August 8, 2019 - Tourism works well when there is a balance between the ration of number of tourists and residents. An overtourism map featuring Dubrovnik and Croatia.

There are several ways to look at the issue of overtourism globally, and one simple method puts Croatia and Dubrovnik at the top of the global map of overtourism. 

A new map published earlier this year looks at the tourist countries and destinations which have the highest ratio of tourists to residents in the world. 

When comparing the ratio of tourists to residents, Croatia has the second-highest number of tourists per capita (3.78) behind only Iceland. 

Dubrovnik Old Town comes in third at 1,000 tourists per resident. 

Interestingly, the next European country in the list is Austria at 3.34. 

To see the map and the full list of the top ten countries and destination, visit the original article on Vivid Maps.

Tourism revenue for Austria was US$22.4 billion. For Croatia, it was US$10.7 billion. 

The Croatian Bureau of Statistics reported yesterday an increase of cruise ships (10.6%) and cruise ship passengers (14.1%) for the first 6 months of 2019.

Croatian tourism needs a reset, at least in my opinion. Apart from the negative environmental impact on its prized jewel, the Adriatic coast, due to the mass tourism of the summer months on the coast, a better ratio between number of tourists and local residents is crucial for successful tourism and local quality of living. 

Rather than just criticise, here are 5 gifts and trends I believe Croatia should focus on to develop its tourism with an eye to the future and away from the concentration on the summer months and most popular destinations - Branding Croatia: 5 Gifts and Trends to Focus On. 

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

August 8, 2019 - The cruise ship numbers in Croatia keep on growing, reports the Croatian Bureau of Statistics. 

Cruise tourism is booming, and nowhere more so than Croatia, which is reporting a big rise in traffic for the first 6 months of 2019, according to the Croatian Bureau of Statistics: 

In the first six months of 2019, 272 journeys of foreign vessels on cruise were realised.

In the period from January to June 2019, there were 54 foreign vessels on cruise that arrived in Croatian seaports, which realised 272 journeys. There were 409 thousand passengers on board who stayed for 554 days in Croatia.

The highest number of cruises was realised by vessels under the flags of Malta (72 cruises) and Italy (45 cruises), while the highest number of passengers on board the arrived vessels were under the flags of Italy (108 thousand passengers) and Panama (100 thousand passengers).
 
Out of a total of 272 journeys of foreign vessels on cruise, the majority was realised in the County of Dubrovnik-Neretva (60.3%) and the County of Split-Dalmatia (25.3%), which makes up the total of 85.6%. The remaining 14.4% of journeys were realised in the following counties: Zadar (5.9%), Istria (4.8%), Primorje-Gorski kotar (2.6%) and Šibenik-Knin (1.1%). 

The most visited seaport was the seaport of Dubrovnik, followed by the seaports of Split and Zadar
 
The majority of visits of foreign vessels on cruise were realised in the seaport of Dubrovnik (195 visits), followed by the seaports of Split (104 visits) and Zadar (45 visits). 

Increase in the number of journeys, passengers and sojourns of foreign vessels on cruise

In the period from January to June 2019, the number of journeys of foreign vessels on cruise increased by 10.6% and the total number of sojourns by 6.1%, as compared to the same period of 2018. In the aforementioned period of 2019, the number of passengers on board increased by 14.8%, as compared to the same period of 2018.

(Source: Croatian Bureau of Statistics)

The busiest ports. It is interesting to note that Split's expansion in hosting cruise shop tourism continues. It is now at 53% of Dubrovnik's numbers in terms of ships visiting. 

One of the challenges for destinations and cruise tourism in Croatia is that the destinations have little to no control on cruise ship numbers, as this is controlled by the Port Authority. For the Port Authority, more ships means more revenue. 

It is interesting to note that the Ministry of Tourism's 7-year strategic plan from 2013 - 2020 had a focus on maritime ecology at the heart of its strategy. A little like the 30 golf courses promised next year but none yet started, the ecology pledge of 2013 seems to have little to do with the 2019 reality and the expanding cruise ship tourism sector. 

SPLIT, August 7, 2019 - The mayors of Split and Dubrovnik, Andro Krstulović Opara and Mato Franković, who have recently held a series of meetings on negative effects of the liberalisation of the taxi services market on those two coastal cities, have sent letters to Prime Minister Andrej Plenković and Transport and Infrastructure Minister Oleg Butković with proposals how to amend the relevant legislation.

The two mayors emphasise that the liberalisation of the market which has been enabled by existing Road Transport Law, has negatively affected normal street traffic, which is causing problems also for emergency services, according to a press release issued by the Office of the Split Mayor on Wednesday.

Therefore, they urge the government and the transport ministry to amend the legislation whereby local authorities in the cities and towns whose centres are added to the UNESCO World Heritage List can on their own decide on the number of licences issued to taxi drivers and on terms and conditions for providers of taxi services.

The mayors believe that their proposals would contribute to efforts to solve the current problems and therefore they hope that their endeavours will be supported by the competent ministry.

The Road Transport Act, which was passed by the parliament in April 2018, is intended to liberalise taxi services, facilitate licensing and abolish the mandatory tests for drivers for the area they cover.

The government said then that it expected that with the liberalisation of the market the number of taxi drivers would double. At the time their number currently stood at about 3,000, which the government thought was too few for a tourist country such as Croatia. The law was adopted also with an aim to make taxi services cheaper.

Before the passage of the law, the head of the Taxi Drivers Association at the Croatian Chamber of Trades and Crafts (HOK), Božo Miletić, said that the government-sponsored bill on road transport favoured Uber and would cause the demise of 3,000 drivers who were registered as small business owners.

More news about taxi services can be found in the Business section.

It is expected to be the most luxurious resort in Croatia, though it could also be a major turning point in Croatian tourism as we know it - meet Aman Cavtat.

The ground will break for the construction of Aman Cavtat at the end of this year, and if all goes to plan, the new resort could act as a catalyst for all current and future investments in the country, as has happened in Montenegro, writes Petros Stathis for Poslovni.hr, an investor in Montenegro and the region and the co-owner of Aman Resorts Group.

Croatia is ready to take the next step in its tourism development - a step on the international stage as a luxury destination,  Stathis adds. 

Learning from the examples of Montenegro and the shift in tourism initiated by Aman Sveti Stefan, it is time for Croatia to taste the same sweetness of success. Aman Cavtat, worth 50 million euros, whose construction is set to begin at the end of the year, will mark a significant turning point for tourism in Croatia and the Balkans as a whole.

This is another example of the importance of foreign investment in the economic growth of the region and the importance of building on the business success of investors and the interests of the local tourist boards. 

The goal for Croatia is simple because it follows the goals set for every investment and construction of a resort anywhere in the world - which is to leave a lasting legacy the country will be proud of and which will encourage further development.

Stathis explains that Aman Cavtat is a project to build the most beautiful and luxurious resort in Croatia, which will be erected without disturbing the harmony of nature, and promises to respect the local infrastructure. The opportunity is enormous because it acts as a catalyst for all current and future investments - as it happened in Montenegro.

Stathis goes on to say that Aman Sveti Stefan Resort in Montenegro has raised the level of the hospitality industry, showing that accountability and respect for the area in which you operate can be evidence that a well-designed and well-executed project can create hundreds and even thousands of jobs for the local, population and, by doing so, it will attract new investments.

Foreign investment today accounts for more than 30 percent of Montenegro's GDP, most of which can be attributed to tourism, but also to the country, which has created a good investment climate for foreign investors.

In recent years, tourist authorities in Montenegro have made considerable efforts to move the country away from cheap tourism to extremely luxurious projects such as Aman Sveti Stefan, thus attracting tourists with higher spending power. This has also made the market more attractive to foreign investors hungry for a substantial return on investment.

After the renovation of Aman Sveti Stefan ten years ago, the Financial Times newspaper called it "the first sign of a revival of Montenegro's luxury tourism." It is tourism that today accounts for more than 20 percent of Montenegro's GDP and is projected to grow to 30 percent by 2028.

Aman Sveti Stefan was followed by projects such as Porto Montenegro, which boasts a marina for expensive yachts, a five-star hotel and a shopping village, luxury villas, a heliport, and a museum. The estimated investment in Porto Montenegro so far is over €450 million, which is a big boost for the local economy. 

By learning from Montenegro’s experience, Aman Cavtat has the potential to play a vital role in the development of current investments, while supporting local development, business, and employment today and in the future.

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

August 4, 2019 - The latest news from around Croatia’s airports for new flights to Croatia with updates from Dubrovnik, Split and Pula. 

All Nippon Airways (ANA), known as Japan’s largest airline, comes back to Dubrovnik this summer with charter services from Tokyo and Osaka, reports Ex Yu Aviation.

The charters, which are operated by Japan’s largest tour operator, will run from Dubrovnik to Tokyo on September 7 and Osaka on September 21. Flights will depart at 20.30 and 20.55. ANA will operate this service using a Boeing 787-9 aircraft with a capacity of up to 395 passengers. 

Recall, Croatia and Japan are looking to launch non-stop flights in the future. 

"Discussions between the aeronautical authorities of Japan and the Republic of Croatia are continuing. A tentative framework has been reached until the conclusion of an Air Services Agreement between the two countries. Considering the possibility and forecasts, there is sufficient air traffic demand for scheduled air services between Japan and the Republic of Croatia in the future,” the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said after the first round of negotiations were last in November 2018. 

In other flight news, Avio Radar reports that Irish national carrier Aer Lingus has announced its 2020 flight schedule, which neither boosts nor decreases operations to Croatia. Even though their low-cost competition Ryanair launched two new routes this year from Dublin to Dubrovnik and Split, bringing four new flights a week on both routes, Aer Lingus has maintained the same number of flights. 

Namely, Aer Lingus will operate the same schedule as this year, with two flights on the Dubrovnik-Cork line, daily on the Dubrovnik-Dublin line and four times a week on the Pula-Dublin route. The Dubrovnik-Dublin route will begin operating two weeks earlier than this year, on April 3, 2020. 

The Irish airline will maintain four flights a week on the Dublin-Split route, though the flight days will change. Thus, since both airlines operated this route four times a week on the same days this year (Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, Sundays), Aer Lingus will operate on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays in 2020 instead. Ryanair’s 2020 summer flight schedule is still unknown. 

Tickets are currently on sale until June 2020, so the end of the summer flight schedule is presently unknown. The Airbus A320 will fly on all lines.

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

July 31, 2019 - As the Ministry of Tourism restricts access to the transparent and award-winning eVisitor statistics system and last available statistics pointing to another record season, many destinations are reporting the exact opposite. So is anyone having a record season in Croatia? Meet Vanja Jelic Stjepovic from Adriatic Travel Collection.

A few days ago, I posted on my Facebook wall that I was looking for any tourism businesses who were indeed having a record season to be featured on TCN. Although it is the peak season and people were busy, I was expecting a few replies. I have received just two replies, which you can read below (the offer is still open, details at the bottom of this article). The first interview I did with Ante Lacman of Hvar Tours caused plenty of discussion in certain circles. This was followed by a success story from the sailboats - Chris Tabone from Koda Sail.

Next up, a really brilliant interview for the luxury tourism sector based in Dubrovnik, Vanja Jelic from Adriatic Travel Collection.

Tell us a bit about your business and what you do.

Located in the heart of Dubrovnik, one of the treasures of Croatia, Adriatic Travel Collection boasts more than 15 years of in-country experience crafting high-quality, bespoke itineraries from family tours to romantic escapes, ensuring seamless and memorable journeys. We provide complete incoming services to respectable clients from all over the world. However, I must stress that our main market is the Northern American Luxury Market.  With our extensive local destination knowledge, we help our clients discover the Adriatic’s extraordinary places. The destinations in our portfolio are as diverse as the geography that defines them - from the hilltop towns and country estates of Istria to the fishing ports and island villages of Dalmatia - reflecting singular lifestyles where history, nature, food and wine take precedence.

Our core business are the individuals and small groups where we can really pay attention to every single detail during their trip and sometimes the list of details can be really long, trust me. 

Delicious food, charming hotels, stunning architecture, great nature, scenic landscapes, friendly people and a multitude of history and culture await them. They will relax in carefully selected hotels that are centrally located and offer the best service. Meet our local guides, who have been living in their cities their whole lives and know each corner, and who will show them all the hidden gems of the real Croatia. As we are a small team, we have invested in technology, so all our savvy clients have a mobile-friendly app with their itineraries with them. These apps allow us to communicate with the clients on a non-stop basis which makes them feel secure and in good hands. 

Lots of people are complaining about a terrible season - how is it for you?

This season has been great for us, actually our best season so far. Next one should be even better. As the planning for our trips starts way before the new year, by the time it was only January we felt snowed under emails for 2019 season trips. 

Luxury travel still tries to be planned ahead of time, in order to secure the best rooms with the best views, best local guides and tables for two in the most acknowledged Croatian restaurants. However the trend of last-minute bookings has affected luxury travel too, but by building long-lasting relationships on the ground, we pull together those itineraries in the same way as we pull the long-planned ones too. In the end, it is all about those relationships. No matter how hard we planned and how much time we invested in a booking, in the end, the clients see our guides and drivers and skippers who are delivering magic to them. Those are the people we should be investing in, they are the best ambassadors of Croatia. 

Furthermore, it also helps that we are all born and raised in Croatia and we know the people or we know the people who know the people. Our clients like to feel special, so when the cook comes out and says hello in the best Dubrovnik restaurant, it means a lot to them. Agents we work with are top-end luxury travel advisors in North America and they claim Croatia is on fire. Even it looks to us that we are overcrowded and that everybody knows about Croatia, the luxury travel market is still evolving and has huge potential, which is growing from year to year. We try to pamper both our agents and their clients while in the country to the maximum level so both of them feel completely secure in the knowledge that this is the best trip of a lifetime. Our biggest compliments are the referral bookings that we are getting as the clients are just raving about about the services, country experiences they had on their trips.

What services, in particular, are proving popular?

In our world, the most popular services are the most private, tailor-made itineraries created for each specific need of our clients. They are all different and come with a different set of expectations.¸ Working exclusively with travel professionals, we as travel “composers” apply true artistry in creating custom private journeys, shore excursions, and yacht and gullet charters.

With our guidance and assistance, travellers can learn more, go further, and get closer to the highlights of our amazing country. Our programs include private custom museum visits, UNESCO World Heritage Sites expert sightseeing, cookery classes on country estates, wine and olive oil tours, truffle-hunting, oyster harvesting, private sailing and yachting trips, heli rides, romantic dinners, private opera concerts, nature and city walks, first-class restaurant reservations etc.

Our clients have a short time to discover Croatia which is mostly 7 to 10 days. Within the prescribed time frame they do want to see it all, as for the majority of them this is the first time in Croatia. We need to know their preferences and fit them to make the most memorable experience. 

Out of all the programs that we deliver I would like to stress out 2 which have proved to be the most popular ones as are covering the most and are best for 1^st in Croatia. 

The best of Adriatic

There is no better way to experience Croatia than by private motor yacht, exploring the most expansive Mediterranean coastline, spending a night in different ports such as Hvar, Brac or Korcula. There are over a thousand Croatian islands waiting to be discovered. The small towns and ports, gently rolling hills, spectacular beaches and coves, lush vineyards, and vibrant nightlife make it the perfect island getaway. If you add a couple of nights in Split beforehand and end in Dubrovnik, this certainly makes a trip to remember. Our local supplier is investing in their portfolio so the number of exclusive yachts is increasing. Adriatic Travel Collection has exclusive charter options with the flexibility to opt for a 3, 5 or 7-day private cruise starting in either Split or Dubrovnik.

Highlights of Croatia is our second GO TO program especially popular in the pre and postseason when the swimming is not the priority for the trip, where our clients try to sense the best of Croatia. In just a week, with plenty of elegance, they will discover major highlights of our amazing country starting in Zagreb, Plitvice, Split, and Dubrovnik. They will walk the upper town of Zagreb, hike around the Plitvice lakes to escape the crowds, go to afternoon visit to Diocletian Palace followed by a great dinner in one of the local places, have private oyster tasting on the islet in front of Ston, have an early morning Stradun walk, then around the city walls.

And indulge in as much as they can from our culture. 

You can learn more about these itineraries here.

Why do you think so many people are complaining?

I have personally been in travel since 2004 starting back in Atlas when this was still a major Croatia DMC, working my way through Abercrombie and Kent, which is the most luxurious tour operator in the world, to starting my own business in 2012 and I'm really sick and tired of the statistics. Actually wrong statistics that prove nothing but the number of people who came to Croatia. I am also tired of people who always complain. They have to start changing their offer, finding their niche. 80’s tourism is in the past and the majority are still offering just that, sun and sea. It is actually that simple. 

Are you happy with the direction of Croatian tourism? What would you improve?

As I specialize in luxury travel this is the only segment I will be talking about and as in every aspect, there is still huge room for improvement. We strongly miss the big hotel brand names that stand behind their level of service and have their loyal customers. The luxury marinas are also heavily missed. I am just afraid that we have lost the opportunity while our neighbors took advantage. We should make it easier for foreign investments. 

On the other hand, there are some very positive stories, such as Stories, the Croatian luxury hotel brand, where the small local properties are trying to position themselves on the market and are doing a great job. You have some small properties that are fully booked for months in advance. Instagram is raving about them. 

Furthermore, even though it sounds a cliché, we need to figure out how to do year-round tourism. Italy does not have just a summer season, right? And yet we share the same climate and culture... so it just about us then how to position it. We need to get more flights in the winter season. The new American Airlines direct flight is for sure something positive, let's hope in 2020 it will be longer.

To learn more about Adriatic Travel Collection and their services, check out the official website.

ZAGREB, July 29, 2019 - Prime Minister Andrej Plenković participated in Dubrovnik on Sunday in the final conference of the 33.8 million kuna "Lazareti Project - The Creative District of Dubrovnik", in which the EU participated with 26 million kuna.

Plenković said the renovated Lazareti neighbourhood would contribute to Dubrovnik's rich cultural offer and give a new dimension to the many associations that would operate on its premises.

"I'm especially pleased the project was co-financed with European Union funds... Absorbing European funds was a necessary step for Dubrovnik because the EU gives added value to the renovation and promotion of the cultural heritage," he said.

Culture Minister Nina Obuljen Koržinek said the associations that would be based at Lazareti were key for the cultural life of Dubrovnik all year round. She underlined the importance of EU funding for "the sustainable management of our heritage," saying her ministry would make a big step forward in applying for the money.

The Lazareti Project is aimed at enhancing the management of Dubrovnik's cultural heritage and expanding the city's cultural and tourism products.

For centuries, the Lazareti district served as the quarantine station of the Dubrovnik Republic. The district was built from 1627 to 1643.

More Dubrovnik news can be found in the Lifestyle section.

July 28, 2019 - Croatia's crazy weather continues with Dubrovnik's famous Stradun flooded in late July after torrential rain. 

Today is arguably the craziest day of weather in this crazy summer of 2019. 

We went to bed with firefighters battling a huge fire near Sibenik which temporarily closed to main A1 motorway from Zagreb to Split. 

We awoke to 50 firefighters another huge fire near Zarace on Hvar, as 50 firefighters battles the blaze successfully. 

Rain came to assist the heroic Sibenik fighters, and the situation is now under control.

But that rain continued. And how. You can see more of the crazy weather in our earlier roundup, including three waterspouts on Krk and fallen trees in Split.  

And now, the latest symbol of Croatia's troubled summer. Stradun, the heart of the old town of Dubrovnik flooded as well, as captured by Luka Kovacic. 

Time to ask the question again - Does Croatian Tourism Have a Plan B If Climate Change is Real?

The City of Dubrovnik has launched a new service on the city administration's official website, where you can buy vouchers online for stopping in special traffic zones. 

This is yet another in the series of Smart City measures to better coordinate and manage traffic in the contact area of the old city core, which is most heavily burdened by crowds, reports HRTurizam on July 26, 2019.

Namely, with this service, travel agencies and vehicle owners will be able to buy online vouchers according to available periods, which will significantly accelerate the process on-site in special traffic zones. For vouchers purchased on the internet, employees will not have to create an invoice and pay for bus drivers and tourist guides.

Thus, this will reduce crowds, evenly allocate the burden on city entrances, and help to achieve sustainable traffic management. This service will also greatly facilitate the organization of agencies because they will immediately receive a bill for their fee, while the billing process is significantly shortened.

By the end of the year, online purchases will be an additional option with the current billing method, while by 2020, the service will be completely transferred to the online voucher format.

Recall, the decision to stop and park tourist buses and personal cars (8 + 1) in special traffic zones, regulates the stopping and parking of tourist buses and personal cars in the wider area around the historic core of the city, which includes Zagrebačka Street, Pile, Ploče, the area behind the city, Zlatni Potok and Sveti Jakov.

The fee when each individual vehicle stops, parks, and unloads passengers is as follows: for personal cars (8 + 1) 200 kuna, medium buses from 9 to 30 seats are 400 kuna, and for buses over 30 seats, it is 800 kuna. All fees are charged between 1 March to 30 November from 7:00 to 21:00.

You can find the vouchers in e-services of the City of Dubrovnik here.

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

July 26, 2019 - From plastic bottles to nautical bracelets, meet the new Break Time #reCYCLED collection. 

Croatia is catching onto the plastic-free movement, which can be seen in just some examples of introducing reusable cups at the two sold-out Foo Fighters’ concerts at the Pula Arena to initiating actions at the Motovun Film Festival. Though it’s not hard to see why, considering the world is currently producing 300 million tons of plastic each year. 

Today, we have even more good news as we bring you yet another example of one Croatian company saying no to plastic - Break Time nautical jewelry. 

Namely, Croatia’s favorite jewelry team has introduced a brand new collection that vows to do its part in reducing plastic waste - meet the #reCYCLED by Break Time nautical jewelry collection. 

“We are committed to doing our small part in reducing plastic waste, so we have partnered up with one of the oldest rope factories in Europe - Langman (operating since 1638 in the Netherlands), and we are proud to use - for our new #reCYCLED by Break Time® collection - their absolutely innovative yachting ropes, produced for us in beautiful colors (navy blue, red, bright orange, bright green) and - most importantly - made 100% of recycled plastic,” said Break Time when they announced the new collection on Thursday, and further revealed that 40 PET bottled are used to make 1 kilogram of yachting rope. 

You can have a look at the entire collection here. 

Fortunately, you can help save the planet, too.  The new #reCYCLED by Break Time collection is available now online at www.nautical-bracelets.com and over the coming days in Break Time’s five Croatian locations: 

Ilica 14, ZAGREB

Zadarska 1, SPLIT

Trogirska 8, SPLIT

Antuninska 5, DUBROVNIK

Via Arsenale 10, ROVINJ

To make sure you never miss a Break Time beat, follow them on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. 

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