May the 9th, 2022 - Former Croatian economy minister Ivan Vrdoljak has invested a large chunk of money in the Rovinj campsite (Porton Camp), which is set to re-open in about one week following a ''makeover'' of sorts.

As Poslovni Dnevnik/Marija Crnjak writes, the Rovinj campsite is set to re-open its doors as a more luxurious destination in a week's time, thanks to an investment of 3 million euros in the first 27 cottages which truly do stand out in terms of design and execution.

Everything there has been made in Croatia and are Croatian products, made of sustainable materials, and this is just the beginning of an ambitious investment in Porton Biondi, founded last year for the development of the camping business by Daniel Benussi, the owner of Auto Benussi, and Ivan Vrdoljak, known to the public as the former Minister of Economy in the Government headed by now President Zoran Milanovic.

From this tourist season on, this Rovinj campsite located between the city centre and the Amarin resort will operate under the Porton Nature Hideouts brand and will be promoted as a new and unique Croatian concept of tourist accommodation. The Rovinj campsite will be managed by the company Effectus Consulting, which has four more camps on the Adriatic in its portfolio through either ownership or management.

"We realised the acquisition of this Rovinj campsite back in the spring of 2021, and the main reason for it was the untapped potential given the then state and categorisation of the campsite. We were most attracted by the phenomenal location with a beautiful view of the city of Rovinj, a few hundred metres from the city centre, and a beautiful beach right in front of the camp.

From the acquisition itself, we started with the development of a master plan for landscaping, which we'll implement in several phases, the first of which began in the autumn of 2021, and we're currently in the final works before opening everything up. We want to contribute to further development as well as work intensively on expanding the tourist season,'' Daniel Benussi stated. Currently, only Porton Camp in Rovinj is included in Porton Biondi's portfolio, but Benussi isn't ruling out the possibility of expanding to other attractive tourist projects.

The investment is worth about 3 million euros, and additional investments are planned. This summer season, there will be 27 Porton Holiday Homes houses with a swimming pool, which represents about 10 percent of the total accommodation capacity of the camp, on offer to visitors. The plan is to increase that share to 100 percent when the investment cycle is completed, and in one of the next phases, the construction of a shared pool, wellness and children's playroom is also planned.

These investments also relate to the brand strategy and the creation of a new visual identity, for which the Bruketa & Zinic & Gray agency was placed in charge. The accommodation facilities located within the Rovinj campsite are designed right here in Croatia and are completely and utterly adapted to the natural environment without causing disturbances. They're built of sustainable materials and are equipped with Croatian products, wherever possible, explained Zvonimir Tudorovic, the founder and director of Effectus Consulting.

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August the 9th, 2021 - One beautiful coastal Istrian city has set the tourism record so far for the year 2021 as Rovinj tourism is booming. Both visitors and those working in the town's tourism sector can't hide their enthusiasm, especially with memories of the dire situation we endured this time last year.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, currently, more than 38,000 guests are staying in gorgeous Rovinj, and that is, if we look at how things stand today - a six percent increase when compared to the record, pre-pandemic 2019, HTV's Dnevnik reported.

To reach the absolute record this year, Rovinj tourism is still lacking by about twenty percent, but the good news is that a two-millionth overnight stay is expected on the night from Monday to Tuesday, thanks to the loyal German tourists, who make up a third of all guests in Rovinj.

''I'd say that this is the result of good preparation of the tourist season, not only at the level of the City of Rovinj but also that of Istria County as a whole. Thanks also has to be given to the Istrian Civil Protection Directorate. We showcased our responsibility related to vaccination and that showed our guests that we want a safe season and that we want to work,'' said the mayor of Rovinj and the president of the Tourist Board, Marko Paliaga.

He added that it's difficult to predict to predict how the ongoing situation with the pandemic will continue to unfold, but that Istria still hopes for a good September, which will help the entire Croatian economy.

He emphasised the fact that large events have never really attracted many guests to Rovinj during the warm summer months, and that they themselves are responsible for Rovinj tourism's good results, as he says, with excellent catering and hospitality facilities and adherence to anti-epidemic measures. Rovinj has countless smaller events which typically involved tours and gastronomic events.

Back in pre-pandemic 2019, Rovinj tourism enjoyed more than four million overnight stays, and quite unexpectedly, this year could come close to that amazing result. This Istrian city's tourist offer is top notch, and although prices are also high, those who really want to come to Rovinj continue to arrive.

Namely, this Istrian city boasts the most five-star accommodation capacities and is therefore, among other things, the most sought after destination. There is also a luxury marina with five sails. Yachtsmen come from all continents, but most are from Europe. Those who are surely even happier than their guests are the hosts as their earnings are excellent and finally, there is a lot of work to be done for all those involved in Rovinj tourism.

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May 21, 2021 - As the season approaches and tourists start to arrive, a message comes from the European People's Party's Donald Tusk in Rovinj, Istria.

As reported by nacional.hr, Donald Tusk, who served as President of the European Council from 2014 to 2019 and as the 14th Prime Minister of Poland from 2007 to 2014, is currently enjoying the early days of sun in Croatia with his family. Through his Twitter profile, the most famous Polish politician internationally announced his visit to the popular Istrian destination of Rovinj. The sight of Donald Tusk in Rovinj is likely to give this destination hope for the summer ahead.

Tourism in the Istrian peninsula has proven that it can defy the obstacles caused by the pandemic, not only at its worst during the past year but also in recent months, prior to the start of the rapidly approaching summer season. Istria saw, with surprise, local and foreign tourists arrive not only during Easter but also during the first weekend of May, thus exceeding their expectations in the face of the complicated situation that tourism has been going through in the country in the last year.

All this highlights the advantages of the peninsula of being better connected with the European continent, providing the opportunity for all those tourists to travel by car. It also sends out a powerful message about the willingness of many tourists to enjoy the sea and the beaches before they get crowded, and especially in the present context of social distancing. As the vaccination process in Croatia continues its course and the numbers of infections continue to decline, it seems that the results are beginning to appear.

Given this hopeful precedent, there is reason enough in Istria to believe that the approaching summer season may bring life back to hotels, restaurants, private accommodation, and more. And one of the people who believes that it is time to face the coming months with optimism is nothing less than the Polish representative in the European People's Party (EPP), Donald Tusk.

In Rovinj with my family. Croatia ?? is ready to restart tourism and welcome all guests. We are all in love with Istria. pic.twitter.com/G1UOwMqOmk

— Donald Tusk (@donaldtuskEPP) May 20, 2021

"Croatia is ready to restart tourism and to receive guests. We are all in love with Istria ", reads the announcement of Donald Tusk in Rovinj on Twitter, accompanied by a photo of him enjoying an Istrian sunset with his family.

For more information on what the City of Rovinj can offer you on your next visit, such as sights, hotels, beaches, food, or drink, be sure to check out Total Croatia's Rovinj in a Page 2021, HERE.

Follow the latest on flights to Croatia HERE and the latest travel updates and COVID-19 news from Croatia HERE.

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

July 18, 2020 - The Rovinj Tourist Board has designed its own protective canvas face mask that will be distributed to catering staff and registered private renters.

HRTurizam writes that these masks with the message "Carry me" and the logo of the Rovinj Tourist Board can be picked up in the Rovinj Tourist Board office, and a total of 1,000 masks were made.

Creatives from the Rovinj studio LC Studio are responsible for the design of the masks, and as the Rovinj Tourist Board points out, thanks to its interesting design with the Rovinj tourist logo, it will also be an attractive souvenir for many guests.

In addition to the masks, the Tourist Board has prepared a leaflet or brochure titled "Info COVID-19" which is intended for guests and renters and is available in 4 languages (Croatian, Italian, German and English). It is designed to inform guests about what to do if the coronavirus infection occurs during their stay at the property.

According to the eVisitor system, over 18,000 guests are staying in Rovinj, which is 57 percent compared to the same period last year. The tourists are mostly made up of Germans (33%), followed by Austrians (14%), Dutch (8%), while Slovenians, Italians and Czechs took fourth place. Guests are mostly staying in campsites (47 percent), followed by private accommodation (22 percent) while hotels and resorts make up 12 percent.

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

As Glas Istre/Nina Orlovic Radic writes on the 20th of November, 2019, during the upcoming December Christmas holidays, about three thousand guests are expected to realise ten thousand overnights in the popular Istrian city of Rovinj. The hotels "Park", "Lone", "Amarin" and "Adriatic" will all remain open for New Year's Eve.

Celebrating with cake and other desserts, this Thursday, the Rovinj Tourist Board will mark the significance of Rovinj's recently awarded title of "Best Tourist Destination of the Year".

With the highest possible tourism ''recognition'', it should be borne in mind that Rovinj, for the second year in a row now, is growing unstoppably closer to the fantastic figure of over four million overnight stays. This recognition and the impressive number are the reason for the festivities held at Marshal Tito Square, which will start tomorrow at 10:00 with music from Duo Kristijan and Davor Terzić, while the sweet-savory delicacies and selected wines will be provided by the Eugen Kumičić school and the local AgroRovinj Association.

This will be an open manifestation in its own right, as well as an introduction to numerous upcoming Christmas-oriented events.

''Celebrating the 2019 Best Croatian Tourist Destination title, which will be celebrated at Marshal Tito Square, kicks off the festive events in this celebrated city, which by the end of the year should exceed last year's exceptional results, and generate about 4,060,000 overnight stays,'' said the director of the Rovinj Tourist Board, Odeta Sapač.

The upcoming December festivities will also put an extra spring back into Rovinj's step owing to the desired results, and will be accompanied by a concert from Croatian singer-songwriter Zlatan Stipišić Gibonni, with whom the citizens of Rovinj and many guests will enter the new year.

''During the upcoming golidays, we expect the arrival of three thousand guests, which, according to our previous experiences, should realise about ten thousand nights in total. Maistra's hotels - Lone, Park, Amarin and Adriatic - will have their doors open to them, with the smaller, private hotels as well as a large proportion of private renters working alongside them. It's also worth mentioning that the Stell club will be open during the holidays, which will host parties,'' Sapač noted.

''By the way, when speaking in terms of numbers, Rovinj realised 708,659 tourist arrivals from the beginning of the year up until November the 19th, and those guests realised 3,995,542 overnight stays in total, which, as we know from the director of the Rovinj Tourist Board, represents an increase of three percent in arrivals, while the overnight stays have remained at the same level as those realised last year.

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As Glas Istre/Nina Orlovic Radic writes on the 4th of October, 2019, the three-day-long Days of Croatian Tourism (Dani hrvatskog turizma) event ended last night in Osijek, Slavonia, where the laureates in top ten categories were announced. The Istrian town of Rovinj was named the destination of the year for 2019, Poreč's Spinnaker was pronounced the best Croatian restaurant for 2019, and the Valamar Collection Girandella Resort in Rabac was proclaimed hotel of the year.

The Aminess Maravea Camping Resort from Novigrad, also in Istria, triumphed upon being named as camp of the year for 2019.

The last time Rovinj won its biggest professional award was quite some time back in 2014, so there is no reason to doubt that in the past five years, a significant qualitative and quantitative step has been made by the town, which has been being witnessed year after year by its residents and from season to season by both domestic and foreign guests.

''I'd like to congratulate all of my fellow citizens on this award, tourism professionals and companies, craftsmen, and everyone who strives for Rovinj to continue to be the epitome of the best tourist destination in Croatia. I believe that Rovinj deservedly won this award and that will be an incentive for all of us to do more and do even better,'' said Rovinj's mayor, Marko Paliaga.

''Rovinj has been at the top of Croatian tourism for years, not only by the number of overnight stays realised, but by the continuous increase in the quality of its tourist offer. This year, two of the biggest investments in recent years have been completed, the five-star Grand Hotel Park and the new ACI Marina with five anchors.

In addition, this year's Contemporary Steel Bar & Club was opened for fans of nightlife, attracting guests from all over the region with its music programs. Several newly opened high-end restaurants have also contributed to a quality breakthrough in gastronomy,'' said Rovinj's Tourist Board director, Odete Sapač.

Make sure to follow our dedicated travel page for much more on Croatian destinations and Croatian tourism as a whole.