July the 28th, 2021 - There are currently 900,000 tourists staying in various locations across the country as the traditionally popular month of August approaches, with Croatian coastal destinations proving the most popular of all.

The ongoing coronavirus pandemic remains a threat to tourist seasons across the Mediterranean, but with the vaccination rollout making things easier, tourists are moving around more easily and bringing the hope of a better tourist season than that of summer 2020 to Croatia's shores.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, according to the first data from the Croatian eVisitor system, there are currently more than 900,000 tourists staying across the Republic of Croatia. Most of them are holidaying in Croatian coastal destinations in Istria, Kvarner and further south in Split-Dalmatia and Zadar counties.

Looking at Croatian coastal destinations which are of course the most popular at the moment, most guests are staying in Rovinj, Vir, Porec, Medulin, Umag and Mali Losinj. Most of them have come from Germany, Slovenia, Poland, Austria and the Czech Republic, reports HRT.

Last weekend, there were 448,000 arrivals and 2.7 million overnight stays recorded, which marks a 20 percent increase when compared to the same weekend last year. Compared to that same weekend record back in pre-pandemic 2019, there have been 24 percent fewer arrivals and 18 percent less overnight stays.

During the weekend, almost 843 thousand vehicles were recorded on Croatian motorways and 46 and a half million kuna in tolls were collected.

When compared to the same weekend last year, vehicle traffic has very encouragingly increased by 39 percent, and the amount of tolls collected has increased by 41 percent. Compared to the same weekend of the record 2019, vehicle traffic is down by 3 percent, while the amount of toll fees collected is down 8 percent.

For more on Croatian tourism and destinations that you might want to pay a visit to in the near future, make sure to follow our dedicated travel section.

March 20, 2021 - Mass tourism in Croatia is disastrous, and investments in it unsustainable says Dutch MEP Bas Eickhout.

In an interview with Hina, Dutch MEP Bas Eickhout from the GreenLeft said that Croatia's investment in mass tourism is unsustainable and that it could destroy Croatian tourism in the long run, reports Jutarnji List.

Eickhout understands large investments in mass tourism "from the perspective of quick earnings" but believes that such an investment is not profitable in the long run. "I am not sure that such an investment is profitable in the long run. You will see that people are increasingly looking for areas that provide peace," said the Dutch parliamentarian, adding that mass tourism means "quick but short-term earnings."

"Perhaps, in a longer period, you could even be left without tourism. That would be a great pity because I want people to enjoy the Croatian coast in the future as well," concluded Eickhout, who was named the most influential MEP in the field of environmental policy by VoteWatch Europe last year.

Eickhout believes that "the potential of the Croatian coast is huge" and that the European Union should "strengthen its visions of its development."

"It's a precious area," he said.

The use of wind as a renewable energy source can provide additional protection to fisheries along the coast, according to Eickhout, who advocates "sustainable fisheries."

"We need to think about sustainable fishing in a way that you do not only catch fish now but that the children of current fishers and their children should also benefit from this sector," he concludes.

Eickhout pointed out that in this segment, too, the key factor is biodiversity, "the preservation of which must become a priority so that the fish stock can be restored."

He also stressed the importance of the attitude of fishermen themselves towards this issue and believes that it is important to "achieve agreement and respect between fishermen and the ecosystem."

Referring to the impact the European Green Plan could have on the Mediterranean coast, including Croatia, Eickhout pointed out the huge potential of these areas in the processes of achieving biodiversity, renewable energy production, and the development of sustainable fisheries.

Asked how citizens, those in Croatia and the rest of the EU, could benefit from the Green Plan, Eickhout said that "not only will the current population in these areas benefit, but also the next generations," but to realize this, a “more coherent vision of coastal development opportunities” is needed.

He believes that this will also reduce the emigration of people from coastal areas to cities that, as he states, are "already overcrowded."

Eickhout believes the current European Commission has made a big step forward by clearly recognizing green policies as a priority.

"This European Commission understands that one of our great challenges for the future, for our European future, for the future of Croatia," said Eickhout.

"This is the core of the Green Plan's idea: to create a new economy that will not burden the environmental system so much, and at the same time will create new, better jobs," he added.

He emphasized that this transition was not easy and that to claim otherwise by any politician would be an attempt to deceive the European electorate.

However, that is "the only future we need," believes the representative of the Greens.

He believes that Europe can only take the lead in global innovation through the green transition and that there is no point in copying another model.

"We cannot, for example, compete with the Chinese in labor costs. They will always beat us in that. We have to come up with our own story," says Eickhout.

The European Parliament's negotiating team and the presidency of the Council agreed in November 2020 that with at least 30 percent of spending from the long-term budget and recovery plan, it would go to climate targets.

Eickhout said he was satisfied with the deal but said more money would be needed for the changes planned and that the European budget represented only a small fraction of the funds available.

"Each member state has at its disposal funds from the national budget, which, in total, are much larger than what the EU has. And there are large amounts of funds from the private sector," said Eickhout.

Eickhout emphasized in particular that the Green Plan is not and must not only be a matter for the EU but that neighboring countries, as well as candidate countries, must be involved in its implementation.

"We hope that the entire Balkans will become part of the European Union. That is our starting point and our goal," Eickhout said.

He also added that if this is the Union's goal, then it is the duty of Brussels to ensure the mutual implementation of the green transition in the entire area.

Otherwise, we will have "different dynamics of implementing the Green Plan," warned Eickhout, adding that they would "shoot themselves in the foot."

Bas Eickhout has been a Member of the European Parliament since 2009. At the heart of his political work are the fight against climate change and the creation of a social Europe, and he warns of the strengthening of anti-European forces in the EP.

In the last elections for the European Parliament in 2019, the European Greens singled out Eickhout and the German MEP Ska Keller as their candidates for the head position of the European Commission.

Eickhout is vice-president of the Greens' Group in the European Parliament (EP) and vice-president of the EP's Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Committee.

Although it does not hold leading positions, it has significant influence thanks to a strong network of relations, many years of parliamentary experience, and work on several important legislative proposals and initiatives, notes VoteWatch, an independent Brussels-based research organization analyzing political influences on public opinion and shaping EU legislation. 

The European Parliament will discuss the EU's strategy for sustainable tourism in the plenary next week. As announced on the EP portal, the European Parliament will call in the report for the EU to develop cleaner, safer, and more sustainable tourism after the COVID-19 pandemic.

The pandemic has redirected consumer preferences to greener options, the report said, calling for a plan to develop more sustainable forms of tourism to reduce the sector's environmental footprint.

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March 11, 2021 - Will Croatia summer 2021 be the most challenging tourist season yet? Croatian travel experts weigh in on how the season will work this year. 

Index.hr reports that Croatia is facing one of the most challenging tourist seasons ever. This became especially clear after the head of the Croatian Institute of Public Health, Krunoslav Capak, said that there would be other travel conditions for people who were not vaccinated, such as quarantine or testing, which exists now.

The number of vaccinated tourists will be minimal because there is a shortage of vaccines in Croatia's key markets. Simultaneously, the oldest citizens have priority, and they generally do not travel as much as the younger population.

Martina Nimac Kalcina, president of the Family Tourism Association, told Index that Croatia is acting poorly if it does not have a timely plan for all travelers who will have to be tested when entering and leaving Croatia.

"By mid-April at the latest, which is two months before the start of the real season, everything should be organized. So, how will the entry into Croatia look? How and where will tourists be tested? Owners of family accommodation should have all this information in April to inform their guests in time. Every effort must be made to transfer this information abroad in a quality manner through promotion and to the owners of accommodation facilities. If all this is poorly organized, then we will have a bad season because some countries, which are our competitors, will organize it very well," Nimac Kalcina told Index.

The ease of entering and leaving the country, testing, and its price will play a crucial role in which destination the guest will choose for their holiday. 

"We have been saying for months that we have to prepare very well. This means unifying test prices, that guests who are ready to be tested know the prices, that they know where they can be tested, that testing is easily available to them. We have long been asking for as many testing points as possible to be organized at airports, stations, ports, and other locations, such as hotels or other city-owned facilities where guests leaving the destination would be tested. We continue to insist that the prices of tests be as low as possible because guests will certainly compare the price of testing with other countries that are competitive with us. And the third thing is that if they have to pay them, these prices will be unified because they are very different and in Croatia range from 150 to 700 kuna," Martina Nimac Kalcina continued for Index.

In the end, she said that this season would be better than 2020 if Croatia prepares well.

Boris Žgomba, head of the Association of Travel Agencies, told Index that he wanted to believe that Capak had expressed himself clumsily.

"It would not occur to anyone smart to quarantine a guest when entering the country. I don't think the worst season awaits us, but we must prepare well. We need a faster flow of people who have been vaccinated and recovered from Covid in the last 3 to 6 months. I think it will be set at 6 months because these people are not contagious. They will have Covid-passes, not Covid-passports, as some say. They will be called Covid-passes and will be ready in early June, at a time when we should have started to have more serious tourism and crowds at the borders," Žgomba told Index.

What about those who do not have passes?

"Yes, the third category are those guests who have not been vaccinated or recovered from Covid. They will certainly take antigen or PCR tests; they will have to do it, or maybe not even need to; it all depends on the epidemiological situation. It is in our interest, as in Croatia, to speed up the flow of people. Some countries have already launched this, and we are working on it. Slovenia allows entry to those vaccinated without testing and people who have had Covid in the last 3 months. Poland and Greece are already doing that. I must also mention how the information published on IATA's (International Air Transport Association) official website says that from March 8, passengers who have a positive test (PCR or antigen) older than 14 days and not older than 3 months can enter Croatia. Meaning those who recovered from Covid-19. The question arises as to why it is a secret. If so, why hasn't it already been reported to the public or, if it's not true, why hasn't it been denied," Žgomba told Index.

What are his forecasts for this season?

"I think that everything will be regulated and that we will have tourist figures at the level of 60 percent from 2019, so we will be a little better than 2020, but not nearly as close as 2019. I don't think there should be any fear for those who test positive when they arrive at the destination; we have already learned to live with this virus and the fact that you can't plan anything. Still, based on some indicators, it could be read that my forecast would be realistic and that we should have about 60 percent of the tourist figures from 2019," Žgomba said at the end.

The head of the Croatian Travel Agencies Association (UHPA), Tomislav Fain, told Index that there should be no problems if rapid tests are allowed and if Croatia is well prepared so that each region, county, and city provides a sufficient number of rapid testing points that will be cheap.

"Reading the prime minister's statements, we all depend on the European Commission and its protocols. If rapid tests are recognized, then we will have no problems, and the intention is to recognize rapid tests as relevant. If that is the case, then it will be good because they are fast and affordable. This would solve the biggest problem. I was in Greece in October, and their minister said he would push the idea of ​​recognizing rapid tests that would cost a couple of euros. If Greece succeeds in that, then, as I said, Croatia must prepare well so that guests can quickly and conveniently take the test and get the result," Fain said.

He states that Greece organized such testing at airports last season and that it was easier for them to control it because most of their guests arrive by air, while Croatia is more of a car destination.

Paško Klisović, president of the Association of Accommodation Providers on Boats - Charter, told Index that they have already held two meetings this week regarding the upcoming season.

"One of the conclusions of the Tourist Business Council at the Croatian Chamber of Commerce - including all representatives of the association, from hoteliers, agencies, charters, family accommodation, marinas, i.e., all employees in tourism - is that testing must take place at tourist checkpoints and that the cost of tests must be minimized. I proposed that the price of the tests is subsidized from the income of the sojourn tax," Klisović said.

He also states that charter tourism is unfavorable because they are hoping for the first guests in a month.

"As far as I can see, everyone else in tourism is hoping for guests only in June, while we have announcements for Easter. I hope that some things will be organized and agreed upon as soon as possible. We have already had a meeting in Šibenik-Knin County with the local Institute of Public Health on tourist testing points. I have to say they are willing to do it, but we were told there was a shortage of people to do the testing, so we went on to involve private clinics that could jump in. We hope that everything will be organized on time," Klisović concluded. 

Do you think Croatia summer 2021 be the most challenging tourist season yet?

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January 21, 2021 - The European Association of Travel Agencies and Tour Operators (ECTAA) will promote Croatia in 2021 as a "Preferred Destination". 

HRTurizam reports that the Croatian National Tourist Board and the European Association of Travel Agencies and Tour Operators (ECTAA) have signed an agreement by which Croatia will have the status of "Preferred Destination" in 2021, i.e., the "Selected Destinations" of the umbrella European Association of Travel Agencies and Tour Operators.

This agreement commits the two sides to active cooperation to return and strengthen tourism in Croatia in 2021. Thus, over the next 12 months, ECTAA will become a key international partner in promoting Croatian tourism and travel by strengthening the relationship of European travel agencies and tour operators with destination management organizations and other partners in Croatia.

"I am glad that ECTAA and Croatia are partners again. Croatia was ECTAA's favorite destination almost ten years ago, resulting in better and stronger ties between Croatian agents and our members. In the current difficult circumstances, we are convinced that this cooperation will facilitate new trips to Croatia," said ECTAA President Pawel Niewiadomski. Recall, ECTAA brings together national associations of travel agencies and tour operators from 30 European countries, including 27 countries from the European Union, representing about 70 thousand travel agencies and tour operators in Europe, which provide consulting services, transport, accommodation, and other tourism services and activities. 

According to the CNTB, by the end of the year, numerous activities are planned to position Croatia as a safe and attractive destination, especially for digital nomads. A new safety label for all tourism service providers will soon be implemented in Croatia, which will work together with the existing health and safety protocols. A special webinar on the possibilities offered on the Croatian market will be organized. Its semi-annual ECTAA meeting will be held in Croatia this spring, so the national delegates of this association will get to know first-hand the security measures and Croatia's tourist offer.

"We are proud that Croatia, after almost ten years, has been re-elected as the preferred destination of this important European association. This is a great program and an opportunity to present Croatia as a safe and attractive destination in front of as many as 70,000 travel agencies and tour operators across Europe. At a time when the tourism sector and travelers around the world eagerly await the return of travel, we will emphasize the safety and proximity of Croatia as a tourist destination, the richness of Croatian tourism, beautiful nature, unique heritage, and diverse gastronomy," said director of the Croatian Tourist Board Kristjan Stanicic.

Recall that the president of the Association of Travel Agencies of the Croatian Chamber of Commerce, Boris Žgomba from Uniline, was re-elected last year as a member of the Executive Board of ECTAA.

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January the 19th, 2021 - Travel for tourism purposes is more and more restricted and continues to be plagued (literally) by constant alterations and sometimes impossible complications despite the advent of the coronavirus vaccine. The Croatian National Tourist Board (HTZ) however, is still continuing to plan for the season ahead. Meet Croatia Wish List 2021.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, the Croatian National Tourist Board (CNTB) is currently implementing a new campaign for Croatian tourism in 2021 across social media, called "Croatia Full of New Beginnings/Hrvatska puna novih pocetaka" combined with the label Croatia Wish List 2021, which aims to promote Croatia through new beginnings and positive wishes.

The CNTB launched the campaign on Monday and is running it on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest and TikTok with the hashtag #CroatiaWishList2021 across fifteen European markets - Austria, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, the Netherlands , France, Slovenia, Sweden, Norway, Belgium and Switzerland.

"With this campaign, our goal is to maintain the visibility and presence of Croatia on our most important emitting markets by presenting more undiscovered locations and proposals for planning a holiday this year in Croatia, with which we want to inspire our followers on social networks and motivate them to create their own wish lists for Croatia, places they want to visit and things they want to experience as soon as all of the necessary conditions for travel are created,'' said the director of the CNTB, Kristjan Stanicic.

At the end of January, he'll be announcing a separate campaign that will communicate all the advantages of Croatia as a safe tourist destination through seven specially prepared videos, and in February a campaign for digital nomads, focusing on the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland and Sweden will be launched.

"As of spring, we will launch intensive so-called invitational marketing campaigns, and overall in 2021 we expect better tourist results than we had in 2020 and we also expect to maintain the position of Croatia as one of the leading destinations in the Mediterranean,'' concluded Stanicic when discussing the upcoming CroatiaWishList2021 campaign.

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December 14, 2020 - State Secretary Tonči Glavina participated in the "Business panel on Tourism" as part of the online conference "Finance for Sustainable Growth" where, among other things, he stressed that the goal is to reduce seasonality in Croatian tourism by increasing the quality of tourist products and services.

As the Ministry of Tourism and Sport writes, the panel discussed financial instruments to recover tourism, Croatia's entry into the euro area, and expectations for the upcoming tourist year.

State Secretary Tonči Glavina pointed out that Croatia will first have access to funds from the Recovery and Resilience Fund from the new multi-year financial perspective.

"Measures for the placement of these funds will be defined by the National Recovery and Resilience Plan coordinated by the Government of the Republic of Croatia. The Plan refers to the challenges facing the Republic of Croatia, i.e., strengthening economic and social resilience, mitigating social and economic effects of the crisis, and a contribution to the green and digital transition," Glavina stressed.

The State Secretary also said at the panel that in the tourism sector, the goal of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan's measures and reforms is to strengthen the competitiveness and resilience of Croatian tourism. The goal is to reduce seasonality in tourism by increasing the quality of tourist products and services and developing particular forms of tourism, i.e., the development of sustainable, innovative, and resilient tourism.

Glavina added that it is necessary to increase Croatian tourism's sustainability and resilience by implementing reforms and activate investments that will have a positive impact on the development of new tourism products, the attraction of new market segments, and more even regional distribution of tourist traffic.

"By implementing the reforms and initiatives identified in the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, the tourism sector will contribute to GDP growth during 2021 and beyond, which is extremely important for Croatia," Glavina concluded.

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