the Politics section.