ZAGREB, June 26, 2020 - Croatia has confirmed 56 new cases of the coronavirus and currently, the total number of people infected since the outbreak stands at 2,539, the national COVID-19 response team said on Friday.

"Fifty-six new cases have been identified in the past 24 hours, which means that 2,539 people have been infected with the coronavirus," deputy director of the Croatian Institute for Public Health (HZJZ) Marija Bubas told a press conference.

There are 23 new cases in Zagreb, 12 in Osijek-Baranja County, 5 each in Primorje-Gorski Kotar, Split-Dalmatia, and Zagreb counties, 2 each in Zadar and Koprivnica-Krizevci counties and 1 each in Brod-Posavina and Varazdin counties.

A total of 75,437 sample tests have been taken, including 780 in the past 24 hours. 51 patients are being treated in hospitals however there aren't any patients connected to ventilators.

To date, 2,150 people have recovered from the virus while the death toll stands at 107.

June 26, 2020 - After two negative test results, Goran Ivanisevic has tested positive for the coronavirus. The former tennis player and Adria Tour Zadar director is in self-isolation, and is said to have milder symptoms and feels well.

Dalmatinski Portal writes that in addition to being in constant contact with Novak Djokovic, Goran Ivanisevic was with the tennis players and participants of the Adria Tour in Zadar.

"Unfortunately, after two negative tests in the last 10 days, I just found out the results of today's third test and it is positive for COVID-19. I feel good and have no symptoms. I want to inform everyone who has been in contact with me that I am COVID-positive and ask them to take all necessary steps to protect themselves and their loved ones. I will continue to self-isolate as I have been doing already. I wish everyone who got infected a speedy recovery," Ivanisevic wrote on Instagram.

The drama started just a few minutes before the final of the Adria Tour in Zadar between Djokovic and Rublev was to take place on Sunday. However, Bulgarian tennis player Grigor Dimitrov, who also played in Zadar, announced on Instagram that he was positive for the coronavirus. The final was canceled and participants were tested.

Apart from Dimitrov, Croatian national team player Borna Coric and Serbian tennis player Viktor Troicki also received positive results, as well as Marko Paniki, fitness coach of Novak Djokovic and Christian Groh, coach of Grigor Dimitrov.

The No. 1 tennis player in the world, Novak Djokovic, did not test with the others in Zadar, but in Belgrade. His result was positive. His wife Jelena is also positive, while their children's test results are negative. Novak's parents Srdjan and Dijana, as well as his uncle Srdjan, received negative results. His brother Đorđe, who was the director of the Adria Tour in Zadar, was tested in Croatia and was also negative.

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

June 26, 2020 - The independent company Safe ShoppingCenters, based in Sweden, has awarded City Center One Split, East and West the COVID-19 Compliant certificate, i.e., confirmation that the centers operate in accordance with the highest international standards and guidelines of the World Health Organization.

Dalmatinski Portal reports that the detailed independent review established that all measures were taken for the safe operation of all three centers during the coronavirus pandemic and ensured their strict adherence, with emphasis on the adoption and implementation of international best practices and standards, while maintaining quality communication with tenants and visitors.

Thus, all visitors at the entrance to the center should disinfect their hands and can use disposable gloves, and in addition, the center is thoroughly cleaned several times during the day, with great emphasis on the disinfection of parts with which visitors come into contact, such as handrails and doorknobs. Furthermore, clear communication of recommended safe shopping measures within the center itself also contributes to the conscientious behavior of visitors when shopping.

The international recognition of COVID-19 Compliant is further proof that City Center One puts its visitors first, prioritizing their well-being, protection and safety, and ensures the highest standards for the business of its tenants. Bearing in mind that the new normal at the time of the coronavirus pandemic brings numerous challenges on a daily basis, this recognition demonstrates the center’s willingness to react quickly and adapt, progressive thinking, and constant concern for the well-being of everyone at City Center One.

City Center one Zagreb West was the first of the company’s to open in Autumn 2006, followed by City Center One Split, which became a leading shopping mall and entertainment center in Dalmatia at the end of 2010. City Center One Zagreb East is the third shopping mall in Croatia within the City Center one brand, which opened in spring 2012.

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

June 25, 2020 - There are currently 246,000 tourists in Croatia, Tourism Minister Gari Cappelli reported on Thursday.

"There are currently 246,000 tourists in Croatia, and the number is growing by 20,000 to 30,000 a day," Cappelli said at a government session, as reported by Glas Istre.

He added that this is a sign that Croatia is a "safe and recognizable" tourist country.

Cappelli presented these data as part of the discussion on the adoption of the Decree amending the Law on Islands, which increases the amount of healthy water for human consumption at a subsidized price from 45 to 85 cubic meters per year per islander.

Novi List reported yesterday that the new border rules would slightly tighten controls on entry into Croatia from Serbia and BiH, where the epidemiological picture has been disturbed, while the rule for 10 European countries agreed before remains the same, Tourism Minister Gari Cappelli said during a visit to Crikvenica and a tour of Crikvenica's tourism company Jadran d.d. Crikvenica.

When asked by journalists whether there were cancellations of accommodation in Croatia due to the coronavirus outbreak at the Adria Tour in Zadar, he answered that there were no cancellations, but that there was a little more pressure on questions asked by the media from nearby countries such as Slovenia and Austria.

"The fact is that there is a delay in order to see in a day or two whether something special will change, so far, there are no major connotations and I think that the new climate that has been created could be stopped in a few days.

We have to be ready for such events, either here or on the islands, these situations will be and from the first day, I say that we just have to be well prepared and have quality protocols to know who is doing what at what time. This goes for hotels, camps; everyone has their rules of conduct and what to do in case of infection to make tourists feel safe as if they were in their own country.

For these 10 EU member states, a health care system has been developed for who pays whom," Cappelli said.

Austria and Slovenia have threatened to introduce self-isolation for their citizens when they return from Croatia, journalists reminded him.

"No, today I spoke to my colleagues from Great Britain where we will define the entry of British tourists into the Croatian market so if they still insist on entering, there is no reason not to trust our first neighbors with whom we have very good relations.

A Slovenian government spokesman said Slovenian citizens would not have any restrictions when they returned from Croatia. I visited a hotel in Opatija this morning, it is practically full, there are no free rooms and 99 percent of foreign tourists are in it.

From what I heard in conversations with people from agencies and tour operators, there are no cancellations of arrivals, only now everything is a bit slow. Not that tourists do not want to come, but they want more information and they want to wait a day or two to see if the epidemiological situation in Croatia may worsen," Cappelli said, adding that there are still no canceled flights.

As many as 66 foreign flights will be launched in a few days and 11 Croatia Airlines flights; with Frankfurt alone, we will have 32 lines a week and in this way, we prove that we can connect with the whole world via Frankfurt.

Today, Great Britain is still being specified, so the British should start arriving soon. Jet2.com insists on that and has quite good bookings, especially for Split and Dubrovnik, and I believe that we will achieve good results there," said the Minister, and when asked by journalists how risky it is, considering that Great Britain currently has the most severe epidemiological corona situation in Europe with 2,000 to 2,300 patients a day, the minister said the control rules would apply as everywhere else.

"If our competition opens for Britain - Spain, Italy, Portugal and France, I think it would not be a good message to be the only one to close the door to them, because the British market is very important to Croatia, but with additional quality epidemiological measures that will certainly be in airports. 

After we agree with the British Ministries of Tourism and Foreign Affairs and get the green light to fly to Croatia, then we will further analyze the epidemiological situation. I call on all of us in Croatia to act a little more responsibly, we relaxed, and the recommendations are still valid," said Minister Cappelli.

He pointed out that airlines are crucial for Croatian tourism because Split-Dalmatia County and Dubrovnik are practically dependent on airlines.

"In Split-Dalmatia County and Dubrovnik, America and Britain are the strongest markets, only then do the Germans and everyone else come. The return of tourists from these markets will automatically revive Split-Dalmatia County and Dubrovnik, which is why these flights are important to us.

There is also Zadar for which Ryanair is running 40 percent of its activities compared to last year, and they are opening these permanent lines, to begin with. The fact that we are opening about 90 airlines next week is really good in these circumstances," Cappelli said.

Also, the Minister announced that CRO cards will start on July 1 and that they will already be assigned to some companies.

"The cards have been printed, the first two banks have signed, and later we will contract with other banks, we have talked to eight other banks and they are ready to cooperate. We will discuss giving the cards additional benefits in the future.

In fact, they are now not only valid for catering facilities, hotels and camps, but we have expanded their use to nautical and family accommodation. Due to the situation in the country caused by the coronavirus, we expect a decline in interest in the CRO card this year, according to a survey we conducted earlier this year, there were more than 63 interested in using the card, and now that number will drop dramatically to ten percent," concluded Minister Cappelli.

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Alemka Markotic, the director of the ''Dr. Fran Mihaljević'' Clinic for Infectious Diseases in Zagreb has discussed coronavirus' behaviour, what might happen in autumn, and penalties for not wearing masks when using public transport.

''It's relatively simple. As long as we kept to the measure the situation was excellent. But it's human nature to relax things as soon as it seems that the danger has ceased. And as soon as people relax, the virus finds its place to survive. It needs a denser population and closer contact to survive,'' Alemka Markotic, who has become a household name since the pandemic began in Croatia, warned.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 25th of June, 2020, she warned that with the easing of the formerly stringent anti-epidemic measures and the good epidemiological situation, stories about fabrications were given more space, regardless of the fact that hundreds of thousands of sick people and deaths from the new coronavirus were and continue to be seen across the world. All this, she believes, gave us a false sense of security and an excuse to relax.

All those who were in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Northern Macedonia and Kosovo will have to go into self-isolation when arriving in Croatia. Masks have now been introduced as mandatory when using public transport.

''These are places where the virus is more easily transmitted. We had an excellent situation, now the situation is deteriorating both in our country and in the world - new measures had to be adopted,'' she added.

''We noticed that most of the imported cases of infection were from Bosnia and Herzegovina, and if it is noticed that the import of diseases from some European countries increases, then restrictions will be introduced for them as well,'' Alemka Markotic announced.

"The situation is better, although there will be more new cases"

Speaking about the tourist season and the hundreds of guests who are currently spending their summers in Croatia, she said that the current situation is better than it was before, although there will be more new patients.

"People are outdoors and are at a greater distance. We call this virus the ''family virus'' because it spreads mostly indoors. With social distancing, disinfection and wearing masks where they should be worn - we can deal with the virus,'' she assured.

Speaking about allegations that the virus is weakening, she said that it is not a matter of our immunity.

''Where they tried to create the herd immunity of the population, it failed. There are indications that the virus has undergone some changes, but this needs to be monitored for some time. We cannot specifically say that it has mutated. It's a concentration of the virus - indoors it is high and the strength and ability of the virus to penetrate the body is stronger. The virus settles in the mucous membrane of the nose or throat and needs a higher concentration to break into those cells,'' explained Alemka Markotic.

"We're looking at autumn with great caution"

''We saw that some people had a positive finding of the virus in their nose for sixty days, without it being able to penetrate the body and cause symptoms. When we did the serological tests there were no antibodies and those people were actually not protected. We'll also need to examine how equal the amount of the virus we find in the nose is to the transmission of the virus to other people. In this context, the situation is better when we're outdoors, but we're looking at autumn with great caution. The virus will certainly not go away by then, and there will be other viruses, which is a great challenge for experts,'' she warned.

The new coronavirus is much more virulent than SARS

She added that everyone hopes that the virus will gradually end up like SARS did, although coronavirus isn't really behaving like that. SARS took the world by storm, there were about 8,000 cases and then it simply disappeared. The new coronavirus has already infected eight to nine million people and is much more virulent.

''At this point, nearly 90 percent of people who contract the disease will experience only milder symptoms. The problem is when the virus enters sensitive places such as hospitals and nursing homes,'' Markotic said.

Will there be sanctions for those who do not wear masks on public transport?

''As soon as something is a provision, then certain penalties will have to be applied. However, we're talking all the time about why people should be punished in order to do something that is for their own good. It's easier to take, sew a mask or buy a mask for 5, 10 or 20 kuna than to it is pay a fine of 500 or 1000 kuna. It's safer to be responsible,'' concluded Alemka Markotic.

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

June 25, 2020 - Finding accurate information about travel to Croatia is a challenge at the moment. One excellent source of info is the Viber community, Total Croatia Travel INFO, where travellers are posting their actual border and travel experiences. 

For a country whose GDP is 20%-dependent on tourism, and one which 'breathes tourism' according to its tourism minister, the lack of information about travel to Croatia currently is actually quite breathtaking. 

In order to assist tourists, TCN has engaged in a series of initiatives in recent weeks to help the information flow - a daily travel update, available in 24 languages, and a Viber community, Total Croatia Travel INFO, which is answering travel questions in real time. 

For the latest travel info, bookmark our main travel info article, which is updated daily. 

Read the Croatian Travel Update in your language - now available in 24 languages

Join the Total Croatia Travel INFO Viber community.

The Netherlands - as of July 21, Croatia is placed on the "Orange" list by the Dutch government, which means that both the Croatian nationals and the Dutch nationals returning to the Netherlands from Croatia are strongly advised to self-quarantine for 14 days.

So what is the real situation with travel to Croatia? Are people coming without problems, and are some people being turned away and refused entry? 

The Total Croatia Travel INFO Viber community has been visited 100,000 times in its first month. Set up by us initially to give information to tourists about the current situation, it is actually giving us invaluable feedback about the situation on the ground through actual experiences at airports and borders. The reality on the ground is - at times - very different to the official advice (where any advice exists). 

Let's start with what is 100% known and accepted:

External borders of the EU remain closed to all but exceptional cases and EU citizens. This was the TCN infographic of May 28, and it remains the same today, apart from the opening of the borders to 10 EU countries - you can see which in the map below.  

The general rule is that if you can get to a Croatian border with proof of paid accommodation and fulfilling any visa requirement necessary, you can enter Croatia without problem from any country. 

This was complicated a little at the Serbian and Bosnian borders with some new restrictions due to increased infections in those countries Read Who Doesn't Have to Self-Isolate After Entering Croatia from BiH or Serbia?.

All this is fairly clear. Below is a summary of some of the current Viber community experiences on the real situation. 

If you are driving from the UK or elsewhere in Europe, the borders are currently fully open. I drove from Brussels to Croatia last week, and the only slight delay was at the German-Austrian border, where they were doing spot checks. We were not stopped. 

The entercroatia,mup.hr form is working PERFECTLY. If you are a foreign tourist, fill it in, print off the confirmation email and your border crossing experience will be 30 seconds. 

If you are travelling to Croatia, it is best to have the following documents with you - the entercroatia.mup.hr confirmation, proof of your paid accommodation, and (if you are flying) the latest IATA rules for flying to Croatia. Here's why. 

Can North Americans visit Croatia right now? Here is a big overview from yesterday.

Here is one Viber community experience:

Hello All : we arrived safely in Croatia from New Jersey USA via Lufthansa ( Newark, Frankfurt, Zagreb, Split ). Want to share key steps I took as a dual citizen ( Croatian American) traveling with USA passport.    Since the situation is fluid you need to keep reading the latest published rules and q&a.  Bring all relevant info.  I 

1) filled out entercroatia website even though coming by plane 

2) sent note to Croatian border police asking for confirmation that I could enter ( received reply about 6 days later) 

3) printed out all emails and relevant q&a 4) brought relevant Croatian certificates ( If you have dual citizenships our own property) 

Wearing masks mandatory 100% on plane and in airport.

Bring snacks for layovers ( most places in airport closed ) Had the most  questioning during check in at USA ( agent wasn’t familiar with rules, she had to read notes and go to her supervisor )  

Fyi while Germany has a 14 day quarantine rule — its only applicable if you are staying in Germany . If you are transferring in airport no problem . 

Original flights cancelled and rebooked via Zagreb ... all passengers fill out detailed form with info on where you will be located, emergency contacts and your flight/ seat information in the event that they need to do contact tracing   

Border control in Croatia went smoothly.  It was a long journey with added stress — glad to be here now with family .   Wishing everyone a safe and healthy summer.

Other advice we have picked up from feedback:

1. Swiss Air from USA - Zurich - Zagreb, and the route USA - Amsterdam - Cro seem better. Lufthansa seems to be the strictest on allowing people to board. 

2. Proof of paid accommodation and a plane ticket from the States do NOT guarantee you boarding - we have MANY cases of people who were refused boarding. Remember, external borders are officially closed. 

3. If you have Croatian papers, you can enter Croatia from the States. What does 'Croatian papers' mean? For 100% guarantee, a Croatian passport. Much less certain, but at least one case has worked, is to enter with your Domovnica. Once you get to the Croatian border, you will have no problem. Getting on the flight is the hardest part. If the airline is convinced that the Domovnica is good enough ID to establish your Croatian credentials, then you may enter. In order to give yourself the best chance of success with this route, ask your local embassy to confirm your Croatianness in an official letter in English.  Please note, this is NOT a guarantee it will work, but it has on at least one occasion. 

4. In general, the more documentation you have, the better your chances. 

5. If you are a partner of a Croatian citizen, officially you can only enter if you have an official cohabitation agreement. Being simply a boyfriend or girlfriend is not enough. BUT we do have one case in the community of a Danish girlfriend travelling to see her Croatian boyfriend from Copenhagen who arrived without questions. It can happen, but that doesn't mean it will happen. 

6. If you are transiting through Croatia, you will have no problems, and this is also true at the Neum Corridor if you are driving from Split to Dubrovnik. As long as you really in transit. You have an hour to get through Neum or you will have problems. For Croatia transit, I think the time limit is 48 hours, but will check and update. 

7. If you are flying with a stopover, it is best to stick with the same airline. 

Hello! Made it Dubrovnik from chicago. I travel to Croatia every summer. This experience wasn’t much different other than wearing masks & the flights being half empty. I have a US passport only. Although I have family in Croatia, I didn’t have to mention that to authorities. I traveled ORD-CPH-SPU and then had a driver pick us up at airport and drive us to Dubrovnik. I was asked what my purpose was in Croatia by SAS airlines and I said I’m coming as a tourist & that Croatia is allowing us with paid accommodation & that I have a letter from Cro government saying I’m allowed to enter (EnterCroatia announcement). I gave her the EnterCroatia form, the IATA map w highlighted part about Croatia, my paid receipt and the email by This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. saying I’m allowed to enter.

She brought it over to her supervisor and he barely thumbed through it. She said great, be sure you keep this with you so you’re allowed in by Croatian authorities.

The plane was 25% full. Everyone had a row to themselves & wore masks the entire time. It was amazing. We had a two hour layover in empty airport, and a half full flight to Split, again with SAS. At the airport in Split, customs asked me zero questions. I tried showing her my EnterCroatia form which she didn’t look at.

My driver drove us through the BIH boarder at Neum with no problems. No one asked to see my EnterCroatia form or anything. Only my US passport.

It was really a great experience. The only anxiety I had was prior to my trip with all the questioning about being able to travel.

The situation is changing rapidly, and real information is hard to find. For the latest travel info, bookmark our main travel info article, which is updated daily.  

If you have some experiences which are helpful and you would like to share, please post in the Total Croatia Travel INFO Viber community. Join the Total Croatia Travel INFO Viber community. (You will need to download the app). Or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

June 25, 2020 - Who will be able to enter Croatia from BiH, Serbia, Kosovo and North Macedonia without having to self-isolate? Head of the Border Service of the Split-Dalmatia Police, Mladen Bužančić, explains. 

Dnevnik.hr reports that encouraged by the growing number of cases in Croatia, but also in neighboring countries, the Croatian Civil Protection Headquarters introduced a new measure at border crossings and mandatory self-isolation for people entering Croatia from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia and Serbia.

Mladen Bužančić, head of the Border Service of the Split-Dalmatia Police Administration, revealed to Dnevnik Nova TV that there are certain exemptions to the rule. 

"The border police are ready. Everyone who enters the Republic of Croatia from those countries on June 25 must be aware that they will be self-isolated. There are exceptions for those who, due to the nature of their work and living circumstances, will not have to isolate themselves, and among them are cross-border workers and those transiting through these four countries and through Croatia," Bužančić explains, urging that travel be kept to a minimum.

Asked what will happen to those who come to Croatia from those four countries in the region for a funeral or to care for an elderly family member, Bužančić answered that they are also exempt and will not have to self-isolate.

"If it is an urgent personal reason or it is about people who are coming to a funeral or need emergency medical care or transport, they will not be subjected to the new rule," says Bužančić.

However, when it comes to tourists from those countries who already have confirmed reservations in Croatia, Bužančić says that they must be aware that this arrangement will probably not be realized.

For the latest travel info, bookmark our main travel info article, which is updated daily. 

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Brits, much like other sun deprived Northern Europeans, are getting itchy feet in their desperation for a getaway and a bit of vitamin D. As Croatia's epidemiological picture is so favourable, more talks are underway which could provide a much needed boost to Croatian tourism this year.

Media updates from UK (June 27)

Summer holiday air bridges: Government confirms ‘traffic light system’ to make international travel easier for Britons in July

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 24th of June, 2020, British ministers are in talks with the leaders of six other European countries to establish ''air bridges'' for British tourists looking to spend their holidays abroad, the Guardian has learned. The British, among others, are negotiating with Croatia.

The key to the story is to allow tourists from the United Kingdom to come to countries with a low prevalence of coronavirus infections and be able to return home without having to go into self-isolation or quarantine.

In addition to Croatia, British ministers are negotiating with Spain, Italy, Greece, France and Turkey, and the possibility of an agreement with Germany and Austria is being discussed. In Britain, they hope that the negotiations will be completed by Monday, when the United Kingdom, otherwise the worst affected country in Europe, is set to announce a new set of mitigation measures.

A source from the British Government told the Guardian that when they were compiling the list of countries, they only looked at the percentage of infection per 100,000 inhabitants. Australia, for example, was also considered, but in the end the choice fell only on the Mediterranean countries which have always been a traditional favourite for British holiday makers due to their close proximity and being on the same continent.

''Air bridges will be strictly monitored and this plan is a priority for the British Government at the moment, there's no doubt about it,'' a source from the British Government told the Guardian.

However, the popular British newspaper warns that the European Commission (EC) said a few months ago that the opening of such corridors could be subject to discrimination and that the rules must be the same for all countries that have a similar epidemiological situation.

In any case, the British choice eventually fell on the Mediterranean countries, and the reason is more than clear - overseas destinations require transfers in countries where the epidemiological situation is much more serious.

''There was talk about Singapore and Bermuda, but in the end the decision was made to focus on here in Europe,'' it was claimed.

For now, it is known that this idea is strongly supported by Transport Minister Grant Shapps, who spoke extensively about passenger corridors last week.

''We've been working for some time on establishing 'air bridges' or, more precisely, passenger corridors,'' he said at a press conference held in Downing Street, and his deputy, Jim McMahon, publicly said that the rule of 14 days quarantine upon return must be abolished, according to Jutarnji list.

For more on Croatian tourism, follow our travel page.

June 24, 2020 - The Croatian Headquarters reported on new coronavirus cases and made two new decisions. The first refers to the mandatory self-isolation for everyone coming to Croatia from BiH and Serbia, and the second that masks are now required when using public transport in the country.

Index.hr reports that in the last 24 hours, 22 new coronavirus cases were recorded, bringing the total to 2,388. So far, 2,145 people have recovered. One hundred and seven people died. Another 136 people are being treated.

Everyone coming from BiH and Serbia must go into self-isolation

New border rules have been established for people traveling from BiH, Kosovo, Serbia and North Macedonia, as they will be required to undergo self-isolation for 14 days. The obligation does not apply to those transiting through these countries. This rule applies to anyone coming from these countries, regardless of citizenship.

Masks required!

The second decision refers to a change in public transport, according to which drivers and other employees and passengers must use medical masks and adhere to general measures.

The following are questions to the Croatia Headquarters from journalists:

What about tourists?

"As for the decisions, they are based on the opinion of the medical profession. These decisions were made based on the recommendations of epidemiologists with regard to the situation in neighboring countries. We have an increase in the number of infections, and most of these people came from the direction of BiH and Serbia. We will continue to monitor everything that happens daily. We will make decisions faster and change them if necessary."

About Beroš's statement that the virus mutated

"Analyzes are being done about it, the situation is being monitored. The situation at the moment is not as it was before. Most new patients now have very mild or no symptoms, which is good. We don't have anyone on a ventilator or seriously ill. A lot of them have only a positive result, without symptoms. The amount of the virus that can be transmitted to another person is important. For now, it seems that it is not so strong. People move in the open, and there is no constant close contact. When you are apart in the open, it is harder to transmit larger amounts of the virus to someone. For now, it seems that the situation is more favorable, but it is a perception, we will see. There is no information that the clinical picture is more severe in infected countries and other countries. But distance and hygiene remain," said Markotic.

About Zadar

"Several hundred tests have been conducted. Seven positive people have been identified. Zadar has been brought under control, congratulations to colleagues," Markotic said.

Has there been a local transmission in Zagreb?

"Croatia has been on the list of countries with local transmission for some time now. We are talking about a pandemic and an epidemic. This is a completely normal thing," she added.

As for the wedding arrangements, there will be no changes, for now, she added.

Masks do not have to be medical; they can also be canvas

"It is a measure to maintain physical distance, but it is impossible in a tram. That is why it is mandatory to wear masks; they do not have to be exclusively medical masks, they can also be a canvas mask made of a thicker weave than usual. If we know that there is a crowd in public transport, we may need to leave 15 minutes earlier. People are being pushed by force. Don't do that. Face masks became inevitable. The responsibility is on us - whether we go in and work our way through the crowd or wait for the second tram," the press conference concluded.

For the latest travel info, bookmark our main travel info article, which is updated daily. 

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For more news in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

The popular Esplanade Hotel in the Croatian capital city of Zagreb is experiencing a massive drop in bookings, but has taken it upon itself to offer its guests the ability to download its menus and newspapers via their smartphones, safely and in a contactless way.

Croatian tourism has taken a very heavy blow thanks to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic which has reared its ugly head once again following a couple of weeks of peace after the questionable holding of a tennis event in Zadar. As such, Croatian hotels have little choice but to try to ride the storm during which the waves keep getting higher.

As Marija Crnjak/Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 23rd of June, 2020, Zagreb's Esplanade Hotel currently has an occupancy rate of just 20 percent, which, although low, is much better than it was back in May, but the situation is unpredictable because reservations are being made from today to tomorrow.

The above was revealed by the hotel's director, Ivica Max Krizmanic, on the occasion of the presentation of the hotel's new promotional film.

''Last year, we had more than 3000 overnight stays in this period, and this year we've only a little more than 400 of them. In the last month, most of our guests came from Croatia (28%) and neighbouring countries, Serbia (12%), Germany (10%), the US (5%) and the UK (4%), and those who came were here mainly for business.

The rest of them are tourists, individuals, and there are currently no groups, there probably won’t even be any soon, either,'' Krizmanic pointed out.

The Esplanade Hotel has offered guests the contactless ability to download the hotel's menus and daily newspapers via their smartphones, and the hotel’s own mobile app allows for possible room service orders.

The Health Club and limousine service are running but continue to take very strict precautions in their operations, and the rooms are thoroughly cleaned, ventilated and placed in 48-hour isolation.

"In these uncertain times, we shot a promotional video in which we're trying to bring potential guests closer to what we offer, and that's a combination of a sense of security, luxury and the Esplanade Hotel's special charm," said Krizmanic.

For more, follow our lifestyle section.