Tuesday, 13 October 2020

Arena Hospitality Group Paving Way for Year-Round Tourism in Istria

October 13, 2020 - To develop year-round tourism and adapt to new market conditions, Arena Hospitality Group (AHG) has decided to open two of its camps, one in Pula - Arena Stoja, and the other in Medulin - the recently renovated Arena Grand Kažela, throughout the year. A look at the offer presented this winter.

“Arena Hospitality Group's wish is to develop long-term tourism in the south of the largest Croatian peninsula in cooperation with the tourist boards of Pula, Medulin, and Istria. At the beginning of this challenging 2020, and after coming out of the scale of unprecedented quarantine, we witnessed the demand for vacations in camps as the most sought-after form of accommodation. We believe that this type of demand will continue in the future," said AHG when asked how they decided on this move.

HRTurizam reports that plenty of sunny days and a mild Mediterranean climate allow southern Istria to become a year-round camping destination. Also, the destination offers guests a variety of facilities throughout the year - from sports and recreational activities in untouched nature, to exploring the rich cultural and historical heritage, and enjoying the traditional tastes of Istria, said AHG, and added: "Guests, especially those who come from urban centers, increasingly express the need to escape from cities to nature where, in the fresh air, in an intimate environment of nature, they can relax from daily obligations and stress.”

During the autumn and winter period, AHG has adjusted the offer. In addition to classic services such as electricity, water, and sanitation, guests will also have heated toilets, reception and coffee bar, and a restaurant within each camp.

But we can't forget the content. Through various activities organized in cooperation with partners, AHG will offer more than just a winter camping vacation through various activities within the camp, as well as throughout the destination. They also organized transportation to the new city swimming pool in Pula and nearby shopping centers, as well as various animation activities within the camps.

"Regardless of the day and month, Istria offers many historical and natural attractions that will inspire every curious traveler. The 2,000-year-old Roman amphitheater in Pula, the archipelago of the Brijuni National Park, the tranquility of the landscape of Cape Kamenjak and its numerous hiking and biking trails, and picturesque historic towns fortified on the Istrian hills," said AHG about part of the offer, and emphasized that the most authentic of Istria can be experienced in autumn and winter.

During October, guests will be able to join the harvest of the precious Istrian fruit - olives, and in nearby Vodnjan, taste some of the best extra virgin olive oils in the world. By the way, this week, for the sixth year in a row, Istria was declared the best region in the world for extra virgin olive oil by Flos Olei.

In November, during St. Martin's Day, at one of the many local celebrations, they will be able to taste another top Istrian product - wine - and participate in the baptism of a young wine. This year, Istria has 60 wines with the Decanter label.

Istria has long been sufficiently branded through wine, olive oil, and gastronomy, as well as various events, from Teran Day to Truffle Day, and many smaller stories such as the new event "Autumn on a plate in Central Istria," which will take place from  October 16 to 31, 2020, in restaurants in central Istria. During this event, caterers will offer a variety of traditional Istrian dishes made from autumn ingredients of the region, all to strengthen the gastronomic offer of central Istria and further connect family farms and caterers in the postseason.

Arena Hospitality Group is certainly paving the way for 365-tourism in Istria and is hopefully setting an example for other regions in the country.  

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Sunday, 11 October 2020

Istria and Dalmatia Were Favourite Regions for Car Tourists This Summer

October 11, 2020 - The German Auto Club (ADAC) declared Istria and Dalmatia the favourite regions for tourists who traveled by car this summer amid the corona crisis. And not only that, but Croatia is also at the top of the most sought-after countries for holidays together with Germany.

As Jutarnji.hr reports, this data was based on the analysis of 345,547 inquiries for routes, which, due to the specifics of this year, is much less than in previous years, and refers to the period between May and September.

The analysis showed that the largest number of German travelers this year still decided to stay in their own country, which is also the case in normal seasons when a large number of Germans stay in Germany. This year, this is even more pronounced due to all the restrictions around border crossings and travel opportunities in general. As many as 33.3 percent of inquiries for routes referred to Germany, which is more than last year.

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Route statistics 2020: where did the journey go? Numbers in percent / Source: ADAC

 

Italy took second place with 14.9 percent of inquiries and a big drop compared to last year when it had 18.8 percent of all inquiries.

Croatia is in third place with 14.3 percent of inquiries, which is an increase compared to last year when it had 9.6 percent of inquiries, reports ADAC. Interestingly, Spain was not among the top 10 most sought after countries, and last year it was in seventh place.

The most favorite regions of German guests who decided to travel by car were Istria and the Dalmatian coast, and inquiries for holidays on the Italian Lake Garda, which Germans adore, fell sharply. That is why three German provinces benefited – Southern Upper Bavaria/Allgäu, Schleswig-Holstein, and Ostsee/Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.

Top ten regions in percent / Source: ADAC

 

What ADAC particularly noticed was the fact that camping tourism boomed. Most campers opted for Germany, 35.1 percent of them. Croatia has overtaken Italy in this segment and holds the second place with a 15.4 percent share.

 

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Friday, 9 October 2020

Flos Olei 2021: Istria is the World's Best Olive Oil Region for 6th Consecutive Year!

October 9, 2020 - For the sixth year in a row, Istria is the world's best olive oil region, according to the results of Flos Olei 2021.

HRTurizam reports that in the popular publication Flos Olei, the so-called 'extra virgin olive oil bible,' as many as 71 olive growers from Istria produced such high-quality extra virgin olive oil that it deserved a prestigious award - inclusion in the new, twelfth edition of Flos Olei!

Namely, in the new edition, 73 oils from Croatia are included, of which 71 are from Istria and two from Dalmatia. Simultaneously, several Istrian olive growers achieved better results compared to last year, which is proof of significant work in raising the quality and application of the latest scientific and technological achievements in olive growing.

In 2021, Istria will once again be adorned with the title of the world's best olive oil region, in a winning streak that has lasted six years. This is especially important considering that the publication contains oils from all over the world, or from 54 olive-growing countries, and Istrian olive growers are in the company of the 500 best with a total share of 14 percent.

"It sounds unreal, and I would say pretentious, but for the sixth year in a row, Istria has been declared the best olive region in the world. Since its first edition in 2010, Istria has immediately taken an important role and positioned itself as the second-best olive growing region, just behind Tuscany. However, every year the advantage of Tuscany was smaller. At the end of 2016, it took the leading position that it has maintained to this day, but with a far greater difference than Tuscany previously had in relation to Istria. The fact that Istria has 71 olive growers and Tuscany 43 speaks volumes about what it looks like this year. An even more important fact is that over 1,000 samples from all over the world arrive for evaluation. After that, a selection of the 500 best in the world is made, and that within the 500 best Istria has 71, which is really impressive," proudly points out Denis Ivosevic, director of the Istria County Tourist Board.

It is essential to be aware of the fact that in no discipline, in any industry, sport, or any other important competition in places where reputation is gained and confirmed, does Croatia have as much success as Istrian extra virgin olive oil for six years in a row, Ivosevic emphasizes and adds:

"We are very proud of that fact, but it seems that a lot of work is still needed in our country, and also abroad, so that this primacy gets its full and true value; that we become aware of it first in Croatia and that then all those who promote Croatian gastronomy proudly point it out. In the expectation that next year we will reach at least one grade of 99, I believe that the time has come and that six years of confirmation is enough proof to realize that we are the best in the world in something."

This worldwide success certainly contributes to the branding of Istria and Croatia as a gastronomic destination, given that extra virgin olive oil is the main addition to dishes and the basic food product of Mediterranean cuisine, and due to its organoleptic and medicinal properties, it is appreciated almost everywhere in the world.

Significant investments in olive oil production took place in Istria in this extraordinary year.

The Chiavalon family (Vodnjan) opened a new olive center/modern building that includes a new Mori olive press, with a new cellar, tasting room, sales point, and warehouse, while the Ipša family (Ipši, Oprtalj) also opened a new olive center/refurbished and revalued a traditional building, with a new Mori, cellar, tasting room, point of sale, Istrian tavern and warehouse.

The Vanđelić (Bale) family also opened a new olive center/renovated and revalued a traditional building with a new Mori, cellar, tasting room, and sales outlet, combined with fruit vegetable production.

The Galić family (Kostanjica, Grožnjan) opened a new cellar, tasting room, and sales point, while the Oleum Maris company did the same, and the Beletić family (Novigrad) introduced the PIERALISI.

The guide will soon see the light of day. On 884 pages, it will be published in two language variants (Italian-English and Italian-Chinese) and will present selected countries from five continents and 86 world maps of olive groves. The list of all Croatian award-winning olive growers can be found HERE.

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Wednesday, 7 October 2020

Competition for Best Croatian Cities: Istria and Primorje-Gorski Kotar Counties Have Most Nominations

October 7, 2020 – This year's selection of the best Croatian cities has entered the finals and the announcement of the winners is expected at the end of this month.

We can all agree that each Croatian city has its uniqueness and is beautiful in its way. If there was a competition to pick the most beautiful Croatian city, it would be too hard to choose.

But if you consider competing categories such as quality of life, economy, education, and demographic policy, and withdrawal of money from EU funds, the picture is different.

According to Gradonačelnik.hr, out of 28 selected Croatian cities that are competing, only one big, medium, and small-sized city will be named as the best in each of these four categories, except for the EU funds. In that category, only one prize will be awarded, regardless of the size of the city.

Therefore, the epithets of the best will be taken by a total of 10 Croatian cities.

 

Istria and Primorje-Gorski Kotar County have the biggest chances

Croatia counts as many as 128 cities, out of which only 28 have entered the final evaluation and selection of the best.

Some of the 28 finalists in four different categories which have more than one nomination are Čakovec, Samobor, Varaždin, Dubrovnik, Rovinj, Sveta Nedjelja, Umag, Poreč, Hvar, Mali Lošinj, Novalja, Novigrad, Krk. A list of all nominated cities by all categories, as well as all other information is available on the organizers' websites.

Interestingly, the best results in this competition were made by Rovinj, Poreč, and Krk, entering the finals in three categories, in terms of quality of life, economic achievements, and the standard they provide to their residents in education and demographic policy.

 

 

 

If we look at the most represented counties in the final of this election, the absolute leader is Istria County with eight cities and 14 ‘nominations’ in the final election.

Only Primorje-Gorski Kotar County, with six cities and nine candidacies, and Zagreb County, from which four candidate cities and six ‘nominations’ for the best come, are keeping pace with Istria.

Also, Istria and Kvarner were last year's big winners. The best small town in terms of economic status and quality of life was Krk, Pula was the best big city in terms of economy, and Poreč was a medium-sized city with the best quality of life. In the category of education and demography, the cities of Pazin, Labin, and Cres stood out.

Many of them are nominated again this year and are defending last year's title.

 

Difficult criteria

The competition is organized by Jutarnji List, Gradonačelnik.hr, and the Ipsos agency. Their idea is to present to the general public the best solutions of our cities in ensuring a quality of life worthy of modern European and world standards.

Research and evaluation are very extensive, as evidenced by the fact that in the most prestigious category – that of the best cities in terms of quality of life – as many as 26 different criteria are included in the corresponding calculation.

Some of them are the average per capita income, the share of environmental allocations in the budget, the share of allocations for subsidizing the price of transportation in the budget, and the population aging index.

 

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Tuesday, 6 October 2020

Excellent Epidemiological Situation: 'Istria is Again an Example to The Rest of Croatia!'

October 6, 2020 - According to the latest data, only one case of coronavirus infection has been recorded in Istria today. In the past two weeks, only 13 cases have been recorded, which puts this Croatian region in the green zone according to the criteria of the European Union, reports Hina.

Last week, from September 28th to October 4th, 2020, Istria recorded eight new cases, and a week earlier only five. As of October 5, Istria had no cases of coronavirus infection and only 9 active cases of infection, which is the lowest number of cases when compared to other counties, reports Jutarnji.

The excellent epidemiological situation in Istria was also announced by the Mayor of Pula, Boris Miletić, on his Facebook page, where he posted a photo showing that Istria is the only 'green' zone in Croatia.

“Istria is again an example to the rest of Croatia! Bravo Istrians!” the mayor wrote below the photo.

 

 

 

At the same time, neighboring Primorje-Gorski Kotar County and Slovenia have a more difficult situation and record numbers of newly infected people.

The head of the Epidemiology Service of the Institute of Public Health of the Istrian County, Dr. Jasna Valić, consciously said that "the situation in Istria is still good and stable, but that can change overnight."

"We are aware that the coming months will not be easy and that is why we once again appeal to the citizens to be responsible and careful. Of course, we all hope that there will be no 'clogging' of the health care system, which is already happening in Spain, France, and Italy, which are again on the verge of complete closure," said the leader.

In Novigrad, there has been recorded a case of infection of a kindergarten teacher, which is why self-isolation measures were determined for 120 children and 30 employees of a preschool institution on Saturday, October 3rd, 2020.

Istria had a relatively good epidemiological situation during the pandemic, which is why they appealed to other countries to decide to put it on the red list according to the regions of Croatia, and not the whole country.

 

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Saturday, 26 September 2020

Istria and Varazdin on Belgium's Green List

September 26, 2020 - The Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has published a new list of countries by zones/colors according to the epidemiological situation. Istria and Varazdin are now on the green list.

HRTurizam reports that it is important to emphasize precisely the regional approach to travel restrictions, which in Croatia tourism entrepreneurs have been fighting for since the beginning of the COVID crisis, and the European Commission's proposal is on that path.

Thanks to this approach, although most of Croatia is still in the red zone, according to the newly updated list - Istria and Varazdin are on the "green" list, thus enabling Belgian tourists to travel to these two regions.

Namely, the European Commission presented a proposal for Recommendations on a coordinated approach to restrictions on free movement in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the proposal identifies four main areas where close cooperation between the Member States is needed:

- common criteria and thresholds for the Member States to introduce travel restrictions
- mapping common criteria with an agreed color code
- a common framework for measures applicable to travelers from high-risk areas
- clearly and timely informing the public about all restrictions

Member States should provide data on new cases to the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control on a weekly basis and should also provide data for the regional level to ensure that measures can be targeted only in areas where it is absolutely necessary. 

Recall, on Wednesday, Germany added regions from 11 European countries to the list of high-risk areas, including Lika-Senj County, rejecting the last hope of reviving tourism at a time when many countries are threatened by a second wave of coronavirus.

The Robert Koch Institute list includes major tourist destinations such as the French regions of Center-Val de Loire, Brittany and Normandy, Lika-Senj County in Croatia, and the Notranjsko-kraška region in Slovenia.

The list also includes the capitals of Ireland, Portugal, and Denmark, the Dutch province of Utrecht, the Austrian state of Vorarlberg, most of the Czech Republic, the county of Gyor in western Hungary, and Romania's Covasna.

The inclusion in the list of risk areas usually follows when the Ministry of Foreign Affairs publishes recommendations against necessary trips to the region in question.

Germany warns against traveling to regions in the European Union where more than 50 are infected per 100,000 people per week.

Due to the spread of the epidemic, Germany has so far included Dubrovnik-Neretva, Požega-Slavonia, Šibenik-Knin, Split-Dalmatia, Brod-Posavina, Virovitica-Podravina, and Zadar counties on the list of epidemiologically risky areas in Croatia.

Declaring an area risky means that those returning from vacation must be tested for coronavirus and remain in self-isolation until they receive a negative test result.

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Saturday, 19 September 2020

Istria Celebrates World Tourism Day for 5th Time: What About Your Region?

September 19, 2020 - Istria celebrates World Tourism Day for the fifth time on Saturday, September 26, and Sunday, September 27, from 10 am to 6 pm at 63 points throughout the county.

HRTurizam reports that this year, for the fifth time in a row, the Istria County Administrative Department for Tourism organizes and encourages inclusion in the celebration of World Tourism Day to draw attention to the local population and tourists to a number of facilities and attractions Istria.

This year, World Tourism Day is held under the motto: Tourism and Rural Development.

The celebration of the World Tourism Day in Istria in 2020 will be held on Saturday, September 26 and Sunday, September 27 from 10 am to 6 pm at 63 points throughout Istria where tourist attractions open their doors with discounts of up to 50% or completely for free.

"We make our offer more accessible so you can get to know the contents and attractions in Istria as much as possible, and thus we strengthen the promotion of Istria. All those interested, in addition to adrenaline parks, museums, castles, caves, protected areas, workshops, performances, and more, will be able to visit the many winemakers, olive growers, truffle growers, and other local producers who joined the action. Numerous local tourist boards joined the event with their programs," said the head of the Istria County Board of Tourism, Nada Prodan Mrakovic, and stressed that in accordance with this year's theme of World Tourism Day and this event, they want to point out local products, offer and service and encourage local consumption and thus support local facilities.

"Thus, by encouraging consumption, we contribute to the preservation of jobs, we encourage sustainable and responsible development of tourism, and finally, we point out the importance of tourism that affects the economic, social, cultural, and environmental segments," concludes Prodan Mrakovic.

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Friday, 18 September 2020

VIDEOS: Amazing New Google Project Shows Croatian Culture to the World

September 18, 2020 - Incredible new video series explore Croatian culture, its natural assets, and the country's rich traditions, a collaboration with Google

Steeped in history and tradition, Croatian culture is incredibly diverse. Recognised as being of high value to the country's appeal and its understanding of itself, many items from this rich heritage appear on the protected UNESCO list.

The Croatian National Tourist Board has teamed up with Google Arts & Culture and partners The Museum of Arts and the Museum of the Sinjska alka to produce an incredible series of videos that explore this cultural heritage.

From arts & crafts to music and dance, natural assets and architecture, the new videos show off the rich menu of traditions assets that make Croatia such an incredible country. With so many items included on the protected UNESCO list, there's always something more you can learn about Croatia, no matter how many times you visit.

Lace-making, costumes of folklore, ancient instruments, time-honoured recipes, beloved festivities and distinct, regional styles of music are just some of the facets of Croatian culture explored in the videos. Now, people from all over the world can explore Croatian culture and heritage before they even arrive. The menu of videos and accompanying media is presented in both English and Croatian.

Some of the videos in the series are not new, but they have been selected by the Croatian National Tourist Board for inclusion as they are the best at showcasing their particular aspect of Croatian culture. Alongside the video presentations, there are a wealth of photographs and informative texts. You can view the whole new collaboration with Google Arts & Culture here

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Wednesday, 16 September 2020

Istria Appeals to Austria, Slovenia to Introduce Selective Measures for Croatia

ZAGREB, Sept 16, 2020 - Croatia's Istria County and all the towns in it on Wednesday appealed to Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz and Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Jansa to reconsider the possibility of introducing selective measures for Croatia, on a region to region basis, given the very good epidemiological situation in Istria.

Late last month, Austria and Slovenia put Croatia on their respective red lists of epidemiologically unsafe countries in light of the global coronavirus pandemic.

"Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 epidemic, Istria County has responded promptly and was the first region in Croatia to impose restrictions. The timely, resolute and responsible actions by the Istria County COVID-19 Response Team and the great discipline demonstrated by our citizens, visitors, and businesses in observing the measures adopted have ensured us a continually good and very stable epidemiological situation," the county prefect and mayors said in their appeal to the Austrian chancellor.

They added that Istria County and all the towns in it welcomed the efforts by the Croatian government to reach an agreement with the neighbours and EU member states on introducing an epidemiological regime at the level of Croatian counties and not the country as a whole.

"We are confident that the opening of Istria to citizens of Austria will be welcomed not only by Istria and Croatia but also by our friends in Austria," the appeal said.

In an appeal to Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Jansa, the signatories expressed hope that he would take the necessary steps to ensure freedom of movement between Slovenia and Istria given the very good epidemiological situation in Istria.

"The main part of the tourist season is behind us and in that regard, we have shown that with a good strategy we can ensure a safe environment both for the local population and for tourists," they concluded.

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Thursday, 10 September 2020

Restaurant and Bar Owners in Istria and Kvarner Call for Aid to Survive

ZAGREB, September 10, 2020 - Over 600 restaurant and bar owners in Kvarner and Istria today closed their facilities for an hour, starting from 11.55 am, to warn about the difficulties they are facing due to epidemiological restrictions and to ask for assistance in order to survive until the next season.

The association of Kvarner and Istria restaurant and cafe owners, which initiated the campaign held under the slogan "Let us close today to stay open tomorrow", said that the campaign was successful. The goal was to encourage responsible institutions to urgently take action to preserve jobs in the sector and prevent its collapse.

The head of the above-mentioned association and the deputy head of the national association of restaurant and cafe owners, Vedran Jakominic, said that stakeholders in the hospitality sector were calling for a preferential VAT rate on food and beverages. He also said that they were having difficulties in obtaining loans and that it was necessary to provide stakeholders in the hospitality sector with access to liquidity loans.

"Let us work, pay employees, rents, fees and taxes because s scorched earth can bear no fruit. We believe that you are doing what you think is right, but let the profession tell you that you have made a mistake," Jakominic said.

He pointed out that job-retention measures had saved workers in restaurants and cafes from lay-offs but that they had not saved entrepreneurs.

He said that a survey had shown that 60% of stakeholders in the hospitality sector had seen a drop in business of over 50% and 40% estimated that they would not survive until the next season in the current conditions. About 80% will have to cancel employment contracts, said Jakominic, who noted that there could be about 20,000 lay-offs in the hospitality sector.

 

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