ZAGREB, August 26, 2019 - The exhibition called "Noise Aquarium" about 3D Audio Visual Experience of Plankton in Noise Pollution will open in Pula on 27 August.

The exhibition, to be staged until 22 September in the Pula-based Historical and Maritime Museum of Istria, is part of the aMORE festival.

The exhibition is about bad effects of noise to the living creatures in seas.

"Plankton serve as one of the primary basis of the marine food chain and are as a result a crucial component of the Earth‘s ecosystem. Scientists believe that phytoplankton contribute between 50 to 85 percent of the oxygen in Earth’s atmosphere," say the initiators of the exhibition.

"Noise Aquarium utilizes 3D-scans of these micro creatures obtained with unique scientific imaging techniques and immerses the audience in the 3D ‘aquarium’ of diverse planktons projected as large as whales. With their presence alone, participants create destructive visual and audio noises, demonstrating how we are all implicated by our inaction. Noise Aquarium spotlights animated 3D-models obtained with scientific imaging techniques of the extremely diverse plankton spectrum," according to the description of the exhibition.

The exhibition is being staged in cooperation with the Pula museum, local cultural authorities and the Austrian Cultural Forum in Zagreb.

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

ZAGREB, August 19, 2019 - Commemorative events, including a requiem mass in the local cathedral, were held on Sunday in the Istrian town of Pula to mark the 73rd anniversary of the incident when the explosion of undersea mines and nine tonnes of explosive killed 116 and wounded 216 residents on Pula's beach called Vergarola.

On 18 August 1946, the ordnance, which had been swept from the water and were piled up on the crowded beach awaiting disposal exploded killing tens of swimmers and visitors. Vergarola was the popular bathing site for local Italians.

The causes of the accident were never established. According to one theory, the piled ordnance was actually self-activated by chance, however, the other theory is that the ammunition was deliberately exploded by person or persons unknown.

More Pula news can be found in the Lifestyle section.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 8th of August, 2019, the huge building near the city market in Pula covers 8,000 square metres and five floors. Unfortunately, this huge space with obviously endless potential is now nothing more than a ghost building. Construction initially began back in 1975 almost parallel to the building of what is currently Otp banka, the former Istrian bank (Istarska banka).

Pula locals remember the centre with sadness and nostalgia, as their thoughts take them back to what the centre once was, back in the 1980s, writes HRT.

''You could find the goods you wanted like nowhere else in the world, everything was sold at a good price, which is important, not like now. The service was great, it was always crowded, people kept coming in, going out, you couldn't get through the door, you could literally barely get in, and now... only Dragan is there,'' said Nihad Kadić with sadness.

And Dragan, if you were wondering, is a joiner. He opened up his shop at the bottom of the Pula department store on the very same day it opened. He is, rather symbolically, the last one left, and he and his son continue to repair shoes there. They are the witnesses to the daily demise of a former, once extremely popular, Pula department store.

The building was owned by Puljanka, once the largest Pula trading company. But with its difficulties in doing business, followed by bankruptcy, saw the Pula shopping centre get passed from hand to hand. It is now in the hands of a British fund. It was set to become a 100-room city hotel, but none of those plans came to fruition. The building is privately owned and the City of Pula cannot get involved in it, but they do have a wish - to turn it into a car park.

''It would be a project of the City of Pula that we would wholeheartedly support and do our best to implement as soon as possible,'' said Pula's deputy mayor, Robert Cvek.

The law firm representing the British fund are very well-known Zagreb lawyers, they were also the legal advisers in the enormous Agrokor case which shook Croatia's economy until quite recently. Unfortunately, no answer to the question of what the new owner intends to do with the Pula department store has been provided as yet.

Make sure to follow our dedicated business page for much more.

August 7, 2019 - The Istria County Tourist Board information points at Pula Airport are directly connecting tourists with the destination. 

Pula Airport is achieving a record number of passengers from year to year, and this year, Pula is connected with the most destinations ever by direct flights. Thus, it would only make sense that airports are the best place to target a high frequency of passengers upon their arrival to a new destination, reports HRTurizam.

With that thought in mind, the Istria County Tourist Board info points at the Pula Airport, which provide visitors with a fast, comprehensive and high-quality information, this year saw a significant increase in inquiries and direct contact with tourists, providing them with useful information in person.

From mid-June to July 28, a total of 14,496 inquiries were recorded, while there were 11,877 inquiries in the same period last year, increasing by 18%.

“Based on the experience of tourist informants of the Istrian Development Agency, which provides visitor information services, we can conclude that the interest of tourists for the brochures is extremely high and that the map of Istria, as well as information about cities such as Pula, Rovinj and Poreč, are in high demand. The demand for general information brochures such as Istria Culture, Istria Gourmet, as well as for cycling and walking maps has increased, and there is a noticeable interest in outdoor activities,” said Morena Milevoj from IRTA. She added that the great interest of travelers speaks in favor of this, since the information point contributes to the better promotion of Istria as a tourist destination, in which an average of 150,000 tourists arrive by air during the main tourist season, while the number of flights exceeds 700 per month.

In the mentioned period, 7,420 brochures were distributed, which represents 51% of the total number of inquiries for 2019, and the most requested tourist inquiry is about shuttle bus transfers from Pula Airport to the city center of Pula.

Although the trend today is digitalization in every respect, promotional brochures still play a significant role, especially if they are well produced and provide useful information. 

"Tourists are also looking for information on transportation from Pula Airport to other cities in Istria, mostly to Rovinj, Poreč, and Umag, as well as information about taxi services and rental car services that are most convenient for visitors who want to visit as many destinations in Istria. In addition, it is worth noting inquiries about current events in the peninsula, places to visit (sights, beaches, amusement parks such as aquaparks, national parks, and nature parks) and accommodation options as well as other recommendations for activities in Istria,” says Milevoj.

Visitors most often searching for information are from the UK, Germany, Russia, and Scandinavia. The most active are Britons and Germans of all ages, while visitors from Russia and France seek information in Russian and French respectively.

"According to the positive reactions of visitors we’ve had direct contact with so far, it shows how important it is to provide quality information that will make it easier for visitors to find their destination and make their stay as comfortable and quality as possible," concludes Milevoj.

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

July 22, 2019 - Continuing our look at The Mediterranean as It Once Was through old videos of the Croatian coast, a look at Pula Arena, Opatija and a cameo performance from Rovinj. 

One of the most impressive buildings in Croatia is the Pula Arena, the sixth largest Roman amphitheatre in the world. It is impressive not only for the building itself, but for the types of events it stages. These have included an ice hockey match, football match between the legends of Croatia and Bayern Munich, the Outlook festival and many concerts of famous singers and groups, including Sting, Leonard Cohen and the Foo Fighters. 

It looked a little more rustic back in 1974... The video then goes on to Opatija and beach life before a cameo role for Rovinj at the end. 

1970's Pula in the former Yugoslavian city of Pula and the surrounding coastal region of Opatija, Croatia (former Yugoslavia)! - which is situated in modern day Croatia. Courtesy of the Thames Television holiday show - 'Wish you were here' First transmitted in 1974.

July 20, 2019 - How does the perception of Croatia as a good value destination for British visitors compare with its competition. A new survey featured in the Daily Mail has more. 

Perception is everything in the modern age, and in order to best understand where Croatian tourism stands in relation to its competition, getting an understanding of how Croatia is being presented to would-be tourists is essential for our tourism chiefs. 

And it doesn't look good... 

One of the most read English-language media in the world with 53 million unique visitors a month, has published a price comparison for a family holiday for ten popular destinations, seven of which are in Europe. 

And Pula, Croatia is the most expensive of all. 

It is also the only destination where prices increased. 

In fact, last year, according to the survey by M&S Bank, Pula was cheaper than four of the European destinations mentioned. 

Not any more. 

As prices have gone down elsewhere - more than 20% in the Algarve, according to the survey - prices went up in Croatia. 

You can read the article and the methodology here. For me the stand out sentence was:

Bulgaria and Turkey benefit from both affordable accommodation and low-cost options for eating out.

So if the Croatian tourism strategy is to pack people in with its sun and sea offer, the perception for Daily Mail readers is that there is much better value elsewhere. 

Reduce the VAT on restaurants, I hear you cry. And you are correct. 

But isn't the problem a little deeper than that?

Croatian tourism needs a reset, at least in my opinion. Here is how I would do it.

As Novac writes on the 15th of July, 2019, Pula's popular City Mall is set to expand across an additional 9,400 square metres in total, and an additional sixteen tenants will be accommodated within the new space, according to Tea Gršić, project manager and marketing manager of Zagreb's real estate investor, Mid Bau property, which is investing an enormous eighteen million euros directly into this huge project.

She also noted the fact that the exceptional popularity of the Pula shopping centre, as well as its successful business results so far have indicated the clear need to expand its existing capacities.

After the aforementioned investor purchased 22,500 square metres of land on the gravel car park area across from the centre from a private owner and the City of Pula, the necessary construction permits were quickly issued. The works on the Pula shopping centre's expansion began on June the 12th this year, and the new part should be complete by the end of this year. There will be 306 parking spaces for customers, of which 131 will be in the garage of the expanded part of the centre.

The investor hasn't yet revealed any of the new brand names which will be present following expansion, but it has been confirmed that no less than the American fast food giant, McDonald's, will be located within the newest part of the Pula centre, which will be a combination of a drive-in and the classic style of the McDonald's restaurant.

When it comes to the question of whether, besides the competition (Max City Centre) there are places for any other brands in Pula, the answer lies in the decision to expand itself. Namely, it is precisely the very extension of the Pula City Mall, considered to be a strategic decision, which will likely bring in more interested tenants to Pula's market.

Make sure to follow our dedicated lifestyle page for much more.

ZAGREB, July 14, 2019 - The film General by director Antun Vrdoljak was premiered at the start of the 66th edition of the Pula Film Festival on Saturday evening after the opening ceremony which included a fireworks display in Pula's landmark of Arena. Vrdoljak's film is about the life of Croatian war hero general Ante Gotovina who had a crucial role in the 1995 military and police operation Storm when Croatia liberated the largest part of its occupied areas which used to be under the control of rebel Serbs since 1992.

After the showing of the film, President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović, who delivered a speech at that opening ceremony, said that she found the film very emotional. The 2.5-hour film features Goran Višnjić, a Croatian American actor and producer, in the role of General Gotovina.

Before the screening, in her opening speech, the president said that she believed that the film "is not a story of just one deserving man – a general of the victorious Croatian Army Ante Gotovina – this is a story about the Homeland War, but above all the story of the Croatian struggle for human and national freedom."

"This long historical story of ours has many protagonists and deserves many more quality movies," the president concluded, declaring the festival open.

In her speech she also emphasised that "the lasting value of the Pula Film Festival lies in its presentation of contemporary Croatian film production, its diversity and versatility." Therefore, the president awarded the festival the Charter of the Republic of Croatia, for its current work and as an incentive to persevere in the future.

Artists presented themselves and their works on this location, they were judged by experts, but above all by you, the audience of Pula, whose voice always has special importance and value, she added.

At a news conference before the opening ceremony, the Director of the Public Institution Pula Film Festival Gordana Restović thanked all the associates and the Culture Ministry, City of Pula, and the Istria County for their support and assistance to the Festival.

She also said that 110 films would be shown cross 17 venues until 21 July. The Croatian programme includes eight films.

More news about Ante Gotovina can be found in the Politics section.

Just one week before we mark one year of his passing, an homage to the late singer Oliver Dragojević will be held at the 66th Pula Film Festival. 

A documentary film about the late singer Oliver Dragojević titled "OLIVER's 70 - A Little Story About a Great Musician and His Last Concert" (In Croatian: “OLIVERovih 70”) will premiere on July 20, in the Pula Arena, within the 66th Pula Film Festival. The film will premiere just before the first anniversary of the death of the legendary Croatian musician, reports Splitski Dnevnik on July 11, 2019.

Filmmakers Branko Drakulić and Lea Dekleva used materials recorded before and during the celebratory concert "OLIVER's 70" in Zagreb with the Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra. The film follows Oliver to his most intimate interview and aims to bring viewers closer to Oliver’s humbleness and uniqueness - the traits that made the distinguished singer so loved. 

Oliver's discography, concerts throughout his career, and media promotion molded him into a unique phenomenon of Croatian pop music. Throughout his life, Oliver Dragojevic deeply connected to his fans, opened his heart to cooperate with music colleagues, and was eager to participate in many special projects. 

In his vibrant 50-year-career, Oliver released 23 studio albums, numerous compilations, won hundreds of awards and played to crowds of thousands at concerts in the world's most famous concert halls such as New York's Carnegie Hall, London's Royal Albert Hall, the Paris Opera House, and the Sydney Opera House. This left behind an undeniable artistic heritage and thus influenced many generations - and will continue to inspire those yet to come. 

"I'm glad I had a chance to cooperate with Oliver in my life, but I'm sorry we could not do more, especially with concerts in Split which everyone loved. Looking at the recordings, we realized that this is precious material and that it should be presented to Oliver's audience,” said the producer of the documentary, Neno Drobnjak.

The documentary film about Croatia’s beloved Oliver will premiere at the Pula Film Festival just before the first anniversary of his passing, on Saturday, July 20 after the awards ceremony. You can read more about the film here. 

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

The legends of Bayern Munich Giovane Elber, Paolo Sergio, Klaus Augenthaler and Croatia’s very own Ivica Olić delighted the people of Pula as they announced the football spectacle held tonight at the Pula Arena. As announced, Tourism Minister Gari Cappelli and his associates joined them, reports Glas Istre on July 8,  2019.

Filip ŠKATAR

The football greats of one of the largest clubs in the world signed photographs, shared club souvenirs and attracted numerous tourists, including many Bavarians and supporters of the club, who could not miss the opportunity for a photo or the chance to take home a valuable souvenir. The Legends of the Croatia national team were not able to address this morning’s crowd, though they will be ready to participate in tonight's spectacle. 

Filip ŠKATAR

Recall, the ancient amphitheater in Pula will transform into a football field for the first time in history for a spectacular sporting event which will feature the legends of Bayern Munich and the legends of the Croatia national team. This spectacle is the result of the strategic partnership between the Istria County Tourist Board and the powerful Bavarian club which was agreed year ago and will continue for three years. 

The basic idea of the strategic partnership was to combine two premium brands that would help to identify quality and superior products by linking marketing activities in the offline and online segment, e-marketing, social networks, and a specific marketing campaign in collaboration with Bayern.

The strategic partnership allows Istria to cooperate on nine major marketing projects. All projects are positioned so that they take place in the period that is most important for the tourist promotion of Istria, i.e., the winter months and the preseason.

The Istria County Tourist Board announced the names of some of the Bayern Munich legends we can expect in Pula, including Ivica Olić, Paulo Sergio, Giovane Elber, Martín Demichelis, Luca Toni, Klaus Augenthaler and Marcel Witeczek.

Some of the famous footballers who will represent Croatia are Stipe Pletikosa, Robert Jarni, Ivan Klasnić, Marjan Mrmić, Ardian Koznik, Petar Krpan, and Ognjen Vukojević.

Inside the arena, a small field of 40 meters by 20 meters will installed. 

Between the games, the experience will be complemented by a music program and numerous performances, and after the winner is announced, the VIP Lounge in the Arena will continue with an entertainment program and DJs.

Schedule of events:

20:00 - 20:30 Junior’s match

20:30 Event announcement with a presentation of partners and sponsors

          Presentation of all teams (two ‘Vatreni’ and two Bayern Munich teams)

          Draw

20:50 – 21:15 First semi-final match

21:20 – 21:45 Second semi-final match

21:45 – 21:55 Music program/Performances

22:00 – 22:25 Match for third place

22:30 – 22:55 Final

The games are followed by an awards ceremony and after-party with DJs in the VIP lounge of the Arena.

FC Bayern Munich is the 4th most valuable club in the world and one of the main brands in Germany, and the key is the market. Namely, Germany is Croatia’s most significant and largest broadcast market, and within Germany, Bavaria certainly has the largest share. Thus, the strategic partnership between FC Bayern Munich and Istria is certainly one of the largest and most significant marketing projects in tourism.

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