May the 17th, 2022 - The brand new Dubrovnik public lighting system is set to save Croatia's southernmost city and tourist Mecca a significant two million kuna per year.

As the Republic of Croatia turns more and more towards the European Union's wider goal of becoming more green and employing much more environmentally friendly tactics across the board, public lighting systems and converting them from energy inefficiency to energy efficiency with the use of new lamps is one of the priorities across the country.

As Morski writes, the City of Dubrovnik has initiated a public procurement procedure for the project of the reconstruction and modernisation of the Dubrovnik public lighting system. Bids are being collected until June the 10th, and 14 million kuna has already been secured for this project which is set to save the city a decent amount of money each year.

The project of the complete reconstruction and modernisation of the Dubrovnik public lighting system includes 3739 obsolete lighting fixtures in the wider city area. The existing system consists of 46 different types of energy inefficient and environmentally unacceptable lamps, which will be replaced by high-efficiency LED lamps, they stated from the Dubrovnik city administration, emphasising that this will contribute to further environmental protection and the overall energy efficiency of Croatian public lighting systems.

They also stated that the annual financial savings on electricity costs that will be achieved by this reconstruction and modernisation of the Dubrovnik public lighting system, when compared to the current situation, will be more than two million kuna, and will significantly reduce the cost of maintaining the system on top of that as well.

The money needed for this Dubrovnik-based project will be secured by a HBOR loan with a repayment period of seven years and a fixed interest rate of 0.5 percent.

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated lifestyle section.

May 16, 2022 - The latest flight news to Croatia as the highly anticipated seasonal United Airlines Dubrovnik flight from New York returns at the end of the month!

United Airlines is renewing its regular seasonal route between New York (Newark Airport) and Dubrovnik in a few weeks. The line started operating last year and has proven to be very successful for the American airline, reports Croatian Aviation. 

United Airlines will soon return to Croatia when the first wide-body aircraft from New York will land at Dubrovnik Airport. United introduced this line last summer, shortly after Croatia announced clear criteria for entry from the United States into Croatia. The American Delta Air Lines did the same, so the two airlines offered 8 weekly flights between New York (John F. Kennedy and Newark Airports) and Dubrovnik.

Delta gave up the line to Dubrovnik this winter, leaving room to return to southern Croatia next summer, but United took the opportunity to be the only airline to offer a direct connection between the United States and Croatia.

United Airlines B767-300ER aircraft will operate four times a week on the route between New York and Dubrovnik, departing from Dubrovnik every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday, from May 29 to September 29 this year.

Last summer, United Airlines operated on a regular route from the beginning of July to the end of September, while this year the operations start at the end of May and remain in operation until the end of September. Thanks to a longer flight availability period, the airline is offering 8,000 more seats this summer season compared to last year (29,960 compared to 21,928 seats from the 2021 summer season).

Croatia Airlines and United Airlines, two Star Alliance Group members, have signed a code-share agreement, so it is possible to buy tickets on the website of the American carrier departing from Zagreb to New York with a transfer in Dubrovnik.

For more on flights to Croatia and other travel announcements, make sure to check out our dedicated travel section.

May 13, 2022 - The latest flight news to Croatia as Croatia Airlines Zurich flights and Turkish Airlines Croatia flights are announced from next month.

Croatia Airlines and the Dubrovnik Tourist Board presented in Zurich to Swiss business (B2B) journalists and travel agents. The presentation was also attended by Andrea Bekić, Ambassador of the Republic of Croatia to Switzerland and Slobodan Mikac, Consul General of the Republic of Croatia in Switzerland, reports Croatian Aviation.

This year's Croatia Airlines summer flight schedule was presented with an emphasis on direct international flights from Dubrovnik to Zurich, which are planned from June 1, 2022, four times a week - Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. Return tickets are available to passengers on this route for as little as 143 euros.

On the same day, regular flights from Zurich to Split will run four times a week - on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. In addition, daily flights between Zurich and Zagreb are available to passengers from Switzerland.

Dubrovnik is a distinct air destination and the development of air transport is very important for the tourist facilities of the city and Dubrovnik-Neretva County, which offer domestic and foreign tourists a wealth of natural, historical, cultural and many other beauties and features.

This season, Croatia Airlines will connect Croatia with 21 international destinations, i.e., 22 European airports, flying on 41 international routes. In that period, more than 16,000 flights and about 1,766,000 seats will be offered.

Furthermore, Croatian Aviation reports that Turkish Airlines announced its flight schedule for June. It plans to increase the number of weekly rotations to Croatia, which includes flights between Istanbul, Zagreb and Dubrovnik.

Flights between Istanbul and Zagreb will continue to operate 14 times a week and 2 times a day, respectively, with morning and evening departures from Zagreb Airport, but a larger number of flights has been announced to Dubrovnik Airport.

Namely, as of Monday, June 13, Turkish Airlines plans to operate daily between Istanbul and Dubrovnik, which will increase the number of weekly flights to and from Croatia to 21.

Narrow-body A320 and A321 aircraft have been announced to Zagreb and Dubrovnik.

For more on flights to Croatia and other travel announcements, make sure to check out our dedicated travel section.

May 13, 2022 - Continuing our look at last week's Work. Place. Culture. conference - and diverse conference locations - in Dubrovnik, with an overview of the first day, as global remote workers bond and network in the Pearl of the Adriatic. 

It is a little over 18 months since Dubrovnik publicly dipped its toes into the world of digital nomads with the Dubrovnik for Digital Nomads conference. The event, the first of its kind in Croatia, was the start of a new direction towards a more sustainable tourism direction for the city which has been plagued by overtourism in recent years. This was followed by the award-winning Digital Nomads-in-Residence program - the first of its kind in the world - where the city, community and 10 resident nomads co-created a roadmap to help Dubrovnik develop a strategy to meet the needs of the future of work for remote workers interested in spending time in the city. 

Both events attracted considerable international attention, and last week;'s Work. Place. Culture. conference demonstrated how much Dubrovnik is now part of this emerging story, as a number of top names in the world of remote work travelled to the city to attend the event, and Dubrovnik continues to pivot itself as a pioneering destination in the field. 

Work. Place. Culture. was a collaboration between the City of Dubrovnik, Dubrovnik Tourist Board, Saltwater Nomads, and Total Croatia News - as both earlier events had been - but with additional partnership this time with the Croatian National Tourist Board, Digital Nomad Association Croatia, and Dubrovnik Heritage. The unity of purpose of key stakeholders, especially the public and private partnership, has been a key element in Croatia's success.

As we reported previously, the welcome party in the spectacular Sponza Palace (sponsored by the Croatian National Tourist Board) in the heart of the UNESCO Old Town provided the perfect welcome. Sponza Palace was just one of several spectacular settings for the conference, and an example of how the backdrop of Dubrovnik, its beauty and its heritage, can significantly enhance the conference experience with its varied and flexible locations. In the second of this four-part look at the 4 days of the Work. Place. Culture. conference, we look at Day 1, which was mainly located in Lazareti, but with some fabulous outdoor extra locations as well. 

Having hosted both Dubrovnik for Digital Nomads and the Digital Nomads-in-Residence program, as well as the first co-working space in the city, Lazareti is the cultural home of the Dubrovnik digital nomad story. Its use as such is the latest in a long list of creative uses of the space which has quite a history and which recently underwent complete renovation.  Its original purpose had been a quarantine base for traders and travellers wanting to visit the city (Dubrovnik is credited as the birthplace of quarantine back in 1377). Today, in addition to conferences, its multiple waterfront spaces - both inside and out - are used for concerts, conferences, exhibitions and other events. The historic buildings just a few metres from the famous old town walls and Banje beach, are the ideal base for a conference with multiple components and locations to explore. 

And so to the rich list of speakers from all over the world, experts in the field of remote work. To give an indication of the quality of the lineup assembled by Saltwater Nomads, Mandy Fransz of Make the Leap Digital was one of 3 of the top 10 LinkedIn voices on remote work speaking at the conference. Fransz was the first keynote speaker on Day 1, charting her story of how she built up her remote work business after quitting her job at LinkedIn, and then offering her services and LinkedIn expertise to help others leverage their LinkedIn profiles to improve their businesses.

Her top piece of advice for remote workers: LinkedIn is the world's most powerful online network with more than 810 million users who you can tap into at the comfort of your own fingertips. If you're not investing in building your personal brand as a remote professional on LinkedIn, you're missing out on massive business potential.

(Please note that recordings of the individual presentations will be added to this article as they become available.)

One of the most eagerly-awaited keynote speeches at Work. Place. Culture. joining from Australia was Aaron McEwan, who as VP, Research & Advisory for Gartner’s HR Practice for Gartner a $4.1 billion company and member of the S&P 500, he provides strategic advice to some of the biggest companies on the planet about the future of work. Recently named as a Top 100 Global HR Influencer and one of 5 HR Leaders to Follow in 2022, Aaron is clearly a voice worth listening to on the subject of the future of work.

And for an overview of the radical shift in work and the need for a radically more flexible approach, McEwan's presentation was outstanding, as he showed how the way we relate to work has fundamentally changed. McEwan is advocating for radical flexibility as a major solution to the Great Resignation and one of the biggest movements of talent we have ever seen. He likened the pandemic to hybrid work revolution to a seismic change on the way we work on a level such as the invention of electricity to the industrial revolution, or the Internet to the digital revolution. The pandemic has changed the way we work and society, and people now want a different relationship to work. Competition for talent is at an unprecedented - and global - level, and across all sectors. In addition to this, there is also competition from lifestyles, priorities and alternative careers. Radical flexibility from employers - extending beyond merely from home - is needed, and research has shown that companies implementing radical flexibility strategies enjoy improved productivity. 

Sarah Hawley of Growmotely was the next to take the microphone, the second of three of the top 10 LinkedIn voices on remote work presenting in person. Sarah launched the Growmotely platform during the pandemic, with the goal of connecting professionals with their dream jobs at companies they love.

Her presentation, Conscious Culture, and Thriving Teams of the Future, focused on how remote work was the key that unlocked the door to a more conscious way of leading and doing business. She defined this conscious leadership approach as:

"The most important thing we can do as leaders is our inner work, and then bring that growth and transformation into our companies... creating a safe space for our team to do the same."

In what was probably my favourite moment of the conference after she opened her talk to questions, Ukrainian digital nomad Orest Zub asked if there was something that Growmotely could do to help the tens of thousands of Ukrainian freelancers who had become refugees overnight.

Without a second thought, Sarah agreed to develop a special section of Growmotely to help Ukrainians, a decision which was sealed with a photo of Orest and the Growmotely team. It was one of several examples of the outstanding collaboration between the various conference participants.  

The initial keynote speakers then handed over to the first of several panels, which wrapped up the morning's events before lunch: Remote and Cultural Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging, with Marty Lewis (ABC Travel Network - named as a Leading Voice in Travel by Skift), Julian Green (Headroom), Dr. Irene Cop, and Sarah Hawley (Growmotely), moderated by Carolyn Zelikow, one of last year's Dubrovnik Digital Nomads-in-Residence. 

You can view the panel discussion above.

Work. Place. Culture., in association with Sun Gardens Dubrovnik, offered a free 7-day luxury workation competition, as guests of the luxury Sun Gardens resort. Applications came from all over the globe, with video travel app, Navi Savi, winning the trip. Despite being in business for over a year, most of the team had never met, so this was a first meeting for many. CEO Sally Bunnell expressed her gratitude, as well as talking about her new startup, during her Win a Workation presentation.  

The conference was a hybrid event, with attendees from all over the world, and one of the most thought-provoking sessions of the day brought some heavyweights together on the panel: Remote & Hybrid Policy and the Benefits Boom - Aaron McEwan (Gartner), Nadia Vatalidis (Remote), John Lee (Work from Anywhere), Matthew Parsons (Skift), Francisca Russo (Juno), moderated by Tanja Polegubic of Saltwater Nomads. 

18 months ago, Dubrovnik and digital nomads were rarely mentioned in the same sentence, and yet here were a number of destinations at various stages of their nomad journey, swapping experiences and learning from each other in Dubrovnik.  Global Stories: Early Phase, Emerging Phase and Established Digital Nomad Destinations featured three destinations at very different stages in their journeys. Scotland is now exploring how best to move into the sector, with a theme of food and drink, while Venywhere (Venice) is making significant progress to diversify away from overtourism much like Dubrovnik. And many destinations look for guidance to Estonia, who gave a great presentation on how they are pushing the boundaries of the remote work story. 

You can watch the three destination presentations in the video above. 

One of the initiatives launched at Dubrovnik for Digital Nomads in October 2020 was the Digital Nomad Association Croatia, the first of its kind in the world. DNA Croatia has played a pivotal role in coordinating stakeholders and initiatives over the last year, and it should be congratulated on the success of its efforts.

And it seems that those efforts are being closely followed elsewhere, with no less than four DNA associations now formed and presenting in the session Destinations - Digital Nomad Focused Associations & Initiatives - DNA Croatia, DNA USA, DNA Italy, and DNA Bulgaria. Check out the session in the panel above. 

Having a pretty destination for a conference is not much use if you are stuck in a conference hall all day, and it was time to explore the infamous and majestic old walls of Dubrovnik, a chance to stretch one's legs, take in the city's breathtaking beauty and history, while listening to the next presentation in an idyllic setting - on the very walls themselves - by the self-proclaimed King of Nomads, himself: NetWALLking - Dean Kuchel on the Power of Yes. 

And having explored the Dubrovnik Great Outdoors and the historic walls, the wrapup panel location before dinner was pretty hard to beat, with Banje Beach against a background of the island of Lokrum the setting for Happy Hour Panel: Business Growth, Burnout & Boundaries, with Sara Dyson (Expat in Croatia), Lona Alia (Safety Wing), Jan de Jong (DNA Croatia), Orest Zub, moderated by Rowena Hennigan. 

An intense and thought-provoking opening day, and rarely have I seen conference participants so engaged or networking so passionately. Many participants knew each other by reputation or online contact, but this was the first in-person meeting for many. The level of brainstorming only increased as the evening wore on, with the majority heading into the old town to continue discussions over a glass of wine over dinner. 

It is clear that the world of work is changing considerably, and that Croatia is very much at the forefront of that change. Exciting times in Dubrovnik. And this was just the first day. 

For more information about the conference visit the official website. 

For more news and features about Digital Nomads in Croatia, follow the dedicated TCN section. 

May 12, 2022 - Last week's Work. Place. Culture. conference combined animated discussions on the remote work revolution with Dubrovnik's stylish and versatile conference settings. The first in a 4-part series looking at 4 incredible and very productive days - the opening night at Sponza Palace.  

There are few cities that do it better than Dubrovnik when it comes to putting on a how of heritage, beauty and hospitality, and so it proved again last week for the latest step the Pearl of the Adriatic is taking in its digital nomad story. 

Having hosted the first-ever digital nomad conference in Croatia back in October 2020, Dubrovnik for Digital Nomads, followed by the award-winning Digital Nomads-in-Residence program in April last year, the City of Dubrovnik and Dubrovnik Tourist Board, continued its cooperation with Saltwater Nomads and Total Croatia News, with additional support from the Croatian National Tourist Board, Digital Nomad Association Croatia, and Dubrovnik Heritage, with the Work. Place. Culture. conference. 

(Sponza Palace, which hosted the opening night, sponsored by the Croatian National Tourist Board)

The 3-day event, which attracted a high-quality lineup of global speakers, including three of the top 10 LinkedIn voices on remote work, was chiefly held at Lazareti, but with other components dotted around the city, showcasing the beauty and magic of Croatia's most famous tourist destination, and allowing stimulating conversations to take place in relaxed environments. 

Having attended each day and watched attendees marvel at each setting, I thought an in-depth look not only at the conference but how the city's various locations and treasures can add to a conference appeal, was a topic worth exploring in depth. 

(From left to right: Lucijana Jerkovic, Tanja Polegubic, Ana Hrnic, and Jelka Tepsic)

And how better to start than with a stroll down Stradun to be greeted by traditional guards at the entrance to Sponza Palace? Built in the 16th century in a mixture of Gothic and Renaissance styles, the inner courtyard is one of the city's most picturesque meeting points. 

The Croatian National Tourist Board sponsored the welcome party, with Head of Global PR, Lucijana Jerkovic, joining Deputy Mayor Jelka Tepsic, Dubrovnik Tourist Board director, Ana Hrnic, Digital Nomad Association Croatia President, Jan de Jong, and Saltwater Nomads CEO, Tanja Polegubic, welcoming delegates to the conference to the soothing tunes of an accompanying saxophone. Check out the atmosphere in the opening night video by Hashtag Content Agency. 

Some photos from the opening night:

(Sally Bunnell, CEO of NaviSavi, who flew in from Nebraska, flanked by the marketing team from Sun Gardens Dubrovnik. NaviSavi won the 7-day Win a Workation competition at the luxury 5-star resort)

(Part of the sizable team from Albania, who came to learn and network, ahead of the inaugural Tirana Nomad Festival in September. The Estonian Tourist Board, considered European leaders in the digital nomad story, are behind to the right.)

(Dean Kuchel, self-proclaimed King of Digital Nomads, and a previous Zagreb Digital Nomad Ambassador, together with current Dubrovnik Digital Nomad Ambassadors, Yvette Pelgrom and Mandy Fransz)

(When NaviSavi met Saltwater Nomads)

A look at the first day of the conference, as well as more of Dubrovnik's picturesque conference settings, tomorrow. 

To learn more about the Work. Place. Culture. conference, visit the official website. 

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

May 9, 2022 - The latest flight news to Croatia as FlyDubai Zagreb flights are boosted to five times a week in June, and the seasonal Dubrovnik line begins on June 23!

FlyDubai, a low-cost airline from the United Arab Emirates, currently operates a scheduled flight between Dubai and Zagreb, and a seasonal flight between Dubai and Dubrovnik will be introduced at the end of June, reports Croatian Aviation. 

FlyDubai has been operating regularly to Zagreb for several months now, while flights have been announced and canceled several times in the last two years. The partner company, Emirates, which operated on this line until 2019, canceled this route after the pandemic broke out due to low demand, and instead transferred it to a low-cost carrier.

Regular flights between Dubai and Zagreb are available 4 times a week, every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. The weekly rotations will be boosted from the end of June when the line should operate on Sundays as well. FlyDubai plans to maintain this number of weekly rotations until the beginning of September.

The seasonal line between Dubai and Dubrovnik will be in traffic again from June 23, three times a week, every Thursday, Friday, and Sunday until mid-September. The line will stop traffic in early October.

On both routes to Croatia, B737 MAX8 aircraft have been announced, which in the fleet of this airline have a capacity of 166 seats (10 in business and 156 in economy class).

From June to the end of the summer flight schedule, FlyDubai offers 32,204 seats between Dubai and Zagreb, and 13,944 seats between Dubai and Dubrovnik, for a total of 46,148 to and from these two Croatian airports.

FlyDubai has a code-share agreement with Emirates so it is possible to continue the journey via Dubai with this well-known airline to a number of destinations in Africa, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand.

For more on flights to Croatia and other travel announcements, make sure to check out our dedicated travel section.

 May 2, 2022 - Dubrovnik continues to establish its credentials as a remote work leader in Croatia, as Mayor Mato Franković is among those at this morning's press conference for the upcoming Work. Place. Culture. conference, which starts tomorrow evening. 

The ''Work. Place. Culture.'' conference, which will bring together around 100 participants from around the world, with distinguished lecturers and workshop leaders, aimed at telecommuting professionals and decision makers, destinations, companies and service providers in the sector, was announced this morning at Lazareti. It will be held from 5 to 7 May 2022 in Dubrovnik, organized and cooperated by the City of Dubrovnik, the Dubrovnik Tourist Board, Saltwater Nomads and Total Croatia News, with the support of the Digital Nomad Croatia Association and Dubrovnik Heritage.

Today, the topic of digital nomads and the development of this type of tourism in Dubrovnik, ie the entire system of organization and offers for people working remotely, was addressed by Dubrovnik Mayor Mato Franković, Director of the Dubrovnik Tourist Board Ana Hrnić, Head of the Global PR Department of the Croatian National Tourist Board Lucijana Jerković, and Tanja Polegubić on behalf of the Saltwater Nomads agency, which presented the conference program and some of the speakers.

Mayor Mato Franković reminded the audience that Dubrovnik started the story of digital nomads two years ago, as the first in Croatia, thanks to an initiative that recognized the opportunity to rethink Dubrovnik tourism in a new way and open it to those who want to live and work here temporarily. remote work, and at the same time contribute to tourism and the promotion of the city.

"Today, what once seemed like science fiction, is a reality that can be measured by the numbers and great interest in Dubrovnik, which is already on the world map among the top 10 cities that are desirable for executive digital nomads, according to Savills. We are still working to reach the first place in the ranking, which is primarily strengthening the infrastructure network, which we have already started with Hrvatski Telekom through the 93 million kuna project "Development of broadband infrastructure in Dubrovnik", which brings high speed Internet to every family home. We will continue to introduce the 5G network because this type of infrastructure is most important for their work. I am sure that all digital nomads who come to Dubrovnik on this occasion as part of the conference will talk about our city as a perfect place to live and work," said Mayor Franković.

The director of the Dubrovnik Tourist Board Ana Hrnić announced a new website Dubrovnik long stay, intended for digital nomads, but also for those who plan a longer stay in Dubrovnik. The purpose of this station is to have all the information in one place such as where to find accommodation, how to get a visa and work permit, and other important paperwork and other procedures.

A Digital Nomad Check Point is planned at the Pile Gate office of the Dubrovnik Tourist Board, where digital nomads would be able to purchase a special Digital Nomad Card by registering, which includes a number of benefits and all the information that can make it easier for them to find and organize a longer stay in Dubrovnik. Since last year, the Tourist Board has also been actively working to encourage stakeholders in the tourism sector to engage in projects related to digital nomads - from private accommodation to restaurants and shops, and transport, creating a register of offers for this specific group of visitors.

Head of the Global PR Department of the Croatian Tourist Board Lucijana Jerković pointed out that the national promotion of the project began with a change in the law that introduced long-term work permits, emphasizing that the goal is to launch activities, continue promotion through social networks and associations through which to offer various information that is closest to digital nomads.

"As far as trends in the world are concerned, the pandemic is waning, but we believe that this trend of virtual work and longer stays will continue and that people will start living and working in Dubrovnik," Jerkovic said. 

The aim of this conference is to further strengthen the position of Dubrovnik as a Digital Nomad Friendly destination and a direct promotional effect for the city of Dubrovnik and the whole of Croatia to attract more and more people working remotely and looking for new destinations to live and work.

Want to attend the conference? More details on th official website.

May 3, 2022 - The first gay bar in Dubrovnik will open its doors on Saturday, May 7! 

Ever since it was announced that 'Milk,' the first gay bar in Dubrovnik, will be located on Marojice Kaboge Street in the historic center, there has been a lot of buzz. The comments are mostly positive, which is not surprising when Dubrovnik has long been known as a gay-friendly city. Among the shortcomings, Dubrovnik lacks somewhere the LGBT population could gather, reports Slobodna Dalmacija. 

Enter Milk, opening this Saturday in Dubrovnik at 8 pm, with an offer that will be more diverse than other bars in the city.

"The name was inspired by Harvey Milk, an American politician and activist who fought for the rights of gays. Milk is the first public homosexual to be elected to public office in California or San Francisco. After all, the name is effective and easy to remember for both locals and foreigners," explains the co-owner of Dubrovnik's first gay bar, Vicko Lazo.

Due to limited space and narrow and dead-end streets, approximately 150 people will be invited to attend the opening. As Vicko Lazo points out, the program will be started by cellist Ana Rucner, and the main performer will be a surprise. 

"We won't reveal everything. It will be a music and dance spectacle. This official part of the program lasts until 9:30 pm when the facility opens to the public," says Lazo and notes:

"This bar is intended for the LGBT community. It is designed that way, and we stick to the plan and profile ourselves as a gay bar. Many ask if heterosexuals are welcome? Everyone who spreads love and tolerance and has good intentions without any prejudices and condemnations is welcome because 'Milk' is a place that spreads freedom, love, and happiness."

Asked how the opening of the first official gay bar in Dubrovnik and Dalmatia has aroused so much public interest, Lazo said:

"At the moment, we are mostly focused on the opening and the program, so we are not even aware of how many people are talking about it and how they anticipate the opening. Incredible! The comments of the younger population are mostly positive, and some people find it difficult to accept. We are different, so our views are so different. One should not enter into it or condemn it, but respect everyone's right to their own opinion."

In addition to professional staff and signature cocktails, DJs will enhance the mood every night. Various themed parties will be organized, including drag queen performances, as an artistic expression to bar performances.

Since caterers are struggling to find a workforce, which is especially pronounced this season, the co-owner of Milk commented on their status:

"It was not a problem; we even had to make a selection. Open-minded people know that the gay population brings good and quality guests. Many girls have contacted us for work, so the team is mixed; there are both women and men."

He points out that the restaurant looks superb and has been renovated and refurbished in record time, in just three months. He emphasizes that one of the owners, Dubrovnik caterer Tomislav Ivušić, is most responsible for the design and details in the space, along with two top architects.

"We put a lot into the design, and it looks great. The best London members club, "Annabel's" by the famous architect Martin Brudnizki was our starting point, so this space is dominated by mirrors, velvet, colorful flowers, animal patterns - and that's just part of the details.

In this whole story, we mainly focused on air conditioning and ventilation where it is not intended for smoking, especially the sound system, sound insulation, and lighting," says Ivušić, who decided on this business move because he does not doubt its success. He revealed how he came up with the idea and finally brought it to life. 

"On one occasion, I heard a guest comment, "whoever opens a gay bar in Dubrovnik will make it," and I did not immediately attach importance. On one occasion, Vicko said that such a bar is lacking in the city, which is a favorite of the gay population.

After all, it is surprising how many members of the LGBT community visit Dubrovnik even out of season. I also have gay friends who often say that we don't have a gay bar. Through talking to business partners, we concluded, “let’s open a gay bar.” Everything else is history," says Ivušić and continues:

"Now, so many people come to me and say, "I thought about this 5-10 years ago", and they probably did - but they did not dare to make it happen. I believe that when a man is confident in what he is, in his sexual orientation, there is no reason to be afraid of anything else.

All those men who spit talk about it with contempt and fear; more and more, I think they’re not sure about themselves and their sexuality. Maybe they are afraid that they will not like it," the Dubrovnik caterer said.

He adds that it was necessary to renovate the space, equip the premises and find staff, and now it is up to colleagues to do the work. He also mentions that they asked the City to rent the public space in front of the bar, which is at the end of the dead-end, but they are still waiting for an answer.

So, what is expected of Dubrovnik's exclusive gay bar? Ivušić answered briefly - "a good season."

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated lifestyle section.

April 30, 2022 - Collaboration is getting stronger, as a number of remote work destinations are heading to Dubrovnik next week for the Work. Place. Culture. conference from May 5-7.  

Around 18 months ago, few people had ever mentioned the words 'Dubrovnik' and 'digital nomads' in the same sentence. How times change... Croatia's first-ever dedicated conference for nomads, Dubrovnik for Digital Nomads, followed by the award-winning Dubrovnik Digital Nomads-in-Residence program, changed all that, and the city has been quietly implementing its strategy to attract more remote workers. 

A sign of the progress Dubrovnik has made in the global DN story will be reflected in the very global attendee list next week as Dubrovnik's latest conference in the sector, Work. Place. Culture, which takes place from May 5-7. 

In addition to leading remote companies eager to join - including VP People at Remote.com, CEO Butter and our keynote speakers (Gartner, RoRemote, Growmotely, Make The Leap Digital) and presenters from the ABC Travel Network, The Remote Life Podcast, a number of destinations at various  stages of their own DN journeys will be heading to Dubrovnik (either remotely or in person) to take place in a conference which will bring together a diverse and collaborative community of remote work professionals for 3 days of presentations, networking and socialising. Confirmed attendees include 3 leaders in digital nomad hubs: Bansko, Estonia and Sun & Co Coliving Spain. The conference will also feature initiatives from destinations looking to position themselves to the DN market - such as Scotland, Mostar, BiH, Venice, Central Istria, Croatia and Tirana, Albania.

Just as Dubrovnik hsa been pioneering in its efforts, so too Croatia is an early mover on certain initiatives. Only the second country in Europe after Estonia to initiate a digital nomad visa, Croatia was the first in the world to found a Digital Nomad Association. The initiative has beeen well received elsewhere, and there will be representatives of no less than 4 DNAs at the conference. 

TCN reached out to some of the conference participants and destinations ahead of Work. Place. Culture. conference (you can see the programme and buy ticktets here). 

DNA Croatia - one of the many achievements in the early Croatian DN story was the founding of the world's first Digital Nomad Association. Why do you think countries need such an association, and what have you achieved so far?

Michael Freer, DNA Croatia

For countries like Croatia, an association can complement public efforts in trying to promote the country as a destination. It also has the luxury of working with both private and public bodies, without necessarily having to go through the red tape that public bodies do, nor have to focus on digital nomads as a customer like the private sector has to. Finally it can act as a neutral friend of digital nomads, looking to support, connect and inspire them before, during and after their experience in that country.

On the other hand, you have DNA America, which is very much about supporting DNs from the US outside of the US, rather than attracting DNs to the US (although this could also be part of their later mission). In this way they can also connect the community, and act as a digital nomad embassy providing US specific support around certain subjects like taxation or immigration when needed.

Whether a sending or receiving DNA, they are both vital for the ecosystem and building that momentum, vision and representation of DNs worldwide. 

In terms of our achievements, we're right at the beginning of our journey, and have learnt a lot and gained so much experience in the last 18 months as an association. We think DNA Croatia, along with those we collaborate with, like TCN and Saltwater, to name but a few, have to be proud of how Croatia is perceived outside of Croatia. We've created and most definitely earned an impressive global reputation. 

On a more local scale, we think it's an achievement to see all of us collaborators working together, from all three sectors, pushing forward with the same vision - to make the whole of Croatia a digital-nomad friendly and slow travel destination all year round.

DNA Croatia, DNA Italy - two countries and neighbours with a rich history and much in common on the Mediterranean. How can we synergise to develop a Mediterranean Nomad Trail for the benefit of all?

Giovanni Filippi, DNA Italy

Digital nomadism is a global, transversal and conscious movement, in exponential growth and continuous evolution, involving people of all ages, with very different personal, professional and cultural backgrounds. People free to live and work anywhere generally choose to move to those destinations where the quality of life is better, especially seaside, in close contact with nature and with a favorable climate.

The Mediterranean coasts would be an ideal destination for many of them: encouraging synergies between the various Mediterranean countries in order to attract digital nomads represents an opportunity for Europe to foster cohesion among its members and attract people with skills useful to improve the economies of its territories.

The Associations of Italy and Croatia, and of all the others that want to be involved, could start to collaborate in the organization of a series of online and offline activities involving digital nomads and local communities to let them encounter and interact with each other, co-designing together territorial and extraterritorial events and projects that can be collected in a Mediterranean Nomad Trail.

Bulgaria is home to one of Europe's most dynamic nomad destinations and festivals in Bansko. How is the scene developing nationwide, and how can we integrate it more into a Balkan Nomad Trail? 

Martina Mihneva, DNA Bulgaria

Digital Nomads Association of Bulgaria (https://www.linkedin.com/company/digitalnomads-bulgaria/) was officially established in February 2022 with the aim to work together with the Bulgarian government and create the right environment for the digital nomads who are choosing to spend part of their life in Bulgaria. We want to create the needed regulatory conditions that will make Bulgaria easily accessible for digital nomads from all around the world and to offer these people the right places for co-working and co-living, entertainment and learning about Bulgarian culture in several locations on the territory of Bulgaria. 

Currently, we are working on creating a proposal to the government for a Digital Nomad Visa that will ease the process of  getting permission to stay for a year in Bulgaria for digital nomads and their families. Also, we are creating an online platform that will gather the digital nomads community in Bulgaria, will include all the information needed for a digital nomad to plan a stay in Bulgaria, do the needed paperworks and will offer complete information for accommodation and co-living spaces, co-working spaces, tourist destinations and events. We are planning to create weekly meetings for digital nomads where they can meet and know each other, exchange ideas and make plans for cooperation, share stories from their journey as a digital nomad, as well as present different destinations and cultures they have visited. 

DNA USA - the first digital nomad association outside Europe! Tell us why you founded it, who are your members, and what your vision is for the association?

Erkan Munishi, DNA USA

The Americans are the largest group of digital nomads in the world and the pandemic has given a different perspective to everyone in the US and around the globe on their freedom and priorities when it comes to working remotely. The Digital Nomad Association USA (DNA USA) was founded with the goal of bringing the American digital nomads together to support each other, and sharing their stories and skills with many other Americans who are hoping to go remote. It is the only digital nomad association that is both origin-based and destination-based. We also promote destinations within the United States that cater to digital nomads and we work on growing the number of destinations that improve their infrastructure focusing on creating a better work and life environment for remote workers.

Croatia may be attracting a lot of the nomad headlines in the region, but once can definitely feel the emergence of a Balkan Nomad Trail. How is the scene in Mostar, and where does Mostar fit into this new Balkan Trail?

Ana Bogdanovic, INTERA Technology Park, Mostar 

Mostar and Herzegovina have a lot to offer to digital nomads. Less than hour far from the border with Croatia, Mostar should be the next stop for digital nomads. Geographical position, beauty of nature, hospitality of people, gastronomy, safety, low living costs and great coworking space are some of the advantages of this area. When you add development of web platform for digital nomads and educational programs for key stakeholders which we plan to implement in the next few months, Mostar imposes oneself as an obvious digital nomad destination. 

Scotland - with sterotypes of noamds on laptops at the beach, Scotland can appear at first to be a little off the beaten path when it comes to the nomad lifestyle. What kinds of nomads are coming to stay, and what are the main Scottish competitive advantages?

Jemma Reid, JR Event Sales

Scotland, with its rugged landscapes, dark skies and temperamental weather, may appear off the beaten path when it comes to the typical digital nomad / workcation lifestyle. However there is a fantastic opportunity to work with and engage with likeminded people that work internationally within the food and drink sector, to consider Scotland as a workcation destination. A place to escape, a place to think, a place to taste and experience exceptional food and drink – a new place to work. We are really looking forward to attending the conference to hear from those looking for a new adventure, scenery like no other, peace, tranquillity and ensuring Scotland can be considered as the new go to place to be a remote working/ workcation destination.

And a final word from Ukraine, which will also be represented at the conference: 

Orest Zub, Ukraine

Ukraine will emerge from this war stronger and more progressive than before. The entire world has united around Ukraine embracing us into the global community. It is not the war between Ukraine and Russia only. It is a war between good and bad, between light and evil. Rarely in history the red line was so clearly visible... Currently we stand for ideal liberal values many of which have been forgotten in the West. So once the war is over we are waiting everyone who wants to join rebuilding Ukraine :-)

Looking to attend the Work. Place. Culture. conference? More details here.

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

April 30, 2022 - A number of movers and shakers in the global remote work industry will be heading to Dubrovnik next week - meet the full programme.

It is almost exactly 18 months since the first-ever digital nomad conference in Croatia, Dubrovnik for Digital Nomads. The Pearl of the Adriatic followed this up with the award-winner Dubrovnik Nomads-in-Residence programme in April 2021. Dubrovnik's determination to establish itself as a digital nomad destination continues with the latest initiative bringing influential players and destinations in the remote work space to Dubrovnik for next week's Work. Place. Culture. conference, from May 5-7.  The conference is part of the continued collaboration between the City of Dubrovnik, Dubrovnik Tourist Board, Saltwater Nomads, Digital Nomad Association Croatia, and Total Croatia News. 

Some of the highlights:

• There will be 50 presenters over 2 days, with over 20+ virtual, the rest in person.
• Leading remote companies have been eager to join - including VP People at Remote.com, CEO Butter and our keynote speakers (Gartner, RoRemote, Growmotely, Make The Leap Digital) and presenters from the ABC Travel Network, The Remote Life Podcast, Expat in Croatia, DNA Croatia and more.
• 3 leaders in digital nomad hubs: Bansko, Estonia and Sun & Co Coliving Spain.
• Initiatives from destinations looking to position themselves to the DN market - such as Scotland, Mostar, BiH, Venice, Central Istria, Croatia and Tirana, Albania.
• The speakers includes on of last year's Dubrovnik Nomads-in-Residence (and baby DNIR) joining remotely from Hvar to moderate a panel. 

The full programme is now available and can be viewed below or on the official Work. Place. Culture. website. Some tickets are still available, and they can be obtained through the website. It promises to be a stimulating few days, and it is encouraging to see such global interest from individuals and destinations which are helping to define the future of work.

Looking to attend the Work. Place. Culture. conference? More details here.

To learn more about the destination, check out the Total Croatia Dubrovnik in a Page guide, and also visit the official Sun Gardens Dubrovnik website.  

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