December 20 - Providing accurate, helpful and up-to-date official Croatian tourism info should not be that hard in a country where tourism accounts for 20% of GDP, but this is the Kingdom of Accidental Tourism.

It took me quite a few years of living in Croatia until I figured it out. There was always something not quite right but I could never put my finger on it until an email exchange a few years ago withe the Croatian National Tourist Board. 

I was being an annoying journalist again, coming up with some common-sense suggestion on something to improve tourism. The reply struck me by the way it was crafted. 

According to Article 16 of the National Gazette decision XYZ123, this falls under the area of interest of the Ministry of Tourism, and we advise you to speak to them. Or words to that effect. 

Something clicked and I finally understood what locals here know from birth. The system and the many officials who work in it are not here to serve the customer, but to make sure that their asses are covered and they are disturbed as little as possible. 

Once I had grasped this, a lot of things fell into place, and I understood Croatia a lot better. It was why,  for example, the national tourist board's coronovirus information page until early May consisted of a cut and paste of the National Gazette official decision, with its dry legal jargon. Hardly the engaging and relevant answers to tourist questions such as when will flights start or can I go to the beach, but had the topic of corona info been covered? Tick. 

The national tourist board was ahead of the Ministry of Tourism back in May, however, at least they had a coronavirus page. Yes, true story, even though the country had been locked down for weeks and tourists were desperately looking for accurate travel information for their summer holidays, there was not a word about the virus on the Ministry of Tourism's English-language pages.

Indeed, life in the parallel universe of the Kingdom of Accidental Tourism was rather pleasant as a global pandemic rages elsewhere. This is how it looked in early May. 

This all changed very quickly about May 10, after Index.hr very kindly covered my article Does Croatia Actually Want Tourists? How the Competition is Updating Visitors. In addition to pointing out the above, I also wondered why the Ministry of Tourism was using a fax number but no email in its contact details on its homepage. 

Index is a much bigger medium than TCN and within an hour of publication, the fax machine had been abolished from the ministry. By the end of the day, there was even a coronavirus section on the ministry website, and national tourism board had upgraded from a National Gazette cut and paste to the semblance of a useful page of advice. 

My job was done. 

Or so I thought...

We are now months later into the pandemic, and I decided to check the current state of the info. It was back to the customer service discussion again. Are officials in an industry that is 20% of the GDP trying to attract customers more interested in working hard to help those tourists, or merely doing the minimum to get a box ticked so that they could be left alone?

I clicked on the shiny coronavirus banner on the ministry homepage to be greeted by a number of links. Not exactly the most user-friendly experience, but at least there was some information. If only it was up to date. The last updated link was July 10 on crossing the border. There have been several since then, the most significant regarding tourists on November 30 removing tourism as a means of entry for non-EU/EEA/UK, and the introduction of inter-county restrictions on December 18. No mention of either. 

The link at the top of the page takes the user to an external website (again, hardly a welcoming experience), where the information is better. 

But also not up to date. 

The Koronavirus website has been outstanding (an initiative of the Ministry of Health, if I am not mistaken), and there has even been a limited English section. Sadly, presumably due to resources, this is not updated very often, and there is no mention of the latest December 18 measures. If the mindset at the Ministry of Tourism is on helping the tourist, perhaps we would be doing a better job. If the mindset is ticking a box, it is not their fault that the chaps at Koronavirus have not updated their page. 

Over at the Croatian National Tourist Board, things are slightly different. 

Growing up, I was always taught to serve a guest before myself, something which is also standard practice in Croatian hospitality. So the first surprise on checking the updated tourist board travel advice is that it caters first to the needs of Croatian citizens in its English-language version, with foreigners having to wait several paragraphs for the chance to find information relevant to them. 

To give credit to the tourist board, they did have a sentence on the imminent inter-county restrictions. But it doesn't take long until we come to that customer service mindset issue again. Put yourself in the mind of a potential visitor wanting to know if events are allowed. The official advice above, taking the reader not only to an external website, but also requiring the reader to understand Croatia to get an answer. 

How hard is it? Especially when we have over 70 people working at the national tourist board, 20 regional tourist boards, 319 local tourist boards, a Ministry of Tourism, as well as those chaps in the tourism sector of the Chamber of Economy.

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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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December 11, 2020 - The first meeting of the Council for Croatia's Recovery and Development of Tourism, the 2021 tourist year, and improving the tourist offer was held at the Ministry of Tourism and Sport. 

HRTurizam reports that the recently established council brings together key representatives of the tourism and travel sector, including associations of large and small hoteliers, camps, agencies, marinas, caterers, family accommodation, unions, carriers, and others.

The meeting participants agreed that health is in the first place and that by respecting the measures, we can contribute to the faster normalization of tourist activities. The meeting also discussed short-term recovery measures, preparation for the next tourist year, and things important for the tourism sector. Also, it appealed to hoteliers celebrating the New Year to adhere to the measures of the Headquarters. They assessed the Government of the Republic of Croatia's compensatory measures to preserve the economy and jobs as satisfactory, with the expectation that they will continue.

"Cooperation is now needed more than ever before as the tourism sector is one of the most affected by the pandemic," Brnjac said, adding that the full potential of European funds was being used to enable the tourism sector to grow further on a sound footing.

The Council members presented their views on the situation and constructive proposals to improve the tourist offer further. They expressed satisfaction with this model of work, believing that open cooperation guarantees quality solutions. Minister Brnjac once again called on them for cooperation and openness and for better interconnection to create quality tourist products, raise the competitiveness of Croatian destinations and announced further activities of the Ministry in which they will be involved.

New Year's Eve will not be possible in hotel and catering facilities following the measures and the current epidemiological situation.

"At today's meeting, we touched on key topics related to short-term measures for the recovery of Croatian tourism, with an emphasis on the hotel industry, as well as preparations for the 2021 tourist year. I must say that at this moment, the most important thing for all of us is to stay healthy and to stay focused until the end of this challenging year, thinking that our health is still in the first place. For us all to start preparing for next year as soon as possible, I appeal to my fellow hoteliers to take all the Civil Protection Headquarters' prescribed measures very seriously and not to try to interpret those measures as would suit us. Unfortunately, the situation is such that it does not suit anyone, but the most important thing is to stay healthy. Organizing New Year's Eve and other celebrations prescribed by the Headquarters is not allowed to be organized. I believe that we are all aware that we must spend these holidays in peace and health," pointed out Josipa Jutt Ferlan, president of the HGK Hoteliers Association.

Eduard Andrić, President of the Trade Union of Tourism and Services of Croatia and the Social Council for Tourism, pointed out that the meeting was good with open topics.

"My goal as a representative of the Trade Union and workers is for the Government to decide by Christmas at the latest whether the subsidies for workers go further, i.e., by Easter. This is the only condition for workers and employers to welcome the next season without any problems. Workers who are dissatisfied at the moment because most of them receive only support provided by the Government, will be in a position next year to return to their salaries agreed in collective agreements by the tourist season," said Andrić, adding that the goal is to stay healthy, which is why it is better, both for guests and workers, not to hold New Year's Eve.

"At today's meeting, we presented our proposals on the topic of recovery and resilience in the short term and preparation for the 2021 season, which aims to ensure quality service to all guests who will come to Croatia. We hope that the measures to preserve jobs will remain in force, at least until April, and we are pleased that the new liquidity loans will ensure better accessibility to small and family hotels. We are sure that with all the adopted measures and those planned, we will welcome guests in Croatia with a quality workforce and service. As for the topic of holding New Year's Eve in hotels, I think that most, or no one is even thinking about it, given that the measures that have been adopted in no way allow any celebration over 20 people or pouring alcohol. So, at the moment, the measures do not provide any possibilities for New Year's Eve, so I am surprised that some are advertising New Year's Eve, which will certainly not be able to happen,"  said Sime Klaric, president of the National Association of Family and Small Hotels.

"The conclusion of the first meetings goes in the direction of cooperation, openness, and a stronger focus on the domestic guest as well as on the importance of uniform security protocols, which are being prepared," concluded Minister Brnjac.

Associations in tourism and related activities that participated in the meetings were: Croatian Association for Tourism and Rural Development "Village Members Club", Croatian Rural Tourism Association, Family Tourism Association HGK, Adventure Tourism Association HGK, Cultural Tourism Association HGK, Croatian Holiday and Hostel association, Association of Hostels of the Croatian Chamber of Commerce, National Association of Family and Small Hotels, Association of Hoteliers of the Croatian Chamber of Commerce, Group of unique luxury hotels HGK, Croatian Tourism and Services Union, Health Tourism Association HGK, Croatian Employers' Association, Business Tourism Association HGK, Croatian Tourism Association, KUH, Croatian Hotel Employers Association, Association of Catering Activities of the Croatian Chamber of Commerce, National Association of Caterers, Croatian Chamber of Trades and Crafts - Guild of Caterers and Tourist Workers, Association of Voices of Entrepreneurs, Association of Croatian Travel Agencies, Association of Travel Agencies HGK, Association of Croatian Tourist Guides, Association of marinas HGK, Association of boat accommodation providers - charter HGK, Association of tourist shipping companies HGK, River tourism association HGK and Diving tourism association HGK.

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December the 9th, 2020 - Croatian travel agencies are struggling in a way that has never been experienced before as a result of the economic woes caused by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. As a result of that, they are urgently seeking state measures to help them keep their heads above water during this unprecedented and difficult time.

As Novac/Jozo Vrdoljak writes, Croatian travel agencies that have actually managed to do something, engage in some work and as such finally make some money since September now don't have any income whatsoever.

The Association of Croatian Travel Agencies is currently conducting a survey among its members on how their business operations looked during the first eleven months of this extremely challenging pandemic-dominated year. According to the estimates of Tomislav Fain, the president of UHPA, the drop in income for these hard-hit agencies could be between 88 and 92 percent when compared to the same period last year.

UHPA members, of which there are more than 240, generated a total revenue of around three billion kuna last year and employed around 3,000 permanent and 2,800 seasonal workers.

''These are our first projections of the collapse in income and I think that these percentages are a realistic reflection of this situation. This year, we're the most affected activity of all. For some of our Croatian travel agencies, and especially those that specialise in distant markets, the lockdown has gone on ever since March the 1st, 2020. Croatian travel agencies which have managed to succeed in doing something this summer have been without revenue since September, despite being open. As of September the 1st,, we can say that 90 percent of our members have been left without any income, and utility fees, utilities and interest on loans on which a moratorium has been declared are now all due. Some employees, however, continue to receive the rest of their salaries, ie the difference of 4,000 kuna, which is provided by the state as a measure to preserve jobs. We're in negotiations with the Ministry of Tourism and Sport regarding compensation for Croatian travel agencies and travel organisers in order to survive until the beginning of the season,'' explained a concerned Tomislav Fain.

Speaking of bookings for the winter, Fain says there was a hint of optimism back in early October and it was a somewhat promising situation.

''There were inquiries about Advent and skiing, but now there is none or it's negligible at best. We're still optimistic and hope that the epidemiological situation will improve so that we can do something for the winter season. Admittedly, the snow season wasn't ever significant for us in terms of total revenues, but in this situation, anything is a step forward for us. In some surrounding countries, the opening of ski resorts has been announced, but, let's be honest, people from here who ski mostly book directly for those countries,'' noted Fain.

As for the Croatian Government's measures, Fain believes that the economic measures to preserve jobs will last until the beginning of the season.

''At the moment, we don't know whether our first guests will come on May the 1st or June the 1st, but until then we must somehow try to survive. In addition to job preservation measures, Croatian travel agencies need help to at least mitigate and compensate for their losses in the way that other European countries have made sure has happened. I'm thinking of similar measures given to caterers that cover rents and utilities when I say that,'' concluded the president of the Association of Travel Agencies.

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December the 6th, 2020 - Croatian tourism recovery, and a recovery that comes as quickly as possible for this most important segment of the domestic economy, is necessary. The ongoing pandemic has dealt the sector, which makes up 20 percent of the country's GDP, an extremely heavy blow. Owing to that, a council to work on rapid Croatian tourism recovery has been formed.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, Minister of Tourism and Sport, Nikolina Brnjac, made a decision recently on the establishment of the Council for Recovery and Development of Tourism, the implementation of tourism in 2021 and improving the tourism offer that brings together all relevant stakeholders in the tourism sector to better prepare Croatian tourism for the upcoming period.

The main tasks of the council will be to consider the most important issues related to the tourism sector, such as the implementation of tourism in 2021 under the circumstances of the coronavirus pandemic, the most effective promotion of Croatian tourism, providing tourism and hospitality services in accordance with all epidemiological measures and strategic planning, programmes and operational plans for Croatian tourism recovery. 

On top if that, attention will need to be paid to investments and reforms related to the Sustainable Tourism Development Strategy for the period until 2030, the National Plan for Sustainable Tourism Development from 2021 to 2027, the National Reform Programme, the Operational Plan for Recovery and Resilience and the Multiannual Financial Framework for 2021-2027.

"Joint cooperation is extremely important for us to find the best solutions to ensure Croatian tourism recovery. In addition to the financial support we provide with the aim of preserving jobs, the Programme for the allocation of state aid to the tourism and sport sector is also being prepared. We have important years ahead of us in which we'll need to create new foundations for tourism development with new strategic frameworks for tourism. The work of the Council will be aimed at finding answers to the questions of adapting Croatian tourism to the consequences of the crisis caused by the pandemic and the most successful way out of this difficult situation,'' said Minister Brnjac, who is also the President of the Council consisting of 31 members.

The Council consists of a representative of the Ministry of Tourism and Sport, a representative of the Croatian Tourist Board, then as representatives of the Croatian Chamber of Commerce, a representative of the Association of Hoteliers, the Association of Marinas, the Association of Charter Accommodation Providers, the Association of Travel Agencies, the Association of Catering Activities luxury hotels, Hostel Association, Tourist Shipping Association, Cultural Tourism Association, Business Tourism Association, River Tourism Association, Adventure Tourism Association, Diving Tourism Association and Health Tourism Association, and a representative of the Croatian Chamber of Trades and Crafts - Guild of Tourist Workers, Croatian Employers' Association, Trade Union of Tourism and Services of Croatia and members of the Social Council for Tourism, Croatian Tourism Association, Croatian Hotel Employers Association, Croatian Camping Association, National Association of Family and Small Hotels, Association of Croatian Travel Agencies a, the Association of Croatian Tourist Guides, the Croatian Rural Tourism Association, the Voice of Entrepreneurs Association, the National Association of Caterers, the Croatian Association for Tourism and Rural Development "Village Members Club" and the Croatian Holiday and Hostel Association.

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December the 4th, 2020 - Coronavirus struck Croatia with its most horrific blow during the month of November. As the pandemic broke out of control in October and took the most lives so far in November, 10,000 tourists visited Croatia, some of which remain now we've entered December.

As Barbara Ban/Novac writes, according to the Croatian National Tourist Board (CNTB/HTZ), there are about ten thousand guests in Croatia, of which six thousand are foreigners, and given the circumstances and restrictions on international travel, no significant tourist traffic is expected during the month of December, although some hotels, camps and household facilities will still continue to operate regardless of the situation.

Most tourists are currently in Zagreb, Vir, Split, Rijeka, Dubrovnik and Pula.

According to data from the eVisitor system, from the beginning of this year to the end of November, 7.7 million tourists visited Croatia, realising slightly more than 54 million overnight stays, which is 50 percent of the results recorded during the same period back in 2019.

There were 1.6 million Croatian tourists recorded and they jointly realised a decent 11.2 million overnight stays, making them second most numerous tourists among all nations, behind those in first place - the Germans.

After the Germans come the Slovenians, Poles, Czechs and Austrians in the category of foreign tourists and in terms of overnight stays. By types of accommodation facilities, the highest number of overnight stays realised in 2020's first 11 months was in household facilities, around 22 million, then in campsites around 8.8 million, and in hotels - around 7 million.

By Croatian counties, the most overnight stays were realised in Istria, Primorje-Gorski Kotar and Zadar counties, while the top destinations in terms of overnight stays realised were Vir, followed by Rovinj, Medulin, Porec, Mali Losinj, Crikvenica and Umag.

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December 2, 2020 - Are you looking to travel from Croatia anytime soon? A look at the COVID-19 travel restrictions in place around Europe. 

Index.hr reports that the National Civil Protection Headquarters has issued a new decision which, as of December 1, tightened the measures at Croatian borders.

Thus, a measure is in force that categorizes passengers entering Croatia differently - no longer according to the citizenship of an individual, but according to the area they come from. And as things stand now, it means a mandatory negative PCR test or self-isolation if you enter Croatia from almost all countries in the world.

As far as the European Union countries are concerned, the EU Agency for Disease Prevention and Monitoring will issue one map of green and red areas every Thursday. Depending on the situation in a particular area in the EU, it will be possible to enter Croatia from these areas, from these European regions, with or without a PCR test. However, currently, only a part of southwestern Finland is green in Europe. Croats coming from third countries (non-EU countries) also need a PCR test or must go into self-isolation.

It is important to note that a PCR test not older than 48 hours now applies to Croatian citizens when entering. If they do not have a negative PCR test, they must go into self-isolation until a negative test is performed in Croatia.

An increase in international travel is expected during the holidays. Here are the countries and conditions under which Croatian citizens can travel, bearing in mind that on their return they will have to present a negative PCR test or go into self-isolation until a negative test result arrives.

SLOVENIA

As of November 8, the decision of the Slovenian government to put the entire Republic of Croatia on the red list is in force. This decision, as a rule, determines a 10-day quarantine for persons entering Slovenia from countries or regions that are on the red list. Quarantine will not be determined if a person at a border crossing presents a negative test for SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) not older than 48 hours.

There are exceptions for certain categories to which quarantine does not apply, such as cross-border workers (need to prove their status by a certificate), persons in transit through the Republic of Slovenia to another country within 12 hours of entry, evidence of scheduled medical examination, etc. Read more about all exceptions and border crossing measures here.

BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

Croatian citizens are not subject to an epidemiological measure of self-isolation or a negative test when leaving or entering Bosnia and Herzegovina. Read more information about FBiH here and here, while for more information related to RS read here and here.

SERBIA

By the decision of the Government of the Republic of Serbia on August 20, 2020, citizens of the Republic of Croatia entering the Republic of Serbia are allowed to enter if they have a negative PCR test not older than 48 hours. The mentioned rule does not apply to certain groups in the case of transit, which can last a maximum of 12 hours from the moment of entry into the territory of the Republic of Serbia. Read more information here.

HUNGARY

The decision of the Hungarian government on September 1, which was extended until the end of October 2020, prohibits the entry into Hungary of all foreign citizens, including citizens of the Republic of Croatia, who are not granted permanent or temporary residence in Hungary. Foreign nationals who have a regulated stay in Hungary upon return from abroad are subject to a 14-day self-isolation/quarantine. It may be revoked in the case of two negative SARS-COV-2 PCR tests, carried out in Hungary at personal expense, within five days, with an interval of at least 48 hours. Citizens of the Republic of Croatia living in the 30 km border zone may enter the territory of Hungary with a single stay of a maximum of 24 hours. Find more information here.

MONTENEGRO

Currently, there are no restrictions for Croatian citizens entering or leaving Montenegro. The Republic of Croatia is currently on the "green list" and as such is not subject to restrictions. All border crossings for entering Montenegro are open, except for the Vuča border crossing in the direction of Rožaje - Tutin. Read more information here.

ITALY

By the decision of the Italian Ministry of Health on October 8, Croatian citizens traveling to Italy from the Republic of Croatia are exempted from the obligation of taking the COVID-19 test. This also applies to Italian citizens returning from the Republic of Croatia to Italy. According to the regulation, all persons, including Croatian citizens, who come to Italy from Belgium, France, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Ireland, the Czech Republic, and Spain are obliged to:

- present a negative COVID-19 test not older than 72 hours or perform a test within 48 hours upon arrival in Italy.

The same rule applies to all persons who transited through the said countries within 14 days before arrival in Italy. It is still mandatory to fill out a form consisting of a statement that the person is not infected with the coronavirus, travel data, and contact. Before leaving for the trip, it is recommended to check all additional provisions of the destination regions, by direct contact or through the official website of the regions, which can be found here.

AUSTRIA

Strict measures have been introduced in Austria to restrict public gatherings and travel. From November 3 to December 6, the hotels are closed to tourists. The borders are not closed, but travel is only allowed in urgent situations. More information can be found here.

GERMANY

It is recommended to avoid all trips that are not necessary. Accommodation offers are possible only for necessary purposes that are not related to tourism. 

From November 8, 2020, all travelers who have resided in Croatia or any other country classified as a risk country in the period of 10 days before entering the Federal Republic of Germany, according to the Robert Koch Institute and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Germany, are obliged to go to self-isolation for 10 days without delay when entering the Federal Republic of Germany and be sure to contact the competent health office.

Before the trip, it is necessary to fill out a digital application for entry into FR Germany, which is available in Croatian. Quarantine ends at the earliest on the fifth day after entering the FR of Germany, if the person receives a negative test for SARS-CoV-2, and testing can be carried out at the earliest on the fifth day after entering the FR of Germany. It is also important to know that the German federal states issue regulations individually and there may be differences in the content of the regulations adopted.

More information here.

SWITZERLAND

According to the decision of the Federal Council of Switzerland on October 28, 2020, Croatia is no longer on the Swiss list of epidemiologically risky countries, so from October 29, 2020, Croatian citizens can enter Switzerland without the obligation of ten days of self-isolation. Read more information here.

UNITED KINGDOM

Before arriving in the territory of the United Kingdom, it is necessary to fill in the online form at least 48 hours before entering the country. The prescribed self-isolation measures are not the same for all countries within the UK and it is recommended to check the requirements for entry into the destination country before departure. When entering England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, a mandatory measure of self-isolation is prescribed for Croatian citizens. More information is here.

Details on travel to all other countries can be found on the official website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

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December the 2nd, 2020 - The coronavirus pandemic has forcibly put the key in the lock of many a previously planned investment, especially in the Croatian tourism sector as companies suffered and continue to suffer the economic fallout as a result of the anti-epidemic measures. With that being said, just how much are Croatian tourism companies willing to invest when the pandemic finally draws to a close?

As Marija Crnjak/Poslovni Dnevnik writes, Croatian tourism companies have ready projects for investment worth a total of a massive 25 billion kuna, which can be realised over the next five years, in four segments, green tourism, digitalisation, the reconstruction of accommodation and last but by no means least - infrastructure.

Great help in the realisation of these projects is expected from European Union funds, and that same realisation can begin as soon as the end of the pandemic arrives and the normalisation of the tourism industry arrives, said Zeljko Kukurin, CEO of Valamar Riviera at a hotel congress which was held on Tuesday.

The congress was held, much like other events in 2020, in a semi-virtual edition for the first time, and the main focus of the participants is the return of Croatian and global tourism after the pandemic, which became likely with the announcement of coronavirus vaccine registration. The congress was opened by Minister Nikolina Brnjac, who stated that the Croatian Government just yesterday presented a new package of assistance to Croatian companies worth 2.1 billion kuna.

"We've initiated the development of a new programme for the allocation of state aid to the tourism sector and other related activities, which we will soon send for approval to the European Commission, and then for adoption by the Government," assured Nikolina Brnjac.

The Croatian tourism industry is optimistic, as are Croatian tourism companies, and the government is of the opinion that in 2021 about 60-70 percent of 2019's turnover could be realised, as opposed to 2020 in which we reached about 50 percent of that period's turnover. Invesments from Croatian tourism companies will begin when tourist traffic start bringing revenue back in. Valamar, for example, delayed its largest investment yet by 12-24 months. That investment is in the Hotel Pinea and is worth a massive 100 million euros. As such, they have high hopes in the emergence of a vaccine against the novel coronavirus.

"The fastest return of tourists is expected by Istria and the north of the country in general, Zagreb could see a return in the autumn of 2021, and the return of the south and east of the country, ie air destinations, will be slower. We expect to realise about 70 percent of last year’s traffic next year. The vaccine is currently the only solid point we can cling to, but the question is how the realisation of all that will go. Despite that, we're convinced that 2021 will be better than 2020,'' said the President of the Management Board of Maistra, Tomislav Popovic.

Hoteliers across Croatia are aware that a lot of improvisations will need to be done next year, plans will need to be made and bridges crossed when arrived at, there will be a lot of ''last minute'' going on, but this year a lot has been learned and implemented in business and there will be fewer surprises.

"It would be very good for us if the epidemiological picture was favourable from mid-February, on so that we could tell our guests that we're a safe destination and start working towards the Easter period. It should come as no surprise, because this year we've managed to introduce many solutions in regard to safety that would otherwise have taken several years, from the digital privacy of guests to better standards of cleaning and hygiene, which the hotel industry has strictly adhered to," said Veljko Ostojic, the director of the Croatian Tourism Association (HUT).

The CEOs of the largest Croatian tourism companies, Valamar and Maistra, confirmed that there was no coronavirus infection reported within their facilities, although they were very well filled during the season. "It's something we have to communicate to our guests next year as well," Kukurin concluded.

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November 23, 2020 - Croatia hopes for pre-pandemic tourism revenues by 2023, and to reach the EU average of gross value added generated from tourism by 2026.

Turizam 24 reports that while we face the worst crisis since World War II, Europe and the world are already looking heavily at the 2021 tourist year. As the pandemic rages and more and more countries are re-entering lockdowns, few can even predict what the new tourist season will bring, but announcements of the vaccine’s arrival generally restore optimism and hope that the sector’s recovery will begin as soon as possible.

We should not forget the lesson of this summer - the fact is that people still have the need to travel, and it is only a matter of time before they decide to do it again. This year, many travel companies have survived on domestic tourists, and most analysts predict that will not change so soon.

First of all, there is the issue of security, which is the basis for any return of tourism, and secondly, it is clear to everyone that it will take a long time for air traffic to return to its old positions, and thus prices. Until then, airline tickets will certainly not be available as they were before the pandemic, and air destinations will be increasingly difficult to find.

Many changes have happened faster than could have been imagined, from digitalization to choosing an isolated holiday. Many recent analyzes suggest that tourism will not return to pre-corona levels until 2024.

Thus, the European Travel Commission ETC (European Travel Commission) in a new report entitled "European Tourism 2020 - Trends and Prospects" overlooked that the volume of travel to the level of 2019 will return only in 2024. ETC predicts that domestic travel will recover sooner, by 2022 or 2023. It is also Croatia's goal to restore pre-pandemic revenues by 2023.

"Our priority is to ensure that the tourism sector in Croatia returns to pre-pandemic levels by 2023, when it comes to revenues, and to reach the EU average in terms of gross value added from tourism by 2026," says Minister of Tourism and Sports Nikolina Brnjac.

The minister once again pointed out that the pandemic had a strong impact on the travel industry and changed the paradigm of tourism this year, but also for next year.

"Following the trends, we focused on online promotion and services adapted to current circumstances that have enabled greater health safety of tourists. Croatia has shown that it can be a leader in innovation and the development of offers that represent the future of tourism.

Thus, for example, through the Enter Croatia website, we enabled tourists to enter the country faster and safer, and through digital platforms and social networks, we changed the way we communicate with tourists and presented the destination to the world in a different way. We can already say that next year one of the main motives or even travel conditions will be safety, so we will focus on quality and targeted information campaigns, which will ensure our visibility in the most important markets.

Until now, safety has been our brand, which we will continue to build and adapt to new conditions," said Brnjac.

She also reminded that Croatia will have twice as many funds available in the next seven years compared to the 2014-2020 budget - a total of at least 22 billion euros, of which the European Union (MFF) budget accounts for 12.7 billion euro. From the next generation EU Fund, Croatia can count on 9.4 billion euro, with most of that amount related to grants, while part of the funds will be through favorable credit lines.

"This is a great opportunity for us to recover and develop Croatian tourism, and the goal is to negotiate with the European Commission the best possible position for the tourism sector, whose current sensitivity may adversely affect the recovery of the entire economy,"  concluded the Minister of Tourism and Sports.

Veljko Ostojić, the director of the Croatian Tourism Association (HUT), revealed what can be expected in 2021.

"For next year it is still unfair to give any estimates in these unpredictable times. It is to be expected that it has the characteristics of last-minute reservations, an increase in online reservations, increased interest in higher category facilities that guarantee greater isolation of guests, and that the key criterion for choosing a destination will be security in the broadest sense. It is a theme that will mark the next, but also the upcoming season. The advantage of Croatia is that it is an auto-destination and in comparison with other countries it has a significantly smaller population. That will definitely be a significant attribute in the next year," Ostojić said.

As for the announcement of vaccines, he added that they certainly inspire optimism that tourism could begin to recover, in the second quarter, and begin to approach the figures before the pandemic in the second half of next year.

"But we still have to be careful and continuously monitor the situation so that we can make appropriate decisions regarding the market, but also the organization of work in accommodation facilities and destinations," said the HUT director.

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November 22, 2020 - Pula and Medulin have launched an offseason campaign to tempt travelers in the winter months. 

Goran Rihelj of HRTurizam writes that the Adriatic's inviting weather nearly 10 months out of the year should be enough incentive to extend the tourist season. Arena Hospitality Group made the first move and opened its campsites, the Arena Stoja camp and the Arena Grand Kažela camp, which are now open all year round, next to the already open Park Plaza Histria hotel in Pula.

But is decent weather enough? The real answer, says Rihelj, is quality content and a complete tourist product.

We must first be aware of two facts: That the motive for arrivals is the destination, not accommodation, and the second is that out of season, the motive for arrivals is not the sun and the sea, or swimming. So, the logical sequence is to ask is: Why should someone come to our destination out of season, if there is no swimming? What will they do? Are all facilities open after October 1?

According to the tourist lifestyle portal Turističke priče (Tourist Stories), the destinations Pula and Medulin have joined forces through the campaign "Warm Winter in Pula and Medulin".

The campaign presents the destination of the city of Pula and Medulin Riviera with all its accommodation facilities, but also natural and cultural riches, as ideal and safe places to spend a winter vacation.

Sports and recreation are ideal in this area due to the climate, but also sports infrastructure: 6 FIFA football fields in Medulin, 5,900-square-meter Pula city pool, two Pula stadiums with athletic tracks, tennis courts, trim tracks, and other sports facilities, announces the campaign, as well as various natural and cultural riches, bicycle and hiking trails and the unavoidable gastronomic offer.

However, it is necessary to complete the entire tourist, because the motive for coming is not accommodation. Thus, through a digital platform, a range of experiences and answers to the question "what can we do here?", segmented by interests, will be listed. It is also great to combine various events, congresses, and other events, but this is currently not possible due to the coronavirus epidemic. 

Rihelj adds that the support of the city through various subsidies is needed and that as many entrepreneurs as possible should get involved in the action, to have as many different activities in the destination as possible. Since everyone makes up the destination, and the synergy of all partners is crucial.

We should certainly praise the beginning of the campaign because the narrative and positioning that the destination is "alive" and still attractive for tourists in the winter months is extremely important.

Did you know that southern Istria has more than 2,300 hours of sunshine a year? 

Bravo to Pula and Medulin!

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