Pula is one of Istria's more heavily fequented gems, attracting tourists from across Europe and the rest of the world for its mixture of culture, heritage and history, as well as its ease of access to other parts of beautiful Istria in the northern Adriatic, as well as its connections to nearby Italy and Slovenia.

As Borka Pertrovic/Glas Istre writes on the 23rd of June, 2019, more than 11,500 tourists are currently staying in the Istrian city of Pula, which, compared to this time last year, has seen an increase in tourists of as much as 42 percent, as was announced by the Tourist Board of the City of Pula.

Just how crowded with tourists Pula currently is could be witnessed easily on Saturday, during a somewhat cloudy time, when the first drops of rain saw all of the tourists leave the beaches and head into the city creating crowds both in terms of road traffic and within the city itself.

Most of the guests, as we now know, come from other European countries, including Germany (3,378), Croatia (1,404), the United Kingdom (1,020), Austria (979), Slovenia (797) and Italy (622), and they're mostly accommodated in smaller renting facilities in which there are currently 4,793 tourists, and they're from other parts of Croatia as well as from abroad. There are also 1,913 such guests staying in Pula's hotels, 1,765 in various tourist resorts and apartments, while the smallest number of them are located in camps - a total of 1,693.

The pre-season, from the beginning of the year to the 15th of June, there were 2.5 percent more tourists, which is as has been stated from Pula's tourist board, satisfactory, especially considering that May was an extremely rainy month and that Easter fell later this year than it did last year.

Make sure to follow our dedicated travel page for much more on tourism and travel in Croatia, in Pula and beyond.

As Novac/Barbara Ban writes on the 20th of June, 2019, the Union of Istria, Kvarner and Dalmatia recently spoke in Pula in a rather critical manner about the Croatian Government's plans for the further increase in the quota for the import of foreign workforce for Croatian tourism, despite the fact that they are very much aware that there huge gaps in the Croatian labour market, especially in regard to seasonal workers.

The president of the aforementioned union, Marina Cvitić, believes that the Croatian Government should first aim to stop the mass departure of Croatian workers who are taking advantage of the EU's fundamental four freedoms (one of which is the free movement of labour/people), and heading abroad. They also believe that the government should take the appropriate measures to ensure that those who do return, return to much more favourable business opportunities and higher wages. Otherwise, at least according to that union, the whole sense of Croatian tourism is entirely lost.

It is extremely alarming that 500,000 active and able workers have now left the Republic of Croatia. This trend is continuing, with EU membership making it all so much easier, and the Croatian Government is doing very little to at least try stop the displacement of Croatian citizens, most of whom are of working age.

At the same time, Croatia turns to a greater increase in the import of foreign workers, and by foreign we're typically referring to non EU nationals, such as those from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia, or even those from outside of the European continent, such as those from Pakistan, who would need to see a ''stay and work'' permit in order to gain employment, hence the raising of the quota.

''The owners of Croatian tourist companies, but not solely tourist companies, because we sold everything we did not destroy, are often foreigners, their employees are foreigners, their profits go off to foreign countries, the salaries go to foreign countries, the laws and regulations are placed upon Croatia by the European Union... The question now is whether or not we even need a country if we have less and less Croatian citizens; huge amounts of money is leaving Croatia, and normative acts are being introduced by the EU? For what?'' Cvitić asks.

He warned that the foreign labour force who came to work this summer in the field of Croatian tourism is not of the best quality and that Croatian workers are often angry because they feel that these imported workers have better conditions offered to them.

''Croatian workers are usually required to pay for their warm dinners, while those who are accommodated on the employer's premises get it free of charge, this includes three meals, accommodation, transport and return allowance, recreation... As a rule, they first hire them and then they work until the end of the season, that gives them higher wages. And so it's not surprising that incidents are occuring, nor is it surprising to see this situation heating up more and more, and it's just a matter of time before it explodes.

While most local people have a high degree of tolerance towards Croatian workers, this threshold is much lower for foreign workers. And if it so happens, and it happens very often, that this involves [foreign] workers who don't want to, or know how to work, but see all this as a possibility of enjoying a free summer holiday on the Adriatic, then there's no wonder why the [Croatian] workers' are unhappy,'' stated the head of this union.

He thinks the solution is to reduce VAT in Croatian tourism by ten percent. That will, he believes, create the necessary conditions for the introduction of higher wages, which could once again attract more Croatian workers to return to work in Croatian tourism.

''For this situation that really is alarming, both employers and the Government of the Republic of Croatia are equally in the wrong.

I therefore suggest that the Minister of Tourism, or the Government of the Republic of Croatia, go ahead and accept the challenge offered by employers. Namely, the president of the Croatian Association of Tourism, Veljko Ostojić, suggested lowering the VAT on tourism to ten percent, and employers will then increase their workers' salaries by thirty percent in a one-time increase and then raise them continuously between five and seven percent over the next three to five years. If that's the truth, such measures would certainly contribute to halting the emigration of Croatian workers, but also increase spending which would then fill the budget, which would ultimately not be a loss,'' added Cvitić.

Otherwise, the average salaries in Croatian tourism last year amounted to 5,175 kuna net per month, for the first three months, they stoof at 5,253, and they're still 18 percent lower than the Croatian average. Cvitić says that this year, large hotel companies have raised their workers' salaries, but that's still nowhere near enough.

''When we look at the department of food and service, then the average is even lower, ie, it was 4,175 kuna last year, and for the first three months of this year it was 4,254 kuna, which is 34 percent below the Croatian average,'' noted Cvitić.

Make sure to follow our dedicated lifestyle page for much more.

June 20, 2019 - A head's up from HAK for the holiday weekend ahead. 

Thursday, June 20, is the Feast of Corpus Christi, which many Croatians will connect to the weekend. Recall, on Saturday, June 22, is the Anti-Fascist Struggle Day, and on Tuesday, June 25, Croatia’s Statehood Day. Many drivers in Croatia will likely join the holidays for a mini vacation, which will result in increased traffic on Croatian roads and border crossings, reports T.portal.

Some travelers hit the road already on Wednesday, June 19, which intensified traffic at border crossings and highways, though there were no considerably large crowds. 

The Croatian Automobile Club (HAK) warns that on Thursday morning, there was already traffic from the Lučko toll station on the A1 Zagreb-Dubrovnik motorway in the direction of Dubrovnik, and they pray for your patience.

The same highway saw congestion between Draganić and the 3 Karlovac exit, and increased traffic between the Karlovac junction and Bosiljevo junction in the direction of Dubrovnik.

The biggest crowds are expected on Friday, June 21 in the afternoon, and during the morning of Saturday, June 22 due to the arrival of foreign tourists. Foreign drivers should return to the interior and Western European countries on Sunday, June 23, while Croatian citizens will return on Tuesday, June 25, according to the Croatian Automobile Club. 

The biggest crowds could be felt towards the interior, at the Lučko (A1/A6), Zagreb-East (A3) toll stations, in the afternoon on Sunday and Tuesday. There will also be long waits at the border crossings with Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia entering the country (Slavonski Brod, Županja, Stara Gradiška, Maljevac, Bajakovo).

Although it is prohibited to carry out any construction work on motorways and state roads from June 17 to September 2, some of the necessary actions will still take place. At peak times, especially during the weekend, works on highways that could create larger crowds will not take place. If needed, work will take place during the week.

Although prognoses did not announce the extremely high temperatures we witnessed last week, before you take your trip, HAK has sent out a friendly reminder:

Before your trip, you must be rested and regularly stop at rest stops during longer journeys (every 2 hours). Make sure your vehicle is well-prepared for summer driving conditions. Always have enough fluids with you, like water and non-carbonated juices. It is important to regulate the air conditioner in the vehicle properly, and there shouldn’t be too big a difference between the temperature inside the vehicle and the outdoor temperature, up to 8 degrees. This is extremely dangerous if there is a baby in the vehicle.

Stay well informed about current traffic at www.hak.hr or on the HAK mobile application. Enjoy the fact that you are traveling on vacation. Due to a large number of tourists, we advise drivers not to travel at the last minute or use the afternoon hours to return to the interior. If possible, leave before the afternoon. It is also important to be informed. All information will be published on our website (www.hak.hr), smartphone application, and through radio broadcasts.

If you still have problems with your vehicle, our mechanics and towing service drivers are on call every day, and by calling in 1987, every driver in distress will receive roadside assistance in case of vehicle failure. The Contact Center, which is also part of the Information Center of the Croatian Automobile Club, is at the service of all the drivers during the holiday season.

To read more about travel in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page. 

Croatia, a country that heavily relies on tourism, can let out a sigh of relief. Although figures were not so encouraging until May, June has put Croatian tourism back on trend. Namely, the statistics that reveal the number of overnights and arrivals for foreign guests are good - and growing, reports Vijesti.hr on June 16, 2019. 

Specifically, Istria leads the pack, as it usually does every year. And so many travelers made their way to the sea by highways, traffic at the Lučko toll station has already seen a 4 percent increase compared to last year.

Holidays, summer heat, and humidity always seem to work in favor of Croatian tourism - and according to eVisitor data, this June is already stronger than last year.

Namely, there have been 1.3 million arrivals and 5.6 million overnights recorded, which is up 17 percent in arrivals and 11 percent in overnights compared to last year. 

All coastal counties have recorded growth, too. Istria leads the way with a 33 percent increase in arrivals and a 21 percent increase in overnights. Šibenik-Knin County leads Dalmatia with 16.7 percent more arrivals and 7 percent more overnight stays.

"It is common for Czechs to come to Croatia for the sea. It's close, the people are friendly and we enjoy it here,” said David from the Czech Republic.

But some have also noticed a rise in prices.

"Compared to Italy, the prices are the same. We expected them to be a little cheaper, but they are the same," said Rossana from Italy.

The price increase was also noted by Alen from Slovenia: 

"We noticed that the prices are higher each season. One example is that parking this year is twice as much as last year. That was the first thing we noticed today. We have only been here for two hours and we'll see what's going to be next."

Many tourists travel to Croatia by car, which could be seen by the line of traffic inching its way to the sea. Namely, the first hit tourist weekend saw 82,000 vehicles pass through the Lučko toll station on their way to the sea. 

The biggest traffic day was Friday, but on Sunday some 15,000 drivers set off to the Adriatic.

Thanks to these results, the forecast for this tourist season remains the same, and that is to surpass the year before one more.

Yo read more about travel in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page. 

Just how many problems employers have finding workforce was demonstrated on Tuesday by the interest of employers in Dalmatia who sought information about Filipino workers and ways to hire them. Organized by the Croatian Chamber of Economy - County Chamber of Split and in cooperation with the Pasat agency, representatives of the Filipino employment agency Magsaysay International Corporaticon INC. were presented, reports HRTurizam on June 11, 2019.

"For 2019, more than 65,000 foreign workers were approved, which is twice as many than in the previous year. The odds are bigger than ever, the workforce is missing, and this is a problem not only affecting Croatia but also neighboring countries in the region. Therefore, colleagues from the FBiH and Montenegro Chambers are now in contact with us to share information on the possibilities and procedures for recruiting Filipinos workers,” said Croatian President of the Chamber of Commerce of Split, Joze Tomaš.

According to Antonija Bašićiz of ŽK Split, in the first half of the year, 60% of the quota has been used or will be, and said that most workers are missing in tourism and hospitality, construction and shipbuilding. Tuesday’s presentation is a continuation of a series of activities that the Croatian Chamber of Commerce in Split realized this year to support members in solving the problems of finding a workforce.

One of the largest recruitment agencies in the Philippines is Magsaysay International Corporaticon INC.

The director of the agency for the employment of seafarers 'Pasat d.o.o.', Ino Munitić, said he has the best experiences with Magsaysay, his longtime partner, and with the Filipino labor force. 

"Given the great lack of labor in Croatia, Filipinos represent a quality, substitute workforce, and according to my experience, they are calm, quiet and working people. The process of granting Filipinos labor visas in Croatia takes about a month,” Munitić said.

The participants were interested in many details of employing Filipinos, such as the how long it’ll take to bring the workers overs, the length of their contracts, and their employment opportunities not only in tourism and hospitality, but also in other activities such as vineyards, quarries or, for example, installing lifts.

Goran Rihelj writes that thanks to the chronic lack of workforce in Dalmatia, employers in tourism are willing to take such measures and adventures. However, in the long run, this is certainly not good because, besides returning to the root of the problem - cheap labor, rather than quality workers from Asian countries cannot be ambassadors of our destination, as they do not help the local economy or plan to move here. But if we want cheap labor, then we will have such tourism - inexpensive, massive, seasonal, which means we have to reduce prices in all segments significantly.

Rihelj suggests that the only solution is to raise wages and working conditions in tourism, focusing on quality rather than mass tourism. On the other hand, Croatia has high VAT, high tax burden and tolls, and a short season… So, what’s the best solution?

To read more about travel in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page. 

There's no doubt that Croatia is truly a stunning country with a lot to boast about. From being extremely rich in natural resources to outstanding beauty, there's something for everyone in this very conveniently positioned little nation of a mere four million inhabitants. 

Pristine beaches and the sparkling Adriatic sea, the glitz and the glamour of the Dalmatian coast, Istria's rolling wine country, the funky Croatian capital of Zagreb, the rugged beauty of Gorski Kotar and Lika, to the golden fields of Slavonia and Baranja... the list goes on and on. The Croatian Tourist Board didn't do badly in picking the now classic ''Croatia full of life'' slogan to market the country to the rest of the world, but is it really true? 

Those of us living and working here know very well that Croatia being full of life certainly isn't true in the economic sense, unless it is providing Croatian lives to the labour markets of other countries as some sort of export product, that is. Tourists, however, get to enjoy the freedom of ''surface level Croatia'', it looks a bit like a runway model before she takes her makeup off. The sea, the sunshine, the picturesque scenery and the friendly locals who you'd never know are likely working under less than acceptable conditions paint a beautiful image of Croatia for those merely here to enjoy it. Apparently.

As Glas Istre writes on the 6th of June, 2019, stinking drains and sewers, poor and very limited public transport, overcrowded cities, national parks and beaches, and a total and utter lack of parking places are just some of the far more negative aspects of Croatia that foreign tourists claim to experience when visiting the country. Although it is indeed seen as strikingly beautiful, Croatia, as foreign guests consider it, has enormous problems in managing its destinations, according to a report from Novac.hr.

The perception and brand of Croatia itself is defined by its incredible nature and natural beauty, those are things we can't influence (thankfully, as if we could we'd likely mess them up).

Owing to Croatia's lucky geographical position, as many as 55.6 percent of Croatia-related announcements on social networks or any other websites and platforms mention Croatia's abundance of sunshine, the sea, the beaches and the national parks, which are things that, rather ironically, tourists see as the only good things about the country. Nature, as Siniša Topalović, a partner in the consulting company Horwath HTL states, isn't a term used by the Croatian Tourist Board to brand Croatia.

Croatia Full of Life is not remotely what tourists actually perceive because no events are mentioned anywhere by the aforementioned tourist board. Croatia, at least in the eyes of our visitors, is not full of life, according to Topalović. In fact, only the Croatian capital of Zagreb succeeded in living up to the ''full of life'' slogan. Along with the city's Upper Town (Gornji grad), where tourists are typically delighted with various events and festivals which are now well recognised, both during winter and summer, and tourists visiting the Croatian capital are fascinated by the city's numerous quirky cafés and the cultural phenomenon of coffee drinking throughout the day.

On the other hand, gastronomy, which Croatia is indeed often praised for, is recognised as one of Croatia's ''stand out'' features, either. When tourists write and talk about their visit to Croatia, less than ten percent of them mention the country's food and drink, and when they pay attention to our gastronomy, they do so in a typically very generic manner, mentioning only the basics, whereas when discussing other countries and their gastronomic offers, much more detail tends to be revealed.

However, that is actually in line with what the Croatian Tourist Board does present on their social networks. Of the total of 1,100 published pieces of content on Instagram between July and October last year, only 40 of the posts are about the country's rich gastronomy, while out of 400 such posts on Facebook, only about 15 of them talk about food and drink. Most of the content, as expected, refers to Croatia's natural architecture.

The results of what tourists really think of Croatia were part of pilot studies conducted jointly by the startup thinktourism and the consulting company Horwath HTL through the new eDEST platform, which should serve as a support in managing tourist destinations.

It is, as Topalović explained, an innovative tourism product that provides an insight into tourists' perceptions about a specific country, region, destination or particular tourist attraction. EDEST gathers together all comments, posts and reviews made by tourists from all forums, social networks, blogs and other websites and analyses and compares the perception of tourists about a particular destination with what the destination is actually trying to brand.

''People write all sorts on the Internet, and more than sixty percent of tourists are just browsing when choosing a location to spend their holiday in. With younger generations, this is the case in over ninety percent of cases. Therefore, we collect what they write and publish, and we offer an insight into what tourists are saying about this location, that is, eDEST is able to see the destination through the eyes of the visitor,'' explained James Chappell from Horwath HTL.

The idea for this platform came from the start-up thinktourism, whose employees noted that there was a strong discrepancy between what a particular destination would want and what it actually was portraying in the eyes of visitors.

Make sure to follow our dedicated travel page for more information on tourism in Croatia and much, much more.

As Barbara Ban/Novac writes on the 30th of May, 2019, world tourism officials met this Tuesday in Zagreb at the 64th meeting of the World Travel Organisation Commission (UNWTO), which was inaugurated among others by UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili, a well known Georgian politician and diplomat. This event has now been held for the second time in the Republic of Croatia, and it's particularly important because Croatia is chairing the commission.

With that, the largest number of delegations to have come to Zagreb arrived - from as many as 44 countries. Pololikashvili has nothing but complete praise for Croatia's striking tourism success.

''Croatia is a true European tourism success story. Just last year alone, it hosted about 20 million visitors, thanks to its beautiful coastline, rich culture and heritage, and its vibrant cities. Every year, the tourism sector contributes to the Croatian economy with about 10 billion euros and employs a large number of people, including young people. In addition, Croatia has long supported UNWTO.

This is the second time for the Regional Commission for Europe to meet here and it's wonderful to come back. The meeting in Zagreb focused on the implementation of the UNWTO's Framework convention on tourism ethics, the goals of which are the establishment of tourism as a driver for sustainable development and the opening up of tourism to all.

Zagreb is also home to the Sustainable Tourism Observatory. It's part of UNWTO's global network of Sustainable Tourism Observatories and has an important task. It follows the tourist numbers of the very popular Adriatic coastal region and identifies the ways in which the sector can be managed in a more efficient, sustainable way.

How much is Croatia recognised as a tourist country across the world?

''Croatia is a very popular tourist destination, and it's understandable why that is so. It's famous for its coastline, beaches and historic towns. Croatia also offers a diversified tourist offer. The market for sport tourism as well as gastronomy is growing. The growth of these two sectors is really encouraging. For example, gastronomic tourism can play a key role in protecting the state and regional heritage and encourages tourists to visit places other than the main tourist destination-type cities, and thus the economic benefit of tourism is more evenly distributed.''

What are the expectations of tourism this year and what can we expect in the future?

''The latest UNWTO tourist barometer shows that, globally, international tourist arrivals are continuing to grow, currently at a rate of four percent per year. UNWTO expects global international travel arrivals to increase between three and four percent in 2019. Europe is still the most popular tourist destination in the world, although Asia, the Pacific and Africa are growing, within its regions, and beyond them.

We can expect this trend to continue in the coming years. We've already exceeded 1.4 billion international arrivals per year and we expect that in a little more than a decade, by 2030, that figure will reach 1.8 billion. But this growth is accompanied by different consumer habits, which determine new ethical patterns of behavior, interest in culture and communities, but also the enormous impact of new technologies, smarter cities and disruptive business practices.''

Given the increasing growth of tourism, one of the biggest problems is the so-called tourist "overproduction". Do you have any guidelines to resolve this problem?

''Tourism can bring many benefits, but also challenges. This is visible in very popular destinations. Quality management is crucial for the proper management of tourist destinations. This means that the private and public sector must jointly ensure that as many people benefit from tourism as possible and that the satisfaction of visitors isn't to the detriment of local residents and communities.

It's encouraging to see that this is happening in Croatia. The extension of the tourist season and the constant efforts to promote the country's popularisation, and not explicit focus on several locations, are positive steps.''

The fact that the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) meeting having been held in the Croatian capital of Zagreb is important for the further promotion of Croatian tourism on a global scale, and this is undoubtedly considered to be the case for Croatian Minister of Tourism, Gari Cappelli. He said that this was an opportunity to highlight Croatia's candidacy for the Executive Council of the organisation where all UNWTO decisions were prepared, which would enable Croatia to create its activities in the world's top tourist organisation.

We've heard that global tourism has been growing for years, regardless of terrorism and unstable political situations. Has Croatia used enough of the opportunities for such trends and what can be expected of this year?

''Our tourism policy is focused on the quality and sustainability of the entire tourist system and the further activation of other economic activities, primarily domestic production in the function of tourism activities, where agriculture is extremely important.

As we're witnessing, trends are more variable and more challenging. The impacts from the environment include unpredictable socio-economic factors and therefore competitiveness can only be sustained and improved by quality and innovation and a clear tourism policy. We have recently introduced a reform package of tourism laws due to come into force in 2020 which are based on destination management. This means that we'll run public coordinating functions, from planning and organisation to control, in order to create the prerequisites essential for the development of a destination's [tourism] product.''

This is an opportunity for Croatia to be the focus of the interest of the cream of the crop of the world tourism scene. How much is Croatia recognised as a tourist country today across the world?

''Croatia is no longer only the land of the sun and the sea, although we can be proud of our resources. Our natural benefits are our great comparative advantage. By putting them in the function of tourism, comparative advantages should be made competitive. Our country is a country of knowledge, innovation, good hosts, diversity and more quality tourist offers in all segments. In addition, the fact is that we're more attractive to investment also goes in our favour. Last year, we saw almost one billion euros in investment, which means it's 55 percent more in 2019 than it was in 2016. This year, investments are about one billion and 50 million euros, and already 60 percent of those investments have been realised.''

Which markets have we not yet sufficiently addressed, and what about promotion on distant markets?

''We strive to maintain our tourist demand on our traditional foreign markets such as Germany, Italy, Slovenia and others, but also expand onto new markets, with special attention to distant markets such as the United States, China, Korea, Japan... Each year we note the rise of tourist arrivals from these areas, and this is going beyond the peak months of the tourist season. This has also contributed to the positioning of our program of Croatia as an aviodestination, in which we invested 70 million kuna in two years and this year, we're connected with 81 destinations in 25 countries across the world. We have a direct line with Korea, soon with the USA, and there's also a direct link with China.''

Given the continued growth of tourism, one of the biggest problems we face is excessive tourism. Do we have any guidance here in Croatia on how to deal with this problem?

''Excessive tourism growth leaves a negative impact and some countries are bad examples of how mass tourism and sudden growth permanently destroys key resources - the natural basis. Sustainability awareness is very important, and the implementation of the principle of responsible management is crucial to the development of the [type of] tourism we strive for. That's why we've recently included in our progrm, 25 million kuna's worth of funding for the development of sustainability studies so that residents, tourists and stakeholders of certain destinations know what the capacity limits are.''

Make sure to follow our dedicated business, lifestyle and travel pages for much more on Croatian tourism.

Click here for the original article/interview by Barbara Ban for Novac/Jutarnji

As Goran Rihelj writes for HRTurizam on May 19, 2019, if we want to extend the tourist season, then we have to rely on diverse, authentic and quality content and offers, which do not depend solely on the sun, sea or swimming.

This is only logical, because if we leave the sun and the sea as the primary motive for arrivals, what else remains? 

Thus, we must ask the following questions: Why would someone come to Croatia when they cannot swim? What other content is there? What will work outside of the season? Why should tourists visit Croatia?

Most importantly, to inspire and motivate travelers, we have to think about new tourist products that can be offered to our guests; products that will be available throughout the year.

Running is just one of the active products Croatia can offer.

Namely, over 50 million people are regularly involved in running in the EU, and their annual consumption is estimated at 9.6 billion euros. Some see this as the potential for growth and development, while others may not, but one thing is for sure - running is just one of the rapidly growing trends, both in Europe and the world.

Thus, this specific segment was targeted by the team from SightRun, who points out that after cycling, running could become a new trademark of Croatia if it is done right. 

Promoting running in Croatia seems like a logical and natural conclusion because of its potential. Croatia boasts different types of terrain across a small area, a long coastline and islands, numerous racing events and outdoor festivals, superb and authentic gastronomy, top accommodation, good traffic connections, and a mostly pleasant climate all year long on the Adriatic.

Thus, the SightRun mobile application for running tourists enters a new tourist season with new destinations and exciting tours. The SightRun application combines running and sightseeing for tourists and is intended for those who do not give up their running habit when they are on the road or vacation, especially when they have less time for sightseeing tours. By using the SighRun app, runners can discover a city and visit its many attractions.

After Zagreb, Šibenik, Split, Pula, Opatija, Munich and Graz, the SightRun applications this season is enhanced by three new destinations - Rovinj, Omiš, and Hvar.

The SightRun App includes audio running tours that give navigational instructions and interesting location information while running. All the user has to do is pick their desired pace on the app, get to the starting point, puts on their headset, and hit play. The app uses GPS and follows the runner’s movements. The SightRun application is entirely free for the user and is available on Google Play and the App Store.

SightRun is an excellent tourist story, but it is just the beginning of branding destinations as ‘Runner Friendly’. 

To read more about travel in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page. 

The fact that we are edging closer to the heart of the tourist season is evident by the number of cruise ships entering Split’s city port. Namely, on Sunday, two cruise ships sailed into Split, both under the Panamanian flag, and both under the cap of MSC Krstarenja. Their Musica and Sinfonia cruisers brought thousands of guests to the city over the weekend, albeit only on a one-day excursion, as they sailed off at 6 pm, reports Slobodna Dalmacija on May 19, 2019. 

The Musica ship can accommodate 2,550 guests, while the Sinfonia carries one hundred more. Apart from the Port Authority of Split, who surely get their share of the profits, Split caterers and sellers of ice cream and souvenirs earned little from the cruise ship guests, though buyers of magnets seemed to make the biggest buzz.

"These are not the guests who spend a lot, they have everything on the ship, and in the city they only create crowds,” commented one Split resident. 

Split will, however, have to get used to these guests. On Sunday, the city welcomed only the 60th cruise ship this year, and by the end of the year, there will be more than 224 arrivals. 

Namely, the Port Authority of Split has announced the arrival of 284 cruise ships on excursions to Split this year alone - and this is still not the final number. Recall, Split welcomed 260 cruise ships last year, and by 2020, some 305 arrivals have been announced.

No stranger to cruise ships, Dubrovnik implemented a new measure that will introduce a daily tax for guests of cruise ship passengers in the amount of one euro per person in 2021, from which the city will be able to turn about 950 thousand euros into cash in just one year. The move will limit the number of cruise ships in Dubrovnik to two daily, so that no more than 5,000 visitors will arrive in the city in any one day. This is the result of intense negotiations between the City of Dubrovnik and the largest cruise companies in the CLIA association, which took place to attempt to solve the problem of up to seven cruisers a day entering Dubrovnik, which would bring up to 10,000 passengers into the city per day.

Should Split look into doing something similar? 

To read more about travel in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page. 

“Croatia - Cycling paradise with Mario Zubčić with the support of Giant Croatia” is a national project by the former Croatian mountain bike representative Mario Zubčić, the Crikvenica cycling club, the AHA! Association, and the marketing agency aha marketing d.o.o. The project aims to promote Croatia as a cycling tourism destination that attracts an increasing number of tourists, the values developed and represented by the European Union, the preservation of nature - ecology, healthy and active lifestyles, and traffic safety, reports HRTurizam on May 7, 2019. 

The voyage begins on May 9, 2019 (Europe Day) and is placed in the PPS period (preseason). The journey includes 9 stages to connect 4 extreme geographical points of the Republic of Croatia (south - rt Oštra - Prevlaka peninsula - west - rt Lako near Bašanija - lighthouse Savudrija - north - Žabnik - part of Sveti Martin na Muri - east - Rađevac - part of Ilok) and visits all counties, and 4 national and 5 nature parks to show Croatia's beauty and distinctiveness from a cycling perspective. Mario will ride between 200 to 250 kilometers each day of the trip.

The objectives of the project are to market the cycling tourism offer (create new products in the pre and postseason, "Bike & bed" standards, cycling manifestations, "Bike share" system, and more) and the general tourism offer. It also aims to brand Croatia as a desirable and exciting cycling tourism destination, educate various target groups on the need for sport, the importance of healthy lifestyles and ecology, while raising awareness of the issues of traffic safety, promoting values represented by the European Union, recognizing the need to adapt the corridor of the main state cycling routes and link it with the EuroVelo routes and environmental protection.

The project involves several participants and volunteers, and the target groups are recreational cyclists, passionate cyclists, and young people (students). Mario and his team will gather on Wednesday, May 8, 2019, at noon in the center of Crikvenica.

You can find more information about the project on the official website, and you can keep track of the news on Facebook.

To read more about travel in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page.