October 20, 2021 - In April this year, 10 digital nomads from all over the world came together for the inaugural Dubrovnik Digital Nomads-in-Residence (DNIR) program. As part of European Freelancer Week 2021, TCN catches up with some of them 6 months on, starting with Marlee McCormick from Texas. 

A year ago, the city of Dubrovnik held the first-ever digital nomad conference in Croatia - Dubrovnik for Digital Nomads - as part of European Freelancer Week. The city has made great strides advancing its DN credentials and strategy, thanks in part to the award-winning Dubrovnik Digital Nomads-in-Residence program, which ran from April 23 - May 23. 

The program was all the richer for the presence of Marlee McCormick, who broadcast her Dallas radio show each day from the Lazareti coworking space just outside the historic Old Walls of Dubrovnik. Together with husband Jeff, Marlee had a great month in the Pearl of the Adriatic. TCN caught up with Marlee 6 months later to get her current perspective on the program, Dubrovnik and the Croatian digital nomad journey.

1. It is 6 months since you arrived in Dubrovnik for the Dubrovnik Digital Nomads-in-Residence program. Firstly, a brief look back at that month. How was it for you, and how did it change your perceptions of Dubrovnik as a nomad destination?

Is it a cliché to say being selected for the DNIR program was a life changing experience?....because that's really an accurate description.  Being able to live and work in a wonderful and inviting city like Dubrovnik was an opportunity and an experience that will stay with me forever.  My husband and I had been wanting to try living abroad for quite sometime, we just had to wait for the right opportunity and for the kids to grow up and leave the nest.  The pandemic made that dream a possibility and the Dubrovnik Digital Nomad program made it a reality.  Once I started working remotely from home, I tested the waters by taking my show on the road, a week here and there.  Those trips were more of a working vacation, but I learned how to make it work and with good WIFI, I could work from anywhere in the world. 

It wasn't until coming to Dubrovnik that I truly got to experience what it would be like to live and work abroad.  I was able to do a job I love in the U.S. while living as a local in a beautiful European city.  When you add in the facts that I didn't have to get up at 4am for work because of the time difference, had a 10 minute stroll through the old city to the Lazaretti workspace instead of a long commute in traffic, and a postcard view of the Adriatic Sea..... well I would say quality of life just doesn't get any better than that.  My husband Jeff was also working from home and able to join me for our test run at being digital nomads.  Not only did we quickly adapt, we thrived!  Although the DNIR program was only 30 days, we can both see ourselves coming back for extended periods of time and now thanks to Croatia's digital nomad visa, we'll be able to. 

2.  Have you kept in touch with others from the project? Spent any more time in Croatia?

We have kept in touch with the other nomads in our group despite the time differences and the geographic challenges.  Social media is a great way to stay connected.  I consider these people as sort of an extended family.  We were all very different, but each brought something unique to the table and we all got along so well despite our differences in age and backgrounds.  There have been talks of a reunion get-together in the future.  I really hope it happens.  Jeff and I also made friends with people outside of our core group and we look forward to reuniting with them as well.

3. It seems that a lot has been happening in the DN scene in the last few months since the program. Zagreb Digital Nomad Week, Digital Nomad Valley Zagreb, the Cross Border Coworking Conference in Budva, Croatia performing strongly in the Nomad List 2021 survey. What changes have you noticed since arriving in Dubrovnik back in April?

In my opinion, Croatia and especially Dubrovnik's foresight to get out of their "seasonal tourism" comfort zone and attract visitors year-round was smart planning for the future.  There is so much more to this community than just a daytrip to the old city for gelato (Although, full disclosure, I do love the gelato in Dubrovnik) during a cruise ship stop.   I really hope we DNIR's helped bring that to light.  I know every situation is different, but compared to where we live in Dallas, Texas, we found the cost of living in Dubrovnik to be very reasonable - options for every budget and lifestyle.  Since returning home I have kept up with happenings in Croatia thanks to Total Croatia News.  Croatia is gaining more prominence on the world stage away from tourism.  Businesses are growing and moving there and I'm excited to see what happens with the transition into the EU.

4. Have you noticed any change in the way Croatia is talked about in the global DN groups you engage with online? In what way if yes?

Without a doubt, the Dubrovnik digital nomad program got the world's attention.  The DNIR roadmap is being used by other countries as a model to launch their own digital nomad programs.  I think we all, including the City of Dubrovnik, the tourism board, TCN and of course our champion Tanja Polegubic at Saltwater Workspace can all be proud of what we accomplished in blazing the trail.  My time as a digital nomad was brief and I'm definitely a newbie, but my experience has allowed me to encourage others to take that leap and even give advice to those that already have through a Dubrovnik Digital Nomad Facebook group. 

5. What would you say are the key next steps for Dubrovnik on this journey, and for Croatia as a whole

It's encouraging to see that the city has taken some of our suggestions and ideas to move the digital nomad program forward.  I hope when the pandemic is over and tourism fully returns, that Croatia as a whole will stick with the program to attract more dn's from across the world.  Word of mouth and the sharing of information is the best way to do that.  Total Croatia News has played a big part in that.

6. Your favourite memory/experience from DNIR, and when do expect that Dubrovnik will see you next?

There are so many great memories to choose from - a boat day on the Adriatic with the other DNIRs, dining on Peka at an amazing restaurant owned by two brothers on the island of Korcula, having coffee and people watching at cafes on the Stradun.  One of my favorite memories was interacting with the Dubrovnik cats.  I'm a big animal lover and its a charming aspect to the old city.  I left a little piece of my heart in Dubrovnik.  We can't wait to go back next spring and pick up where we left off.  

For more news and features on digital nomads in Croatia, follow the dedicated TCN section. 

October 20, 2021 - In April this year, 10 digital nomads from all over the world came together for the inaugural Dubrovnik Digital Nomads-in-Residence (DNIR) program. As part of European Freelancer Week 2021, TCN catches up with some of them 6 months on, starting with Rob Schubert from the Netherlands. 

A year ago, the city of Dubrovnik held the first-ever digital nomad conference in Croatia - Dubrovnik for Digital Nomads - as part of European Freelancer Week. The city has made great strides advancing its DN credentials and strategy, thanks in part to the award-winning Dubrovnik Digital Nomads-in-Residence program, which ran from April 23 - May 23. 

Far from forgetting Croatia, several of the DNIRs have been very active in Croatia. None more so than Rob Schubert, who has been enjoying a lot more of Croatia, including representing the Extra Virgin Digital Nomads at the 4th Olive Picking World Championships on Brac last week. TCN caught up with Rob to reflect on all things nomaddy 6 months on. 

1. It is 6 months since you arrived in Dubrovnik for the Dubrovnik Digital Nomads-in-Residence program. Firstly, a brief look back at that month. How was it for you, and how did it change your perceptions of Dubrovnik as a nomad destination?

The month was simply lovely! The Dubrovnik Digital Nomads-in-Residence program surpassed my expectations in many ways. 

Firstly the organization was fantastic by all involved partners. Together with the local community's participation, this organization provided an encouraging environment for the service design process. Secondly, it was my first time in Croatia, and it opened my eyes. I experienced that Dubrovnik and more areas of Croatia aren't just tourist hotspots (what I normally like to avoid). There is much opportunity and existing facilities to create a perfect environment for middle/long term stays.

2.  Have you kept in touch with others from the project? Spent any more time in Croatia?

Being on the road and having an international lifestyle means you a lot of new people. Usually, people just come and go, but that was not the case for this group. We all have different backgrounds, but the month in Dubrovnik created a strong bond between us. The group chat is still very active, and we have meetups all over the continent.

I was pleased to meet a bunch up North in Estonia and very recently in Croatia again. So yes, I have spent more time in Croatia, and I will be back sooner rather than later! 

3. It seems that a lot has been happening in the DN scene in the last few months since the program. Zagreb Digital Nomad Week, Digital Nomad Valley Zagreb, the Cross Border Coworking Conference in Budva, Croatia performing strongly in the Nomad List 2021 survey. What changes have you noticed since arriving in Dubrovnik back in April?

I attended the Cross Border Coworking Conference in Budva, and I was very charmed by the presentation given by the tourist board of Dubrovnik. Not only were they able to very clearly explain the outcomes of the Digital Nomads-in-Residence program, but they shared new developments to attract digital nomads. To me, this is a confirmation that Dubrovnik and Croatia are serious about developing a sustainable economy/society where digital nomads are warmly welcomed. 

4. Have you noticed any change in the way Croatia is talked about in the global DN groups you engage with online? In what way if yes?

Yes, I notice a big difference! Significantly more people talk about Croatia in both online and "offline" groups I am part of. Of course, I always have seen great images and heard great stories from Croatia, but now the communication is also about the digital nomad infrastructure. Articles often support the new communication. Lately, I got sent a Dutch item about Croatia as a digital nomad destination.

5. What would you say are the key next steps for Dubrovnik on this journey, and for Croatia as a whole

Croatia created a great buzz with the introduction of a digital nomad visa. The eyes of digital nomads are aimed at Croatia, and locals start to understand what these new types of travellers are. To have a significant impact and create an attractive environment for digital nomads, it's key to keep the momentum of this program going. With follow-up programs like the ones mentioned above, it's reassuring to see that outcomes keep developing.

Consequently, I think it's key to keep pace with development. With most of the Asian countries still closed, more digital nomads are thinking of European destinations. So this is the right time for Dubrovnik and Croatia to amaze other digital nomads with the welcoming infrastructure. 

6. Your favourite memory/experience from DNIR, and when do expect that Dubrovnik will see you next?

Picking a favourite of such a fantastic experience is difficult. There were many great days! Yet there was one evening that particularly comes to mind now. It was a sundowner on a beautiful rooftop in the middle of the old town. Energized by the company of this great group and fresh mussels from Ston (and some watermelon), this evening presented great conversations and many moments of laughter. 

I first-person heard about the developments and plans Dubrovnik has for digital nomads. As soon as these are in place, I have a perfect "excuse" to come back and try them out. See you soon!

Rob was part of a very international and all DNIR extra virgin digital nomad team which came a creditable 5th at this year's world championship. They were joined by fellow DNIRs Alyssa from California, Charlie from Wales, Sam from England, and coach Tanja from Australia.

For more news and features on digital nomads in Croatia, follow the dedicated TCN section. 

October 18, 2021 - The community is growing, and the invitations are open to the next Digital Nomads Zagreb Meetup this Thursday, with special guest Andrae Smith, the Zagreb Digital Nomad Ambassador for October. 

Zagreb is on the move. 

More and more digital nomads are discovering the city, and they are liking what they see. And as TCN reported earlier, progress has been made on multiple fronts (Zagreb for Digital Nomads: A Destination on the Rise).

At the core of any potential success will be a healthy and interactive community. It is still early days, but things are looking very healthy in that regard. The main Facebook group, Digital Nomads Croatia, now boasts over 7,500 members, and their regular meetups are always popular. 

Last month, the Digital Nomads Croatia Facebook group teamed up with the Zagreb Digital Nomad Ambassador (a collaboration between Zagreb Tourist Board, Saltwater Nomads, Doma Zagreb Aparthotel, and TCN), as September ambassador Dean Kuchel from Israel held first an AMA (Ask Me Anything) evening at Bustan, followed by a farewell Zagreb Pitch night at Canopy by Hilton. 

The incoming October ambassador, Andrae Smith was at the Canopy event, having literally just flown in from South Africa. Andrae is now just over halfway through her time in Zagreb, and she will be the special guest at the next Digital Nomads Zagreb meetup this Thursday, at Bustan Bar on Varsavska from 19:00.

Andrae will be giving a presentation about her online business and remote work lifestyle, as well as hosting an AMA session and talking about the most common questions she encounters. 

You can meet Andrae in her video application for the ambassador project above. 

Link to the event on Facebook, which is open to all.

To read more news and features on digital nomads in Croatia, follow the dedicated TCN section. 

October 18, 2021 - Changing the mindset of the next generation is one of the key benefits for Croatia with the digital nomad opportunity - a topic which is now the subject of an academic thesis. 

One of my favourite moments at the excellent Dubrovnik Digital Nomads-in-Residence programme back in April was having a coffee with one of the local attendees on the first day of the design thinking workshop which helped create the strategy and roadmap forward for Dubrovnik's digital nomad journey.

"This has been mindblowing," she said. "A completely new way of living, and of thinking.  And I have already decided that I am going to trade in my current way of life for the digital nomad revolution."

The world of work is changing, and the era of remote work is here. I have been thoroughly enjoying meeting lots of progressive people over the last year, many of whom are foreigners who have chosen to combine their online job with the enviable Croatian lifestyle - a winning combination. And the more people who come with this new way of working, with their fresh ideas, the more they will inspire a new way of thinking in the younger generation in Croatia, many of whom choose emigration over trying to make a life here. 

And if seems that interest is trickling down to the world of academia. 

This LinkedIn post from digital permit holder, Steve Tsentserensky, made me smile. Steve has been doing sterling work promoting Croatia, from speaking at conferences and writing viral articles for CNBC on the subject, to producing outstanding photos and videos as he explores the country. Great to see that both he and Jan are a cause for inspiration. 

I decided to reach out to Jozo Barac about his choice of thesis, thinking it must be the first thesis in Croatia on the subject. It apparently was the second, as he informed me:

Through a detailed search, I found that so far only one Master thesis in 2020 has been written on the topic of digital nomadism in Croatia. In my opinion, this paper was written as a fairly general account of digital nomadism. Therefore, I wanted to write a thesis that will clearly show what digital nomadism is, what are the most common occupations, what is needed to develop a destination for digital nomads and how Croatia is positioned in the context of such a destination. Also, I conducted research on young people of different study orientations. In this research, I measured their attitudes and motivation and, through three different hypotheses, statistically tested whether there were significant differences in their attitudes and motivation for digital nomadism. 

Inspired by the likes of Steve and Jan, Jozo dived into his research into this new world of opportunity. He told me:

I believe that Croatia meets three basic prerequisites for the development of such destinations, namely fast and stable Internet, climate conditions and acceptable living costs. Also, we are a safe destination and have many cultural and natural attractions. Our highways are good, while the railways are very bad. I believe that by increasing the number of digital nomads in Croatia, new airlines will be introduced. Furthermore, within this destination development, numerous entrepreneurial opportunities can be realized. Some of these opportunities are the opening of coworking and coliving spaces and the creation of various gastronomic and adrenaline tours for digital nomads. I absolutely support the recent opening of the valley for digital nomads in Zadar and I believe that there will be more and more such projects.

Congratulations to Jozo on his graduation, and good luck on your entrepreneurial journey. You can find a summary of Jozo's thesis below, and you can connect with him on LinkedIn if you want to know more.

Digital nomadism as a new form of business

Travel has been an indispensable part of human life since the beginning of the development of all civilizations. The main motives for the trip were usually a change of environment, rest, recreation, meeting new cultures and people. Today, people most often travel during the holidays which they use to rest and recover from stressful everyday life. However, for many, traveling in these quantities is not enough and they are looking for ways to travel more.

One way to travel more is definitely digital nomadism. It is a term that encompasses traveling and getting to know different cultures around the world while simultaneously earning a living with the inevitable mediation of technology and internet connection. In this paper, the introduction highlights the goals, content and methodology of the research. Also, the problem and the subject of research are defined.

The second chapter defines the concept of digital nomadism and the holistic approach to the study of this concept. Such an approach encompasses the frameworks of digital nomadism as an economic activity or model, as a cultural phenomenon and as a technologically enabled form of work. It presents the basic characteristics, positive and negative sides and the most common occupations practiced by digital nomads. Some of these professions are social media marketing expert, SEO expert and e-retailer of digital products. Also, the basic legislative frameworks around the world concerning the topic of this paper are presented. The Republic of Croatia should be highlighted as a country that has clearly defined the conditions of stay of digital nomads on its territory by voting on the Foreigners Act, which has been valid since 1.1.2021.

The third chapter presents the conditions for the development of destinations for digital nomads. The basic preconditions for the development of such destinations are fast and stable internet connection, climatic conditions and low cost of living. In this chapter, the Republic of Croatia is placed in the global context of such destinations and can be positioned as one of the most desirable destinations for digital nomads. Also, the basic possibilities and limitations of the development of such destinations are listed. In the fourth chapter, the research methodology is presented and a survey of 120 respondents was conducted through an online questionnaire. Of the three hypotheses set, the first and third hypotheses were accepted, while the second hypothesis was rejected. Based on the entire paper, basic conclusions were reached on the overall topic of digital nomadism, destination development in this context, and a number of research conclusions and recommendations for future research.

For more news and features on digital nomads in Croatia, follow the dedicated TCN section. 

October 17, 2021 - Word is getting out - Zagreb for digital nomads. A look at the rising popularity of the Croatian capital, recently featured in the top 5 most-liked cities in a Nomad List survey. 

It is almost 2 years since I wrote my first article on the potential of digital nomad tourism in Zagreb. Rereading Why Zagreb is Increasingly Attractive to a Growing Number of Digital Nomads 21 months later, it is interesting to note how much has changed, and how much has not changed. 

The ten key reasons cited back then all remain compelling reasons why digital nomads will find Zagreb to be attractive - its proximity to the Schengen border, excellent Engish language, safety, accessibility, affordability, a thriving tech scene, a great tourist destination, great food and wine, world-class medical tourism for your budget, and a relaxed cafe lifestyle.

And yet so much has changed.

When I wrote this article in January 2020, few people were very familiar with the digital nomad concept in Croatia. For this was before a certain Dutchman elevated the discussion to a national level by successfully inviting the Croatian Prime Minister, Andrej Plenkovic, to introduce a digital nomad visa for Croatia. Along with a number of initiatives, the introduction of the new permit on January 1, 2021 helped focus global attention on Croatia as a new DN hot spot. And while the initial expectation may have been that all nomads would be flocking to the coast, the fact is that there have been a growing number heading to Zagreb instead. 

And they are liking what they are finding. 

At this point, I should point out the role of the Zagreb Tourist Board. Together with Dubrovnik, Zagreb has been incredibly receptive and supportive of initiatives to promote Croatia as a DN destination. When I first pitched the idea of Zagreb Digital Nomad Week (ZDNW) back in June last year in partnership with Saltwater Nomads, the concept was agreed immediately, and had it not been for the pandemic, it would have taken place as part of Advent in Zagreb last year. 

In the event, Zagreb Digital Nomad Week took place in June, 7 days with 7 themes, in multiple locations all over the city. Although it was a hybrid event, several keynote speakers jumped at the chance to come to Zagreb and attend their first conference or public event in over a year.  Among them was Nimrod Dean Kuchel, an Israeli world traveller with his own DN community of 25,000 people.

His presentation, which you can see above, was one of the highlights of the week. And for a man who has visited over 100 countries in the last 8 years, his was a persepctive that I was keen to hear. Just how was Zagreb doing as a DN destination, and what was it missing?

"Zagreb ticks all the boxes," commented Dean at the end of the week. "The only thing missing here is more digital nomads."

To prove his affection for Zagreb and its potential was genuine, Dean was back a couple of months later as the official Zagreb Digital Nomad Ambassador for September.  An extension of ZDNW, the ambassador project, in partnership with Doma Zagreb Aparthotel, has been bringing in an international digital nomad for a month from July until December. 

Each ambassador comes from a different background and engages in Zagreb in a different way. Dean was extremely active, organising events with the Digital Nomad Facebook group which now numbers an impressive 7,000 members. At the end of his stay, Dean caught up with TCN before heading off to speak at the Budva Cross Border Coworking Conference earlier this month. 

For a man who can't stop travelling, he clearly was not so keen to leave. His reflections on the month in Zagreb are interesting, and they mirror some of the same messages coming from previous ambassadors - the outstanding English, safety, excellent WiFi, great coworking spaces, a green and very walkable city with a fantastic food and wine story, full of friendly locals and just a short drive to the coast. 

Veronica Mulhall, the first official Zagreb Digital Nomad Ambassador in July, had similar feelings. She loved the walkability of the city, often taking meetings on the phone, and deemed Zagreb the perfect training ground for her planned climb of Kilimanjaro. 

Both she and partner Julian fell in love with a city that they did not know anything about before Veronica applied. And now they are considering buying property in Zagreb and making it a part-time home. Julian also gave a very interesting interview, including his experiences in the city as a black tourist in the interview above. 

August brought Rudi Witkowsky from South Africa, who put Zagreb's gyms and outside spaces through its paces with his fitness regime. 

All these ambassadors have helped to add to a story which is growing nicely, and the wider Zagreb population is beginning to grasp the DN opportunity. Tanja Polegubic, CEO of Saltwater Nomads and the architect of Zagreb Digital Nomad Week, has noticed the progress. 

"Zagreb has really made a mark in 2021 as a digital nomad destination. The regular feedback I hear from digital nomads there is the sense of constant discovery - which is getting rarer these days. There's something happening everywhere you go, and a real diverse offer of food and entertainment. The Croatian capital really does win over many a remote worker's heart." 

Zagreb is well on the way to establishing itself as a leading DN destination not only in Croatia and the wider region, but also in Europe (it was the only European city in the top 5 Nomad List survey, for example). Here are just a sample of things that have happened to the Zagreb digital nomad story since that first article 21 months ago:

• A Croatian digital nomad visa was proposed by Dutch entrepreneur, Jan de Jong. As a direct result, a Croatian digital nomad permit has been in effect since January 1, 2021.
• Zagreb Digital Nomad Week won two international awards at Conventa 2021 in Ljubljana, thus further promoting Zagreb as a DN destination.  
• Zagreb ranked 43 in the world in the global Work from Anywhere Index.
• A Nomad List 2021 extensive survey of its members named Zagreb in the top 5 most liked DN cities in the world after Tokyo, Taipei, Mexico City and Taipei in October.
• There has been an explosion in opening of coworking spaces all over the city, with at least 18 now offering services. Here's the TCN guide, with map.
• Data extrapolated from Nomad List showed that Zagreb was attracting more digital nomads per month than other hot spots in the region, including Budapest, Prague and Krakow.
• Zagreb named in top 10 best congress destinations in New Europe, 3rd best for large congress facilities.
• The arrival of Ryanair has already opened up Zagreb's accessibility to new markets, with some 40 destinations from Zagreb planned by next summer, with 24 already announced and in operation (some already, the rest in December).

There is a really good energy in Zagreb at the moment, one which I think will only improve as more nomads discover it and add to the community. Why not come and visit and check it out?

For more news and features on digital nomads in Croatia, follow the dedicated TCN section.  

October 17, 2021 - European Freelancer Week kicks off tomorrow, with participants in the Dubrovnik Digital Nomads-in-Residence taking part in events in both Split and Dubrovnik.

It is a year since the first-ever dedicated digital nomad conference in Croatia. Dubrovnik for Digital Nomads was held this time last year as part of European Freelancer Week, an event delivered by Saltwater Nomads, TCN, the City of Dubrovnik, and Dubrovnik Tourist Board.

One of the highlights of the conference was the virtual presentation by Kashlee Kucheran, co-owner of the influential Travel Off Path website and community, which is dedicated to travel information for remote workers. You can read Kashlee's subsequent interview with TCN in full here, but one of the quotes of the conference - and I will confess that it surprised me a little - was in Kashlee's slide above, that Croatia was the Number 1 Digital Nomad Country in her opinion. 

Fast forward a year, and it appears that a growing number of nomads are beginning to agree with her, as Croatia was named the second-most liked country by users of Nomad List in a major survey recently. 

There is no conference in Dubrovnik for this year's European Freelancer Week (but watch this space for 2022), which runs from October 18-24, but there will be plenty of activity for participants of the award-winning Dubrovnik Digital Nomads-in-Residence program, which was delivered by the same team in April this year. 

Saltwater Nomads will be offering a week of free coworking in Split, as well as hosting what should be a very entertaining evening of good food, wine and conversation with Charlie and Sam Brown, two of the stars of the DNIR programme. 

Charlie and Sam Brown: from couple to colleagues to competitors (but still a couple!)

British digital nomad couple Charlie and Sam Brown talk about how they sold everything they own, from their successful wine business (voted the best Independent Wine Shop in the UK!) to their house for a life on the road.

They are now both freelance writers in the same field, so have gone from being colleagues to competitors.

They'll be talking about everything Life on The Road, from giving up everything they own in their mid-thirties when most of their friends were settling down, to the challenges (and advantages) of travelling as a couple, to what it's like working together, then against each other...

Meanwhile in Dubrovnik two of the very active contributors to the DNIR programme from the local Dubrovnik community, Vesna Celebic and award-winning photographer, Ivan Vukovic, will be hosting a wine night at D'Vino under the topic - Fearful + Fearless Freelancers with lessons from Dubrovnik. 

Details of all the events here. 

For more news and features about digital nomads in Croatia, follow the dedicated TCN section. 

October 15, 2021 - Digital Nomad Association Croatia launches a new service to make the accommodation search more accessible - DNA Stay.

There are interesting times in Croatia for the emerging digital nomad opportunity. Less than 18 montths after an open letter to the Croatian Prime Minister asking for a digital nomad visa for Croatia, each week seems to bring a new initiative or positive piece of good news. The recent findings in the Nomad List 2021 survey which put Croatia as the second most-liked destination and Zagreb in the top 5 most-liked cities came at the same time as the launch of the first so-called Croatian digital nomad village, Digital Nomad Valley Zadar. 

The energy of the Croatian initiative has spilled over borders, and Dutch entrepreneur Jan de Jong - whose LinkedIn post to PM Andrej Plenkovic was the catalyst for the new digital nomad permit - recently announced an imminent visa for Montenegro after his successful collaboration with officials and stakeholders in Podgorica. De Jong is also President of Digital Nomad Association Croatia, which aims to be a bridge for visiting nomads to Croatia, while also advocating nomad issues with the relevant authorities. De Jong this morning announced the latest DNA Croatia initiative, a new accommodation platform connecting DNs with long-term accommodation options, called DNA Stay:

And we are live!! DNA Stay is the new booking platform for mid- & long-term property rentals in #Croatia - targeting #digitalnomads.

DNA Stay, founded by the Digital Nomad Association Croatia - is now enabling property owners to list their apartments, houses & villas for monthly rentals, all the way up till 1 year rentals.

Over the past year, many digital nomads have reached out to me, looking for monthly rentals of apartments, houses & villas.

At the same time, property owners are approaching me, asking where they can list their properties - targeting digital nomads.

Starting today, we are bringing you the solution - kicking off with 5.000+ listings! 

If you own a property and want to rent it out to digital nomads - send an email to:
 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

If you are a digital nomad and you are looking for amazing rentals in Croatia - visit:
 DNAstay.com

DNA Stay - only rentals for mid- & long term stay! 

Thank you all so much for your continuous support throughout this entire digital nomad journey! 

Pozdrav,

Jan de Jong

President Digital Nomad Association Croatia

P.s. - Sharing is caring 

For more news and features on digital nomads in Croatia, follow the latest TCN section.

October 11, 2021 - A major Nomad List 2021 survey of the travel and lifestyle habits of digital nomads has some encouraging news: Zagreb, Split and Croatia are officially hot.

Let's start with what the data is based on, as explained by Nomad List:

Remote work is now on an exponential trajectory and growing fast. With its growth, millions of people who are now newly working remotely from home, a cafe, or coworking space, will start to realize how mobile they've come and hit the road. In this report, we try to figure out who these nomads are, what work do they do, and how they spend their life based on data from tens of thousands of Nomad List members.

This page is generated live with data pulled straight from the database. Conclusions you can derive from this are always limited and merely indicative but possibly interesting. Nomad List is a paid membership community, which means there's a selection bias as people who do not or cannot pay are not in the dataset. On the other hand, free digital nomad communities, like on Facebook, require no commitment to join, therefore it's not clear if these people are merely aspirational or active nomads or not. On Nomad List we can confirm they are active based on their travel logs.

There are lots of interesting insights into the digital nomad lifestyle, which you can browse through on the link above.  

Before we get to Croatia, here are some interesting - at least to me - findings. According to the survey:

80% not religious

66% are single

66% earn between $50,000 and $250,000 a year

12% are vegetarian

13% are vegan

Favourite activities are hiking, fitness and running 

97% are vaccinated

88% had a happy childhood

The average stay in a country is 69 days

Only 7% of nomads stay in a location for a year, (which ties in with last month's TCN editorial Has the Croatian Digital Nomad Permit Been a Success So Far?)

And now, let's get to Croatia.

Most liked country - Croatia,number 2, after Japan. 

Most liked city in the world - Zagreb, number 5, after Tokyo, Taipei, Mexico City and Cape Town

Most liked city by male nomads - Split, number 9

Most visited country - Croatia, number 27

You can see the whole Nomad List 2021 survey here.

For more news and features on digital nomads in Croatia, follow the dedicated TCN section.

October 7, 2021 - The 2021 Olive Picking World Championship kicks off this week in Postira on Brac, with the usual strong international lineup, and a new kid on the block - Team Digital Nomads.

With the main tourist season coming to a close, the thoughts of most Dalmatians turn to the fields, and their precious olive groves. 

But for one small part of the island of Brac, a unique idea back in 2017 combined tourism with the traditional olive harvest. 

Postira launched the Olive Picking World Championship four years ago, an event which has grown in stature (and international appeal) since its inception. After becoming a casualty of the pandemic last year, the 4th edition of the Olive Picking World Championship will take place this week, from October 8-10, in th fields of Postira. 

And it has become a truly international event, with olive picking techniques from as far away as New Zealand taking part in the past.  

Defending champions Montenegro have withdrawn at a late stage sadly, but there is still a high quality international flavour to this year's competition. Each team consists of four pickers, two male and two female, and there is a new kind of team this year to compete with the other 9 registered nationalities - Team Digital Nomad. 

1. Poland
2. Hungary
3. Slovenia
4. France
5. South Africa
6. Russia
7. Slovenia
8. Israel
9. Digital nomads
10. Croatia.

The team of four ar all participants in the award-winning Dubrovnik Digital Nomads-in-Residence progamme earlier this year. 

The DN team has an international quality, with the quartet of former Dubrovnik nomads-in-residence hailing from Wales, Holland, USA and England, with a coach from Australia.

The coaching started earlier this week in Montenegro at the Cross Border Coworking Conference in Budva, where olive-picking techniques while holding a beer will bring a fresh perspective to the 2021 Postira championships (see video below). 

A great event, one more small example of great authentic experiences outside the season. 

You can follow progress on the Postira Tourist Board Facebook page, and TCN will bring you an in-depth report on this year's olive champion. 

Never experienced an olive harvest? After 18 years as a Dalmatian 'zet' (son-in-law), it has become part of my DNA - learn more in Natural Stress Relief: the Olive Harvest in Dalmatia.

Want to learn more about olive oil in Croatia? Check out the TC olive oil guide.

October 7, 2021 - Regional collaboration on show, as Jan de Jong annnounces the imminent Montenegro Digital Nomad Visa.

In the words of Split-based Dutch entrepreneur, Jan de Jong, whose efforts to promote digital nomad tourism in Croatia have now officially gone regional, as can be seen from his latest post on LinkedIn:   

BREAKING - #Montenegro  will follow into Croatia's footsteps as it plans to introduce a Digital Nomad Visa by beginning of 2022 

I would like to thank Minister Tamara Srzentić MS MBA & State Secretary Marina Banovic - from the Ministry of Public Administration, Digital Society and Media in Montenegro - for supporting legislative changes, turning Montenegro into a digital nomad welcoming country. 

It's amazing to see how you recognize the opportunity of opening your borders to #DigitalNomads. Thank you for your support to make this a reality. 

I strongly believe that the entire Adriatic region can benefit from becoming a hotspot for remote work professionals - and this region has all ingredients to make that happen. 

It's an honor and true pleasure to be part of this process. Step by step, we are moving forward to a more sustainable region.

Milovan Novakovic MRICS - thank you for all your efforts and facilitating this meeting. 

Montenegro - I applaud you for your progress 

Regards from Podgorica,

Jan

Follow me on #LinkedIn to never miss an update on this exciting new journey 

The announcement follows months of discussions with de Jong and his Montenegrin counterparts, and it is another concrete example of the cross border collaboration that is strengthening the remote work opportunity in the region. 

The LinkedIn announcement was accompanied with a photo of the key stakeholders on this initiative - from left to right in the lead photo above:

Milovan Novaković who contacted me last year, for me to help him push this in Montenegro,. Minister Tamara Srzentić, and State Secretary Marina Banovic. Both are from the Ministry of Public Administration, Digital Society and Media in Montenegro.

De Jong is currently in Montenegro, having just taken part in the two-day Cross Border Coworking Conference in Budva. You can read more about the event in TCN's coverage of the first day - Croatian Digital Nomad Energy Crosses Border at Budva CBCC 2021. He spoke to TCN about the current momentum:

It's great to see how countries like B&H and Montenegro are following closely what is happening in Croatia - which has demonstrated true leadership by being among first countries in the world to welcome digital nomads.

What is even more fascinating to see is how Croatia private sector is leaning in on this opportunity.

This Cross-Border Co-working Conference was the perfect platform to share experiences with the goal to turn the entire region into a hotspot for remote work professionals.

The feedback we got from digital nomads like Kate, Steve and Dean - about the attractiveness of this region for digital nomads was more than pleasant and only confirms that this region has all ingredients to become a top destination for digital nomads.

For the latest news and features on digital nomads in Croatia, follow the dedicated TCN section.