July the 16th, 2022 - The Porec Port Authority is close to recording a number of overnight stays which outdoes the figures recorded back in the pre-pandemic, record year of 2019.

It seems that the vast majority of people have well and truly put the global coronavirus pandemic which stole two years of our lives behind them and tourism is returning like never before. Croatian tourism is finally recording enormous numbers and the nautical tourism sector is only continuing to blossom.

As Morski writes, the Porec Port Authority recently announced that the number of vessels on a transit connection there had increased by 16%, while recorded overnight stays increased by 22% when compared to the record year of 2019. The trend of the longer stays of vessels in Porec's ports was also noted.

In the current part of the year, the Porec Port Authority has recorded better results than back during the record year of 2019, meaning their income has jumped by 56%, which is partly the result of larger ships arriving and mooring in the Port of Porec.

As for international traffic, only 8% less was achieved during this part of 2022 than back during the same part of the year in 2019. The reason for this, according to the Porec Port Authority, is the quite significantly altered circumstances on the market in the post-pandemic period. They noted that international traffic was completely absent in 2020, while it only partially returned in 2021. The increase in the price of fuel, which significantly affects international traffic, as well as the more difficult and expensive entry into Venice, which is an area to which sailors from the Porec area also gravitated, also play a part.

In the Port of Porec, the flags of Italy, followed by Germany and Austria were the most numerous on moored vessels.

''We'd like to highlight that there has been an increase in the number of vessels anchoring here in comparison to the coast, while on the coast the number of passenger vessels on domestic cruises has increased with good announcements for next year when the Port of Porec could become the home-port for such increasingly popular cruises,'' said the director of the Porec Port Authority, Branko Curic.

The Porec Port Authority also stated that should be noted that one of the most famous offers of the Port of Porec has returned this year - the international line Porec-Venice line.

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

July the 1st, 2022 - Porec tourism so far has been going beyond excellently, with one million overnight stays now having been realised, bringing in better results than the record, pre-pandemic year of 2019.

As Morski writes, according to Croatia's praised eVisitor system for the registration of tourists, the gorgeous Istrian city of Porec achieved its millionth tourist overnight stay on the 28th of June, 2022. Since the beginning of this year, there have been 225,000 arrivals for Porec's tourism ''picture'', which is an increase of 5 percent compared to 2019, which is the pre-crisis year we all keep comparing everything in 2022 to.

An excellent pre-season filled with numerous sporting events spilled over into the now height of the summer tourist season, and 50 percent of all guests making up Porec's tourism statistics are guests from Germany and Austria, followed by the neighbouring Slovenes, guests from other parts of Croatia, and also Italians.

''These are exceptional results,'' said the director of the Tourist Board of the City of Porec, Nenad Velenik, noting that this number was realised on the same day as it was back during the record year of 2019, even with Porec having less accommodation capacities than in 2019 because two hotels are currently out of order.

Judging by the number of overnight stays realised in this popular Istrian city so far, Porec is looking forward to an excellent remainer of this year's tourist season.

''We've been achieving excellent occupancy rates throughout the pre-season period, as well as throughout the month of June, in which we've achieved more than 510,000 overnight stays. Sporting events, which involved the arrival of large sport groups, influenced our above-average pre-season, which in some terms was up to 30 percent better than the same time back during the record year of 2019.

The German and Austrian markets are dominating Porec as a destination, which gives us a spring in out step in terms of our successful marketing activities in cooperation with the regional tourist boards. There have also been some very encouraging results coming from the nearby Italian market, which is once again back to what it was, and it seems that the trend of Croatian guests from other parts of the country speaks in favour of the fact that throughout two coronavirus-dominated years, we still succeeded in luring the local population, the numbers from which are cumulatively better by up to 32 percent when compared to 2019,'' said Velenik, who, given the pace of capacity filling for July and August, expects a better year for Porec tourism than 2019.

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

ZAGREB, 6 May (2022) - Vinistra, Croatia's largest and oldest regional wine fair, opened in the northern Adriatic town of Poreč on Friday, with more than 110 exhibitors, including 80 winemakers, taking part.

"Istria County has been financially supporting Vinistra since its very beginning because wine and winemaking are part of our tradition and regional identity. Today we can proudly say that Istria is a world brand, both for our wines and our olive oil," said Istria County Prefect Boris Miletić.

The State Secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture, Šime Mršić, underscored the importance of the fair for the promotion of wine, while the head of the Vinistra association, Nikola Benvenuti, confirmed that the interest of exhibitors had never been higher.

Among the participants in this year's edition of Vinistra are the international partners on the project "The Malvasia Myth", which aims to valorise and brand all wines carrying the name Malvasia and to promote their areas and producers.

As a partner in the project, the local action group Central Istria will host, in cooperation with the Vinistra association, representatives of the partners from Greece and Italy and acquaint them with the area and the characteristics, development and importance of Malvasia in Istria County. The partners will present their wines at the Vinistra fair.

For the first time, Vinistra will also feature a stand dedicated to evaluation, the World of Malvasia, where visitors will be able to taste Malvasia wine from ten countries with guided tasting in cooperation with the Croatian sommelier club.

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

April 24, 2021 - Reuters reporters visited Plava Laguna Parentium Hotel in Poreč and seemed happy with preparations for the upcoming tourist season. 

International media praise Croatia as a lovely holiday spot, and many foreign reporters visited Croatia to check the field with their own eyes. And 2021 is no different.

As Istria Terra Magica reports, journalists from Reuters visited Parentium Hotel, a member of Plava Laguna Hotel Group.

„Reuters reports that Poreč streets are empty for now, but thanks to measures to keep tourists and tourist workers COVID-free, a good tourist season is in preparation“, says Istria Terra Magica.

The site adds that in the following weeks 80,000 tourist workers are planning to be vaccinated, and Covid-19 tests will be offered to the guests as well.

The full article about visiting Croatia is available on the Reuters website.

Dnevno.hr covered the story too and added that „Reuters is a news agency spawned across 200 locations worldwide, and a synonym for independence and integrity“. 

Plava Laguna hotel group is one of the most influential accommodation companies in Istria, with four resorts, 25 hotels, and 13 apartments across Umag, Poreč, and Rijeka.

„At Plava Laguna, everyone is welcome. From the moment they arrive to the moment they leave, we want our guests to feel the warmth of our hospitality. So we introduce them to our beautiful Istrian countryside and the wonderful Adriatic sea. We share the delights of our national cuisine and fantastic wines. We show our guests the best of Croatia“, says their official website, available in Croatian, English, German, Slovenian, and Italian language.

The website also concludes that regardless of staying in a two-star or a five-star hotel, every visitor is considered a VIP guest.

Learn more about Poreč on our TC page.

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

April 24, 2021 - The best overture for Vinistra is the international evaluation of the World of Malvasia, which took place for the 12th time, in the Parentium Plava Laguna hotel in Poreč, which from year to year breaks records in terms of quality and number of samples. Thus, 435 samples of wine and spirits arrived for this year's evaluation, of which 220 samples were Malvasia.

As hrturizam.hr reports, a new name on the wine scene, Denis Bernobić from Markovac near Višnjan, won the championship title in the category of fresh Malvasia. Competing with three other top Malvasias, his wine took the win. This is also the biggest surprise at evaluating wine and spirits and the 12th World of Malvasia, which was traditionally held in mid-April at the Parentium Plava Laguna Hotel in Poreč.

"The lineage has always been the foundation of the existence of us Istrians. My family has been in winemaking for four generations, but the focus has been on top-quality wines for the last few years. The championship title is a great success, I must admit a surprise, but also recognition and encouragement to continue in the same direction", said Denis Bernobić.

Malvasia Collina from the 2016 winery Cattunar from Nova Vas near Brtonigla is the champion in the category of mature Malvasia; Teran Barbarossa, Vina Tomaz from Motovun, won the championship title in the fresh Teran category; while in the mature category, that title went to the wine of Santa Lucia from 2018. Kozlović Winery from Momjan.

In the category of mature refoška, ​​the champion is Capo d’Istria from 2013, Slovenian Vinakoper, and five big gold medals were awarded to wines that won more than 92 points. These are the 2015 San Salvatore Muscat White Benvenuti wines from Caldir; Muscat yellow from 2019. Capo wine from Fernetić; Malvasia volcanica from 1956 by Spanish manufacturer El Grifo Canari; Merlot from 2017 Siljan wines from Krnica, and Aura biska extra from 2021 from the Buzet distillery Aura also won big gold.

"We are extremely pleased that we have managed to organize such a demanding competition in these unusual times. I am pleased with the top quality of the champion wines and the fact that as many as five wines crossed the threshold of 92 points and won great gold", said Nikola Benvenuti in front of Vinistra.

Another 139 gold and 16 silver medals were awarded, while other manufacturers received diplomas. This year, the right to the IQ label - Istrian quality was exercised by 24 winemakers for Malvasia and seven winemakers for Teran. 

The IQ - Istrian quality label is primarily intended to label high-quality wines produced from Istrian and Teran Malvasia grapes and encourage the development of production of these indigenous wines, raising the level of their quality production technologies and promotion and sales on the domestic and world markets. The IQ mark enables the consumer to recognize those Istrian wines whose quality is higher than the quality prescribed by the law for quality wines with the geographical origin and higher than what the customer usually requires and expects.

This is a unique, active wine control system in Croatia where winemakers themselves gradually raise the scoring threshold for wines bearing the IQ - Istrian Quality label to standardize and increase product quality. The IQ label guarantees an active quality control system that takes place on four levels: in the vineyard (yield control), in the cellar (vinification control), chemical analysis, and organoleptic evaluation, and after the label is awarded, market control is performed.

This is precisely how the quality of the wine region is strategically raised and branded. It is important to emphasize that the Association of Winemakers and Winegrowers of Istria was founded in 1994. Therefore, it is a continuous process and strategic goal of raising Istrian wines and branding Istria as a wine region.

Great results and championship titles are the best announcement of the 27th Vinistra, which is being held in the open air for the first time this year, in the Peškera bay in Poreč. Although it was initially announced that the 27th in a row Vinistra will be held from 7 to 9 May in Poreč, due to the epidemiological situation throughout Croatia, the organizers announced that they are changing the date and place of the event.

The exact date is not yet known. For now, the focus is on June. The organizers of Vinistra are optimistic and do not give up on organizing this year's Vinistra.

To find out more about Croatian Wine, click HERE. 

February 26, 2021 – As every previous year, the Istrian town of Porec prepares for the tourist season, organizing free online education for renters, who were very interested in the offer this year.

This week, the tourist boards of Poreč, Tar-Vabriga, Funtana, Kaštelir-Labinci, and Vižinada, organized two free online lectures for renters entitled "Preparing apartments and holiday homes for the 2021 season" and "Doing business in new conditions – new normal." The educations were intended for all those who will be doing business in the 2021 season, whether they are beginners or experienced renters.

'Renters want to follow new trends in tourism'

As the organizers say, renters were very interested and filled all of 100 available places for the first lecture in just a few hours. For the second, the participants registered very quickly as well, thus filling another 100 positions.

"We can definitely say that renters want to follow new trends and current events in tourism. They want to educate themselves and offer the guest 'something more,' which ultimately makes a difference. The educations aim to connect and provide information on current trends in the field of tourism," says the Poreč Tourist Board.

Pexels

Such educational lectures have been organized in Poreč for many years. Namely, the Poreč Tourist Board regularly organizes free educational lectures for renters from its area before the start of preparations for the upcoming tourist season. Considering that they signed an association agreement with the tourist boards of Funtana, Tar-Vabriga, Kaštelir-Labinci, and Vižinada recently, this year, they organized educations for renters together for the first time.

Arranging tourist facilities and adapting to new business conditions

Respecting the current epidemiological measures, the lectures were held through the online platform Zoom, and the lecturers were Meri Čizmić Kraljević and Anamarija Cicarelli from the counseling center for renters Interligo d.o.o.

The training focused on the types of guests, arranging facilities, additional facilities for guests, how to present facilities and destinations, communication with guests, advertising, social networks and websites, and how to present and reach guests without a portal.

Given the current situation, the lecturers guided the participants through the implementation of COVID-19-related measures. They also explained how to treat guests in case of suspicion of infection.

Poreč / Romulić and Stojčić

Of course, they also talked about current topics, such as legal regulations for renters and their obligations. Besides, they talked about aligning the facility with market requirements while maintaining the comfort for guests, what they need to have in the facility, the e-Visitor system, and cancellations.

The renters' significant response to these educations is another proof that the tourist boards of Poreč are moving in the right direction to achieve good tourist results this year.

"We do our best to support our renters, and we are sure that our efforts will be rewarded with satisfied guests," concludes Poreč Tourist Board.

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February 21, 2021 – Continuing the TCN series answering the questions posed by Google's People Also Ask function. Is Porec in Croatia worth visiting? The shortest answer would be – of course – and here are all the reasons why.

What is Porec like in Croatia?

Located on the west coast of the Istrian peninsula in Croatia, Poreč can most simply be described as a seaside town with many tourist attractions but also with a rich and indispensable cultural history. It is perhaps best known as the home of the Euphrasian Basilica (so-called Euphrasiana) from the 6th century, one of the seven UNESCO's world heritage sites in Croatia.

However, in the last few years, Poreč has been filling newspaper columns as one of the best cities to live in Croatia, which has been contributed to by its economic, cultural, and social development. A famous tourist town that lives throughout the year? It seems like it could be. Since I have been spending almost every summer in Poreč since I was born, I would unquestionably like to get to know it better from the perspective of living in it. Maybe one day, but for now, I will focus on what I know Poreč is worth visiting for.

Historic center: Is Porec in Croatia worth visiting for culture and heritage?

Apart from the aforementioned Euphrasian Basilica, a must-see cultural site to visit, the whole old Poreč city core is a cultural monument. The peninsula on which the old town of Poreč is located hides historic traces dating back thousands of years. The main street that passes through it – Decumanus – is full of tourists in summer due to its numerous shops and restaurants. At the intersection with Cardo Street, the so-called Dekumanova Street reveals several Gothic and Baroque palaces.

The Euphrasian Basilica in Poreč is one of the most beautiful preserved monuments of early Byzantine art in the Mediterranean.

Built in the 6th century during Bishop Euphrasius, after whom it is named, the Euphrasian Basilica is famous for glittering mosaics dating from the 3rd century. The picture shows the Euphrasian Basilica's apse decorated with Byzantine mosaics.

At the entrance to Dekumanova Street from Sloboda Square, attention is drawn to the Pentagonal Tower, at the top of which is a restaurant. At the top of the nearby Round Tower overlooking the waterfront, tourists love to enjoy a cafe.

Dekumanova Street / Decumanus Street in Poreč

Evidence of life from ancient times is hidden near the oldest square of Marafor. Also, Poreč is the proud home of the largest Roman shrine in Istria, the Large Temple, and to the north of it are the remains of the Temple of Neptune.

For me, one of the usual evening activities in Poreč is a walk through the old town in the mentioned Decumanus Street, as well as along Poreč's lungomare or Ante Šonja Coast, with a romantic view of the north side of Poreč – Peškera Bay (where the city beach is located), Pical, and Materada. I call it the quiet side because there are no stands on it, for which the other part of the city is famous, just the open sea in front of you, with some lighthouse flashes.

The old town of Poreč and Poreč lungomare / Romulić and Stojčić

I usually continue my walk along the coast to the newly renovated city waterfront, i.e., Marshal Tito's Coast, thus embracing the entire old core of Poreč. I admire numerous yachts, tourist boats, and fishing boats moored in the Poreč port along the waterfront side.

Last year, the Poreč waterfront, an integral part of the Poreč old town, got a new attire – new facilities with signposts to the old town's sights. / Poreč Tourist Board

Is Porec in Croatia worth visiting for beaches and sports activities?

I stayed in Poreč during all stages of my life – from a playful child, through a demanding teenager, to a serious student – and at no time was I bored in Poreč, nor my parents who have been spending their summers in this beautiful Istrian city for almost 30 years. As we are a family that likes a combination of active and lazy holidays, we love Poreč because we get both there – beautiful and clean beaches, as well as many cultural, gourmet, adventure, fun, and sports facilities.

As my all-time favorite activity is rollerblading (and as I'm not a fan of swimming), I enjoy long rides from the center of Poreč along beaches trails. There is a crystal clear sea on one side of the trail, while on the other side, there are various sports and catering facilities. The first beach to reach is Beach Brulo. Located in the mild Mediterranean and sheltered bay, surrounded by pine trees, it is ideal for a real summer vacation.

Brulo Beach / Croatian Tourist Board

The trail along the coast goes all the way to Poreč Blue Lagoon, Green Lagoon, and White Bay, beautiful bays and hotel resorts. I recommend the popular tourist train that goes from the south side of Poreč Riviera! Also, If you like cycling and similar recreation, you will love cycling in Poreč.

As there are pebble, sandy, rocky, and concrete beaches, you will indeed find a beach tailored to your needs in Poreč. In 37 kilometers of the Poreč shore, there are as many as 22 beaches with a Blue Flag, an international symbol of clean sea and landscaped coastline. That is as many as 20 percent of all Blue Flags which flutter along the Croatian coast!

What I always liked about beaches in Poreč are numerous fun activities, such as water sports – pedal boats, canoes, paragliding, banana boats, parasailing, aquapark, and sports facilities such as tennis courts, volleyball courts, and mini-golf.

It is important to emphasize that the City of Poreč works tirelessly to provide access to all cultural facilities to people with disabilities. For example, last year, they carried out an adaptation project in the Euphrasian Basilica, and many beaches have been adapted for people with disabilities.

Our all-time favorite daily activity is visiting the Saint Nicholas island across Poreč, also known as Valamar Isabella Island Resort. In the summer months, the island is connected to the Poreč waterfront by a full-day ferry line. The boat from Poreč to the island goes every thirty minutes in both ways. The boat ride takes only five minutes, and the ticket price is 40 kunas (5,30 euros).

The island of Saint Nicholas in Poreč and Isabella Castle, Valamar Isabella Island Resort / Poreč Tourist Board

I recommend visiting this lovely island across Poreč at least once during your stay to enjoy beautiful, clean, and tidy beaches. It has always been a kind of undiscovered place for my family and me, even before it was renovated by Valamar, the biggest tourism company in Croatia. A nice walk around the island to experience nature's calmness and see the old but now renovated Isabella castle is a must!

On the island and in the whole city, a lot of effort has been put into facilities and activities for children. Along the beaches, you can find numerous children's playgrounds and toboggans. Poreč invests a lot in education, which I witnessed last year when I found out they even have summer tourism workshops for children. Also, children's camps are organized on the beaches, where you can often see many animators with groups of children. There is also a diving school on Brulo Beach.

Poreč Tourist Board

Is Porec in Croatia worth visiting for daily boat excursions?

Daily boat excursions from Poreč to surrounding bays and cities are among the most popular activities among tourists. While walking along the waterfront during the evening, when many tourist boats are waiting for their next venture, you can book one-day boat trips to Rovinj, Vrsar, and Lim Fjord, fish picnic trips, and submarine ride. You can also find boats and taxi boats to the nearby Poreč bays, such as Green Lagoon, Blue Lagoon, and White Bay.

One of my earliest travel memories was a one-day trip to Venice from Poreč when I was eight, which I totally recommend. Even though I have seasickness, my first trip to Italy was by boat from Poreč, and I absolutely loved it. Hopping to another country and another city in the middle of your holidays was so exciting back then, and I hope that soon the circumstances will allow the like journeys again.

Tourist boats in the Poreč waterfront / Poreč Tourist Board

Is Porec in Croatia worth visiting for nightlife?

Here comes the fun part. During the summer evenings, at the beginning of the city waterfront, you will not be able to miss the sounds of the world's greatest hits and dance rhythms from the famous Poreč club Saint & Sinner.

There is no shortage of night bars and clubs in the city, and the Poreč casino is also popular. Various performers (most often musicians) perform at the summer terraces of hotels and restaurants almost every day. One of the most famous such summer bars is the Lapidarium.

Saint & Sinner / Poreč Tourist Board

At the very top of the Poreč peninsula, at the foot of the Riviera Hotel, music from the attractive Palazzo Club attracts attention. Besides, there are numerous lounge and beach bars by the sea.

I also remember seeing organized transport vehicles around Poreč offering transport services for party people to the nearby famous nightclub Byblos. I'm sure I'm not the only one who is nostalgic about crazy summer parties! Last summer, it was relatively quiet in Poreč, but let's hope for the better in the upcoming summer season.

As for parties, Poreč is also known for hosting Poreč Open Air Festival, an all-summer-long festival that consists of street performances, music nights, cinema, theatre, and special events. The MTV Summerblast in Poreč was also held, but due to the current situation with the coronavirus, the holding of all festivals is uncertain for now.

Is Porec in Croatia worth visiting for gastronomy, adventure, and education?

Although the temperatures in Poreč are high and the sea is warm, I will not lie - almost every year, I experience one rainy day during holidays. However, such days allow me to explore Poreč and its surroundings.

In addition to the many hotels and apartments, many famous restaurants and cafes in Poreč offer only the best Istrian delicacies. Getting to know the local specialties is an indispensable part of getting to know the destination. In Poreč and Istria, those are, among others, truffles, olive oil, Istrian prosciutto, Istrian boškarin beef, asparagus, and seafood, offered in best of Poreč offer. Along the Dekumanova Street in the old city core, you can find many patisseries with ice cream.

Istrian food - scallops, mussels, oysters / Poreč Tourist Board

I don't have to emphasize the importance and popularity of Istrian wines and wine roads. One must taste them when in Poreč, but what surprised me last year was the favorite activity of Istria people – truffle hunting. It was the best activity for me in the whole visit to Poreč and Istria the previous year, and it is worth experiencing!

As part of a truffle hunting tour, we ate an Istrian specialty - scrumbled eggs with black truffles / Donatella Pauković

And since Istria has been named the best olive oil region in the world for the sixth consecutive year, my next visit will for sure include olive oil roads in the Poreč hinterland.

Near Poreč, there are many entertainment and educational facilities, such as Motodrom Poreč with karting. In addition to karting, many other activities are offered: bigfoot riding, cross-kart driving, segway, quads motor wheels, paintball, and Adventure Park SkyFox. It is possible to ride horses in the nearby horseriding centers in Poreč.

Motodrom Poreč / Donatella Pauković

A few years ago, we spent a day visiting the Baredine Cave, at the bottom of which we saw one of the few specimens of a human fish. I recommend the Baredine Cave if you get bored of the heat because by descending to a depth of 60 meters, the air temperature also drops to 14 degrees Celsius, which is a shock compared to the outside 30 degrees during the summer days.

Human fish in the Baredine Cave near Poreč, Istria / Donatella Pauković

If you want to get the best from water experience, near the tourist resort Zelena Laguna in Poreč, you can enjoy the largest Croatian water amusement park – Aquacolors Poreč. Also, the attractive Aquapark Istralandia, recently named fourth best water park in the world, is only a 20-minute drive from Poreč.

If you want to learn something about astronomy, the Višnjan Observatory, one of the 12 most productive observatories in the world of all time, is 16 kilometers away from Poreč. During 2018 and 2019, the Observatory discovered and documented over 1,400 asteroids, and recently, as part of a crowdfunding campaign, they secured funding for further investment in scientific and educational facilities.

Conclusion: Is Porec in Croatia worth visiting?

Suppose you want to have active holidays, then yes. In that case, Poreč is worth visiting because it offers a combination of lovely beaches, city sights, beautiful sunsets, rich culture, numerous sports and adventure activities, great food, and even a great nightlife. Poreč simply has it all.

I have visited Poreč countless times in winter when it turns into a quiet town without tourists, and I would always rejoice to see some pizzerias, restaurants, and cafes open even during the winter. Poreč is also a host to many sports teams during winter, who do the preparations for sports competitions in six Poreč sports halls. Did you know that Poreč will soon even have a football camp? It is the result of a long-term investment in sports in Poreč.

Poreč Tourist Board

It is fascinating to me how every Croatian city and place hides many interesting facts, and sometimes it is challenging to discover them all in one visit. Therefore, I know there is a lot more to do and see in Poreč, and I can't wait to revisit it.

Although I have traveled a large part of the Croatian coast in my 24 years and the mainland, I think there is always something new to explore in Croatia, and I'm looking forward to finding out more about my beautiful country in the future.

To follow the People Also Ask Google about Croatia series, click here.

July 24, 2020 – Tourism takes up 20 percent of Croatian's GDP. When it comes to the most popular tourist destinations, Poreč is near the top in Croatia, along with its surroundings, with record numbers of overnight stays each year. Most people work in tourism there or are directly related to it. Therefore, recognizing the importance of tourism, the City of Poreč has decided to educate children from an early age about that very important sector through a project called “Ambassadors of Modern Tourism“.

This is the first project of its kind in Croatia and the aim is to teach children the key elements of tourism and to prepare them for the tourism of the new age. It is essential to encourage investment in human potential from an early age.

Taking back the interest in tourism

As Ajna Temimović from the City of Poreč explains, in 2018 and 2019, Poreč was named the best city to live in Croatia in the category of medium-sized cities. Big investments in education, sports, and youth have contributed to this.

Poreč is also among the top 5 cities in Croatia with a positive rate of natural increase, but what concerns them is the low interest of young people for working in tourism.

“Unfortunately, there is less and less interest in certain tourist courses and fewer number of children are enrolled in our tourist high school than usual. Therefore, we decided to apply and implement a project aimed precisely at our youngest residents,” says Temimović.

Source: the City of Poreč

In some places, whole families work in tourism and children grow up without the right understanding of what the tourism sector is, why is it important for families, and what is the role of each individual. The focus of the “Ambassadors of Modern Tourism” is to change that by integrating children into the tourist lifestyle.

“The primary goal of this project is to educate children about all aspects important for tourism and the destination in which they live to bring tourism closer to them in a positive way and teach them how to contribute to the development of tourism in their city,” says Temimović, adding that the secondary goal is the promotion of tourist profession from the earliest age.

Learning through workshops

The project is led by the City of Poreč and it is financed by the Hrvatska za djecu foundation. Children from the Kindergarten Radost Poreč, the Summer Camp of the City of Poreč and the Society Naša djeca Poreč are attending workshops within the project.

They are learning about what it means to live in a tourist city, who is a tourist, what are tourists' expectations, what are the advantages and disadvantages of a tourist career.

“The interest proved to be greater than expected, and the children approached the workshops with great enthusiasm. Currently, the workshops are held in three groups with children of preschool age and lower classes of primary school,” explains Temimović.

Source: the City of Poreč

“At first it was interesting for them because they never thought and talked about it. It was something new to them, but the kids are in camp, where they learn through playing games and no one controls whether and what they have learned,” says Sniježana Matejčić, head of the Society Naša djeca Poreč, adding that in this workshop, games are fun, but children are also expected to acquire some knowledge.

A primary school teacher, the group leader, says “the children are most looking forward to the sweets at the end”.

The workshop lasts seven to eight days. In the end, young participants will test the acquired knowledge through a quiz and receive a certificate “Ambassador of Modern Tourism”.

A long-term wish is to expand this idea to the national level to raise awareness of the importance of tourism in Croatia's economy.

Source: the City of Poreč

July 21, 2020 – Traveling during the coronavirus pandemic represents many challenges. One of those challenges is how to take care of infected tourists. In Poreč, Istria, all tourists are provided with care in case they have symptoms of coronavirus. This challenge is overcome by securing organized accommodation for infected tourists, as well as for their families.

Information leaflets

Upon arrival at the accommodation, whether it's a private accommodation, camp or hotel, every tourist receives a leaflet with the phone number to call in case of a suspicion of coronavirus symptoms. The leaflets are provided by Poreč Tourist Board to be as transparent as possible and to inform tourists, which they consider very important. They can also be found on the Poreč Tourist Board website.

"We are working to ensure that our guests are well informed about the situation, starting at the border crossing. Also, we want to assure them that they will have someone to take care of them and have their loved ones taken care of if anything happens when they arrive in the destination,“ says Nenad Velenik, the director of Poreč Tourist Board.

Accommodation near Poreč

All useful information can be found on the leaflet. If a tourist comes to Poreč and notices symptoms of coronavirus, he can follow the instructions explained on the leaflet and contact a doctor. The tourist is given the opportunity to be tested for coronavirus. The on-duty medical team will meet the tourist at their accommodation (so that the tourist suspecting they might be positive move around as little as possible), and they're tested. If the guest is positive to coronavirus, he continues the treatment at the Pula General Hospital.

"The tourist's family can then decide to wait for their return from the hospital, or returning home,“ Velenik explains.

Source: Poreč Tourist Board

If everyone in the household is negative to coronavirus, they can easily cross the border and return home. However, if they want to stay, they have a secure place near Poreč. Thus, people who have been in direct contact with infected people will be accommodated near Poreč.

Care for both tourists and renters

The recommendation of the Croatian Institute of Public Health obliges them to organize accommodation for potential patients. The Poreč Tourist Board director points out, they must „do everything in our power to make tourists feel as safe as possible and return home as happy as possible”.

Apart from tourists, the Tourist Board also takes care of accommodation renters.

"We never leave our renters aside. They always have a community that takes care of the things and, of course, we promptly report all possible changes,“ adds Velenik.

The Tourist Board must protect both themselves and their guests.

“The whole system has done a good job, which may not be seen enough, but the daily misinformation of foreign media about the security situation in Croatia is denied,” says Velenik and adds that they emphasize the fact that Istria has a low rate of illness and death.

This season has been the most demanding one in Croatian history in general, as Velenik describes it.

“I hope we will not have any sick guests at the destination which is a very good opportunity for the future. We are looking to survive this season so that we can do our best in the future to position ourselves and then begin to function normally,” concludes Velenik.

July 20, 2020 – The Poreč Tourist Board expects 35 to 40 percent of last year's traffic and 50 to 60 percent of hotel occupancy compared to last year.

In the middle of July in Poreč, Istria marks the beginning of the peak of the tourist season, but this year, due to the coronavirus pandemic, there are far fewer tourists than in 2019. However, despite the worse situation compared to last year's record year, in the past month, the city of Poreč in Istria has recorded a significant increase in the number of tourists. As the director of Poreč Tourist Board Nenad Velenik said, at the beginning of June there were only 500 guests in the city, while on July 19 they have 15,000 guests, and that number is growing every day. From the beginning of the year to the middle of July, 400,000 overnight stays were realized in Poreč, which is approximately 28 percent compared to last year.

Private accommodation safest

Velenik adds that they expect "between 35 and 40 percent of tourist traffic compared to 2019 that was a record year in which we recorded 3.5 million tourist overnight stays“. He considers this a solid result, not a good one.

Poreč is among the top destinations in Croatia in terms of tourist overnight stays. As Ajna Temimović from the City of Poreč explains, together with the municipalities of Tar-Vabriga, Funtana, and Vrsar, which naturally gravitate to Poreč, about 10 million overnight stays a year are realized on the 70-kilometer-long coast, which makes up almost 10 percent of Croatian tourism. This year, the leading places are the ones in the safest conditions, which are private accommodation. It gives guests much more privacy and security which is very important at the moment. This is followed by overnight stays in camps, and then hotels that are gradually opening their doors and filling up as the peak of the season approaches.

"Today, Poreč is primarily a hotel destination and they felt the biggest change,“ Temimović notes.

"We plan to have hotels between 50 and 60 percent full by the end of the tourist season compared to last year, which is an excellent result,“ says Velenik. This result is expected if the epidemiological conditions allow it and if there is no re-closure of borders.

Favorable conditions

"We must take into account that Istria as a region is already positioned in our emitting markets,“ Velenik points out.

Poreč, but also the whole Istria are the closest destinations with the warm sea for tourists from Europe. Their guests come by car, mostly from Germany, followed by guests from Slovenia, Austria, the Czech Republic, and Italy.

“Certainly, the biggest role is played by the fact that Istria is a traditional car destination, but a great contribution is given by quality work, preparation and communication with many regular guests. All emitting markets have put Croatia on the green list, except Slovenia. Also, for the markets of Russia, Ukraine and Great Britain, guests have no problems accessing Croatia and local facilities,” says Tamimović.

When favorable epidemiological conditions are added to all this, Istria is a destination that guests still want to visit.

“Those are our comparative advantages,” Velenik explains.

Source: Poreč Tourist Board

Also, all restaurants are open. Some of the caterers are recording even 65 percent of the last year’s traffic, which is better than what is expected for this year in July.

“The ones who found their niche worked well last year and this year. The ones who did not, unfortunately, will suffer this year, just like the rest of us”, explains Velenik, adding that we’re all in this pandemic together.

As Temimović explains, “good results are certainly recorded by holiday villas, but also by all those who have attracted guests with the quality of their offer”.

She adds that Poreč has provided a total of 12 relief measures to help its businessmen during limited or prohibited work caused by a coronavirus, such as write-offs for renting terraces or business spaces.

Tourists must enjoy the destination

In this whole situation, the positive thing is that the waiters can be more dedicated to the guests, which is extremely important at this point. On the other hand, tourists can currently enjoy the cultural manifestations in Poreč that epidemiological measures allow. Those are concerts of classical music in the Euphrasian Basilica every Friday and jazz concerts every Wednesday in Bar Lapidarium, whose capacities are 30 to 40 people at a sufficient social distance.

“I notice that the guests are happy to come and praise the fact that we adhere to the measures and that they have an exclusive. The concerts are top-notch and the guest has an exclusive viewing of it. It's not overcrowded. A few bright tones and moments in this misfortune”, says Velenik.

The atmosphere in Poreč is relatively lively, even though the dynamic of life in the city has changed. Poreč has always been a city of numerous events, but this year it was temporarily suspended.

“It is felt that the habits of tourists have also changed, that today they may be looking for some different content, avoiding larger gatherings,” says Temimović.

Transparency and improvement

In addition to the quality catering and cultural offer, the Tourist Board makes sure that their guests are well-informed. The Poreč Tourist Board is working hard to ensure the safety of tourists. Their goal is for tourists, regardless of the pandemic, to enjoy what the destination has to offer.

Despite the 2020 crisis, Poreč has managed to realize one of the largest capital projects that is the arrangement of part of the city waterfront. They are also planning to arrange the rest of the old town core, but also the rest of Poreč and its surroundings.

“Of course, the plans from the beginning of the year had to be adjusted, but the City will do everything it can, within its capabilities, to maintain the achieved social, communal and social standards, which is why it has been declared the city with the best quality of life in Croatia in its category”, Temimović concludes.

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