June 15, 2020 - In May, the island of Vir boasted the most guests in Croatia, more than Rovinj, Medulin, Mali Losinj and Krk. Despite all the limiting factors, Vir recorded 13.4 percent fewer overnight stays and only 1.1 percent fewer tourist arrivals compared to last year!

Slobodna Dalmacija reports that according to the eVisitor system, a total of 49,566 overnight stays were recorded in Vir in May (57,208 last year) and 2,877 arrivals (2,909 last year), of which Croats achieved 37,252 overnight stays (75.1 percent) with an increase of 26.9 and foreign guests 12,314 (24.9 percent) with a drop of 55.8 percent. Most of them were Slovenes and Germans, Hungarians and Austrians.

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Now, you might be wondering... HOW?

"How's that? It's nice! We quarantined the guests," says Kristijan Kapović, the mayor of Vir municipality.

Kapović was in the company of an 'expert council', the director of the municipal tourist board Srđan Liverić, the head of the tourist agency Vir Turizam Mate Čulina, and his deputy Antonio Vučetić. The theme at the table was the tourist figures of this unusually popular island.

"From January 1 to June 1 this year, we have 53 percent in arrivals of foreign guests compared to the same period last year, or a decrease of 39 percent in overnight stays. In the same period, we have an increase of 15 percent in arrivals and as much as 39 percent in overnight stays of domestic guests compared to last year," said Kapović.

Of foreigners, mostly Slovenians came, only two percent less, followed by Germans (-54 percent), BiH (-52 percent), Hungarians (-60 percent), Austrians (-72 percent). I emphasize that these are the numbers while the lockdown for Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia was still ongoing," said Kapović. 

"At the time when we closed our borders and declared quarantine, there were about 700 guests in Vir, mostly Croats, Slovenes, and Hungarians. Some found themselves there, and some escaped the coronavirus here. These are mostly our weekenders, as we call them, who come to us all year round because they have their real estate here. But now they find themselves in a situation where they have to stay by force.

Their overnight stays were reflected in the statistics and hence ours, I would say a minimal drop in the number of arrivals and overnight stays for the first five months, given the general circumstances," the mayor explains.

Vir survived the pandemic without a single infection, which further convinced its regular guests that it is a safe holiday destination. 

Namely, out of almost twelve thousand registered facilities on the island, as many as ten thousand are intended for occasional housing. The owners of more than half of such facilities are foreign citizens, and most of them are from Slovenia, Hungary, Slovakia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Czech Republic, Germany, Austria, and Poland. 

"Vir had recorded 154,096 arrivals and 2,635,664 overnight stays last year, of which 110,258 were foreign tourists who made 1,159,908 overnight stays. We were the eighth destination in the country. We achieved these figures thanks to the arrivals of foreign and weekend visitors. Foreigners and weekenders come all year round and spend an average of fifteen days on the island, while domestic guests stay for almost forty days.

They say that we are a destination of apartments and non-commercial tourism. I claim to you, and this crisis has confirmed this, that our tourism is more resilient and sustainable long-term than the tourism of large hotel complexes that have been insisted on for years. This is due to the influence of certain lobbies, and not a well-designed development tourism policy," claims Kapović, who emphasized again that Vir was the eighth destination in the country.

"Out of the total number of overnight stays from last year, almost 1.2 million are foreign guests," said the director of the Tourist Board, Srđan Liverić.

"Our main season lasts from June 15 to September 15, and in that period, we achieve 80 percent of tourist numbers. The other 20 percent is equally divided into pre-season and post-season," he explains.

The head of the Vir Turizam agency Mate Čulina joined in: "In addition to these cottages and holiday homes owned by foreigners, there are 2,500 registered renters with fifteen thousand beds on offer. Landlords alone make about 800,000 overnight stays a year," says Čulina, adding that the municipal agency works with mostly Croatian landlords.

"Provisions for this year are about 30 percent weaker than last year. For example, some who had provisions worth 140,000 euros for the season in January has now dropped to 30,000. But not everything is so black; a lot is on hold. People have lowered prices from 20 to 30 and even more for all summer months. However, they hope that after the opening of the borders, which will surely happen by the end of June, they could achieve a positive season in July, August and September.

Of course, what worries them the most is what will happen with the pandemic, but also what will happen with the now traditional events on the island, which are a great magnet for guests and weekenders.

Guests and weekenders are mostly interested in whether there will be a Vir Summer," continues Čulina.

"Once a local event for the entertainment of domestic tourists, over the years has become the largest, most interesting and most spectacular summer program in Zadar County. When you compare only the number and quality of concerts and performers who parade through the Vir Summer, Vir seems like Las Vegas compared to Zadar.

But this is no accident. One million euros are allocated annually for the programs, organization and promotion of the Vir Summer program, and the number of entertainment and cultural events has risen from the former ten to more than seventy over the years. When sports programs that start in April and end in October are added to that, with numerous international activities, such as jet ski competitions, Vir brings guests practically all year round and fills its capacities," explains Čulina.

"So I say if the borders open, and they will right after Corpus Christi, we will get our weekenders, our regular foreign and domestic guests, the property owners on the island. If there are about 150 thousand of them this year, by all indications, we will have a good tourist season," points out Mayor Kapović.

You can read the full interview on Slobodna Dalmacija HERE.

June 15, 2020 - Life after corona is slowly normalizing in Split, and traffic is increasing day by day at Split Airport, where the first significant increase in air traffic and 3,000 passengers is expected this weekend.

"Next weekend, June 20 and 21, according to previous announcements, about 30 planes are expected to arrive in both directions, which will be the first significant increase in traffic at Split Airport after the epidemic," said the head of the Reception and Dispatch Service at Split Airport on Sunday, Mate Melvan, for Index.hr.

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He added that the last weekend in June also expects traffic of around 3,000 passengers.

Melvan reminded that this year, 60 airlines were registered at Split Airport, though most of them canceled their services due to the coronavirus epidemic. However, nine airlines resumed traffic in June. “Already in early July, we expect continued growth in airline engagement,” he added.

According to him, the largest passenger traffic at Split Airport this year is expected in the second half of July and early August.

Recall, just last week, KLM announced its return to Split, and from July 4, the Amsterdam - Split line will be introduced, operating daily, and on Sundays even twice a day. 

Furthermore, Wizz Air announced the launch of three routes to Croatia, specifically from Poland (from June 20) and the UK (from June 15) to Split. 

Air France also announced their return to Split and will resume on the Paris - Split line from July 13, 4 times a week (Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays), while from July, Ryanair will operate from Dublin and Stuttgart, and Luxair from Luxembourg.

Croatia Airlines will also introduce five international routes from Split, four to destinations in Germany and one to Switzerland.

As of June 24, the Split-Frankfurt route will be introduced with two weeks of departure, on Wednesdays and Saturdays, of the A319 aircraft.

From June 27, the Split - Dusseldorf route will be introduced, once a week, on Saturdays, by A319 aircraft.

From the same date, the Split - Berlin route will be introduced, also once a week (Saturdays), by A319 aircraft.

As of June 26, the Split - Munich route will be introduced with two weeks of departure, on Fridays and Saturdays, for the 76-seat DashQ400 aircraft.

From the same date, the Split - Zurich line will be introduced, also with two weeks of departure (Friday and Saturday) by DashQ400 aircraft.

From June 24, the Croatian national airline will operate on five international routes from Split, and one domestic, between Split and Zagreb.

Split Airport currently has the most announcements of airlines in the summer flight schedule.

June 15, 2020 - As Europe opens many of its internal borders, more international media confusion about the situation on Croatia's borders. 

The day has finally arrived. 

June 15, 2020, the day we have all been waiting for. The day when the EU was planning to announce it is reopening its internal borders.

I have a busy day of meetings, so I decided to wake up early to publish the official confirmation, as well as update the TCN daily travel update, which is also available in 24 languages. 

Incredibly, I can't find an official confirmation anywhere, and I have looked really hard. 

The international media confusion continues as a result, with many outlets reporting that most EU borders are now open, and Austria will be from tomorrow, leaving the drive across Europe to Croatia now relatively free. My impression is that Croatia's borders are now completely open to EU citizens, which is also the understanding of some, but not all of the international media. Here is a selection:

Euronews

Croatia

Croatia will reopen its borders to all EU citizens, including from the UK, on June 15, with no obligation to quarantine.

Croatia opened its borders in mid-May without restriction to nationals from the Czech Republic, Hungary, Austria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovenia, Germany and Slovakia.

Other visitors from the EU/EEA, and the UK, could also visit from May 11, though restrictions were in place, including quarantine and proof of accommodation.

Forbes

Croatia

The country opened its borders in mid-May without restriction to nationals from the Czech Republic, Hungary, Austria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovenia, Germany and Slovakia.

Croatia will reopen to the rest of the E.U. and to U.K. citizens on June 15, with no obligation to quarantine. All arrivals should fill out a form online in advance and proof of a tourist accommodation booking is required on entry.

Parks, beaches, shops, museums, hotels and outdoor restaurants and bars are open, public transport is operating as well, as are some international and domestic flights. International flights are expected to increase throughout June. 

(TCN comment -  Although I respect Forbes very much, this does not make a lot of sense. Croatia has been open to EU citizens with proof of paid accommodation for weeks, with no quarantine requirement. If Croatia reopens its border to the rest of the EU and UK, that means that the borders are open, with no need for proof of paid accommodation. It is not the fault of Forbes here, just the astounding lack of clear communication from the tourism chiefs). 

Politico

Croatia

Are the borders open? Yes. In an effort to get the tourism sector moving again, travelers from Austria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Germany, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia are allowed in without conditions, though the government says it will collect contact data. Nationals of other EU countries will have to show they have a good reason, although an accommodation booking will be sufficient.

Do arrivals have to quarantine? No, unless they have symptoms.

(TCN comment - Again, if the borders are fully open to all 31 EU/EEA countries, there should be no need for proof of accommodation. The situation described by Politico is the situation last week, and if this is the situation today, this means nothing has changed). 

Interestingly, the New York Times wrote a comprehensive article on EU borders reopening, looking at a dozen individual countries, but did not mention Croatia at all. Presumably it was too hard to fact check the situation with no official information. 

I expect the situation to be clarified today, but my current advice would be to have proof of paid accommodation and fill in the entercroatia.mup.hr form. 

07:00 Update - I checked with an official at the ministry who told me that the National Civil Protection Headquarters would make the decision today. 

So who is flying? Again, it is hard to find the information, so I checked with the airport arrivals pages of Croatia's main airports, as well as this month's schedule of Croatia Airlines.

Zagreb is the busiest airport, with Croatia Airlines connecting the Croatian capital with a number of European cities. 

More flights tomorrow, including a direct flight from Dublin, as well as Air Serbia from Belgrade. 

Dubrovnik is fairly quiet, with Riga the only advertised international connection in the next two days on the arrivals board. 

Zadar is welcoming domestic flights only it seems.

And Pula has just the one flight from Zagreb today. 

Not so many flights to Split either, but something of a surprise - a direct flight to the UK with Wizzair from London Luton. 

I went to the Wizzair site to see if it was really happening, and it appears to be. With tickets still available. So if you feel like spending the night in Split tonight, book your ticket and come. 

I suspect all this confusion will clear up in the next 24 hours. If, as I suspect, Croatia's borders are fully open to EU/EEA citizens, then the paid accommodation requirement should no longer be valid. 

Compare these flights with Athens Airport today. Greece sent a very clear message that it would be opening for tourism today. In addition to dozens of domestic flights to its islands and other destinations, Athens will be welcoming flights from Frankfurt, Liege, Paris, Bucharest (2), Doha (2), Amsterdam, Rome, Vienna (2), Munich, Larnaca (2), Sofia, Tirana, London (2), and Milan.

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ZAGREB, June 14, 2020 - Tourism Minister Gari Cappelli said on Sunday the number of tourists was rising by the day and that 115,000 were currently staying in Croatia, about 20% of their number at the same time last year, and that Istria, Primorje-Gorski Kotar and Zadar were the most visited counties.

Tourists are also visiting the continental counties, generating 50% of the turnover from the same time last year, Pozega-Slavonia County even 61%.

This year's tourism revenue is expected to be 30-35% of last year's, Istria and Primorje-Gorski Kotar counties expect it to be up to 40%, with the latter generating 21% of arrivals and 29% of nights year on year now.

Speaking at a press conference in Opatija, Cappelli said 188,000 tourists stayed in Croatia on June 1-13, generating a million nights, and that this year so far saw 20% of arrivals and 24% of nights in comparison with the first half of 2019.

Forty-five percent of the tourists staying in Croatia are domestic, 34% come from Slovenia, 15% from Germany, 12% from Austria, and the Czech Republic. The top destinations are Rovinj, Vir, Mali Losinj, Medulin and Krk.

Over the past 24 hours, about 20,000 tourists have entered Croatia, Cappelli said, adding that Germany was opening its borders tonight and that its nationals would not have to self-isolate after returning home.

Austria and Hungary are next, he said, adding that the most important markets in Central Europe were expected to reopen after June 15.

Bookings for July 10 and afterwards are considerably rising, there are no more cancellations, spending is rising, mostly in campsites, private accommodation and hotels, the minister said.

He said yachts worth €1 billion were currently docked in Rijeka and Mali Losinj. He explained that a large number of them were pulling out of some ports and coming to Croatia.

Cappelli said 73% of the tourists in campsites were staying in four-star ones, that 51% of those in hotels were staying in five-star hotels, and that demand for the most expensive accommodation was higher and higher.

Asked about Italian tourists, he said they were announcing their arrivals as well as entering Croatia, that those owning house or vessels in Croatia were coming, and that 2,000 Italians arrived last weekend.

The minister said air routes to Dubrovnik were being arranged, that Ryanair flights to Zadar would probably be co-financed, that flights to Krk from Duesseldorf and Hamburg would start next week, that trains from the Czech Republic would arrive three times a week, possibly four, and that 10,000 passengers had been announced.

Guests from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Israel are important too, he said, adding that the arrival of tourists from China and South Korea would be discussed in early September.

Cappelli went on to say that very few seasonal workers were being hired in tourism this year, that there were about 2,000 at the moment, and that domestic workers were being hired instead.

Asked about risks related to COVID-19, he said everything was being balanced, that good organisation was important, and that Croatia's healthcare system deserved a lot of the credit for the good epidemiological situation.

He said tourist surgeries would be opened, that there was a risk but that it was important to adhere to the protocol defined by the national COVID-19 crisis management team.

June 14, 2020 - European cultural TV channel Arte TV, in its 'Invitation to Travel' show, broadcast a series of reports on the rich cultural heritage of Istria and Southern Dalmatia.

HRTurizam writes that these reports were created as a result of the cooperation and engagement of the Representative Office of the Croatian Tourist Board in France.

"Such shows that reveal lesser-known cultural and historical facts of Croatian tourist destinations are our special challenge and imperative in the tourist promotion of Croatia on the French market, since cultural heritage is the main motive for 60 percent of French people to travel abroad," said Daniela Mihalic. Đurica, director of the CNTB Representative Office in France.

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The Istria portion of the show spoke to the owners of Istrian restaurants, but also winemakers, who testified to the precious eno-gastronomic value of Istria. They presented Rovinj, which they called a mini Venice, Pula, where the gladiator games were evoked, but also the interior of Istria, where the picturesque towns of Buje and Motovun are located. The report also mentions the most common traditional vessel in Rovinj, the batana.

The second report, entitled "French Kisses from Croatia", shows the rich influence of Napoleon in Southern Dalmatia, and through a conversation with historians, the "Adriatic pearls" of Dubrovnik, Split and Trogir were presented, which delighted Napoleon and his marshals, especially Marmont, so much that by their conquest they showed the world their superiority.

"This is another way to maintain a presence and visibility in our important markets and further interest the French, but also the Germans to revisit us as soon as possible," commented CNTB Director Kristjan Stanicic, announcing that the Arte TV team will film four new reports on Croatia in mid-August and early September.

But these are not the only stories about the Croatian coast, which were presented to French viewers. Earlier, a report on the island of Pag was published, in which the specifics of the famous bura wind were mentioned, as well as a report on Pazin with which the famous Jules Verne was enchanted.

Arte TV shows are broadcast six days a week and are watched by over 800,000 viewers a day. The recorded reports are repeated on several occasions and are also available in the Arte TV media library.

Finally, French lifestyle magazine Grazia also published the TOP 9 Croatian destinations that should definitely be visited this summer. On that scale were: Dubrovnik, Rovinj, Split, Zagreb, Plitvice National Park, Zadar, Hvar, Korcula and Krka National Park.

June 14, 2020 - Thanks to the extended weekend, tourist traffic has finally begun to pick up on the Croatian Coast. So far, the first part of June is just under 5 percent of last year's results. 

Currently, 111,000 tourists are in Croatia, of which 79,000 are foreign and 32,000 domestic tourists - mostly from Germany, Croatia, Slovenia, Austria and the Czech Republic, reports HRT.

Looking at the destination, most tourists are in Rovinj, Vir, Mali Lošinj, Medulin and Umag. Hotels are opening throughout central Dalmatia, and the first larger groups of guests have been announced.

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Despite the pandemic, Split's Radisson Blu Hotel, however, was anything but idle.

"We have done a lot of new and wonderful things as you can see, we have renovated the whole plateau, we are working on renovating the Spa. I am looking forward to the guests who can come from June 15," says Kristina Rogaljska, the senior hotel manager.

According to the announcements, they will be domestic guests, Germans and Austrians, but no more are expected in June. July and August should and should be significantly better, judging by the reservations received. Safety and responsibility are at the forefront.

"The safety of guests and employees is our number one priority, we have respected epidemiological measures by the Republic of Croatia and the strict measures of our group. We have plexiglass partitions in all possible places, from stickers where guests must stand at the reception and in front of the elevators to all the cleaning measures that we will carry out," adds Rogaljska.

As of Saturday, the Bluesun hotels opened on the Makarska Riviera, in Tučepi and Brela, and in Bol on Brač. Hotels in Supetar also opened their doors.

"In Supetar, both hotel houses have been opened in slightly reduced capacities and according to the announcements, the season will be like that, but we can expect a little more activity at the end of this month, and July has good bookings," says Ivan Cvitanić, director of Supetar Tourist Board.

As of June 20, more specific traffic has been announced at Split Airport, and according to updated data from the entercroatia application, about 230,000 tourists will arrive in Croatia in the next few days. We hope that at least some of them will choose central Dalmatia as their destination.

Some tourists are already vacationing in Istria. The action of the Administrative Department for Tourism of the Istrian County, which offers as many as 50 attractions of cultural and eno-gastronomic content at half price or even free - has finally stimulated the long-awaited tourist momentum. Most are domestic guests.

Baredine Cave is one of the most beautiful speleological objects, of 1500 of them in Istria. The tourist workers of Istria are satisfied with the response of visitors to the reduced price attractions.

"Right now, as I was traveling towards the Baredine cave, I saw a lot of cyclists on the road, I believe that people will slowly decide to come through to relax and appreciate the fact that we are a really safe destination, says Nada Prodan Mraković, head of the Istria County Tourism Department.

Winemakers, olive growers and oil producers also opened their taverns to guests, and are offering free tastings.

"We don't do it only today, we have all been doing it for about 20 years, on average. And every year you want to be better and better because that is the future. If you did something well, why shouldn't I do the same, and that is a healthy competition," points out Andjelo Brcic, Nova Vas.

Natural, top-quality wines, rich taverns, various attractions and beautiful Istrian nature at half price or even free. And all available to you, right now. 

June 12, 2020 — Judging by the sale of train tickets, Czechs are extremely interested in spending their summer in Croatia.

Four thousand tickets for RegioJet's direct line between Prague and Rijeka sold on Thursday night alone, which surprised the company itself.

RegioJet spokesman Aleš Ondrůj told Jutarnji list that the Czechs' interest in this line is huge, revealing that the two lines were already sold out in July. He held out the possibility that RegioJet, if such interest remains, increases the number of lines during the summer.

Sales were partially driven by, among other things, the operator’s announcement that it will be possible to buy tickets on this line for the price of 22 euros one way, making it one of the cheapest transport connections on the market.

"The interest is really high, so after we sold four thousand tickets on Thursday, we started selling the rest gradually, in order to satisfy the interest of passengers,” Ondrůj said. “By the way, this is the biggest interest and jump in ticket sales recorded throughout history by our reservation system."

The sale shows that Czechs are definitely interested in a holiday in Croatia and that they perceive our country as safe.

Asked if there is a possibility that the company, if the interest remains so high, will increase the weekly number of lines between the Prague and Rijeka, Ondrůj told us that the company will make estimates next week, depending on the pace at which to reserve and sell seats on the train.

As things stand, the line between Prague and Rijeka should run three times a week between June 30 and Sept. 26, with Pardubice, Brno, Bratislava and Ljubljana on the way from larger cities, which means that the Czech railway the operator reckons that Slovak tourists will also show interest in this line.

The line from Prague to Rijeka will depart on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays, and the return from Croatia will take place on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Mondays. If they wish, Croats will be able to travel by train this summer.

June the 13th, 2020 - the Croatian Interior Ministry (MUP) has provided answers to the most commonly asked questions by those wishing to cross Croatia's borders in the confusing coronavirus era.

Earlier this week I went on a truly fascinating tour of the Croatian border control system, after the Interior Ministry granted my media request to do a feature story on the whole border procedure, especially how the new entercroatia.mup.hr form was speeding up the system. It was a fascinating tour, which you can read about in full here.

I was particularly interested to meet the team answering all the tourist emails at the official email address provided, and I was more than a little surprised to learn that in a tourism county with a national tourist board, 20 regional tourist board, 319 local tourist boards, a Ministry of Tourism and a tourism sector of the Chamber of Economy, all the questions are being answered by...

... the Croatian police. 

The team answering the emails are incredibly dedicated. With some 28,000 emails to answer at the time of my visit, they pulled in police departments all over the country, so it is quite possible that your email asking about flights to Split might be answered by the police in Osijek. A crazy situation, and I offered TCN help if the police were interested. 

Firstly I showed the team the TCN travel update, and invited them to either send the link or paste the relevant info. 

They were having trouble with foreign language enquiries, so I showed the travel update in 24 languages.

And finally, we compared notes on FAQs when I showed them the Viber community, Total Croatia Travel INFO.

I suggested that they send me the top 10 most-asked questions with answers, and then we would translate and share, in the hope this would reduce the email flow. Am grateful to Lauren Simmonds for the translation - you can see the questions and answers below. 

Here are few other things I learned and would recommend. 

1. If your questions is tourism-related and not regarding procedures to enter the country, you should contact the Croatian National Tourist Board instead - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. They are generally very responsive. 

2. If you want your question answered quicker, make it as easy as possible for the police to answer it. People are sending their questions in Hungarian, Portuguese and many other languages. The police can comfortably deal with queries in English, German and Croatian. Anything else will lead to a delay. 

3. EVERY foreigner entering Croatia is advised to fill in the entercroatia.mup.hr form. The reason is that the border crossing experience is then reduced to just 30 seconds (one scan of the passport). If not, a lot of the accommodation and contact details need to be filled in manually. I saw the system in action close up - it works superbly. 

4. Please read the comprehensive FAQ provided by the Interior Ministry before sending your email request. Apart from not overburdening the system, you will probably find your answer quicker.

Here are the questions and their answers in full:

1. I'm a citizen of Bosnia and Herzegovina, can I transit through the Republic of Croatia? I'm arriving by plane which will land at the Franjo Tuđman International Airport in Zagreb and I'd then travel by bus to Bosnia and Herzegovina. May I do that? Or can my friend from Banja Luka come for me?

Transit through the Republic of Croatia when returning to your home country is allowed, however, your friend will not be allowed to enter the Republic of Croatia because he isn't allowed to enter for the stated purpose.

2. I'm a German citizen, can I enter the Republic of Croatia as a tourist, and if so, what documents do I need to show?

Citizens of 10 member states of the European Union (Czech Republic, Hungary, Austria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovenia, Germany and Slovakia) don't have to provide any reason for their entry when entering the Republic of Croatia, they can enter the country under the same conditions as before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, but still with epidemiological controls in place, and with the obligation to comply with the general and special recommendations of the Croatian Institute of Public Health. Foreigners who have an authorised stay (legal residence) in these countries can also enter the Republic of Croatia without proving their reason for entry, but they must show their residence permits.

To reduce congestion at border crossings and shorten the waiting times when crossing borders, we recommend foreign nationals who intend to stay in the Republic of Croatia to submit their data in advance via the website entercroatia.mup.hr. People who don't submit their details in advance via this application will still be able to do all this at the border crossing when entering Croatia, but that will imply a longer waiting time and in a separate lane.

3. Do I need a COVID 19 test for entry/transit into the Republic of Croatia and do I need to go into self-isolation when in the Republic of Croatia?

A COVID-19 test is not required to enter the Republic of Croatia. When entering the Republic of Croatia, there is no need for self-isolation now, but persons must adhere to the general and special recommendations and instructions issued by the Croatian Institute of Public Health.

4. I'm a foreigner, but I would be visiting my parents/brother, etc. Can I do that?

For family members of a Croatian citizen who don't hold Croatian citizenship (meaning they hold the citizenship of a EU/EEA country or that of a third country), entry is allowed with proof of kinship (a birth certificate, a marriage certificate, or a certified declaration of cohabitation).

5. I'm a foreigner, but I'm in an relationship with a Croatian citizen (engaged to one), can I enter the Republic of Croatia to visit him or her?

You will be allowed to enter the Republic of Croatia if you show a certified statement at the Croatian border that you're in this type of relationship with a Croatian national and that you intend to get married.

6. I'm coming to Croatia on business, what do I need to enter, and can my wife come as well?

You will be allowed to enter if you have an invitation letter from an economic operator from Croatia or another type of confirmation of your economic interest in the Republic of Croatia, or if you're the owner of an economic entity in the Republic of Croatia. Your wife can come with you if she is also listed in the invitation letter, and if you're the owner of an economic entity, entry is allowed but you must present a marriage certificate.

7. In Croatia, I have a scheduled check-up/medical procedure/operation, and I'm a citizen of a third country. What do I need to provide in order to enter?

You will be allowed to enter the Republic of Croatia if you show a certificate at the border that you have an appointment for a check-up, medical procedure, etc in a healthcare institution in the Republic of Croatia.

8. I live in Switzerland, I paid for a holiday on Korcula. What do I need to enter Croatia?

Foreign nationals who have proof of paid accommodation or a reservation for an apartment/hotel, a lease agreement for a camp, the reservation of a plot in a camp, the rental of a tourist boat or sailboat, or paid or arranged tours in the Republic of Croatia, as well as in the entire other spectrum of tourist activities, are allowed to enter the Republic of Croatia.

When entering the country, it is necessary to show the confirmation of you having booked tourist accommodation. To reduce congestion at border crossings and shorten the waiting times, we recommend foreign citizens who intend to stay in the Republic of Croatia to submit their data in advance via the website entercroatia.mup.hr.

Passengers who don't submit their details in advance through the aforementioned application will still be able to do all of this at the border when entering the Republic of Croatia, but it will take longer and they'll need to wait in a separate lane.

9. I need to transit through Croatia to Bosnia and Herzegovina, but along the way I'd be stopping at a friend's house in Rijeka. Is that allowed?

After entering the Republic of Croatia, you must leave the territory of the Republic of Croatia by the shortest route without unnecessary hanging around and performing other tasks because you have no justifiable reason to enter the Republic of Croatia, you're only allowed transit.

10. I come from the United Kingdom and have a house in Zadar. I'd be bringing two friends with me, will they be allowed to enter?

Foreigners who own property in the Republic of Croatia and their immediate family members are allowed to enter with proof of ownership of property and proof of kinship. Friends will not be allowed to enter because they are not eligible to enter for this purpose. They will be allowed to enter if they have a confirmation of having booked tourist accommodation in Croatia.

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Translation by Lauren Simmonds.

June 12, 2020 - The latest news from around Croatia’s airports for flights to Croatia with updates from Zagreb, Split and Dubrovnik.

Croatian Aviation reports that Air France announced today on its official website that it is re-launching international routes to numerous destinations in Europe and the world, including three in Croatia.

Air France originally planned to introduce a second daily rotation between Zagreb and Paris (thus connecting the two cities as many as 14 times a week), but the plans have, of course, been disrupted by the pandemic and will not happen this year.

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The company will gradually increase the number of weekly flights to destinations in Croatia. We bring you the planned flight schedule for July:

The Paris - Zagreb line is being reintroduced, from July 1, 3 times a week (Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays),

The Paris - Split line is reintroduced, from July 13, 4 times a week (Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays),

The Paris - Dubrovnik line is being reintroduced, from July 4, twice a week (Saturdays and Sundays). On the Paris-Dubrovnik route, another flight will be added per week, on Mondays, from July 13.

On the routes from Paris to Zagreb and Dubrovnik, Air France will operate aircraft A319, A320 and A321, which in the fleet of this airline have a capacity between 143 and 212 seats in the passenger cabin.

According to current announcements, HOP will operate on the line from Paris to Split! for Air France Embraer 190 aircraft, capacity 100 passengers.

Furthermore, Croatian Aviation announced that Canadian leisure airline canceled the seasonal Toronto - Zagreb - Toronto route, which it launched in 2016.

Air Transat was originally supposed to launch a direct line between Toronto and Zagreb in May this year, but due to the impact of the pandemic, the start of traffic was postponed to July.

The direct line from Toronto was on sale 3 times a week (Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays) with the A330-200 wide-body aircraft, but it was withdrawn from sale and the company announced that it will not operate on this line this year, of course, the only reason is poor demand caused by COVID-19.

Last summer, Zagreb was connected directly with Toronto with as many as two airlines, Air Canada Rouge operated 4 times a week between the two cities, while Air Transat operated 3 times a week on the route, i.e., a total of 7 weekly direct flights.

Air Canada Rouge canceled the route to Zagreb in April (as well as many other seasonal ones in Europe), and now Air Transat has done the same.

With this, as things stand now (with the exception of Emirates, which still has a line to Zagreb on sale since September), Zagreb was left without wide-body aircraft this year, given that Emirates will most likely also cancel flights to Zagreb.

As Novac writes on the 11th of June, 2020, after new concessions to the measures set out by the National Civil Protection Headquarters in regard to bus passenger transport, and in accordance with the conditions of travel within individual European countries, FlixBus is set to re-establish its international bus lines and re-connect Croatia with Slovenia, Austria, Germany, the Czech Republic and Luxembourg.

In this way, travellers will once again be able to travel for either tourist, family or business purposes through one part of Europe as of (as things stand) the 18th of this month.

''Demand for international travel has been shown since the very beginning of the re-establishment of public transport. We've adapted all of our departures to the current epidemiological situation in Europe. We will add new destinations and countries as the situation and market demands continue to develop further,'' said Ante Grbesa, the director of the FlixBus CEE South region.

As of next Thursday, up to 30 European destinations will be available to travel to once again from the Croatian cities of Zagreb, Split, Sibenik, Zadar, Rijeka, Pula, Rovinj, Varazdin, Osijek, Vukovar and other cities. All available destinations and departures from the 18th of June onwards can be checked via the official FlixBus website or application, from which you can also buy tickets.

Passengers are encouraged to think about their safety when buying their tickets and use the online method of purchase through a free mobile application or website. This will reduce unnecessary physical contact and long queues. Special attention is being paid to enhanced contagion prevention, hygiene and disinfection of the bus area for passengers and drivers, protective equipment for drivers as well as the regulated boarding and disembarking of passengers has been arranged. Preventive protection measures remain in place for the safety of passengers.

"The demand for travel within Croatia still exists, and with daily departures to central and southern Dalmatia, we have added destinations such as Plitvice Lakes, Rijeka, Slavonski Brod and Imotski, while respecting safety recommendations for our passengers,'' added Grbesa.

Given the importance of road and bus traffic in the tourism sector, the opening of borders and the relaxation of anti-epidemic measures will ensure a new influx of tourists arriving in Croatia by FlixBus in significant numbers. The increase in the number of tourists arriving from abroad on FlixBus buses, from season to season, has grown by up to 80 percent in certain Croatian destinations.

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