April 30, 2020 - Should we be promoting tourism at this time of crisis? An alternative view from Katherine Kurelja, who joins the TCN writing team. Welcome, Number 150! 

Are you dreaming of a holiday right now? Who isn’t! But, with all the uncertainty are you actually planning anything? Didn’t think so. And this applies even to those with the means and the travel itch. A friend of mine in the US getting married in the fall cannot even be bothered to think about a honeymoon right now. Listen up, tourist industry! Travel is the last thing most people are spending time truly thinking about for obvious reasons. Furthermore, many even feel like it’s torture to be taunted by your beautiful landscapes, gorgeous food and relaxed and tanned people.

It pains me to see Croatia, as well as distinct regions and towns in Croatia, putting so much effort and money into countless videos and websites sharing love “from a distance” (only to compete with the thousands already out there for every other well-known tourist destination). This type of content creates zero emotional connection with your previous visitors and certainly does little if nothing to attract new ones.

Enough criticism. Here’s what to do instead to make people think Croatia when they are ready and able to travel.

Focus on building brand

Stjepan Hauser with his recent concert from Pula arena did wonders to help brand Croatia as a beautiful, hopeful and healthy destination. Read the comments on YouTube and one can see what positive vibes the concert brought to over half a million viewers from around the world. Key takeaway – work those connections and look to those outside of tourism to promote Croatia. These brand ambassadors could be from many areas including business or even healthcare.

Lead through innovative ideas

Croatia has absolutely no shortage of people with creative and innovative ideas. According to a recent EY survey 70% of brand is client experience. Think of what you can do to show your visitors past and present that you understand them and their needs.

One move that impressed me was that of Zoran Pejovic and Maslina Resort. They are building Croatia’s attractive brand as a leading post-lockdown destination through strategic thinking. Their vision in creating a new Health and Safety Leader role for their resort shows a focus on their future client’s experience and more importantly, their emotional needs.

Think outside the box and make it personal

So much of the content that is currently being created is quite generic. Know who your desired guests are (hint: it’s not everyone) and do research on where they are mentally right now. Croatia attracts tons of tourist families. Engage them and provide them helpful content. Millions are homeschooling their children right now. Consider providing parents some fun activities to do with their kids (of different ages) that reflect Croatia’s culture. Share a tutorial on how to play briškule, share meaningful stories about (or with) our famous athletes and not about their hometowns. Target retirees who have the means to travel and want to live their lives to the fullest because of this pandemic. Tell them about how safe and careful Croatia has been during this crisis, but do so creatively. The bottom line is create a connection on their terms, not yours.

Creating a lasting connection

To make a lasting mark with your future guests it comes down to showing empathy and humanity. Entertain them, make their life easier right now, make them know you care not through platitudes, but through service. Be there for them and when they are ready, they will be there for you.

Katherine Kurelja is a brand and marketing expert and Co-Founder of Back Bay Agency. For more ideas on how to create a lasting connection with your future guests, contact Katherine at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The views reflected in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of TCN.  

For the latest tourism news from Croatia, follow our dedicated tourism section.  

April 30, 2020 - On Wednesday morning, Tourism Minister Gari Cappelli announced that the border with neighboring Slovenia would be the first opened, which is Croatia's second most important market, generating 10% of overnight stays in the country last year.

HRTurizam reports that Slovenes have a great desire to come to the Adriatic, at least according to the current interest of the media. Still, of course, two crucial preconditions must be fulfilled: a satisfactory epidemiological situation and opening the borders.

Otherwise, the epidemiological situation in Slovenia is better than in Croatia, and with 10 new cases of COVID-19 yesterday, there are a total of 1,418 patients and 89 deaths.

On the topic of opening the borders, Minister of Tourism Gari Cappelli met with Minister of Economic Development and Technology of the Republic of Slovenia, Zdravko Počivalsek, Wednesday afternoon.

Croatia and Slovenia have had excellent tourism cooperation for many years, not only because they are presented together to distant markets, but also because guests from Slovenia are one of the most loyal and numerous guests in Croatia, Minister Cappelli said during the meeting, adding:

"We are actively discussing the possibilities of opening borders, as well as ways to secure all the necessary measures and processes for Slovenian citizens to spend their holidays in Croatia. We especially addressed Slovene citizens who own real estate in Croatia and are trying to find solutions for them to come to their property, in compliance with all prescribed epidemiological measures. We have a common desire to initiate mutual tourist flows when circumstances permit, and we also want to find ways to ensure the highest level of health care for Croat and Slovene citizens in the event of a possible tourist exchange."

The ministers also discussed facilitating tourism with the development of travel procedures, which was discussed during a video conference of tourism ministers of EU member states, held earlier this week. They also stressed the importance of strengthening the position of tourism, i.e., the availability of funding for the tourism sector through future EU financial frameworks, as well as in the current situation to maintain the stability of economic operators and jobs in the tourism sector.

"There are approximately 110,000 private properties owned by Slovene citizens in Croatia and it would be appropriate to allow them to visit their summer residences. In Slovenia, we are optimistic about the possibility of at least partially establishing cross-border tourist traffic between our two countries, at least in the late summer and under special health care conditions," said Slovenian Minister Počivalšek, noting that Slovenia and Croatia are traditional tourist and friendly countries and that both nations are good hosts.

According to data from the eVisitor system, in 2019, almost 1.6 million arrivals and almost 11 million overnight stays were generated in Croatia by guests from Slovenia.

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

As Gordana Grgas/Novac writes on the 28th of April, 2020, Croatian tourism has been dealt a severe blow owing to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, and various experts currently estimate that tourism turnover in Croatia will fall by 60 to 70 percent when compared to last year, with revenues dropping by a massive 70-80 percent.

Employment losses of 30-50 percent will occur in Croatian tourism-related sectors (although this will be greatly affected and influenced by state measures and grants). The business operations of collective types of accommodation facilities, primarily hotels, will be jeopardised until a vaccine for the COVID-19 virus is found, and the reason is the high concentration of guests typically staying in these facilities.

This is all part of an analysis conducted in the second half of April by the investment banking department of InteCapital and HD Consulting entitled "The Croatian Tourism Sector - Can it Cope with the Coronavirus?", showing the status and potential impact of COVID-19 on Croatian tourism and its many related sectors.

They stated that the highly reputable consulting firm, Tourism Economics, predicted that a six-month restriction period (from February to July) would result in a 28 percent drop in overall European travel (in addition to other economic effects), while an eight-month restriction period (from February to September) would result in a 48 percent decline. The worst case scenario is that the anti-epidemic restrictions will only be lifted by the end of this year, which could result in an enormous 81 percent drop in travel in Europe.

In previous crises, according to this analysis, what is known as ''V-shaped tourism'' has proven to be one of the most resilient sectors with a relatively rapid return to pre-crisis levels.

"The COVID-19 crisis brings an additional level of uncertainty with it in the context of the global level of travel due to a potential change in the behaviour and preferences of the average traveller or tourist," they note. However, they believe that Croatia has one good opportunity here: it can take advantage of being a dominant auto destination. Until the invention of the coronavirus vaccine, tourists will be motivated to keep all the elements of their travel plans under control, so it's to be expected that destinations that can be reached easily by car from other countries will recover more quickly from the COVID-19 crisis than others.

Croatia should also take advantage of the fact that it boasts the most stringent anti-coronavirus measures in Europe (research by Oxford University) for future marketing purposes in regard to Croatian tourism and luring guests. Of course, immediately after the crisis, the focus should also be on the domestic market, where the possibility of issuing vouchers to residents should be properly explored.

The top ten Croatian tourism companies had about one billion euros in business income last year, holding about 18 percent of total accommodation capacities in Croatia and boasting as many as 18 thousand employees, with pre-tax profit, interest and taxes of about 380 million euros and investments totalling 318 million euros.

The list includes the following Croatian companies: Valamar Riviera, Luksic Group (Blue Laguna and Adriatic Luxury Hotels), Maistra (including HUP-Zagreb), Arena Hospitality Group, Liburnia Riviera, Blue Sun, Solaris, Jadranka Group, Falkensteiner and Turisthotel.

They have taken a number of different operational and strategic measures to minimise the coronavirus-induced crisis, including shifting their investment focus to investments in health and hygiene aspects and IT (digitalisation resulting in reduced contact, personalisation targeting younger guests, and monitoring guest health and safety) as well as repositioning camps, as they believe this segment of Croatian tourism will recover the fastest.

What should hoteliers operating within the Croatian tourism sector primarily focus on after the COVID-19 crisis?

The focus should be on improving personal protection and hygiene measures in hotels, more stringent operating procedures to increase productivity - process automation, monitoring new segments and targeted advertising - especially for the younger population, monitoring changes in guest behaviour and habits, and applying new marketing approaches, investments and the repositioning of self-contained accommodation units, such as apartments, villas, tents, mobile homes and campsites, and additional IT investments (digitisation, and big data for the purpose of better customer segmentation).

Given that investment bankers were involved in the analysis, it is understandable to note in the end that, unless the Croatian tourism sector recovers and returns to its ''historic'' levels, there will be "a potential need for recapitalisations from 2021 onwards."

Otherwise, during the 2009 global financial crisis, Croatian tourism was reportedly not significantly affected - overnight stays and arrivals in Croatia fell by 1.4 percent and 2.9 percent, respectively. In the case of COVID-19, and due to travel bans and restrictions until we find a vaccine, the collapse in overnight stays and arrivals could be significant and lasting, thus affecting business and financial results well into 2021 as well.

Make sure to follow our dedicated section for all you need to know about coronavirus in relation to Croatia. For more on topics like these, follow our business and travel sections.

April 28, 2020 - Continuing his stimulating series look at travel in the post-corona era, Zoran Pejovic of Paradox Hospitality turns his attention to the burning question for many tourism businesses - to open or not to open? 

I started writing about the post-coronavirus future of the travel industry back in mid-March, as countries throughout Europe went into lockdown, one by one. I have written on the importance of staying visible, maintaining the communication, protecting the team, building scenarios, protecting your cashflow, thinking long-term, rethinking your product, process as well as business model, and a number of other things. And then I stopped. The cacophony of information had gotten to me to the point that I thought the best thing to do is follow my own advice and take time to observe and to think.

In the meantime, the industry has contracted between 60 and 90%, and we in the travel and tourism industry are all hurting globally as never before. However, this global context should not prevent us from looking more carefully at local responses and local specific implications. We have gone down globally, almost simultaneously, but we surely will not be rising again globally and simultaneously.

A lot of friends and colleagues from the industry, from all over the world, have been asking me for advice whether or not to open their businesses, restaurants, cafes and hotels once the governments allow it - or to wait. Honestly, I do not know. I do not believe that there is one simple, straightforward and encompassing answer. What I do know is that opening in Portugal might mean something completely different than opening in Croatia or in Italy. In order to make this decision, you must look both inwards and outwards. I guess the most difficult point here will be to resist the peer pressure from the industry once your colleagues start opening or the guests start calling and inquiring. Also, there is the fear of missing out in case you decide to wait a bit longer. If you have done your scenario planning and crafted your cash flow predictions based on those scenarios, and have protected your team, you should be able to focus a bit more on understanding the outside factors that will drive this decision making. Besides the biggest questions that are on everyone’s mind that deal with the restoration of international travel and opening of the borders, I am going to list three factors that can help you inform that decision:

Country Reputation

Highly-prized Michelin starred restaurants as destinations, luxury boutique hotels as destinations will have to make way again for countries as destinations. People will first look to the country, its response to the coronavirus crisis, at least the one visible via media platforms, number of cases, strength of the countries health system, overall safety and security and the measure put in place for tourists and travellers. Then, within those countries they will look for places to stay, places to eat and so on. If you are dependent on international travellers, look to your partners and ask them how they and their guests perceive your country right now, safe or not. It is all about perception now, not so much about the actual situation. If your country has managed to get through the crisis without tarnishing its reputation, by luck or by good crisis management, the likelihood is that travellers will want to come to your territory. However, if it was luck that helped your country preserve its reputation, be aware that it can easily be lost. As they say, no amount of careful planning will replace dumb luck, however, that does not mean that planning is not paramount to long term success.

New Health & Safety Standards and Clarity of Instructions

This is a big one, or rather two big ones. Based on the instructions proposed by different governmental bodies in your respective countries, you will have to calculate the level of investment you will have to put forward in order to comply with the new standards. This might mean investing in the training of people, hiring specialists in hygiene and safety, implementing physical barriers, improving your HVAC systems, adding disinfectants all over the place and so on. However, you can make this calculation only and only if the instructions are clear, easy to understand and make sense. This is really paramount to your decision making. If you are going to open the business based on loosely defined, perhaps even contradicting instructions, either plan a line in your budget to pay for the fines and penalties or wait it out, until the instruction becomes clear and understandable.

Government Interventionism

While I personally don’t support major government interventionism that favours one industry over the other, or the model of subsidies, it is also important to recognize that these are extraordinary times in which businesses are not allowed to work and compete on the open market, based on quality and price. Hence, the reality is that many governments and tourism and travel bodies will be implementing different measures to save the travel industry, which account for about 10% of global GDP and accounts for 11% of the global workforce. These decisions are not global and unilateral, but country or region-specific. While the big companies will try to negotiate rescue packages directly with the governments, independent hoteliers, restaurant owners and other travel and tourism businesses will have to rely on the major government decisions. For example, we can read that the authorities of Sicily at the end of the pandemic will provide travellers with a 50% discount on tickets to the island. Decisions like these can help inform your own decision whether to open or not. However, you should not rely on these decisions, as they will be very temporary and might not even reach you due to the layers of bureaucracy involved in the process…

Good luck! We will all need it!

You can read more on this subject of post-coronavirus travel from Zoran here:

Travel Industry: Keep Communicating and Visibility

Build Scenarios! Be Present! Take Time to Think!

Post-Coronavirus Travel and Tourism: Some Predictions

Croatian Tourism 2020 and Coronavirus: Let’s Postpone the Season

Post-Corona Tourism Planning: Hope is Not a Good Business Strategy

Travel in the Post-Corona Era: Health and Safety

You can connect with Zoran Pejovic via LinkedIn.

European Union ministers have met to discuss the state of European tourism, and a document, known as the COVID-19 passport, that would be valid for all EU countries, was discussed. Croatian Tourism Minister Gari Cappelli discussed the issue after a video conference of EU tourism ministers on the state of European tourism, the impact of the coronavirus pandemic and the measures and conditions for tourist arrivals.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 28th of April, 2020, such a document, which some have dubbed the COVID-19 passport, refers to the health and safety part of the travel protocol, HRT reported.

Cappelli also said that it has been agreed that there should be a common plan in place to overcome the coronavirus crisis, regardless of individual countries and their respective stances.

Tourism accounts for 10 to 11 percent of the EU's GDP and employs 12 percent of its total staff.

Cappelli also said that things were made very clear about the short-term recovery fund. In the budget until 2027, tourism wasn't as prominent in the first package, but in view of coronavirus, this situation is completely changing, the united view of all countries is that for tourism, we'll have to make a big step forward in the budget.

''Tourism is the key to strengthening, that is, saving national economies,'' Cappelli said, citing examples of other countries which rely heavily on tourism in addition to Croatia, such as Italy, Spain and Greece.

Responding to a reporter's question about the possibility of establishing a tourist corridor, he hoped to reach an agreement on the matter by the end of May, if not in a common area, then bilaterally with interested countries partaking.

"We already have a respectable number of countries that are interested," Cappelli said.

Cappelli also said the Cro Card remains in the works.

''The Cro Card will be used only in Croatia, it will amount to 2500 kuna tax-free, and we'll see if we can do something extra in this area, we'll see if we get additional discounts,'' said Cappelli.

Asked by reporters whether there would be price adjustments for domestic tourists, Cappelli replied that the market would do its job and that part of the accommodation capacities in the country would respond and give some discounts.

Answering a journalist's question on whether entry would be allowed only to those who had acquired immunity, he replied that he would not go into detail on that, adding that we must first create a common protocol, so that the same rules apply on arrival and departure.

''All countries are working on preparing the document, we're all there together,'' said Cappelli.

On the eve of the meeting, Cappelli announced that he would also discuss the possibility of opening tourist routes and traffic as the relaxation of the anti-epidemic measures begin, including the issues of opening borders and country-specific initiatives on the so-called tourist bridges (for example, as suggested by the Czechs towards Croatia).

Tourism is the most affected sector in the coronavirus crisis and needs generous assistance within the European Union's long-term recovery plan, Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton said earlier. He added that EU-wide annual hotel and restaurant revenue could fall by at least 50 percent and cause losses for tour operators, cruise companies, travel agencies, airlines, which reach up to 70 percent.

The European Association of Travel Agencies and Tour Operators (ECTAA) has called on the European Commission and EU tourism ministers to step up their efforts and devise a more meaningful bailout package and a properly coordinated exit strategy for the tourism and travel industry from the coronavirus crisis.

For more on coronavirus and the COVID-19 passport as we get it, follow our dedicated section.

April 27, 2020 - As the 2020 tourism season is in question, the Mayor of Supetar is looking to keep ferry prices fair for locals and potential tourists traveling between Split and Brac this year. 

Dalmacija Danas reports:

"Because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the still questionable 2020 tourist season, on Friday, I sent a letter to the Ministry of Sea, Transport and Infrastructure and the Coastal Shipping Agency to delay the adoption of the seasonal price list for coastal shipping and to keep winter ferry fares throughout the 2020 business year, intending to create a more favorable framework for the arrival of tourists to the Croatian islands after the eventual cessation of the virus," Supetar Mayor Ivana Markovic said Sunday morning. 

Tourism, along with agriculture, fisheries, and crafts, is the most important economic branch on the Croatian islands, and every contribution we make to facilitating the arrival of tourists to the island is of crucial importance to us at this time, she noted.

"I believe that the islands, as beautiful and geographically isolated units, have always been an essential asset of Croatian tourism and that it will be even more this year if the epidemiological situation soon improves.

We ask the competent Ministry and the Agency to consider what has been requested seriously and to take all the necessary actions that could put this proposal into effect by May 29, 2020, when the winter tariffs for ferry fares expire.

The ticket price for a single individual to Brac by car ferry now costs 28,00 kn plus 124,00 kn if you're traveling with a vehicle (152,00 kn for one way), and after May 29, the summer prices should begin. This would mean that one ticket would cost 33,00 kn plus 154,00 kn to travel with a vehicle, i.e., 187,00 kn for one direction," says Marković.

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

April 27, 2020 - The proximity to Croatia by car could be the driving force for Austrian tourists this summer, should the borders open. 

As the summer quickly approaches, Vecernji List reports that Austrian media has been increasingly seeking a concrete response from the Austrian political leadership as to whether and when the borders will open to regain their much-appreciated freedom of travel after the global coronavirus pandemic brought tourism to a halt.

Austrian citizens are receiving their answers gradually, just as the epidemiological situation improves and Austria opens step by step. However, impatient Austrians are still waiting to see if they can book their holidays abroad.

While Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz and Tourism Minister Elisabeth Köstinger see summer holidays as a solution to signing bilateral treaties and opening borders with countries as serious aboout the coronavirus pandemic as Austria, citing Germany and the Czech Republic as an example, the Austrian media is much more gallant and is continually expanding the list of possible tourist destinations for holidaying Austrians during the corona era.

Titled "Croatia is the hottest for travel" with the headline "Korona: Where we can holiday this year", the Österreich daily said on Sunday that Croatia "intends to open its borders" for returning foreign tourists and for that, given its competitors, “has the best chance."

The same source states that Chancellor Kurz has already discussed the issue with Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic and relays news from Kurz's Twitter that he discussed with his colleague Plenkovic "a coordinated approach to reopening the tourism sector in these two countries, and seasonal workers and border controls". He also added Plenkovic's statement:

"Everyone I spoke with wants to find one model that opens borders and people can come to Croatia in the summer."

Österreich particularly emphasizes the great advantage of Croatia as this year's most desirable holiday destination for Austrians in the corona era - its proximity to Austria - which enables them to travel by car. For Austrians - this is a crucial security aspect.

At the same time, the daily states that Italy has "almost" no chance as a destination for this year's holidays and is a “no-go zone" for foreign tourists. Not only the media, but politicians also warn that "it is advisable to avoid traveling to Italy". Greece's chances of attracting tourists, according to the same source, are bad because of the distance and the necessary air travel. Travel bans are still in force in France, Spain and Turkey and are therefore unrealistic. Germany and the Czech Republic are mentioned as serious candidates for a holiday, which has already been mentioned several times by Chancellor Kurz, stating:

"I believe that our goal must be to re-establish freedom of travel step by step. Above all, we will be able to do this with our neighbors, who are also on the right track."

Austrian media reported on Sunday that German Foreign Minister Heiko Mass had warned Kurz about the danger of "opening borders too soon to bring back tourists". As a negative example, he cited the events at the famous Tyrol ski resort Ischgl, the epicenter of the coronavirus infection, not only for Austrians but also by many foreign and German tourists, saying that "Ischgl should never be repeated".

Mass argued for common measures and criteria for reopening borders, at the European Union level. Repeating Austrian Chancellor Kurz, he said that "the hard-fought successes of recent weeks should not be allowed to be destroyed in this way."

In this European game of which country will open its borders to foreign tourists faster, interesting data from one of the many Austrian surveys show that as many as 71 percent of Austrians intend to spend their holidays in Austria because of the coronavirus and the crisis caused by its spread. In connection with this, the Government plans to open hotels at the end of May, and in mid-May restaurants, cafes and other establishments.

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

April 25, 2020 - German newspaper Bild reported on Friday that Croatia could be an ideal destination for anyone planning a holiday this summer.

In the title "WOHIN REISEN IM CORONA-SOMMER?" (Where to travel in the Corona Summer?), the German daily goes on to say why Croatia should be on your list, reports Novac.hr.

"This summer, Croatia wants to advertise itself as a coronavirus-free country," Bild wrote, citing Croatia as one of the countries that introduced pandemic measures early on. Only 12 deaths per million inhabitants are reported in Croatia, unlike Germany, which records 65 coronavirus deaths per million inhabitants.

The newspaper also quotes Romeo Draghicchio from the Croatian National Tourist Board in Frankfurt, who says that Croatia has many accommodation capacities where it is possible to keep a space between guests, and that by the end of May, the Croatian authorities will make new travel decisions.

Bild points out: “Croatia has put in place strict measures to combat the virus in a timely manner. It was a decision that paid off. The Ministry of Tourism with health experts is preparing a plan that will soon make it possible to open the country to tourists."

German online portal Holliday Check has released a poll showing that 40 percent of those surveyed are sticking to their plans for this year's holiday. As many as 60 percent of those polled are transparent about the question of whether they'd like a refund if a trip falls through because of the pandemic as a deciding factor when booking holidays. Last week, the Alliance of German Tour Operators announced that domestic tourism could benefit from the crisis this summer, as well as tourism from neighboring countries and those destinations, such as Croatia, which can be reached by private transport.

Also supporting the story is that German Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, Gerd Muller, has announced that travel outside Germany will be made possible. Bild writes that it is certain that the most popular destinations for Germans - Italy, Spain and France - will fall off as travel destinations this year, and that Croatia may be more attracted to them, as it has begun to position itself as a "corona-free" destination.

The president of the German Association of Travel Agencies, Norbert Fiebig, criticized statements about the complete cancellation of holidays outside Germany, saying that it is important to make decisions that will allow travel, emphasizing that trips shouldn't be canceled outright.

On Monday, April 27, EU tourism ministers will, at the initiative of Tourism Minister Gari Cappelli, discuss via a video conference the impacts of the pandemic on tourism and measures to recover the sector as quickly as possible, the Ministry of Tourism announced.

Due to the global pandemic and its extremely negative effects on tourism around the world, including in the EU and Croatia, the topics of discussion are mainly the consequences of the pandemic, but also the measures that can be taken to help the tourism sector recover as quickly as possible after loosening restrictions on travel and business.

"The coronavirus has stopped a lot of things in the world, including almost all business tourism processes and travels, and all EU Member States are in the same, uncertain situation. Therefore, it is important to talk and share experiences, because we are all troubled by the same issues, from how to ensure that the system works in these circumstances to the stability of the entire economy and thus the tourism sector," Cappelli said.

He also announced that he would exchange views with potential EU tourism counterparts on possible programs and plans to tackle similar threats in the future for the tourism sector, which he would also link to the 2018 Croatian initiative when he met tourism ministers in Sofia and presented an initiative for better positioning of tourism within the EU.

"This initiative was just about establishing a common financial fund for tourism at the EU level, with which it would be possible to quickly respond to potential threats and challenges in tourism such as this one," Cappelli said.

Croatia is now joining the campaigns of UNWTO and WTTC World Tourism Organizations and the European ETC to promote tourism and especially gastronomic offers to motivate tourists and travel partners when possible, the Croatian National Tourist Board (CNTB) reported.

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

April 22, 2020 - The Croatian National Tourist Board launches a new campaign in the corona era, hashtag Croatia Long-Distance Love.

A new campaign from the Croatian National Tourist Board, #CroatiaLongDistanceLove has gone live.  

From the official YouTube channel: 

Welcome Croatia to your home! Sometimes due to circumstances beyond your control, you are unable to be with the one you love the most. Sometimes, you have to stay away from the people, places and things that make you the happiest, that leave you with a feeling of contentment and fill your heart with love. Long-distance love is never easy, but true love survives. #CroatiaLongDistanceLove Learn more, see more, feel more and explore all Croatia has to offer. 

Just as we are sure you have found ways to virtually connect with your loved ones, while staying at home, we have found a way to bring Croatia to you. At the moment, this will be a long-distance kind of love.

If you follow the link above to the national tourist board website, there is a second video, which was uploaded two weeks ago, called Virtual Sailing - Kornati.

Virtual Sailing - Kornati from Croatia Full Of Life on Vimeo.

What do you think of the campaign? Leave your comments below. 

For the latest on Croatian tourism, follow the dedicated TCN section. 

April 21, 2020 - The Adriatic sea, self-isolation as it once was. As we dare to dream of a possible 2020 season, where Croatia should focus its efforts, and how can Croatian tourism compete on price?

Hvar has been gorgeous these last few days, before today's Manchester rain, as beautiful as I can remember it since I first set eyes on the island I subsequently fell in love with 18 years ago. 

I am very fortunate to have been able to self-isolate here, and the social distancing and lack of visitors has meant that it almost feels like I have the island to myself. 

The weather is warm, the sea inviting, and the aromatic fields offer a variety of sensations, both visual and aromas. 

It takes me right back to when I first became truly aware of tourism in Croatia, in a staff house in Hargeisa in Somaliland back in 2002. 

The Mediterranean as It Once Was, the Croatian National Tourist Board video which came on during a commercial break on CNN - a commercial which changed my life and brought me to a new life in Croatia, where I have lived ever since. 

And Hvar at the moment feels like it did all those years ago. It has changed considerably since then, of course, but now - devoid of tourists, its spectacular nature to the fore - it reminds me more than ever of the time I first discovered it 18 years ago. 

The Mediterranean as It Once Was in 2002.

Self-Isolation as It Once Was in 2020. 

And the tourists will return and new generations will fall in love with this magical island, as I did. The big question is whether that will happen this year, and whether or not there will be a 2020 season at all.

I have noticed growing optimism in recent days on the back of the slight easing of restrictions in various countries. There is talk of a Czech corridor for tourists to the Adriatic, and as the weather improves, the longing for lazy days on the Adriatic as the self-isolation drags on gets ever stronger. 

Will there be a season? Perhaps. I do not have a crystal ball, but as I wrote almost a month (and several lifetimes) ago in Hope v Reality: Will There Be a 2020 Tourist Season in Croatia?, if there is it will be different for sure, and there are several key factors to take into consideration. 

Let's start with flights to Croatia.

Three things should paint the picture of flights to Croatia.

This was the lead banner on the Ryanair website when I wrote my article a month ago, offering deals on September breaks. One month later, the only thing which has been updated on the banner is the photograph. 

The second-biggest budget airline - and a key player in the Croatian tourism market - is easyJet. This from an article on the closing of most of Lonely Planet's operations in The Guardian a few days ago:

Now, even Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou of easyJet, the second-largest budget airline in Europe, thinks his company will feel like a startup again once national lockdowns are lifted.

And as we reported a couple of weeks ago in Goodbye Season 2020? American, Qatar Push Dubrovnik to 2021, Eurowings Cuts Fleet, the inter-continental airlines have already written off season 2020 in its entirety, while cutbacks at Eurowings and Lufthansa are also going to impact the Croatian market. American Airlines was due to fly until October from Philadelphia to Dubrovnik, and so their decision to cancel has less to do with the health threat of corona, and more to do with the economic consequences. With record unemployment in the States, there will be much fewer people travelling. And for many who do travel, price is going to be a big factor. A short hop to Mexico will be a better budget option.  

Less flights is better news for Croatian tourism than the competition

Although less flights is not great news for the tourism industry, it will actually impact Croatia much less than the competition. Imagine the challenges ahead for the likes of Greece, Turkey, Egypt, Tunisia, even Montenegro, Spain and Italy, to get foreign tourists to their destinations. While Croatia has enjoyed considerable success in attracting long-haul tourists - United States, South Korea, China, Japan, Brazil and Australia come to mind - the vast majority of tourists arrivals (about 75% from memory) come by land, mostly car. Although the numbers will be less, there is much more certainty in these markets. As long as the virus is under control, borders open and the tourists have transport, they can and will come. 

I was talking to an F&B manager in a 5-star hotel this week, and he told me that they were adding a lot of Austrian wines to the list, as they were expecting a much higher percentage of Austrians and Germans in the post-corona era. And if this survey is to be believed, a whopping 27% of Austrians want to holiday in Croatia when this is all over. 

The markets of Slovenia, Austria, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Hungary, Czechia, Slovakia, Poland and Serbia have always been important to Croatian tourism. And never more so than this year. And with the lack of flights and close proximity to Croatia, Croatia is in pole position to accommodate as many tourists as want and can afford to travel. And there is one big juicy bone that will be driving them wild with desire in their isolation. 

Let's put progressive tourism on hold, for 2020 is all about the Adriatic

In the pre-corona era, I wrote a lot about the lack of strategy and vision of Croatian tourism, of overtourism on the coast and the over-reliance on the Adriatic. I presented an alternative vision in Branding Croatia for the Future: 5 Gifts and Trends to Focus On. I still stand by every word of this as a strategy for the future, but these are extraordinary times. And after all these restrictions and deprivation, the thought of a gorgeous beach and a dip in the glistening Adriatic has become a 'must-have' for many. I have been posting lots of photos and videos of Hvar on social media, and I can see the desire, the longing, and the promise to be on Hvar soon from many, many people. 

As is often the case in the Kingdom of Accidental Tourism, a combination of factors will enable this tourism to happen 'slucajno', without any real effort - lack of flights mean other destinations are harder to get to, Croatia has what everyone wants - over 1,000 islands and 1,777 km of fabulous Adriatic coast, with every man and his dog desperate to escape to the sea. But if we could come up with an effective campaign and really play on those emotions and desires, the payback could be much higher. Perhaps Self-Isolation as It Once Was is not the right approach, but there are marketing departments with more resources and experience than this fat Irish blogger. 

So IF we can have a season, then things perhaps look as dire as they might seem. Everything depends on the virus, of course. But assuming that all is ok for a later season start, the other main thing that could really affect things is...

Price, the Achilles heel of Croatian tourism, and how to fix this

I am really fascinated to see how the Croatian hospitality industry will respond to the realities of post-corona tourism with regard to pricing. I expect some to keep things exactly as they are, and even some to increase prices as they do each year without adding any extra benefit to the consumer. They will price themselves out of a much more price-sensitive market, and the traditional greed of some tourism businesses couple with the insane tax burden that is imposed on the tourism industry and the rest of the country, could nullify the golden gifts of restricted access to the competition and the proximity of the Adriatic. 

But I believe a large number of businesses will be realistic about price and realign their prices accordingly. Better to make something from the season, give guests a great (and great-value) holiday, in the hope of enticing them back next year and beyond. But how to get the message of those cheaper prices out to potential visitors?

I have been trying to catch up with technology in recent months, and watching the Croatian Government's handling of the crisis has not only been a pleasant surprise, but also very instructive. From the Koronavirus Viber group which now reaches 441,000 subscribers with the latest in an instant (in a country of 4 million) to the dedicated corona app, Andrija. the authorities have very quickly and effectively been able to get their message out and engage with the public. 

Which gave me an idea. Why not use a similar approach for promoting Croatian tourism, especially to get out the message on price, for those who wanted to price things realistically and encourage tourists to come?

(Photo credit Taliah Bradbury)

Let's create an app called something better than Post-CROrona and make it available to any Croatian tourism business which wants to offer a realistic price for season 2020. Each business would get their own page within the map and category of tourism. On that page, the business could upload some basic info, a link to its pricing page of its official website, as well as details of 3 of its Post CROrona offers, and a stated % discount of its list prices to reflect the current reality. The business would be free to increase or decrease the percentage in real time. 

If properly created and promoted, and if enough businesses decide to engage, this would bring all the tourism businesses in Croatia with affordable and realistic prices into one place. The potential tourist downloads the app, and can then see just how affordable Croatia 2020 could be if they decided to support the businesses offering the discounts. 

Some nice free promo for the progressive businesses trying to get back on their feet, and some nice PR for Croatia against the accusation that is it an expensive destination. And some nice affordable holidays for those who do their homework and choose to relax in one of the most beautiful places on Earth. 

Would it work? Who knows, but maybe, and maybe it is worth a try. Nothing is certain in the Corona Era, except one thing... 

(Photo credit Taliah Bradbury)

Hvar is truly one of the most gorgeous places on the planet. As it will be when you make your next visit. Let's hope that can be this year. 

For the latest news from Croatia's premier island, visit the TCN Hvar section.