November 6, 2022 - Central Dalmatia has a new tourist board director, after Ivana Vladovic took over the position in July. TCN asked about her plans for the region in an email interview. 

1. You are very new to the position of Central Dalmatia Tourist Board director, taking over in July. Give us your impressions of the season so far. 

We are all very pleased with the season so far, results are great, and there is a significant improvement in the quality of events and tourist offers. The season is extending, and we are heading in the right direction. 

2. A new director often brings a new perspective. What are your priorities for tourism in Central Dalmatia County?

My vision of developing tourism in the area of ​​Split-Dalmatia County is based on tourism that is authentic, high quality, sustainable and year-round. Also united and presented to the world through modern channels of communication and promotion. My perspective is based on bringing traditional products up in the first plan, values, gastronomy, and authenticity of local products. We have so much to offer as a destination, but we need to be authentic, recognizable by our values and unique way of life. 

3. Let's talk about Split, which has been in the media for all the wrong reasons this summer. An explosion of pub crawls, a significant increase in public drunkenness. What are your thoughts on the season in Split in particular, and how do we get the balance right?

Split has generated great numbers this season and delivered significant projects, but before anything is mentioned, the collaboration of different entities is what makes the difference. Great numbers often bring different issues that we need to cope with. Tourism needs to improve the quality of life for local inhabitants, and they need to feel positive effects.

It is our responsibility to offer quality contents and destinations that are opposite of what was happening this season. In cooperation with the city officials, we are working on keeping the order of communal infrastructure.

4. Having followed Croatian tourism for a decade, I have noticed an official obsession with numbers, numbers, numbers, with little consideration for quality or the damage to the environment or quality of life for locals. And yet in the same breath, we hear the mantra of sustainable tourism. Where do you stand on this?

Numbers are important but not crucial. Almost every interview begins with questions about numbers and results. We must not be obsessed with the results measured in numbers; we need to enforce ourselves with the quality of the offer, impress with tradition, and protect our way of living. Traditional values, local inhabitants, protection of our culture, and tradition are what make us distinct and unique. Tourism needs to be an advantage, not an issue for our citizens.

5. What specific ideas and plans do you have to introduce a more sustainable tourism strategy to the region?

I am addressing the problem of sustainability with projects branding our tradition,  and the specific way of life here in Dalmatia. We have plenty to offer, starting with our history, natural beauties, rich gastronomy, high quality of living, authentic products, and people. Branding our county as a whole year tourism destination including lots of potential that we have in the nautical segment is what makes us sustainable.

6. The beach and islands are understandably popular - tell us more about your plans to promote inland Dalmatia.

It is important to develop the area of Dalmatia Inland according to the principles of sustainable tourism and valorize the rural area, natural and cultural-historical resources and autochthonous traditional elements in the best possible way.

The goal is to encourage the development of tourism and eco-agriculture in symbiosis, to network the tourist communities of this part of the county, and to offer a number of unique products.

7. Last December, TCN and local partners organised the Split Winter Tourism Roundtable initiative, which brought all the stakeholders from the public and private sector together. Momentum is building, and KLM has just announced year-round flights to Split from Amsterdam. How much of a priority is winter tourism for you, and will you financially support the concept of winter flights?

I support the extension of the season, but it must be planned and sustainable. We are aware of the fact that 80% of the total accommodation capacity in the area of ​​our county is private family accommodation, which is occupied by students during post and preseason. Namely, our capacities, from infrastructure to the offer of events as well as gastronomy, must work together in synergy in order to achieve a true extension of the season. Winter flights are a very important part of market strategy, and we are in communication with airline companies. They are important, but by themselves, without an elaborated overall strategy, they are not enough. 

8. The remote work revolution is here, and Split is the de facto digital nomad capital of Croatia, even though almost nothing has been proactively done by official bodies. How important is developing this sector in your plans?

Digital nomads are another trend that became popular during the covid pandemic. People have embraced technology that allows them to collaborate virtually and increase flexibility. They are excellent promoters and tourism ambassadors of the country in which they are located. 

9. Define Central Dalmatia as a destination in a paragraph, including why people should come.

All the great emperors and kings who came to our region came in early spring or late summer, when Dalmatia is the most beautiful. The colors are the most intense, the sounds are the purest, and the fruits are ready for tasting. This is exactly what we want to show the world.

10. And finally, 3-5 of your favourite places in the region, and why?

The first place I hold dear is my native Marina, the place of my heart. The second in order for me is the unreplaceable view from Vidova Gora. And third but not last is the particularly moving and emotional place of Sinj during the procession on the day of the Great Lady.

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January 26, 2021 – Siniša Topalović, a tourism consultant, spoke for HTV's Studio 4 show about why it is illusory to expect a pre-season, why Central and Southern Dalmatia will have the most challenging recovery, and where the future of Croatian tourism lies.

In the previous years, the media would already have been full of articles about preparing for the tourist season. Croatia has the largest share of tourism revenues in GDP in Europe, which reaches almost 20 percent of GDP and employs 11 percent of people. During the coronavirus crisis, the state still has high expectations, as it is an important source of tax revenue for it. However, tourism workers mostly complain and have black forecasts.

'The further north we go, the better tourism results'

When asked about official estimates that say Croatia could expect 60 percent of the income from tourism realized in 2019 this year, Topalović said that he believes that such an expectation is still too optimistic according to financial criteria.

"Between 60 and 70 percent of the physical traffic, we had in 2019 is achievable this year. If we talked about 70 percent of overnight stays and arrivals, everyone would sign that result at the moment. Still, when we talk realistically about the financial performance, it is probably about 50 to 60 percent of income," says Topalović, tourism consultant at Horwath HTL.

He added that Croatia does not expect an "even" recovery of tourism, but the results will vary geographically.

"As last year showed, the further north we go along the coast, the better our result is. The reason for this is the geographical position of Croatia. We were lucky that Istria, Kvarner, and the northern Dalmatian counties have relatively good access by road, and people took advantage of that. From Split to the south, the Makarska Riviera, and towards Dubrovnik will continue to have a more difficult situation this year, because the air connection will still not recover," explains Topalović.

He assessed the actions of the state during the pandemic as good and timely.

"Essentially, in 2020, the state reacted well in terms of maintaining employment in the tourism sector. Job-saving measures came relatively quickly, halting a potential wave of layoffs in the hotel industry. Both the management and the staff were protected, and there were no excessive losses. If the measures are extended until April, they should be sufficient to preserve the stability of the tourism sector," says Topalović.

'Now is the time to restructure Croatian tourism'

He says the expectation of a wave of tourists during the Easter holidays as in previous years in these conditions is illusory. Easter comes earlier this year, he says, so traditionally, the pre-season would be weak. But with COVID this year, there shouldn't be pre-season at all. The first wave of tourists is expected during May, and more intense from mid-June.

When choosing between quality and quantity, Croatian tourism has always gone in the direction of quantity. In 2020, it turned out to be the wrong direction.

"Last year denied populism, where the state, through tax systems and everything it did or did not do, allowed an uncontrolled increase in private accommodation of medium and lower quality. Those who were thinking a step further with quality accommodation this year scored and ensured their stability," says Topalović.

He added that quality has won this year, regardless of the type of accommodation, and thinks that this is a sign to those who decide and work on legislative frameworks that the state should encourage quality tourism with all its arsenal. Now is the time, he added, to restructure Croatian tourism.

"It's never a good time for us. When we grow, then we don't change anything because everything is good. When there is a crisis, we don't change anything because we need help. The crisis here has shown in which direction the market is going. Croatian tourism has no future if it stays on the concept of a low-budget mass market, which we currently have," explains Siniša Topalović.

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May 26, 2020 - The Split-Dalmatia County Tourist Board is targeting the biggest European markets with a new promotional video showing the beauties of Central Dalmatia. 

A press release from the Split-Dalmatia County Tourist Board reads that the most prominent part of the promotional campaign is the new video that was launched a few days ago, which is aimed at targeted European markets. It is also a marketing step at the time of opening borders and aims to establish tourist traffic in these areas.

"Central Dalmatia and all its treasures, the beauties of lakes, rivers, seas, beaches, bays, towns, and islands are ready for their dear guests. They are safe, preserved, and corona-free, full of hidden beauties, and always ready for their dear friends and guests. She is a treasure trove of feelings and a set of memories for those who have already met her in their gatherings. It is a dream that awaits all those who will meet her for the first time. There she is, ready to socialize again, with an invitation for all who want to taste the holiday, which will never leave their heads and hearts. And that is why she invites all those after a true adventure on the journey of a lifetime, to get to know it as the most special, most diverse car destination. Which at every new corner, behind every bend of the road, after exiting every tunnel, gives the most beautiful postcard.

The Split-Dalmatia County Tourist Board has launched promotional campaigns aimed at the markets of Germany, Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Austria. And this time, it turns to all people ready to step into the new platform of the tourist offer. Those who will give them a rest that they will never forget even in this post-corona time. It gives them a chance to get to know the specialties of Central Dalmatia as a car destination, which offers a variety of specifics. Because Central Dalmatia is more than a tourist destination, it is a feeling of 100% freedom, at the same time, the most beautiful harmony. It is an area where every friend and guest can feel all the treasures gathered in one place," the Tourist Board adds.

"We are carefully monitoring the situation in the main markets of Central Dalmatia, just like hoteliers, caterers, tourist camps, owners of family accommodation and nautical, waiting for an agreement between the epidemiological and tourist professions which should enable human health protection and realizing the summer part of this tourist year. But in the meantime, despite the modest funds available to the County Tourist Board in these circumstances, we have prepared promotional campaigns aimed at our traditional markets of Germany, Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Austria. Through them, we will further promote Central Dalmatia as a car-destination. The most prominent part of the promotional campaign is the new video that was launched a few days ago, which is aimed at targeted European markets and is a marketing step at the time of opening borders and establishing tourist traffic in these areas," says Joško Stella, director of the Split-Dalmatia County Tourist Board.

"Because with this way of getting to know her, every new and old guest in Central Dalmatia has the opportunity to get to know the connection between history and the present, gastronomy and adrenaline, fun and relaxation. Through car tours, they will touch UNESCO cities, Trogir and Split, drink coffee in the square of Emperor Diocletian, enjoy the healthiest, Mediterranean food in the world, watch kitesurfers on the city beaches. They will rise in Zagorje, taste grilled trout from the river, and taste top-quality homemade wine from carefully guarded vineyards. They will head south, to the famous beach in Bol, to Zlatni rat, and see with their own eyes a unique world phenomenon that shifts as the wind blows. They will swim in the crystal clear coves, enjoy the sea never more transparent, never softer, and then they will return to the coast again. And soar into the hills of Omis, to enjoy the lookout from the palm of your hand, and in its center, enjoy the city where the famous Omis Pirates guarded their honor and freedom.

There they will walk through the cobbled streets, then head in the direction of the Makarska Riviera, driving to choose which beach to go to. And they will feel something that will never leave their minds again, the warmth of the soul and people, the feeling of unique fun, and a memory that will stay in the soul forever. Because when Central Dalmatia invites you as a guest, everyone who responds will begin breathing with full lungs. Come to Central Dalmatia to taste happiness," the Split-Dalmatia Tourist Board concludes.

You can visit the Tourist Board website here.

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Something new is on the cards for the very beginning of next month in time for the height of the tourist season for those wanting a direct line from Split Airport to Bol on the nearby island of Brač, the third largest island in Croatia.

As Morski writes on the 17th of May, 2019, as of the 1st of June 2019 to the 15th of September 2019, the new fast-freight company Adriatic Fast Ferries d.o.o. will introduce a fast-freight line four times a day from Split Airport to Bol on the central Dalmatian island of Brač. There will be two direct connections and two lines which will head to Bol via Split's busy ferry port.

The direct connection will take one hour from Split Airport to Bol, and the line which will stop at Split's ferry port will take an hour and twenty minutes. There will be three lines in place from Bol to Split per day, according to a report from the local portal Bol info.

Unlike for other ferries and connections, tickets for this new line can only be purchased online at the ship's website.

The catamaran for this line was built back in 1999 at the FBM Marine Ltd shipyard and was purchased from the English company Red Jet. The catamaran is 33 metres long and has a capacity of 190 passengers.

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May 9, 2019 - Central Dalmatia is one of Croatia's most popular and diverse tourist regions, with something for everyone. A look at which destinations are popular for the top 20 visiting countries.

From the beach heaven of the Makarska Riviera and the island paradise of Brac, Hvar, Solta and Vis to, to the UNESCO heritage of Split and Trogir and the wild natural adventure paradise of inland Dalmatia, Central Dalmatia is becoming one of Croatia's most visited tourist destination, attracting tourists from all over the world. 

But which destinations appeal to each nation? New statistics out for the 2018 season show quite a diversity of choice. Below are the top 20 countries in terms of tourist arrivals in 2018, with a list of the top 3 destinations in Central Dalmatia where they headed. 

Germans were once again the largest group of visitors (332,086), with Poland not far behind. 

I was suprised to see Trogir rank so highly with a number of countries, and always nice to see that my adopted home of Jelsa is still one of the most popular destinations for Slovenians. 

Central Dalmatia continues to be popular with Brits, while strong growth continued in the French and US markets. Another surprise - to me at least - is that Swedes are more numerous than Norwegians, having discovered the region a little later than their northern neighbours. 

Here are the top 20 countries and where they like to holiday.

1. Germany (332,086)

Split

Omis

Makarska

2. Poland (304,523)

Omis

Makarska

Baska Voda

3. Croatia (246,455)

Split

Seget

Makarska

4. UK (218.421)

Split

Hvar

Trogir

5. Czechia (220,345)

Baska Voda

Gradac

Omis

6. BiH (170,805)

Makarska

Baska Voda

Gradac

7. USA (138,951)

Split

Hvar

Trogir

8. France (138,957)

Split

Bol

Trogir

9. Sweden (132, 154)

Split

Makarska

Baska Voda

10. Slovakia (95,025)

Baska Voda

Makarska

Tucepi

11. Slovenia (93,551)

Split

Jelsa

Baska Voda

12. Austria (82,025)

Split

Bol

Makarska

13. Norway (81,813)

Split

Makarska

Tucepi

14. Italy (71,216)

Split

Hvar 

Makarska

15. Hungary (72,443)

Makarska

Omis

Trogir

16. Holland (53,380)

Split

Seget

Trogir

17. Australia (53,215)

Split

Hvar

18. Spain (50,078)

Split

Dugopolje 

Hvar

19. South Korea (37,123)

Split 

Seget

20. Switzerland (23,094)

Split

Mararksa

Hvar

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The Klis Municipality in Dalmatia has taken the initiative and provided the complete infrastructure for potential investors, and on the same plot, it has been made possible to build additional ten villas as well as the hotel itself.

Dr. Ivo Glavaš gives us a look into the relatively unknown past of one little Dalmatian fortress.

Split-Dalmatia County has recorded excellent tourist results this season. According to eVisitor, August alone had over five million overnight stays - increasing 7% from last year.

All hotels will be ready for the season, some are already sold out

The official numbers are in - it has been another exceptional year for tourism in Central Dalmatia.