October 16, 2021 - Weddings in Istria can alleviate the seasonality of tourism, strengthen the pre and post-season, and increase the local community's income.

The Istria County Tourist Board organized the first Istria Wedding MeetUp in cooperation with partners - WeddingsInCroatia, StudioBrzak weddings & events, Lepor Weddings, and Flammeum weddings & events - held on October 14 at the Parentium Plava Laguna Hotel in Poreč, reports HRTurizam. 

The event gathered many local experts from the world of weddings, mainly from the Istrian area, and representatives of local tourist boards, which talked about the latest trends and knowledge in this domain.

“The wedding business segment in Istria is growing from year to year. Although neither Croatia nor Istria is recognized as a major wedding destination globally, Istria has managed to profile itself according to the so-called niche segment of weddings, especially in terms of micro or same-sex weddings. Since this is a complex business discipline in which success requires the cooperation of at least a dozen different activities to create a recognizable wedding product eventually, mutual cooperation and togetherness are of key interest in this business. The County Tourist Board has once again confirmed that this product is essential for Istria because, after a fifteen-year process of restructuring and repositioning, a level of quality of accommodation and service that can be compared with similar destinations in the world has been reached. And the recent accession of Istria to the prestigious association Virtuoso opens countless opportunities for all our entrepreneurs in Istria because they have an open channel to a large number of influential travel advisors, more than 22,000, who decide in which direction and which region to support for a wedding product," said the Istria County Tourist Board director Denis Ivošević.

Ivošević also announced three new projects within the wedding segment of Istria: a new stylized thematic photo & video shooting, then bringing world-famous wedding planners to get to know the destination and advertising the Istrian wedding offer in domestic and foreign reference media.

Participants could partake in two panels. The topic of the first panel was weddings as a tourist product and the recognition and branding of Istria as a wedding destination, with Denis Ivošević, sales director of Hotel San Canzian from Buje Suzana Vrtičević Tica, owner of WeddingsInCroatia Iva Kraljevic Licardo, owner of Foto Studio Festival from Labin Rajko Borčić and the agent of the Promotion and Sales Service of the Brijuni National Park Flores Marsetič. Petar Jurica, renowned photographer and owner of the Petar Jurica Weddings agency, Arsen Maršanić, wedding organizer and owner of the Noi Due agency, and Martina Rakić, a wedding planner from the WeddingsInCroatia agency, spoke at the second panel on the topic of trends and new formats and where weddings are going in the future.

In addition to the panel, two lectures were organized, one on the topic of digital marketing, i.e., the impact of online communication on the wedding industry, led by Miško Macolić Tomičić from the MarkeThing agency. The second lecture on the very current topic of organizing sustainable events was given by Maja Bosanac, director of the Eventful agency, who presented the novelties of how events should look with particular attention to the environment.

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October 9, 2021 - With the aim of promoting sustainable tourism development, informing about existing eco-friendly facilities in Istria, and raising awareness of the importance of ecology and networking stakeholders in Istria, the county sent a public invitation for inclusion in the brochure Istria Ecoxperience.

Two years ago, the County of Istria started printing the first brochure on eco-friendly facilities in Istria, reports HrTurizam.hr. The desire is thus to contribute to the preservation of natural and cultural resources, raise awareness of the need for nature protection, improve the lives of local communities and encourage new business opportunities in Istria, respecting the principles of sustainable development. At the same time, this encourages the development of the local community, the consumption of domestic and indigenous products from ecological and organic farming.

Nature, culture, tradition, and people are important aspects of green tourism, and with the aim of promoting sustainable tourism development, informing about existing eco-friendly facilities in Istria, monitoring trends in the world, and raising awareness of the importance of ecology and networking stakeholders in Istria, Istria The county sent a public invitation for inclusion in the brochure "ISTRIA ECOXPERIENCE - All eco from Istria".

The brochure is multilingual (Croatian-English and Italian-German), printed on ecological paper, and designed by Judge Sonda, who also designed the title of the brochure. In addition to eco-friendly accommodation, ie private accommodation certified with the Eco Domus label, hotels bearing the international eco-label Travelife, and camps with the EU Ecolabel label, the brochure includes certified organic producers who sell their offer on the doorstep, beaches bearing the Blue and Green flags. , Eco beaches, e-charging stations for electric vehicles and bicycles, and eco events that present ecological and indigenous products or eco-friendly activities.

Furthermore, protected areas in Istria have been singled out, with special emphasis on the Natura 2000 Ecological Network and protected plant and animal species, the rules of conduct in these areas and facilities such as caves, pits, national parks, and nature parks, which are adapted for the reception of tourists.

The brochure includes eco-museums and theme parks that present indigenous products, traditions, and customs, then the Parenzana hiking and biking trail, and promotes eco-friendly activities while at the same time behaving responsibly towards the environment.

The brochure can be downloaded at the LINK, and is intended for the domicile population who want to raise environmental awareness and encourage environmental thinking, but also tourists to get information about all the eco-friendly content and offer in one place. At the beginning of this year, a website was created, which contains all the information as well as a brochure.

All interested stakeholders who are directly or indirectly involved in tourism in Istrian County and who operate in an eco-friendly way, are invited to join the Istria Ecoxperience. It is enough to fill in the appropriate application form and submit it with the accompanying documentation to the address of the Administrative Department for Tourism of Istrian County.

The public call for inclusion on the website is permanently open, while applications for inclusion in the printed brochure close on 31 October. Ordinance on the conditions for inclusion and application forms are available HERE.

For more information and travel tips on the Istrian region, be sure to visit our newly launched Total Croatia portal. Now in your language!

For more on travel in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

September 21, 2021 - Summer takes a step aside for the arrival of autumn, and some regions, such as Istria, show the enormous variety of their tourist offer in all their corners and throughout the year. And that is demonstrated by announcing its celebration of the World Tourism Day for the sixth year in a row on October 2 and 3.

HrTurizam reports that, for the sixth time in a row, the Administrative Department for Tourism of the Istrian County is organizing and encouraging the inclusion in the celebration of the World Tourism Day in Istria. This year, World Tourism Day is held under the motto: "TOURISM FOR INCLUSIVE GROWTH".

”The celebration of the World Tourism Day in Istria 2021 will be held on Saturday, October 2 and Sunday, October 3 from 10 am to 6 pm at 64 points throughout Istria where tourist attractions open their doors that can be used with discounts of up to 50% or completely free. In this way, we make our offer more accessible with the aim of getting to know the contents and attractions in Istria as much as possible, and thus strengthen the promotion of Istria”, pointed out the head of the Tourism Board, Prodan Mrakovic.

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. Also, numerous local tourist boards joined the event with their programs.

"In the Department of Tourism, we believe that, in accordance with this year's theme of World Tourism Day, this event will point to domestic, indigenous products, offers, and services and encourage consumption and thus support local facilities. Thus, we contribute to inclusive development, ie the development of new, lesser-known content that has been most affected by the crisis in recent years. In this way, we encourage sustainable and responsible tourism development. and ultimately, we point out the importance of tourism that affects the economic, social, cultural and environmental segments.” concluded Prodan Mraković.

To find the most complete information on all the destinations in Croatia that you can visit, take a look at the Total Croatia guides HERE. Now in your language!

For more, check out our dedicated travel section.

September 21, 2021 - Three Croatian municipalities and villages, two in Istria and one in Bjelovar, are among the candidates for the novel initiative of the World Tourism Organization to promote rural tourism, and this is why Kaštelor-Labinci, Motovun, and Veliko Trojstvo will compete in the UNWTO Awards.

With the aim of improving the role of rural tourism, the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has launched a pilot initiative "Best Tourism Villages", reports HrTurizam.hr. As part of the activities, UNWTO member states, until 15 September, had the opportunity to apply for up to three candidates: villages or municipalities. They will present their places as drivers of sustainable change in the social, economic, and environmental aspects. The Municipality of Kaštelir-Labinci, the Municipality of Motovun from Istria, and the Municipality of Veliko Trojstvo from Bjelovar-Bilogora County were elected as Croatian representatives.

The initiative includes three pillars and two awards. Villages that are an outstanding example of a rural tourism destination and that are committed to sustainability in all its forms - economic, social, and environmental - will be awarded the label "Best Tourist Villages of the UNWTO". Villages that do not fully meet the criteria for the label will be provided with an upgrade program to support the UNWTO and their partners in working in problem areas. Finally, a network will be created that will provide space for the exchange of experiences and good practices, learning and creating new opportunities for development. It will include representatives of villages awarded the “Best Tourist Village” label by the UNWTO, villages participating in the Upgrade Program as well as experts, public and private sector partners engaged in the promotion of rural development tourism.

The aim of the UNWTO Awards is to strengthen the role of tourism as a positive force for transformation, rural development, and community well-being. It seeks to increase the sector's contribution to reducing regional inequalities and combating the depopulation of rural areas. It also seeks to enhance the role of tourism in valuing and protecting rural villages, along with landscapes, knowledge systems, biological and cultural diversity, local values, ​​and activities, including gastronomy.

To find the most complete information on all the destinations in Croatia that you can visit, take a look at the Total Croatia guides HERE. Now in your language!

For more, check out our dedicated travel section.

ZAGREB, 15 Sept, 2021 - The San Pelagio port, a new, HRK 53.4 million (€7.12 million) investment in the northern Adriatic city of Rovinj, which is expected to relieve the burden on the Andana port in the city centre, was opened on Wednesday.

The new port is intended exclusively for personal vessels up to eight metres in length, the Rovinj Port Authority said.

Port Authority head Donald Schiozzi said the new port was being opened ahead of 16 September, the Day of the City of Rovinj and its patron saint, St. Euphemia.

Mayor Marko Paliaga recalled that construction work on the new port started in late 2019, noting that currently more than 1,000 smaller vessels are registered in the city.

The largest part of the investment was contributed by Rovinj and its port authority, HRK 8.5 million was contributed by the Ministry of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure while Istria County participated with HRK 1.6 million.

Josip Bilaver, State Secretary at the Ministry of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure and the government's envoy at the inauguration of the port, said the government had recognised the importance of investing in port infrastructure and would continue with such projects.

(€1 = HRK 7.5)

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ZAGREB, 7 Sept, 2021 - Three more Croatian restaurants have been added to the prestigious Michelin restaurant guide, bringing the total number of Croatian restaurants with one star to ten, the Croatian Tourist Board (HTZ) announced on Tuesday following notification from Michelin.

The three new restaurants that have been awarded a single Michelin star are Nebo in Rijeka (housed in the Costabella Hilton Hotel), Alfred Keller in Mali Lošinj and Agli Amici in Rovinj. They joined the seven restaurants that have retained their stars - Boškinac in Novalja, LD Terrace in Korčula, Pelegrini in Šibenik, 360º in Dubrovnik, Monte in Rovinj, Noel in Zagrebu and Draga di Lovrana in Lovran.

In addition, seven more restaurants have been awarded the special Bib Gourmand designation for their remarkable menus at affordable prices. There are now 13 restaurants in Croatia with this designation.

The new Bib Gourmand restaurants are Konoba Mate (Korčula), Dunav (Ilok), Konoba Fetivi (Split), Izakaya by Time (Zagreb), Vuglec Breg (Krapina), Konoba Malo Selo (Buje) and Alla Beccaccia (Valbandon).

All the restaurants are listed in the new edition of the Michelin guide for Croatia for 2021. Another novelty in the new edition is the Michelin Green Star designation, which has been awarded to the Zinfandel's restaurant, housed in the Esplanade Zagreb Hotel, to acknowledge its commitment to sustainable and environmentally-friendly gastronomy.

Commenting on the news from Michelin, Tourism and Sport Minister Nikolina Brnjac said that enjoying food and drink is an important part of the tourist experience, adding that Croatia, as a country with a rich gastronomic tradition, should invest more in its promotion and development in the future. 

HTZ Director Kristjan Staničić said that the award of new Michelin designations is a huge success for the Croatian gastronomic scene and very important for the country's tourist industry, considering various restrictions surrounding the coronavirus pandemic.

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

August the 31st, 2021 - The Croatian tourist season just keeps on going despite the predictions we had earlier on in the year. With numbers rising to almost pre-pandemic levels and foreign arrivals having a much easier time entering Croatia than before, September is looking great and several Istrian cities are a particular hit at the moment.

While the vaccination rollout in Croatia might still leave quite a bit to be desired for, the tourist season has been excellent so far, with the announcements as we head into September also looking more than promising. The favourable epidemiological situation is likely to continue as long as all of the measures that remain in place are properly adhered to.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, according to the latest data from Croatia's eVisitor system, there are about 750,000 tourists currently holidaying in the country, of which about 650,000 are non-resident foreign nationals. Most of them are Germans, followed by other Croatian tourists visiting different places across the country, as reported by HRT.

The most visited cities are the Istrian cities of Rovinj, Porec and Umag. After that, most tourists can be found in the Split-Dalmatia, Primorje-Gorski Kotar and Zadar counties.

These figures represent encouraging growth of as much as 67 percent when compared to last year and the current state is only 15 percent less than the record year of 2019. As long as nothing changes drastically in regard to the currently very favourable Croatian epidemiological situation, the post-season could be above all expectations, bringing a very welcome sigh of relief for all those in the hospitality and tourism sector who more than likely believed such success would never come.

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

For all you need to know about coronavirus specific to Croatia, including travel and border rules, as well as the locations of vaccination points and testing centres, make sure to bookmark our dedicated section and select your preferred language.

ZAGREB, 21 Aug, 2021 - The 46th edition of the traditional three-day Prstenac tournament started in the Istrian town of Barban on Friday evening with the flag-raising ceremony.

This year, the event is held in line with the COVID-19 epidemiological measures.

The tournament is held under the auspices of Croatian President Zoran Milanović.

Spectators are able to attend the event after presenting the COVID-19 certificate confirming that they have recovered from the coronavirus or that they have tested negative to the virus. 

The final race will be held on Sunday afternoon with 16 horsemen participating.

First mentioned in 1696 and revived by the town of Barban in 1976, the Prstenac Race is held every year on the third weekend in August. The race features horsemen dressed in Istrian folk costumes, and they must cross a 150 metre track on horseback in 12 seconds and hit the "prstenac" iron ring with a spear.

This tournament has become a must-see cultural event, attracting several thousand visitors each summer.

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ZAGREB, 18 Aug 2021 - The 46th edition of the traditional three-day Prstenac tournament will start in the Istrian town of Barban on Friday evening with the flag-raising ceremony, organizers announced on Tuesday.

This year, the event will be held in line with the COVID-19 epidemiological measures.

Spectators will be able to attend the event after presenting the COVID-19 certificate confirming that they have recovered from the coronavirus or that they have tested negative for the virus. 

The final race will be held on Sunday afternoon with 16 horsemen participating.

First mentioned in 1696 and revived by the town of Barban in 1976, the Prstenac Race is held every year on the third weekend in August. The race features horsemen dressed in Istrian folk costumes, and they must cross a 150-meter track on horseback in 12 seconds and hit the "prstenac" iron ring with a spear.

This tournament has become a must-see cultural event, attracting several thousand visitors each summer.

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

July 31, 2021 - Goran Hrvatin, who has been the mayor of Tinjan for four years, has been appointed as the new mayor of the Central Istria Tourist Board.

HrTurizam reports that the Mayor of Tinjan, Goran Hrvatin, was unanimously appointed the new President at yesterday's meeting of the founders of the Tourist Board of Central Istria (TZSI) and will hold this position until the end of his current term. Until now, the duty of the president of the Central Istria Tourist Board was performed by Renato Krulčić, the mayor of the City of Pazin, and with the termination of the duty of the mayor, his duty as the president of the Tourist Board ceased.

The biography of the new president shows that from 2005 to 2008 he actively participated in the work of the Municipality of Tinjan as a councilor in the municipal council. Since May 2015, he has been volunteering as the Mayor of Tinjan. In his biography, he states that "during his tenure, he found a model for overcoming the crisis of the Municipality of Tinjan and laid the Municipality of Tinjan on a solid foundation." He has actively participated in IPARD projects for unclassified roads, tourist facilities, and in projects related to public lighting. Through four years of work on projects of the Municipality of Tinjan, he states that he has the necessary experience to manage projects co-financed by state and county aid and aid from EU funds.

The Central Istria Tourist Board was established, as one of the first in Croatia, for the area of ​​several local self-government units. It includes the City of Pazin and the municipalities of Cerovlje, Gračišće, Karojba, Lupoglav, Pićan, Sveti Lovreč, Sveti Petar u Šumii Tinjan.

It is important to mention that the Municipality of Tinjan has for many years recorded the largest number of overnight stays in the Central Istria Tourist Board, and has the largest accommodation capacity with more than a thousand beds.

Also, one of the positive things that are happening in Istria, and thanks to more and more luxury holiday homes is the opening of a new market for family farms. Thus, local Istrian family farms are organized and offer guests in holiday homes the delivery of their products to the doorstep. A new market has opened up, which we also wrote about in an article last year.

“Central Istria strives to position itself as an ideal combination of uniqueness, but also of untouched nature, ideal for outdoor activities. Thus, the beauty of the natural landscape and the richness of cultural heritage are key elements of the tourist offer", said then director of the Central Istria Tourist Board, Sanja Kantaruti, adding that the principles of slow, green, and healthy tourism have been adopted.

The main problem of central Istria is still the fact that it is not united as one tourist product, the North-Western cluster is missing, which creates additional problems in positioning, branding, and development. It is the north-western part of Istria that is developing and positioning the fastest and it is absurd that Motovun belongs to Central Istria and Grožnjan to North-Western Istria. Tourists really do not know or are interested in various municipal, city, county, and other imaginary borders, but they see first Croatia as a destination, and only then Istria.

And this is proof of how it is necessary to brand the regions, and then descend to logical and natural wholes, as well as niche rounded tourist products. And that is why central Istria must be one brand because it is one story and practically one destination. I emphasize that this is the interior of Istria, that is, only one area where visitors do not see the borders, here is the idea for a new President of the Central Istria Tourist Board.

For more information and travel tips on the Istrian region, be sure to visit our newly launched Total Croatia portal.

For more on travel in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.