ZAGREB, March 1, 2020 -The Museum Documentation Centre (MDC) has published on its website that Croatian museums recorded more than 5.2 million visitors last year, the most visited being the Archaeological Museum of Istria with 575,294 visitors.

Of the 160 museums from the Register of Public and Private Museums, 134 took part in the survey conducted by the MDC, together with 12 more museums from the Register of Museums, Galleries and Collections in Croatia

Data show that out of 5,235,765 visitors, which was 211,116 fewer than in 2018, 29.6% of them visited state museums.

After the Archaeological Museum of Istria, the most visited was the Split City Museum with 389,814 visitors, while the Klovićevi Dvori Gallery was third with 353,262 visitors, mostly because is situated in Zagreb's Upper Town where many events took place.

According to the analysis done by MDC director Maja Kocijan, museums boasting Croatia's best-known ancient monuments traditionally attract the largest number of visitors.

Permanent collections saw the biggest increase in the number of visits, by 200,000 compared with 2018, to which contributed an increase of 160,000 in the number of foreign tourists.

Temporary exhibitions saw the biggest decline, from 1,193,435 to 752,002 visitors.

What is most concerning, however, is the continuous decrease in the number of people taking part in educational programmes, which was 264,739 in 2016, but then dropped by 51.5% in just three years, Kocijan said, adding that the number of children and youth in museums is also continuing to slightly decrease.

Museum Night and International Museum Day saw a decline in the number of visitors in 2019 - Museum Night from 216,000 in 2018 to 169,314 in 2019, and International Museum Day from 16,771 in 2018 to last year's 15,940.

"Visitor statistics is a mirror of our attitude towards those we work for, but also, on the one hand, a very accurate basis for reflecting on the institutions' priorities, and on the other hand a solid basis for talks with founders," Kocijan underscored.

More news about museums can be found in the Lifestyle section.

February 20, 2020 - This conceptual design transforms the Kanafar - Rovinj railway into bicycle-pedestrian infrastructure of great potential, which should connect the coast and the interior and, among other things, offer innovative and modern tourist facilities, relieve road traffic from cyclists, preserve the route and add accompanying technical and construction facilities as valuable industrial heritage. 

Glas Istre reports that the conceptual design for the reconstruction and redevelopment of the old and abandoned Kanfanar - Rovinj railway line, which is 22 kilometers long, aroused great interest from those who had the opportunity to learn about the new project first-hand on Tuesday.

The authors of the preliminary design, landscape architect Marko Sošić, the head of the Studio "Kappo" and Dr. Ivana Venier, provided explanations and answers to the questions of those present.

According to Ivana Venier, the basic goal of the preliminary design was to remodel the former railway line into a bicycle and pedestrian path.

“It is an abandoned and neglected railway infrastructure of exceptional potential, which this conceptual solution is looking to transform into cycling and pedestrian infrastructure, also of exceptional potential, which should connect the coast and the continent, ie, Kanfanar and Rovinj. It will offer innovative and modern tourist facilities, unburden the road traffic from cyclists, preserve the route and add accompanying technical and construction facilities as a valuable heritage of industrial heritage, and encourage the broad development of the local community,” Venier said, and added that the solution presented covers the entire route from station to station in order to ensure continuity and preserve the historical memory of the area.

In addition, Venier added, rebuilding the railroad is one way of revitalizing an area that is of utmost importance to the locals.

“The main goal is to turn the abandoned and neglected track into an attractive space on a bicycle path that will affect the development of a wider area. Revitalizing the route and turning it into a bike path will give it various purposes: sports, recreational, cultural and traffic. In addition, the bike path will connect villages and settlements, and will be useful for promoting intermodality as a healthy and sustainable way of movement, preserving natural, cultural and industrial heritage as well as developing complementary activities such as cycling,” she explained.

Marko Sošić explained more about the conceptual design and explained that at the very beginning of the project, the biggest challenge was to identify and analyze the existing condition of the route, which again consists of different situations on the ground - large stone embankments, ravines, and bridges to parts where the majority of the railroad no longer exists. For this reason, the solution worked according to typical situations that included three main typologies: paths in the field, on the embankment and in the ravines,” said Sošić, who added that due to length, and because of the finances, the renovation and conversion of railways must be phased in order of importance.

“The first objective includes breaking up cycling tourism, followed by the local development of complementary activities, the preservation of natural, cultural and industrial heritage, and finally the development of intermodality and the promotion of sustainable mobility,” Sošić said.

Talking about the construction action plan, which will also go gradually and in stages, they would begin by cleaning the railway, which, as we learned from the Kanfanar Mayor Sandra Jurman, has already started. Then, they would construct a macadam road, pave the asphalt, create the lookouts and erect wooden sculptures.

Speaking about the attractions that could be found on the newly refurbished railway line, whose construction, in addition to the money from the budget of Kanfanar and Rovinj, will require EU funds, Sosic said they would construct a bridge over Ipsilon, erect a historic train as a sculpture, renovate three existing bridges, construct a resting place in Rovinj and Kanfanar with a bicycle stand and an electric charging station for them. In addition, the new path will provide space for new lookouts, parking lots, newly planned bridges, and horizontal signage as an opportunity to place installations and sculptures.

According to Jurman, it is a large and financially demanding investment that will ultimately connect Kanfanar and Rovinj even more significantly, enriching the lives of both the local population and the increasing number of cyclotourists and tourists in general.

“At this point, it is very difficult to talk about specific dates of project implementation. What follows is the creation of a survey that will be followed by the main project. In addition to money from the municipal and city budgets, we will also apply for funds from the EU Fund and the development of tourism infrastructure. In any case, I hope that by next season this route will be able to be used by pedestrians,” Jurman said.

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

February 15, 2020 - Vesna Ferenac, director of the Novigrad Tourist Board, emphasizes that their ultimate goal is more efficient promotion, that is, visibility of the destination and raising the quality of the offer in the city. 

"Last year we achieved record results: three percent increase in arrivals and a two percent increase in overnights, exceeding 1.3 million overnights. This is a great result considering that the beginning of the preseason did not start well due to terrible and cold weather. The period before and after the season is very important for us, so this year we are focused on activities during this period to increase the number of guests,” said Vesna Ferenac, director of the Novigrad Tourist Board, speaking about the preparations for the new tourist season.

Glas Istre writes that behind the scenes, they are preparing for the reception and provision of even better service and hospitality of the guests. And as Novigrad, colloquially called the "little pearl of the Adriatic", is becoming an excellent place for an increasing number of tourists.

“We continue with activities related to defining the tourist offer of Novigrad that started in 2018, one of the priority goals of which is branding the destination of Novigrad, according to the guidelines of a document we presented in May last year. So last year, we realized some of the activities that have emerged from this document, such as the summer entertainment program, with which we are continuing with some new content that will fill the week-long program in the city at several checkpoints," Ferenac says.

Based on these guidelines and a printed document, they collected offers to brand the destination and selected designer Marko Baus & associates from a Zagreb agency. For the realization of this vital branding project, they continued to hold workshops with stakeholders of tourism and other offers in the town, i.e., caterers, owners of accommodation facilities, travel agencies, institutions, associations and institutions that organize and conduct various events, but this time, the topic defined the strategic position of the brand for profiling future tourism products and creating experiences for guests staying in Novigrad.

“We also used the latest tools for analyzing guest posts on social networks, analyzing data collected from platforms for reviewing accommodation and analyzing posts on news portals, that is, a digital media image survey of Novigrad was carried out, with about 120,000 posts. By analyzing these announcements through platforms and social networks, we will have a clearer landmark for branding the destination. A pervasive analysis has been made because we believe that guest feedback is essential, as they see and perceive us as a destination, in order to address some of the shortcomings and targeted development. To us, from the perspective of a local, some of the appearances and things in the town may seem different than it would for guests, because we are here every day, and therefore their wishes should be heard and self-critical changes and improvements can be made,” explains Ferenac.

As she points out further, in this project, it was very important to take into account the local observations that were analyzed at the workshops. The result of the work in last year's workshops will compare with the opinions of the guests and define the attributes of Novigrad that need to be more actively promoted and branded to become even more visible in the highly competitive tourism market. Ferenac explains that this complex research and strategic document for destination branding implies a change of the city's visuals, its implementation (unification), that is, connecting all carriers in all fields of the city's tourism offer.

“The ultimate goal is more efficient promotion, i.e., visibility of the destination and raising the quality of the offer in the city. Also, with unique content networking, guests should be additionally stimulated to visit and stay, and spend more throughout the year,” Ferenac points out.

In addition, a number of events have been expanded as the Tourist Board moves ahead with new tourism products.

“We have judged that there is a lack of content related to marine activities. So, in cooperation with an Austrian swim club, we are organizing an international swimming marathon on May 16 and according to the announcements so far, we expect between 200 and 300 swimmers. We will organize a new sailing regatta, but we are still in negotiations,” announced Ferenac and added that they are thinking about new gourmet products. 

Namely, for the development of gourmet products, two editions of the new Park Food Fest gourmet event are planned this year, in the pre and postseason, while the traditional gourmet events united under the name Gnam-gnam fest will be realized this year at the Novigrad Captains Evening at the beginning June, and Sardelafest in early September.

“In mid-July, at the increasingly popular event "Che gusto", numerous local and foreign producers of wine, craft beer and food products will present their offer. Also, we continue with events that started last year, like: "Movie nights" with screenings of films in the park under the stars, "Jazz Corner" at Bosko Petrovic Passage, tribute band concerts at the Piazza Grande in Novigrad, "Kids' day” with a program of street entertainers, then music programs on every corner, and debut music nights in the romantic setting of the restored Belvedere Lodge.

There will also be traditional events such as the Painting Ex tempore Contest, Magical Novigrad, Slovenian nights and all sorts of surprises, Ferenac says, adding that every guest is equally good and that there is something for everyone.

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

ZAGREB, February 14, 2020 - Istrian Democratic Party (IDS) president Boris Miletić said on Friday, on the party's 30th anniversary, that it had shown how a region in Croatia could develop, how to contribute to society's democratisation and be on the side of civil rights, and how to promote European values.

Speaking in Pula, Miletić said "three decades of successful work are behind us. I'm glad that today Istria (County) is indeed an oasis of tolerance, an example and a beacon in our country, for which most of the credit goes to our citizens, but also to the IDS which throughout that time has given a vision of the development of our region."

He also commented on the case of Tar-Vabriga municipal head Nivio Stojić, who verbally attacked a journalist after she asked him about his declaration of assets. Miletić said Stojić did the only possible thing by leaving the IDS. "I'm sorry (the attack) happened. As a party, we have shown in this instance too how to protect the values we promote."

Miletić said IDS members' declarations "are available to anyone" and underlined the importance of transparency, adding that "if someone wants to do a public job, they must respect the law."

Speaking of cooperation with the Social Democratic Party, he said the IDS was open to cooperation with the left liberal bloc.

"We have a big chance to change this incompetent, corrupt government, and if that is the joint goal, it must be the highest goal of all the parties which want to participate," Miletić said, adding that "citizens are losing trust in politics" and that "all parties should work on trust in the public system and politics."

He said the "modality" of running in the next parliamentary election "should be subordinate to one goal - that the group of parties have a majority in parliament and form a new government which will finally steer this country in the right direction."

"That means that we want to make Croatia a normal European state, that we stop dealing with the past so much and start thinking about the living standards of all citizens."

The IDS will celebrate its 30th anniversary in Pazin tomorrow. Among those attending will be President-elect Zoran Milanović.

More IDS news can be found in the Politics section.

As Morski writes on the 3rd of February, 2020, Veruda island, otherwise known as a favourite island among Pula locals and better known as ''fratar (brother) island'', has received valuable recognition in the form of the EKO beach label as the only one of its kind in the whole of the Republic of Croatia.

Namely, at the initiative of the Ministry of Tourism, the administrative department for tourism of Istria County drew up a regional programme for the regulation and management of the beaches. In this way, the systematic, thoughtful and sustainable management of the beaches is ensured, above all by environmental standards. The beach on Veruda island has as such fulfilled the stringent Eco Beach requirements. There will be an information board placed on the beach itself which will descrie and detail the valuable flora and fauna that grows in the area, as well as the rules and expectations when it comes to behaviour on eco beaches.

Pula Mayor Boris Miletic said he was extremely pleased by the environmental recognition that confirms the green status Veruda island has among the citizens of Pula.

"Year after year, we work to preserve its authenticity, the natural environment and we continue developing and enriching the island as a place where citizens will continue to actively spend their free time,'' stated Mayor Miletic.

The eco beach is located on the north side of island Veruda near the main pier and the reception of the nearby campsite. The beach is mostly pebbled, with a length of 350 metres and an average width of 12 metres, while in the hinterland, there is a beautiful natural pine forest. There is a changing awning on the beach, and near the waste storage tanks, and at a distance of 100 metres, there is a toilet with drinking water and showers with hot water available from solar collectors.

Veruda island is already preparing for a busy and successful 2020 summer season, and owing to that, a summer programme has been planned this year, which will attract hundreds of visitors during the summer season to enjoy concerts, performances, the culinary competition "GRILLijada" and of course the "Fratarski - Bunarina" swimming marathon.

In addition to it, the children's summer camp will be traditionally organised, attracting children and young people from Pula and the surrounding villages as it does every summer, who will also gain new friendships.

Make sure to follow our dedicated lifestyle and Total Eco Croatia pages for much more.

February 1, 2020 - The construction of the Stancija Grande Golf Complex near Vrsar, with an investment led by Maistra, has been in the public eye for a long time, especially for the residents of Vrsar. 

Namely, Glas Istre reports that a golf complex with a 27-hole golf course should be built on an area of one hundred hectares, in the area determined by the Spatial Plans of the County of Istria and the Municipality of Vrsar, based on the prepared Environmental Impact Study and Urban Planning Plan (UPU).

The same documents envisage landscaping along the golf course with four reservoirs that would be filled with collected and purified stormwater, sanitary, technological and drainage waters and from underground sources. The construction part of the complex includes a five-star hotel with a capacity of 200 beds with accompanying facilities, which should be high quality with a diverse offer, and an integral part of the complex. The existing residential building at Stancija Grande would be transformed into a golf clubhouse, with a golf academy, the Murtić Gallery and a service complex with a nursery.

The golf course would be a Championship Golf Course, signed by world-renowned golf player and golf course designer José María Olazába. It would not belong to the classic "tourist" courses found in most golf destinations in southern Europe. The landscape, course, hotel, clubhouse and related facilities are designed to allow the most demanding professional golf competitions organized by the European PGA Tour, which would place Stancija Grande in the top 100 courses in the world.

The Stancija Grande Golf Complex will be connected to the southern main access road by extending the existing road from four to eight meters, while the construction of the western access road is the responsibility of the Municipality of Vrsar. The service road to the complex will be built by widening the field road from three to six meters. For connection to the public water supply network of the Istrian water supply system, a water tank and a supply pipeline up to 800 meters long will be constructed, as well as a supply pipeline to the golf complex 500 meters long. HEP will conduct cabling to the golf complex.

The existing quarry at Stancija Grande, which is now practically in the function of a wild landfill, will be arranged and integrated as part of the golf course. 

With the construction of this golf complex, Vrsar would be classified as a golf destination of European and world rank. The broader goal of this project is to diversify the tourist offer, improve the tourist destination and improve the quality of the tourist service in Vrsar, which is known so far, mostly as a quality camping destination. This would also extend the tourist season, and this project aims to implement a new tourist offer in the existing offer, which is geared towards carefully selected groups of higher spending guests.

When asked about the status of the project, public relations associate Vanja Mohorović said that in the next three-year period, out of the planned HRK 4 billion, the Adris group plans as much as HRK 3 billion for tourism, of which HRK 450 million is planned for investments in Vrsar. Three hundred fifty million will be earmarked for the Eden Hotel and Camp Amarin this year, and the renovation of the Panorama and Westin hotels in Zagreb will begin at the end of the year. This year's investments in Vrsar will include the Koversada Naturist Camp and Porto Sole Camp.

"As for inquiries for the Stancija Grande Golf Complex, there are no new facts, and the project will be notified to the public when all its details have been defined," Maistra concluded.

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

January 29, 2020 - Outdoor tourism in the protected areas of Istria was presented at the CMT - Die Urlaubsmesse trade fair in Stuttgart, with a special emphasis on cycling and nature walking, as part of the EU project KLIM Kontija-Lim Bay. 

Glas Istre reports that among the many European projects implemented or currently being implemented by the County of Istria is the EU project LIKE - Living on the Karst Edge. Thus, as part of this great German fair, everything that the Ćićarija mountain plateau has to offer, including the development potential of cycling tourism under the brand of Ćićarija Regional Park, was presented in this segment.

“We have presented and exhibited promotional materials related to outdoor hiking and biking with an emphasis on eco-friendly tourism products and offers in nature protected areas. We also presented the second edition of the brochure on eco-friendly content in Istria called Istria ecoxperience - Everything Eco in Istria. The sea and the seabed of the Lim Bay on the west coast represent a special reserve in the sea, while its slopes and coast are protected natural values, which include the Kontija Special Forest vegetation reserve. 

This year, the area is richer with cycling trails and educational walks that blend in without compromising the natural environment to allow visitors to move along the entire channel with the opportunity to engage in a range of recreational and educational programs. At the fair, we exhibited leaflets, brochures, monographs and posters, and enriched it with video materials. Everything is super accepted as people seek new experiences and move away from the hustle and bustle,” said Bruno Kostelic, Head of the Department for Nature and Environmental Protection in the County Department for Sustainable Development.

He also emphasized that cycling and cycling tourism are of primary interest for the development of selective forms of tourism in Istria, and that in the case of the Ćićarija Regional Park, this potential takes on a whole new light.

One of the key trends in the tourism sector is the growing concern for the environment, both by hoteliers and other tourism companies and guests, among whom there are more and more people who change the way they travel because they care about the environment and seek content that offers natural values and unspoiled nature.

“Istria County is a tourist destination, which has numerous natural values and landscapes that are not exclusively related to the sea, as well as offers and tourist facilities on the coast. In the Istrian peninsula, 35 natural areas are protected, and with the accession of Croatia to the European Union, we are additionally adorned with 66 Natura 2000 sites, which makes up 37 percent of the total area of protected natural values in our county. Natural values are our wealth and potential we protect, and we develop new tourism products with innovative concepts such as citizen science projects and other content and offerings within protected areas that in many ways involve science, locals and our guests, leaving us with a real sense of involvement and contribution to protecting nature,” Kostelic notes.

Istria County is a partner in the EU project KLIM Kontija-Lim Bay, Sustainable Management of Protected Areas, which is implemented under the Operational Program Competitiveness and Cohesion with an implementation period from August 2018 to December 2021, the leading partner of which is the Municipality of Vrsar. The project is being implemented to use the Kontija Forest and the entire Lim Bay sustainably, through the construction of a scientific and educational center of the Kontija protected forest, as well as providing numerous additional facilities following the nature protection conditions and developing a broader vision of the development of the Lim Valley area. In its spatial scope, it includes the project area, but it also extends to the areas of the currently unincorporated cities and municipalities of Pazin, Rovinj, Kanfanar, Sveti Lovreč, Sveti Petar u Šumi, Tinjan and Žminj.

At the same time, because of the exceptional natural values of the Lim Bay and the Kontija Forest, recognized through several different nature protection categories of the project area, the Natura Histrica Public Institution plans to develop management plans for these areas for their protection and sustainable development. The Kontija Forest thus becomes one of the key natural resources for the further development of tourism in the Municipality of Vrsar.

The KLIM project begins the systematic approach to the valorization of the wider area of the Lim Bay and the Lim Valley, which abounds in exceptional natural and cultural heritage. The broader framework and vision of the development are defined by documents that the County of Istria has produced before the implementation of the KLIM project, the Spatial Programming Basis (PPO) of the Lim Bay and Lim Draga, the programming concept of Lim Valley Park, the Lim Bay Recreation Park design concept.

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

January 13, 2020 - New facilities such as theme parks and trails, rest areas, lookouts, cultural and artistic checkpoints, ecological-educational trails and specialized training grounds and structures for sports and recreational activities will soon be developed in Lim Bay.

Glas Istre writes that at the beginning of this year, the Istria County Administrative Department of Tourism will announce a public call for co-financing events and tourism projects in Istria, for which HRK 660,000 is foreseen. 

Events that prolong the tourist season and direct tourist flows to less developed areas of Istria are encouraged. County Head for Tourism Nada Prodan Mrakovic points out that through local manifestations and tourism projects they want to strongly promote the local traditions and customs and the valorisation and presentation of typical Istrian products, but also emphasize environmental protection and all other environmental aspects.

“Through the program of promoting the sustainability and quality of tourist events in Istria, we strive to motivate the organizers for the sustainable development of events, but also for the organization in the pre and post-season and in less developed tourist areas, which raises the level of attractiveness of the destination and provides additional content,” says Prodan Mrakovic presenting this year's plan of work by the County Department of Tourism.

They are focused on developing Istria as a quality tourist destination oriented to year-round tourism and sustainable development, which drives the local economy and strengthens local values, customs and traditions, respecting space and architecture, protecting heritage and preserving and smartly valorizing natural and cultural resources.

“This requires the consensus of all tourism stakeholders in Istria, responsibility and smart development. The basis of our programs is the Master Plan for Tourism of Istria from 2015 to 2025, from which I highlight several important measures of the operational strategy that we guide in our activities. These include aligning the development of accommodation types with product development, the database of private accommodation and the new marketing process according to accommodation types. We encourage the Touring System of Istria, that is, we support initiatives of cities and municipalities and their tourist boards to organize lookout points, rest areas and info-points precisely to develop this segment more and to enable guests to get to know more about the beauties and contents throughout Istria. This is complemented by the Visitor Interpretation System, where some are already in operation, such as Mare the Witch's House in Svetvinčenat, the Visitor Center in Barban, the Arsia Center in Raša, and several are still in the works. At the same time, many are still being prepared,” says Prodan Mrakovic.

With the "Istria Culture" measure, the goal is to use cultural resources to enhance tourist attractiveness and further diversify experiences and attract more visitors motivated primarily by culture.

“We started measuring some indicators of Istria's sustainable development according to ETIS, the European System of Sustainability Indicators for the Development of Tourist Destinations, and CROST, the Observatory for Sustainable Tourism Development in Croatia, a project of the Institute of Tourism launched to measure and monitor the sustainability of tourism in Croatia. In doing so, we want to sensitize the public to the importance of sustainable tourism development and raise awareness and to make plans and policies for future development based on the indicators obtained. What will help us even more with this is the Sustainable Tourism Study, which is being produced at the Institute of Agriculture and Tourism in Porec, which should give us answers about the perceptions of the population and local self-government units in Istria on sustainable development, the plans they have for the future and the like,” she added.

In the segment of private accommodation, this is followed by the continuation of the development and promotion of the EcoDomus project (eco-friendly accommodation), for which the budget of the Tourism Department is planned at HRK 180,000. The project was awarded at this year's Croatian Tourism Days and was awarded the HTZ Award in the Sustainable Tourism Development category. So far, more than 40 private renters from all over Istria have been awarded the EcoDomus certificate, which is encouraged to tailor their facilities and services to guests responsibly and sustainably. The criteria for obtaining a certificate are valued local values. The host is also encouraged to inform guests about the local cultural and historical heritage, natural values, amenities and events, arrange the environment of their facility with native plant species, promote traditional products and souvenirs, inform guests about learning opportunities and/or participating in traditional customs, promotee local cuisine and typical food products, save water and electricity, sort waste, use environmentally friendly cleaning products and the like.

“Regarding the tourist infrastructure, we continue to maintain and promote the Parenzana hiking and cycling trail, in synergy with the towns and municipalities through the route, namely Poreč, Višnjan, Kaštelir, Vižinada, Karojba, Motovun, Oprtalj, Grožnjan, Buje and Umag. In order to ensure the conditions for continuous and undisturbed sports and recreational use of the route, regular maintenance is necessary. Considering the limited possibilities of local budgets, especially the smaller units of local self-government in the interior of Istria, by pooling earmarked funds of HRK 300,000 for arranging and maintaining Parenzana, a systematic solution is ensured throughout the calendar year,” points out Prodan Mraković.

The County Tourism Department is continuously investing HRK 260,000 annually in Parenzana, independently and from its resources, and this year will set up signposts, boards for various purposes, illuminated tunnels, and enable Internet connection in some places, all to increase its attractiveness, because it is traversed by around 100,000 cyclists and pedestrians every year. This project valorises untapped resources and fosters an economically and socially sustainable environment, such as cycling services, catering (from private accommodation to boutique hotels, taverns and agritourism), wine cellars, olive oil roads, medieval towns and the like.

“In recent years, we have witnessed increased activities around the beaches, which are also supported by the Ministry of Tourism. In this segment, it is very important to manage beaches smartly and responsibly, since beaches are the most important natural resource in the product of the sun and the sea, which is dominant in Istria. Developing the document of the regional program for the development and management of beaches created the preconditions for improving the quality of all the beach content by thematizing the beaches and prescribing the minimum technical conditions of development, the long-term sustainability of managing these areas, as well as improving the attractiveness and visual identity of the entire coastal zone of Istria. This is a prerequisite for an increased satisfaction of tourists and locals through the use of those beaches that are thematically best suited to their interests and preferences,” says Prodan Mrakovic.

Three-Hundred-fifty-thousand kuna has been earmarked this year to encourage the development of selective forms of tourism, such as cultural and sport-recreational tourism, and especially cycling tourism. This includes support for IRTA's Istra Inspirit program, which is based on the valorisation of Istrian myths and legends and their attractive approach to guests. The main objective of the project is to enrich the tourist offer through the segment of cultural and historical heritage and create a unique experience and stories and indirectly extend the tourist season and enrich the cultural and tourist offer. Together with private individuals and others in the public sector, it supports the development of cycling tourism and other nature-based activities throughout Istria, in collaboration with the Istria Bike department established within IRTA.

“In order to investigate the cycling situation on the Istrian market and the satisfaction of locals and tourists with cycling, we have conducted a study on managing the quality of development of cycling tourism in Istria County. The study aims to investigate users' opinions regarding the expected quality and satisfaction of tourists and visitors with the current offer of cycle tourism products in the destination. The main objective of the Study is to offer a sustainable model of quality management for the cycling tourism product. Implemented activities will include examining the opinions and attitudes of cycling tourism service providers and defining indicators that will be able to continuously monitor the quality of cycling tourism at the county level. The project is co-financed by the Ministry of Tourism, and the study costs HRK 187,500, according to Prodan Mrakovic.

In the natural heritage segment, the Gulf of Lim and the Lim fjord is a space that needs to be smartly and responsibly developed to enhance its attractiveness, but not to the detriment of nature, plants and animals living there. Therefore, based on the "Spatial and Programming Basis of the Gulf of Lim and Lim Fjord”, adopted by the Assembly of Istria County, together with the Public Institution Natur Histrica and the municipalities and cities that fall within the scope of the professional foundation, the natural and cultural heritage will be valorized. In accordance with the expert background, existing activities will be upgraded and new facilities such as theme parks and trails, rest areas, lookouts, cultural and artistic checkpoints, ecological-educational trails and specialized training grounds and structures for sports and recreational activities will be developed. The realization of individual segments from the expert background is planned to be financed from EU funds, since it is harmonized with the European directives and spatial planning documentation of the County of Istria.

“We will continue to be present in the education segment of existing and potential caterers. The training aims to raise awareness of the importance of nurturing table culture and authenticity, as well as professionalizing and investing in quality with all catering providers, through incorporating acquired knowledge and skills into the tourist offer of the facility. To sum it up, our goal is to raise awareness of responsible and sustainable tourism development, which implies controlled and quality development based on plans and concepts, long-term perspective, local community involvement, local employees and respect for native architecture. Tourism must promote and enhance economic viability, social balance and environmental friendliness. Therefore, it is important for us to strengthen the local economy, preserve and promote local values, customs and traditions, and preserve the environment and local architecture,” concluded Mrakovic.

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

As Novac writes on the 10th of January, 2020, although there is no access to the sea, the municipality of Kastelir-Labinci in Istria has been seeing a real tourist boom in recent years. Last year, with a capacity of 2,050 beds in 431 types of tourist accommodation, it achieved as many as 90,000 overnight stays, marking an increase of 17 percent when compared to 2018. In addition, it recorded 9,500 tourist arrivals, equal to a jump of 20 percent in arrivals in 2019 compared to one year earlier.

Local portal Glas Istre writes that the reason for this boom in Kastelir-Labinci is in the new tourism development strategy for the period 2019 - 2025, adopted at the end of last year, which aims to double the tourist traffic in five years. Interesting summer events, which involve everything from culture to gastronomy to sport, are just some of the moves that prompted both the municipal administration and the local tourist board to approach the future development of tourism more thoughtfully and with more concrete plans.

One of the more important goals outlined in this strategy is the planned capacity increase of about one hundred beds per year, with the aim of increasing their occupancy to 70 days a year. This would increase the number of overnight stays at the end of the planning period from the current 90,000 to about 170,000, which is almost double, but it also wants to increase spending per night from the current 30 to 50 euros. The municipality of Kastelir-Labinci wishes to brand its tourist offer according to the principles of balanced development, which is sustainable and in harmony with nature, respecting ecological standards and with an emphasis on the authenticity of both the environment and what's in it, as well as ample food and beverage offers.

The strategy proposes a number of new types of touristic content that should increase the attractiveness of the tourist offer of the entire Kastelir-Labinci region, and some of the ideas are original in themselves on the wider Istrian regional scale. For example, the establishment of a botanical garden has been proposed, and there is even the possibility of a zoo with indigenous animals living there. These are just two of the things that could potentially be in the works for Kastelir-Labinci.

In addition, a number of trails are proposed to improve the area's cyclotourism, which has gained a lot of momentum with the establishment of a bike centre, and the desire is to improve the trekking offer or running trails through nature, as well as to arrange paths for go-karts for guests who might be adrenaline junkies.

The tourism development strategy also recommends the development of adventure and hunting tourism, followed by horse riding schools as part of health and rehabilitation tourism, and also with the possibility of equestrian sports. Excursion tourism is proposed to be further enriched by the construction of a system of observation points for the environment, and the authors of the strategy consider the area of ​​this municipality to be a convenient location for summer children's camps in a vegetatively rich and naturally diverse environment.

One of the highlights in the new proposals of Kastelir-Labinci's tourism strategy is the promotion of gastro-tourism.

A particular eno-gastronomic niche set out in the strategy is organic farming, that is, the supply of food and drink from organically produced foods. The offer of indigenous souvenirs is also something that is lacking in this area and should be developed with the incentive to open souvenir shops and themed boutiques.

Make sure to follow our dedicated travel page for more on Kastelir-Labinci and visiting Istria as a whole.

As Glas Istre/Aleta Brattoni writes on the 15th of December, 2019, the decision to subsidise the purchase of apartments in the City of Porec in the amount of 1,900 kuna per square metre, for which 3.5 million kuna has been set aside in the budget for 2020, was unanimously supported by the city councillors at the 28th session of the Porec City Council.

Ivan Pavic of the City Property Management Department presented the Porec's latest decision, which he says builds on a socially-encouraged housing program that was previously terminated for known reasons.

''Considering that the program of socially stimulated housing was terminated, with the aim of stimulating the demographic reconstruction of society, the urban regeneration of settlements, the reduction of the emigration of young families, and assistance to citizens in solving their housing issues, the mayor endorsed the proposal and referred it on to the City Council for consideration and for a decision on it to be made,'' Pavić said.

It was presented so that the purchase subsidy will be granted to citizens who have valid residence in the City of Porec who, in addition to the requested subsidy amount, provide the remaining funds for the purchase of the apartment themselves.

The approval of a purchase subsidy request will be made on the basis of a priority order list. That list is determined on based on the following criteria: housing conditions, housing status, the applicant's residence time in the city, the number of members of a shared household, age, if there are any pre-school and school-age children, if there are any disabilities or health impairments of either the applicant or a member of their joint household, participation in the Homeland War, whether or not they hold the status of a disabled war veteran from the Homeland War, and whether or not they hold the status of a family member of a killed, detained or missing Croatian war veteran.

It's worth mentioning that the City of Poreč has further plans, and the sale of land for a mere one kuna is planned for some time in the future.

''At the end of next year, a decision should be made at the City Council level to change the spatial plan. It is with this spatial plan that we'll determine the exact position, location, and define how many square metres will be allocated, and thus continue with this new program,'' stated Loris Peršurić.

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