Travel

July 19, 2019 - A new route between Zagreb and Rome could be on the horizon if the bankrupt Alitalia is successful in their plans to re-establish themselves as a lucrative European airline.  Namely, Ex Yu Aviation reports that the Alitalia transport group and Delta Air Lines have been named partners to rescue the struggling Alitalia and have announced a 3-year development deal, which would begin in 2020. In their plans, Alitalia would initiate flights between Rome and Zagreb and boost seasonal operations to Split and Dubrovnik.  You might recall that the flagship carrier maintained two flights a day to…

July 18, 2019 - Stari Grad on Hvar is providing a great summer programme on a limited budget. Next up cabaret and a jazz and wine festival.  One destination which is moving very much in the right direction these days is Stari Grad on Hvar. An extended riva to develop its nautical credentials, new 4-star owners of its troubled 2-star hotels, and two planned 5-star hotels, one of which will open next year.  But more impressive is what is happening in the town itself. The historic old streets of the oldest town of Hvar, dating back 2,400 years, are among…

July 18, 2019 - As Croatia's unusual tourist season continues, and with access to official statistics restricted in another officially record year, is Croatia full of empty beds? A record year with millions of tourists and - much more importantly for the Kings of Accidental Tourism - millions and millions of overnights. We all love statistics, right? At least until they don't work quite as you want, and then you restrict access to them, as the Ministry of Tourism did recently to their internationally award-winning, transparent tourism statistics reporting system, eVisitor.  So with access to official statistics restricted, how can…

If you're heading to continental Croatia, making your way from the coast to Zagreb... Why not stop off at the incredible Plitvice Lakes while it isn't too crowded? It seems as if everyone is talking about the rather strange and slow tourist season of 2019. While Croatia is usually sizzling under the beating sun and the streets are completely thronged with foreign tourists, this year appears a little different indeed. It seems, at least according to some sources, that it isn't just Croatia that is suffering a considerable drop on tourists and likely tourism revenue this summer, and that thanks…

July 18, 2019 - As Croatia's peak season is in full swing, a look back to summer in Dubrovnik almost 50 years ago, through the lens of an Austrian tourist in 1972.  It was an era before Kings Landing and 2-3 cruise ships a day.  Before the siege of the city which destroyed many of its famous rooftops.  Tourism as it once was. Fast forward almost half a century, and the scene could not more different, with thousands of tourists packing into the old town from bus day trips and those cruisers.  The Daily Telegraph published an article earlier this…

The highly anticipated Summer Colors of Split returns to the Riva until September 26, 2019.  You can find the full program courtesy of the Split Tourist Board below.  15.7. Ponedjeljak / Monday Riva / Promenade - Obala hrv. narodnog preporoda 21.00h / 09.00pm Zabavna grupa Providenca / band Providenca  16.7. Utorak / Tuesday Riva / Promenade - Obala hrv. narodnog preporoda 17.00h / 05.00pm Dan zajedništva, ponosa i sreće / Day of Unity, Pride and Joy  17.7. Srijeda / Wednesday Riva / Promenade - Obala hrv. narodnog preporoda 21.00h / 09.00pm Proslava Ilindena - (Makedonija) / Ilinden celebration - (Macedonia…

July 19, 2019 - While Croatia is enjoying - officially at least - another record season, many locals report it has never been quieter in peak season. Why? A look behind the scenes in the Kingdom of Accidental Tourism.  I have had a LOT of requests recently to comment on the current tourist season in Croatia. Depending on who you believe, it is either another record year, or a total disaster. Having announced record numbers for the first half of the year, the Ministry of Tourism then took its transparent, internationally award-winning eVisitor reporting system offline. Meanwhile, there were many…

We've talked a lot about how the tourism situation in Croatia this tourist season has been a little off. Very much off, actually. While some report no particular changes, highly popular restaurants in Dubrovnik are being pictured just half full, Jadrolinija ferries are being pictured half empty, bookings are down significantly, and Croatia has quite strangely restricted access to tourism figures. Weird, right? There are a multitude of reasons why Croatia's 2019 tourist season is a drag, but one of the reasons Croatia needs to get its act together in regard to bringing tourists in and stop relying on old…

July 16, 2019 - Klapa Samoana, the Dalmatian sensations from the Pacific, entertained about 300 guests at Hvarcienda, on the top of Croatia's premier island. It was quite a show.   So authentic, and yet so authentic.  Unique and unforgettable for sure, as two outstanding products met with no neighbours to disturb for an evening of music, food, wine, nature, dancing and fun.  And boy - how did the main stars perform.  The concept of a Dalmatian klapa group from the Pacific island of Samoa might sound pretty far out, but Klapa Samoana won the hears of Croatians all over the…

After Zagreb, Split, Pula, Opatija, Šibenik, Rovinj, Omiš, Hvar, Munich and Graz, Poreč joined the running cities included in the SightRun mobile application. The Tourist Board of Poreč presented the new tourist product SightRun - a mobile application of audio running tours aimed at active guests in the city. Visitors in Poreč who enjoy running can now follow five audio running tours, which are all 9 to 9.6 kilometers long, reports HRTurizam on July 15, 2019. The Poreč City Tour - North and Porec City Tour - South begin in front of the City Hall, while other tours start in…