As Morski writes on the 27th of March, 2019, as the beginning of 2019's tourist season draws ever closer, Croatian nautical tourism is in great demand. When it comes to chartering however, the Republic of Croatia appears to have lost its grip on its former leading position.

Most of the interest, after a great many years, has been attracted by one of Europe long-standing tourism kings - Greece, which has made it to the top in terms of nautical tourism owing to various state incentives. Croatian marinas, on the other hand, are expecting this summer season to remain more or less at last year's level.

Just about a month separates us from now and the traditionally accepted ''start of the season'', which is typically around Easter, but the first signs of nautical tourism have already started to blossom. 17,000 berths in Croatian marinas have so far been highly sought after commodities, and there is no subsiding in the search for free spaces in Betina, according to a report from HRT. However, alongside a healthy dose of optimism, there are also warnings to be listened to.

The announcement of the tourist season says: the most desirable destination is no longer Croatia but Greece. The secret of turning that back around lies in... you guessed it... state incentives. They might not be so easy to come by, however. With the knowledge that Greece managed to take first place thanks to incentives from the Greek state, a long list of wishes addressed to the Croatian Government should now begin.

Legislative acrobatics tend to cause great damage, and Croatia certainly has a knack for that, but in spite of that, Croatia's numerous comparative advantages continue to compensate for its usually bad politics.

Croatian marina's expect results at the level of last year's, which were indeed record-breaking. In order to restore the leading position when it comes to charters, the experts say - it is necessary to activate the so far totally unused markets - North and South America, as well as up north in Scandinavia.

Make sure to follow our dedicated lifestyle and travel pages for much more. If it's just nautical tourism and sailing in Croatia you're interested in, give Total Croatia Sailing a follow.

Click here for the original article by Hrvoje Gunjaca/HRT

Split-Dalmatia County is getting ready to make the most out of nautical tourism.

Nautical tourism boasts a plethora of potential opportunities for Croatia, with more and more tourists from across the planet arriving in the sparkling Croatian Adriatic with their various vessels, eager to explore the country of 1000+ islands in the most authentic way, Croatia has started to step up its game in terms of opening its arms more to nautical tourism and the economic fruits that is likely to bring.

As Morski writes on the 14th of March, 2019, this autumn is set to bring work on Croatia's blossoming nautical tourism sector as central Dalmatia will see the opening of as many as nine construction sites designed for nautical tourism ports, as was announced by Split-Dalmatia County's tourist board.

The planned investments of the County Port Authority in the area of ​​Central Dalmatia, with the support of the appropriate ministry, amount to approximately 300 million kuna this year, which will significantly improve the entire area's maritime infrastructure, according to a report from Dalmatinski portal.

''The construction of a port with a waterfront and accompanying facilities in Omiš is being prepared. Throughout 2019, preparations will be being made for the beginning of the construction of the harbour and breakwater for all types of vessels except for the ferryboat in Bol on the island of Brač.

The Rogač port project on Šolta was realised, Stomorska port in the east of Šolta and Splitska on the island of Brač will be done up. In Sućuraj, on the eastern point of the island of Hvar, this autumn works on the re-doing of the harbour, which will result in completely new look for Sućuraj, are set to take place. The same will take place in Kaštel Stari, where a port project with all of the accompanying amenities is being implemented,'' added the Split-Dalmatia County tourist board.

Make sure to follow our dedicated lifestyle page for more information on what's going on in Central Dalmatia, Split-Dalmatia County, and much further afield.

Click here for the original article by Dalmatinski portal

More investment in Croatia and some very welcome news for fishing ports up and down the Croatian coast in several counties as valuable contracts worth a massive eighty million kuna are signed by Oleg Butković, the Minister of Maritime Affairs, Transport and Infrastructure.

As Morski writes on the 20th of February, 2019, on Wednesday the 20th of February, Croatia's Ministry of Maritime Affairs, Transport and Infrastructure signed binding agreements and contracts for the allocation of state budget funds for the construction, repair, and reconstruction of various facilities in ports which are open to public traffic, marking a praiseworthy investment in Croatia.

The ports, which are located in seven different coastal Croatian counties are considered to be of importance at both the county and local level, and their upcoming modernisation, reconstruction and construction will take place as part of the construction of fishing infrastructure this year.

The contracts will be signed by the Minister of Maritime Affairs, Transport and Infrastructure, Oleg Butković, and the directors of the port administrations Rabac, Crikvenica, Rab, Bakar-Kraljevica-Kostrena, Novi Vinodolski, Novalja, Senj, Zadar, Korčula and Vela Luka, as well as the port authorities of Šibenik-Knin County, Split-Dalmatia County, and Dalmatia's southernmost county - Dubrovnik-Neretva County.

Through the signing of these contracts and agreements, a huge total of eighty million kuna will be allocated to 25 infrastructure projects in as many as seven Adriatic counties in a massive investment in Croatia and its long and impressive coastline, not only in popular Dalmatia, which relies heavily on ports and their infrastructure.

With the allocation of these state budget funds, the Ministry of Maritime Affairs Transport and Infrastructure is continuing to go forward with its previously started investments in the field of the development and modernisation of port infrastructure on Croatian islands, as well as in coastal [mainland] areas, the competent ministry said in a statement on the matter.

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The leading international boating, nautical and water sports festival, boot Düsseldorf, which is celebrating its 50 installment this year, will host a large presentation of Croatian nautical tourism this week. 

Last year almost 2000 exhibitors were present at the fair, which drew almost a quarter of a million visitors and around 2000 journalists from almost 50 countries of the world, and this year it is expected that all those numbers will increase. So, it's obvious that Croatia has to be present for such an event, especially since we are considered to be one of the top destinations for nautical tourism in Europe (but also worldwide). Croatian tourist board director Kristjan Stanišić believes that it is an aspect of Croatian tourism that is adequately promoted, both for the periods of high season, but also for the pre- and post-season time. To support the Croatian nautical tourism, the Board has backed the large online advertising campaign in 9 of the largest markets: Germany, Austria, Great Britain, Czechia, Poland, Italy, Sweden, France and Slovenia. 

At the boot fair numerous Croatian companies and tourist boards will be present: Split-Dalmatia and Šibenin-Knin county Tourist Boards, Croatia Yachting, Marina Hramina, Marina Veruda, Angelina Tours, Ultra Sailing, Burin Yacht Charter, Offshore Boote, D-Marin group and Denebola Charter + Anamore Yachting. As always, Croatian stand on the fair will be a very hospitable place, where the partners will be able to spend quality time tasting Croatian wine, cheeses and other local delicacies. 

After this fair, major fairs will be held in Austrian Tulln in March, and Interboot in German Friedrichshafen in September, and Croatian tourist board will also organise the presence of major Croatian nautical tourism actors in those fairs. 

Nautical tourism is an important part of the overall Croatian tourism, as studies show that nautical guests coming to Croatia on average have a larger budget, spend more money while in Croatia and stay longer than an average tourist. 

As SibenikIN writes on the 18th of January, 2019, the huge Eastern Mediterranean D-Marin Group will take part in the leading international boating, nautical and water sports festival - Boot Düsseldorf, which will take place from the 19th to the 27th of January this year in Düsseldorf, Germany.

The fair is a specialised fair where the products and services shown are represented by approximately 2,000 exhibitors from 68 countries around the globe, and for this year's edition, Boot's organisers expect almost 250,000 visitors to come.

Through the organisation of numerous nautical events, the aforementioned marina group has worked hard to emphasise the importance of nautical tourism as an integral part of the wider Croatian tourist offer.

This is how all the visitors to the largest nautical fair in Europe will be able to find out everything there is to know about Croatia's numerous marinas within the respected D-Marin Group, including the previously announced opening of the new marina belonging to this group in neighbouring Montenegro. Montenegro's marina Portonovi will have a capacity of 238 berths and will be able to receive mega yachts of up to 120 metres in length. Its guests will also be able to use all the high-quality content of the resort designed to accommodate even the most demanding of clients.

Additionally, the boutique marina D-Marin Borik in Zadar will welcome in the upcoming summer season with some brand new, modernly designed spaces and upgraded amenities including a reception, sanitary facilities, a cafe bar and a swimming pool. It's also interesting to note that anyone who has an annual contract with that particular marina during the period from May the 1st to December the 31st, 2019, can stay free for one week in any other D-Marin marina.

The D-Marin Group manages eleven totally unique marinas in the Ionian, Aegean and Adriatic seas, making it the largest international nautical chain in the entire Eastern Mediterranean. In Turkey lie Turgutreis, Didim, Göcek; in Croatia lie Mandalina, Dalmacija and Borik, in Greece Gouvia, Lefkas, Zea and Flisvos can be found and Portonovi marina in Montenegro, Croatia's immediate neighbour to the south, can be found.

The group also includes the largest shipyard and refit centre for mega yachts, Marina Barcelona (MB92).

Make sure to stay up to date by following our dedicated lifestyle page for much more.

Croatia's Master Yachting is one of the country's frontrunners when it comes to Croatian nautical tourism, and recent investments, their last one having been in the Lagoon 620 luxury catamaran, have seen their revenue increase.

As Marta Duic/Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 3rd of January, 2019, Croatia's Master Yachting from Sukošan celebrated twenty years of existence last year, and as its director Darko Obradović says, they are one of the first companies in the nautical tourism sector in Croatia and their biggest advantage is that they're near the two national parks and their bases are close to Zadar.

Today, they have 25 full-time employees, and up to 40 during the tourist season. The company has a fleet of 80 vessels, most of which are the catamarans of the Lagoon brand, as well as a large range of sailboats of at least 35 feet in length, to the latest Oceanis 51.1, and motor boats of various different sizes.

As Croatia's Master Yachting claims, their clients and associates are mostly from European Union countries, and the most sought after vessels are typically catamarans. "They're equipped like luxury apartments which sail, and seven days, which is often for which they're rented, it's possible to sail the routes that include visiting the most attractive places and bays along the Adriatic," says Obradović. The summer season is of course the most popular, and lovers of sailing also appear to enjoy taking to vessels owned by Croatia's Master Yachting in April, May, and in October.

"We're adapting to the market and the demand. Today, when everything is available online, it can be difficult to meet all customer requirements, and owing to that, our concentration is on quality and comfort. The company also operates in the YachtInvest segment, which enables it to buy boats through its own channels, and thus provides the ability to place your vessels under your own "charter managemnet". That means that a start-up investment is justified because the vessel makes a profit during the leasing period, which largely covers all the relevant expenses. In the end, the investor chooses how much he will use for himself and how much will be for commercial lease," explains Obradović.

He also praised the fact that Croatia's Master Yachting is growing in terms of the sale of vessels. Their operating income amounted to almost 23 million kuna in 2017, and according to Obradović's estimates, 2018's results will see revenues of about 50 million kuna.

"We're constantly investing in employee training and process optimisation, while investing heavily in the fleet. The last investment was purchasing a luxury Lagoon 620 catamaran which marked our entrance into the luxury charter, which is the future of nautical tourism because more and more customers require ''all inclusive'' packages.

We believe in our own knowledge of the matter, given our long experience, the number of customers returning to us from year to year, and the in importance of the number and quality of our boats. In the YachtCharter sector, the company has been recognised as the leader in the region," added Obradović.

Croatia's Master Yachting arrived to such a status, as they say, owing to a personalised approach to their clients and "tailor-made" offers, which was made possible thanks to their wide range of vessels.

"The plan is the expansion of our base, ie, the opening of new ones in other regions, and the continuation of investment in new products, namely new vessels, where the niche is the luxury charter," Darko Obradović of Croatia's Master Yachting.

Make sure to stay up to date with our dedicated lifestyle and business pages for more. If you're interested solely in sailing in Croatia, give Total Croatia Sailing a follow.

Click here for the original article by Marta Duic for Poslovni Dnevnik

A firm foot forward for Croatian nautical tourism as the country's biggest marina receives a much-deserved award for the incredible Zadar Royal Cup SUPER SERIES, according to eZadar.

As Morski writes on the 23rd of December, 2018, at the awarding of the annual awards of the Zadar County Tourist Board, Marina D-Marin Dalmatia was awarded as a commercial entity for the Croatian nautical spectacle hosted under the title of the SUPER SERIES Zadar Royal Cup, which naturally involved the promotion of the huge nautical potential of the region.

Additionally, the Tourist Board of Šibenik-Knin County awarded the D-Marin Mandalina marina the prestigious "Zlatna boula" award during the Days of Croatian Tourism event, mainly as recognition for its contribution to the development of Croatian nautical tourism.

The prestigious 52 SUPER SERIES Zadar Royal Cup regatta, for which the D-Marin Dalmatia marina was awarded, was held back in June this year when the cream of the crop of the world of sailing took to Zadar. D-Marin organises this, as well as numerous other regattas, working hard to promote sport sailing and other forms of recreational yachting, as well as the destinations in which such activities are held. Such moves are of paramount importance for the stronger positioning of the Republic of Croatia as one of the most beautiful sailing destinations in Europe.

"The acknowledgments that our marinas have received, as well as the fact that their contribution to Croatian tourism is being recognised by the profession, are an incentive for us in our further efforts to provide tourists in Croatia with new and better content, along with the best service. I'd like to thank our tourist boards for their continued support, cooperation, and their efforts to promote the destination,'' said Božidar Duka, regional director of D-Marin Croatia.

D-Marin Dalmatia is otherwise the largest marina in Croatia and one of the largest in the whole of the eastern Mediterranean, and has been the proud bearer of the Blue Flag for almost twenty years now. It has a large capacity of 1200 berths in the sea, and an additional 300 moorings on the land, and can accept yachts of up to 80 metres in length. Located at the very centre of the marina is the Portus Beach Club, which offers its guests numerous facilities and services, enriching its overall offer and placing special emphasis on the massive potential of Croatian nautical tourism.

D-Marin Mandalina is the only marina in the whole of Croatia designed to accommodate mega yachts and has 429 berths in the sea, of which 79 are built for mega yachts of 30 to 140 meters long. Thanks to its position, the depth of the sea and the lack of boat height restrictions, this marina in particular is a more than ideal place for super-yachts.

D-Marin Mandalina also contributed to the positioning of the historic Dalmatian city of Šibenik as a tourist destination through the organisation of numerous sporting events. In June next year, thanks once again to the D-Marin group, Šibenik will host the ORC World Championship which will be the biggest sporting event ever organised in Šibenik's long history.

Make sure to follow our travel and lifestyle pages for more. If it's just sailing in Croatia and Croatian nautical tourism you're interested in, stay up to date with absolutely everything you need to know with Total Croatia Sailing.

Click here for the original article by eZadar

November 28, 2018 — Croatia’s crystal-clear Adriatic Sea remains one of the country’s bigger selling points come tourism season, sending the nautical tourism sector into overdrive. But governmental oversight and hygienic controls have not grown in tandem, according to Slobodna Dalmacija, which begs the question:

How many tourists can empty their bowels into the Croatia’s Adriatic before it becomes a feculent cesspool?

Feces technically are classified as biodegradable waste which can be released into the open waters under certain conditions: 12 nautical miles from the nearest shoreline for boats without a purification system, or three nautical miles for those that have one, according to the MARPOL Convention

Burgeoning hotspots for nautical tourism, such as Makarska, have seen a boom in overnight stays among the well-heeled guests renting yachts of 50 meters or more, according to Harbor Manager Ivan Rašić. The nautical renaissance started when it installed a new breakwater. Since then, Rašić says the marina is nearly filled to capacity at least four days per week during the summer season — Wednesday and Thursday, as well as weekends.

The boom has seen the usual positive economic effects, with an increase in anchorage fees and residual spending by guests who disembark and start ambling along the shoreline.

Yet harder to quantify but also increasing is the amount of waste and noise created by the upsurge in guests. The characteristic “stains” and floating garbage visible in the port's waters have become something of a public secret, according to the paper, along with its inadequate waste collection system.

The problems are myriad, and begin with a lackluster system which charges per disposal, as well as lagging oversight of every boat’s own waste control system. Every boat must have an oil book and garbage book chronicling its waste disposal schedule. The records are not inspected by the usual agency meant to oversea nautical activities, Port Authority. Instead, they fall under the auspices of the Ministry of Environmental Protection — which has little to no inspectors at smaller ports such as Makarska’s.

Not all vessels have septic tanks capable of retaining or refining waste water before releasing it into the sea. Tourists on charter cruises and smaller sailing boats with hand-crank pumps that send waste water directly into the sea have little recourse but to eliminate their feces into the water. 

Smaller harbors such as Makarska’s don’t have the infrastructure to collect waste water off of vessels. Rašić depicts the system as a Pandora’s Box, which makes it very difficult to penalize offenders who may dump their septic tanks into the harbor’s waters, or too close to the shore.

Authorities’ hands are tied by a tight bureaucratic knot as well, even when skippers or boat owners release their poo into coastal waters. Evidence like video footage or photos — some of readily available — isn't enough; samples must be taken from the offending vessel and compared to what was dumped into the sea. Mobile or fixed machines meant to collect waste and refuse exist, and are in use at larger marinas along the Adriatic but are a rare sight in smaller ports.

The resulting flotillas of feces and garbage have been known to migrate with the wind and current, often ending up on beaches — a familiar site to many who’ve been on the shore long enough.

Until the oversight and inspection system is fixed, little will change, according to Rašić. In the meantime, the Adriatic may see an increase in cloudy brown splotches interrupting its crystalline blue.

To read more about nautical tourism, check out our dedicated page.

As Morski writes on the 24th of November, 2018, a meeting of the technical working group in the framework of the ECO-NautiNET web project was held in Dubrovnik on November the 20th and 21st, in which the needs of the website's users were discussed. Through the ECO-NautiNET project, activities are being carried out to improve the competitiveness and innovation of small and medium-sized companies in the nautical sector, as well as acting as a means to support their internationalisation and networking abilities.

The meeting saw the presentation of the results of the research conducted so far between the four target groups - the small and medium-sized companies from within nautical sector, broker project partners, and supporting institutions and scientific institutions. Based on the results and conversations with platform developers, the technical working group has managed to define the simplest in which way to include future users, and which tools are needed for the most efficient presentation of the project's products and services, technical and technological achievements, and innovations.

The goal of the ECO-NautiNET web platform is to motivate and involve as many business entities, support institutions, and other innovations in order to take advantage of the opportunity to place themselves on new markets, and to develop the competitiveness and innovation of the nautical sector of the Adriatic-Ionian region as a whole, through easy access to all news and high quality information in just one place.

This goal is highlighted as the desire to become the most important development driver of contact with more than 500 businessmen from the nautical sector from across Croatia, Albania, Italy, Greece and Slovenia, and most entrepreneurs in this field continue to face the same or very similar problems irrespective of the country they come from.

As a result, most of these companies have up to ten employees, and as far as typical issues and problems are concerned, poor cooperation within the nautical sector, a lack of clear nautical sector development policy, and the fact that cooperation with research and science centres is either non-existent or very small stand out as the most common and indeed the most pressing.

Over 80 percent of the respondents are primarily interested in improving competitiveness and innovation by linking small and medium-sized entrepreneurs in the Adriatic-Ionian region's nautical sector with supporting institutions and research and scientific centres through the ECO-NautiNET web platform.

ECO-NautiNET is otherwise project number 398 which is part of the INTERREG ADRION transnational cooperation program co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and IPA funds (IPA II).

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Click here for the original article by Jasna Jaklin Majetic on Morski

The Biograd Boat Show does it again!