New towels and bedsheets have been purchased, the walls are freshly painted, and the weeds in the garden have been picked. In short, pre-season preparation in family accommodation has begun in Split. The situation in Greece and Turkey has stabilized, the mentioned destinations have again jumped on the list of priority countries for summer holidays, and we are often left wondering if Croatia is still a European hotspot, if the summer will be a hit for Split renters, or if we'll be wishing for better times.

In the City of Split, there are currently 22,421 beds in family accommodation alone, and 5,726 private renters, as officially confirmed by the Split Tourist Board. We also know that according to the current status of registered beds for rent, the number is smaller than it was last season. However, it should be emphasized that these are the current statistics, and we must remember that the office continues to come up with solutions for categorization and the number of renters grows every day, reports Slobodna Dalmacija on April 25, 2019. 

“The number of beds is at the same level, and even less than the summer of 2018. However, this data does not show a realistic situation because solutions on categorization are ongoing and the number of registered facilities for this year is still unknown,” said the Split Tourist Board. 

Among the so far reported family accommodation units, most have three gold stars plastered on their front door.

“In family accommodation, there are mostly objects with three-stars, however, given that it is only the first half of the year, the comparison is not realistic,” added the Split Tourist Board. 

Martina Nimac Kalcina, president of the Family Tourism Community Section at the Croatian Chamber of Commerce, commented on the status of bookings and what renters of family accommodation should expect this season.

“The comments of renters are good. They say that bookings are good and they are not worse, as it was described recently. I would say that the deficit is worse at the level of the whole country, and on the city level of Split and the whole County, it is the same as last year, if not better. From communication with some of my colleagues, I even heard that in Split-Dalmatia County this summer, there would be a double-digit percentage increase in bookings in all forms of tourism and capacities compared to the last tourist season. For family accommodation in the area of Split, so far only positive comments have been made to me about reservations,” says Martina Nimac Kalcina, who adds that there are always exceptions and it is already clear that there will be a lot of last minute bookings.

"If you do not do enough work in service, have poor reviews, do not offer a special location or facilities or are new renters who do not yet have comments and ratings, it is, of course, more difficult to be fully booked than those who have made an effort to be evaluated, provide additional services, and are in a good location,” concluded the president of the Community of Family Tourism at the Croatian Chamber of Commerce, stressing that Split is still a different tourist hub than Croatia as a whole.

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

A new hotel under construction at Split’s Bačvice beach, which saw its owners offer a 660 euro bribe to legalize 55 square meters, should open its doors on June 1. Although still under scaffolding, photos of the new hotel can be found on the Internet - and guests have already booked rooms, reports T.portal and Splitski Dnevnik on April 19, 2019. 

Namely, on the Booking.com website, the property is almost completely booked for the season. But how could it not be, when instead of construction workers atop scaffoldings, there are pictures of a luxury hotel with a swimming pool. These lavish rooms overlook the sea, and the hotel paints a picture of elegance - at the top of the hotel, the photos even show sun loungers and parasols. The controversial hotel will set you back 300 euro for a one night stay. You can see pictures of the hotel on Booking.com.

This new hotel is Villa Harmony, boasting six floors located directly next to the most famous beach in Split. Due to its size and appearance, Villa Harmony has caused a lot of controversy and complaints by Split citizens as the building blocks the view in this part of the city. When construction began in 2016, the Municipal Court in Split issued a verdict, which revealed that the area covered by the permit was reduced by 55 square meters. However, the project was still completed and went forward thanks to bribing officials of the Ministry.

Zoran Sikirica bought the land at Bačvice from former Split Mayor Željko Kerum through Oriens, where he was the director. The company then changed directors and moved to Trilj and Sinj before finally returning to Split.

Last year, Sikirica said that the four-star hotel saw an investment of 32 million kuna and was expected to open by the end of 2018. In all likelihood, problems with documentation were the cause of the delay.

Villa Harmony should have 26 rooms and a large penthouse and saunas, a gym, a restaurant and an outdoor bar by the pool. Eight rooms should have a jacuzzi. Sikirica’s company Špinut is also known for building two apartment blocks in the same Split district a few years ago. The project was worth 25 million euro.

Zoran Sikirica, one of the four suspects named in USKOK's action for giving and receiving bribes in the Ministry of Construction for this hotel, is said to have escaped arrest by traveling to Israel on Wednesday.

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

Split’s wishes have finally come true. Hotel Marjan, once a symbol of the Dalmatian capital which for the last 11 years has been the city’s eyesore and a threat to the heart of the flourishing tourist town, is ready for sale, reports Slobodna Dalmacija on April 15, 2019. 

Namely, the bankruptcy was completed for "Adriatic" d.d. by making a conclusion about the sale. The process is final and the final document produced by the judge of the Commercial Court in Split, Ivan Čulić, will go to Fina, who will look for a buyer.

Fina will sell the hotel by an electronic public auction. The hotel itself is 5,679 square meters, with a substation, parking lot, three courtyards and stairs, altogether making up nearly 12,000 square meters. According to bankruptcy law, four auctions are envisaged. In the first the object cannot be sold below three-quarters of the established value, the second below one half, the third below one quarter, while the fourth is sold for one kuna.

According to the accepted assessment by court expert Jure Malenica, the price is EUR 58 million or HRK 432 million (VAT included, so that there would be no confusion), which means that the buyer must offer approximately EUR 44 million in the first auction. In the second auction EUR 29 million, then EUR 14.5 million, and so on. 

The bankruptcy administrator Ante Gabelica is convinced that the unfinished hotel will soon be sold since it is an attractive property in a prestigious location.

Interestingly, there is no lack of interest, but the keys to the future owners are firmly held by the "Adris Group", whose "Adria Resorts”, through the purchase of receivables, has already invested an amount that is close to or even higher than the total estimated value of the object. There would be an uproar if Adris did not eventually buy the hotel. After all, the powerful Rovinj company already announced a significant investment in Split in its annual plan.

Recall, Željko Kerum bought the hotel "Marjan" in 2005. Kerum paid HRK 170 million, which was three times more than the required HRK 57 million. Less than four years later, a contract with "Hilton" was signed, and Kerum became the mayor one month after that. Works on “Marjan” were quickly interrupted, and in 2015, it all ended with the bankruptcy of “Adriatic”.

Fortunately, Split’s best-known eyesore will soon get a new owner who will give a new dimension to the tourist offer of the city.

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

Split could lose as many as 38,000 inhabitants in the next 20 years, while the most optimistic reports show that the Dalmatian capital could lose 20,000, meaning the total number of inhabitants would undoubtedly fall below 145,000 - just as Split was in the mid-1970s, reports Slobodna Dalmacija on March 28, 2019. 

This shocking result comes for the study "Forecasting Future Needs in Demography, Tourism and Economic Sectors" designed for the Kopilica and East Coast master plan, and is signed by experts from the Zagreb Institute for Development and International Relations.

Ana-Maria Boromisa, the head of the study, visited the Split United showroom and emphasized that by 2040, there would be only around 134,000 citizens in Split if systematic policies and active measures were to be implemented as they have been so far.

During the study, three possible scenarios were taken into consideration - the first where nothing would be done, the second where the available measures are implemented to the maximum, and the third by which all those 13,000 who fled from 2011 to 2017 returned to live in Split.

It should be noted that in 2011, 167,121 residents were listed in the city, which was already 8,000 people less than in 2001, and official estimates by statisticians indicate that figures continue to fall.

The latter scenario is possible, as Boromis said, only if a new "building boom" occurs in the next five years, with 300 new, more affordable flats available on the market every year.

“The number of apartments used to accommodate tourists is increasing by 30%, i.e., families do not live in them in the summer, but usually move to other places where they can live all year round. The opportunity to earn on these is an average of 67 days if the accommodation is filled, which is obviously attractive enough to raise the prices of flats by renters, “ said Boromis, warning that increased housing demand could again lead to rising housing prices and emigration.

In other words, to make the scenario of returnees realistic, it is necessary to change the structure of the economy, limit mass tourism, and change the structure of the accommodation. According to the data presented, the capacities of the Split area from 2010 to 2016 increased by 2.68, but their utilization in 2016 was extremely low, with an occupancy rate of only 20.12 percent.

The number of people per household fell from 3.1 in 2001 to 2.8. On the other hand, the number of tourist arrivals increased by 2.7 times from 2012 to 2017, with overnight stays tripling, and the average length of stay in the city from 2.55 to 2.85 days.

If this trend continues, the Institute predicts that 1.2 million tourists will visit Split, and ten years later this figure would increase to 7.7 million, making it 9.4 million tourists in the city by 2040. This figure of arrivals exceeds the accommodation capacity and projections of the possibilities of its expansion.

“The population structure in Split-Dalmatia County is such that the average age is over 40, indicating that the population is older because the average should be about 35 years. It will take a lot of serious measures to bring people of a younger age back to Split.

In addition to increasing the additional tourist capacity without infrastructure, people who are supposed to work in this industry will collapse. Tourists are coming to experience the local way of life, if it doesn’t disappear, but there is not enough workforce to wait on them,” said Ana-Maria Boromis, who added that they should systematically think and know what is to be achieved to make it equally beneficial for both residents and tourists, and if only a particular interest is to be seen, then not much will be achieved.

The presentation of the study was also accompanied by mayor Andro Krstulović Opara, along with his associates.

“We have heard clear figures based on statistical data and analysis of experts who have once again confirmed that this study and planning development of not only Split but its surroundings are the only possible way to work. So, plan to look at all those scenarios that are ahead of us. I've always said that we need to know our goals and where we will be in 5, 10, 15 or 20 years.

The fact is that the number of inhabitants in Split is reduced because of the price of real estate and living conditions,” Krstulović Opara warns, and adds that this number will fall if severe measures are not taken. 

“Kopilica needs many apartments, and in the area of today's ‘Promet’ garage, we want POS apartments to be rented, exactly what young couples are looking for today. First, it is necessary to proceed with the modification of the spatial planning documentation and the amendments of GUP, and the DPU, which is a big job that will last for the next few years. The master plan is in discussion and we expect the contribution of experts and interested public so that we can adopt it by June,” Krstulović Opara concluded.

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

Preparations for the upcoming season are already nearing completion, and despite the media insights and announcements of a worse season due to last-minute bookings and Brexit, but also the new boom of Spain and Greece who are daring to offer competitive prices, Split tourist workers are optimistic, reports Splitski Dnevnik on March 25, 2019. 

Anyone who has already placed their apartments in the queue can breathe a sigh of relief, for yet another fruitful summer awaits us. This optimism is certainly given by the Split Tourist Board data, which shows that in the first two months of 2019, the city recorded an increase of 25 percent in arrivals and overnight stays.

There was considerable interest at this year's ITB Berlin, which showcased the surrounding areas of Split to tourists, resulting in better-equipped apartments outside the city on offer this year. At the same time, the season was extended and now we can freely say that the only break in the year is from November 1 to March 1.

However, the trend of last-minute reservations this year clearly shows that we need to keep an eye on manipulating prices and quality, but also that a significant price increase in the heart of the season is not the best choice if we want sustainable and long-lasting tourism.

"More and more guests prefer booking last minute. Realizing that they can choose accommodation and that the offer, especially in our country, is substantial, they do not rush with reservations, so I am confident that all private renters will reach capacity more or less by the summer,” says the president of the Family Tourism Community Section Martina Nimac Kalcin.

The competition is increasing year after year, though this has not affected the prices of apartments thus far. What it changes is the quality for the price. This is the most common problem for renters with three-star apartments, who do not have any added value, such as a swimming pool. Such apartments are located mostly in the outermost parts of the city and beyond.

"Guests would rather choose the center of Split than a suburb, but this does not apply, for example, to Podstrana, because it is already a kind of Riviera. There, guests holiday for seven or more days, because they are not the city break guests in Split who stay however many days. But there are differences as well. One is being the first row of houses to the sea, where tourists have the beach at their fingertips, and there are quite a few other places above the Adriatic highway,” said Nimac Kalcina.

It is these landlords who have to pay attention to every detail of their offer, and the increase in lump sums, some of which could be discouraging. Because when all the costs and earnings are counted, it may be more worthwhile to rent to the tenants monthly.

Such an option should be in the tourist offer because the number of apartments is at the maximum. In recent years, the capacity of apartments has risen by 20 percent, though the number of guests remained relatively the same.

"There is a problem that will be even more pronounced this year because more apartments will be on the market, I am sure, at least 10 percent. Then the nerves grow, prices fall, they start talking about the bad season, and so on. It's not a bad season, but the supply has grown on the demand,” says Tomislav Fain, in his third year as the president of the National Association of Croatian Travel Agencies.

To cope with a similar situation, Barcelona has banned the opening of new apartments, though such rigorous moves will not happen in Croatia.

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

According to eVisitor data, there were 19,110,498 overnight stays and 3,698,159 million tourist arrivals in Split-Dalmatia County in 2018, which is a 9 percent increase compared to 2017 and a 5 percent increase in overnight stays, reports HRTurizam on January 11, 2019. 

This is also the most significant growth achieved in all coastal tourist counties in 2018.

In Croatia's total tourist turnover, Split-Dalmatia County has a share of nearly 20 percent, or, in other words, every fifth guest of Croatia in commercial accommodation has stayed in Central Dalmatia.

"Numerous Advent events in the towns and cities of our County attracted a large number of visitors in December, so Split-Dalmatia County hosted more than 33,000 guests in that month, achieving growth in December and the New Year's holidays by as much as 18 percent in overnight stays and 34 percent in arrivals. Thus, the business year was completed in the best way by continuing the excellent trend that marked the growth of tourism turnover in the last year, and the biggest in the pre-season and post-season, which, together with the growth of quality services, was our main goal,” says Joško Stella, director of the Split-Dalmatia County Tourist Board, who added that the goal is to position Central Dalmatia as a desirable and indispensable destination for rest, fun and relaxation throughout the year.

In the Split-Dalmatia County area, up to 197 million euro will be invested in tourism in the coming year, with the city of Split being the most attractive for investors, and where eight hotels with 4 to 5-stars are being constructed. 

Thus, Split-Dalmatia County, measured by the growth of tourist traffic in the months outside of the season, is the overall winner of tourism. From March until the end of December, the growth of tourist arrivals was the largest in the country, while the real star was the city of Split, which recorded double-digit growth in visitors and overnight stays throughout the year. 

"Record investments in accommodation capacities for the 2019 season in the Split-Dalmatia County area reach 197 million euro, where the city of Split will be the most attractive to investors to raise the quality of services and give new reasons to extend the season further," concludes Stella.

In the area of Split-Dalmatia County, the largest share of overnights was the Split Riviera, followed by the Makarska Riviera. The biggest growth in traffic last year was recorded by Inland Dalmatia, which had 15 percent more overnights than the year before. 

Thus, Central Dalmatia has firmly positioned itself as the second strongest tourist region in the country, just behind Istria, and in front of Kvarner, which has been the second place in the country for decades.

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

Split is bursting at the seems of tourism due to the lack of infrastructure which does not meet the increasing demands of the sector. This was demonstrated by the “Study on the Capacity of Tourism in Split-Dalmatia County," developed by the Institute of Tourism, reports Slobodna DalmacijaSlobodna Dalmacija on December 16, 2018. 

With the existing traffic and public infrastructure, Split should not increase the number of tourists in July and August, experts warn.

Given the state of the infrastructure, the study recommends that the entire coastline from Trogir to Makarska should not increase the number of tourists in the peak season. If the problems are not eliminated, there will be "unwanted consequences on the upcoming arrivals, quality of tourism products, and thus on tourism spending and tourism revenues."

“Without the significant involvement of the local self-government in tackling traffic problems and solving workforce problems on the islands, further growth in the number of tourists could mean a collapse of the tourism system in certain places, which would have long-term consequences for the County's economy, and thus the satisfaction of its citizens,” warns the study. 

Local authorities in the County are aware that tourism has reached capacities beyond which it should not be exaggerated with further growth in the peak season.

Almost all cities and islands, including Split, complained that they did not want to increase tourists in July and August. Trogir and Baška Voda would even reduce the number of arrivals. Only in Inland Dalmatia would the local self-government wish to double the number of tourists, as tourism is merely beginning there. 

The Tourist Board of Split-Dalmatia County commissioned the study. At the beginning of July, the Croatian Chamber of Commerce and the County presented the project to media representatives: ”We are the first to have something like this."

The summer heat was accompanied by unforgettable traffic jams around Split and its surroundings - and this season ended with a rise in tourist overnights. 

Dr. Zoran Klarić from the Zagreb Institute of Tourism commented on whether there is the possibility that Split sees a tourism collapse. 

“We were obliged to warn of critical points where problems might arise, but there is little chance that the system will break down. 

People are afraid that the system will collapse. But we shouldn’t panic. There will be no collapse, but traffic jams will become so unbearable that people will be dissatisfied and in the coming years, there might be fewer tourists. This is what is happening in cities like Prague or Paris, where you can’t practically pass through city centers,” Klarić believes.

The Institute considers there could be a problem with the water supply throughout the County, with the four largest cities supplied from the Jadro experiencing water losses. On Vis and in Makarska there is a “supply of potable water to the level of sufficiency in the season, and existing water supply capacities are at the margins of full utilization."

“Split is too dependent on the Jadro river source. If something happens with that source, the city would be in big trouble. Like what happened in Slavonski Brod, they might be without water. The tourists won’t escape in masses because of this, but they will be dissatisfied,” says Klarić.

There are also problems with the sewage, with numerous septic tanks unloading into the sea without prior treatment.

"The city has to invest something, and the state automatically responds poorly if someone seeks money. Especially in an environment that makes a lot of money from tourism,” warns the head of the Study.

One of the problems is the electrical power system which is on the edge of wear in certain areas, so for example, the load of the power line in Split is almost over the thermal transmission limits. Additionally, the whole County system is not ready to receive electricity from renewable sources, and that resource is virtually unused.

“While there will be no collapse regarding electricity, there will be a reduction, as was the case on some islands, for example, Vis,” notes Dr. Klarić.

The garbage problem in the County is so severe that the authors of the Study warn that "not only should the number of tourists in the County not be increased, but that number should be reduced until the problem of waste disposal is resolved."

“A lot of these things do not work - but they do not have to do with tourism. We accuse tourism of being guilty of everything, but for example, crowds only increase the existing problems. Here I am thinking primarily of the garbage problem, which is great in Split-Dalmatia County.”

A particular problem is the traffic infrastructure, for example, the roads, the massive lack of parking lots and the many crowds of traffic, which negatively affects tourists and even more so the residents of the County.

"As for parking and traffic, there is one trivial thing to talk about, and it is essential. Split has no 'smart traffic lights.' Zagreb is also not glamorous as far as traffic is concerned, and very little has been done, but a lot has been done by introducing 'green waves' and automatic traffic measurements. In Split, that is not the case at all, the traffic lights are uncoordinated,” Klarić added. 

“You have a tunnel leading from Kopilica to the port, and the parking problem can be easily solved at Kopilica. There is plenty of parking space there, and the railroad can serve as a metro.

When I go to a big tourist city, I never park in the city center. You cannot find a place, and it's terribly expensive. In principle, people park in the outskirts and take public transport to the center,” explains Klarić.

The Institute of Tourism advises, however, that "long-term consideration should be given to the relocation of crucial traffic facilities in the area of the City Port, primarily the ferry port and the bus station.

“In Zadar, there was tremendous resistance to moving the ferry port to Gaženica, but now everyone is happy. We propose, according to the old urban idea, that we run the line going to Supetar to Stobreč. I know this idea is sensitive, but that's the story. Half of the tourism traffic in the city harbor is on the Split-Supetar-Split line because it is by far the most frequent connection.

The bus station could easily be moved to Kopilica. This is not an integral part of the study, but detecting problems and pointing out what will happen and what should be done,” he adds. 

The study recommends that Žnjan, Marjan and Salona should be exploited more for tourism.

“Žnjan can be an area where tourists could spread out and moved away from the center. Everyone will go to Diocletian's Palace, you cannot avoid it, but it is important that those who come to Split for two days are not in the palace all the time and can go elsewhere. This is the essence of it - to regulate pressure, disperse it and move it where it causes less damage.”

One thousand five hundred respondents were surveyed for the Study. It turns out that tourists have only 1.3 square meters of space on the beaches in Split, but there are fewer crowds on the beaches than tourists on the Makarska Riviera, who have a little more space - three square meters per bather.

Also, tourists are much more satisfied with Split, which is the opposite on the Makarska Riviera, where only 58 percent of tourists are satisfied, giving it the worst result in the County. 

“When you come to Split, you do not expect a big city to have large beach spaces. Barcelona or Venice practically have no beaches, and if you go there, you will not go swimming. For tourists, it is enough to have Bačvice. And if Split people are not satisfied with Bačvice, they will probably swim somewhere else, on Šolta or the Marjan beaches.

It is also clear that Split has shown less tolerance towards tourism, as the percentage of people who do not live from tourism is much higher than in Makarska,” Klarić says.

The positive attitude toward tourism is highest on the Makarska Riviera and the Split Riviera (the area from Trogir to Omiš), as most people there benefit from tourism.

On the Split Riviera, 62 percent of residents have direct or indirect benefits, and on the Makarska Riviera, as much as 89 percent of them have some benefit from tourism. On the other hand, in Split, 52 percent of respondents said they did not have any benefits from tourism.

Despite some differences, local authorities in the County estimated that the capacity of tourism in July and August has reached its limit.

In Split, the "local self-government is of the opinion that the number of tourists in the peak season should be kept at the existing level and the number of one-day visitors should be reduced", according to the study. On the Split Riviera, there are divided opinions, as some would increase the number of tourists, and some would keep it the same, while Trogir would reduce the number of tourists in the peak season.

On the Makarska Riviera, the local self-government is mostly against increasing the number of tourists, except for Gradac (10%). Baška Voda would cut them by as much as 30 percent.

Although the Institute for Tourism sees opportunities to increase tourism on the Central Dalmatian islands, the local self-government on Hvar is not for increasing the number of tourists in the season. Only Postira and Pučišća on Brač are for it, while Selca would reduce tourists in the peak season by 10 percent.

The local government would retain the existing number on Vis, while Komiža is for a minimum increase. Inland Dalmatia wants to double the number of tourists in the peak season. All local authorities in the County are hoping for a more significant amount of tourists in the pre and postseason, except for Trogir, which would keep their numbers in June and September at the current level.

To read more about Split, follow TCN's dedicated page. 

Will Split really have a new metro from next summer?

While having increased in popularity over the last couple of years owing primarily to active tourism, the Dalmatian hinterland tends to live in the shadow of its coastal cousin, but is all that about to change?

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 3rd of December, 2018, the calculations of the Institute for Croatian Tourism show that the number of overnight stays in Split-Dalmatia County could rise by 30 percent, mostly in the Dalmatian hinterland, by more than 200 percent. The study in which these figures were presented was entitled "Measuring Sustainability of Tourism in Practice".

Tourism Institute researcher Zoran Klarić explained that Split-Dalmatia County tourism would be able to achieve a presumed growth of 30 percent, but only if certain obstacles are dealt with and removed before that goal, Slobodna Dalmacija reports.

"When it comes to the biggest development obstacles, we've come across an unacceptable situation with waste disposal, a power system on the edge of durability, a water supply system that depends on a single source in the case of Split, inadequate drainage, and very weak traffic power, plus parking spaces," said Klarić.

He explained that tourism in that particular county was explored through five parts: Split, the Split riviera, the Makarska riviera, the Dalmatian hinterland, Brač, Hvar, and Vis. In addition to the Dalmatian hinterland, which could account for 200 percent growth, the biggest potential for growth lies on the nearby island of Brač, where calculations show potential of up to 50 percent growth, Slobodna Dalmacija writes.

Through the additional number of guests who could come to Croatia over the coming years, the institute calculated that the potential increase of tourists could be as much as 250,000 per year. According to estimates, the largest number of overnight stays would be made by Makarska riviera (two million) followed by the Split riviera (one million and 950 thousand), while Split would see as many as 670,000 overnight stays realised.

In the coming years, the number of hospitality and tourist zones could increase, to 145 with a total of 95,000 beds on offer.

"It's almost twice the capacity available today in this type of accommodation," the institute noted, adding that there is currently no indication that the growth of tourism in private accommodation which otherwise currently accounts for about 80 percent of Split-Dalmatia County's overall accommodation capacity today will be limited.

Despite these indicators, which can be taken in both a positive and a negative way, tourism has some limitations in parts of the aforementioned county. The lack of labour is a big problem, and one which will continue to grow, and the Makarska riviera has a particular issue with its overall beach capacity.

Make sure to stay up to date with our dedicated travel and lifestyle pages for more. If you're interested solely in the Dalmatian hinterland, make sure to follow Total Inland Dalmatia.

November 22, 2018 — The Croatian tourism apparatus will now endure its annual post-summer evaluation.

Statistics must be dissected: How many arrivals? How much was spent?

The service industry exchanges anecdotes en masse: Which nation sent the most visitors? Who were the biggest spenders?

Reviews and ratings on travel sites such as TripAdvisor and Booking.com are combed for helpful feedback — or dismissed as pointless ramblings.

Yet rarely does one get an intimate look into the experience of a Croatian tourist from beginning to end. Until now.

Refinery29’s Away Game, a series which chronicles millennial women’s travels and expenses, chronicled a 32-year-old life insurance underwriter’s day trip to Croatia.

The unnamed traveler matches a coveted demographic within the Croatian tourism industry: an American millennial from the suburbs of Washington DC earning upper-middle-class  wages.

The resulting travel diary and/or expense report offers a rare look into the experience of a first-time visitor to Croatia — warts and all.

The piece offers a holistic picture of the Croatian tourism experience: A reasonable traveler guided by word of mouth and not jingoistic advertising campaigns can experience unanticipated delights and exceeded expectations.

Croatia’s Infrastructure: The Dalmatian Sardine Can

Throughout the diary, a theme emerges: Croatia’s crowded. Especially during the height of the tourism season. It spills over into infrastructure headaches.

Immediately on her second day, our unnamed tourist encounters the infamous crowding at Dubrovnik’s Pile Gate, a familiar scene for locals and repeat visitors alike. The traveler must let two busses pass before she finally finding room to hop aboard.

Later during her stay, a warning about four cruise ships depositing its crowds onto Dubrovnik sends her hightailing to Montenegro. She spends close to $150 just to escape for a day, trading the “Pearl of the Adriatic” for an daylong jaunt through Perast, Kotor and Budva.

The hordes make cameos again in her travelogue, in Split, Hvar, Plitvice and later in Zagreb.

This sense of overcrowding reemerges in her jaunts from one location to the other. Her trip from Dubrovnik to Split took nearly six hours because of congestion on the highways. Ditto a bus trip from Zagreb to Plitvice, also extended by crowded roadways.

It was all enough to culminate in a catch-all warning to potential visitors:

“Be prepared, in high tourist season it’s very expensive and crazy-crowded on the Croatian coast,” she writes at the end. “If you’re going to Dubrovnik, pay attention to the cruise schedule and try to avoid the days where there are lots of ships.”

Croatian Service: Delightfully Bespoke 

The writer often valorizes locals going beyond a yeoman's effort to please visitors.

For example: during a trip to the Pakleni Islands, she raves of fresh sea urchin “that our guide plucked from the ocean and pried open right in front of us.”

The pattern repeats itself over and over: an Airbnb host in Hvar takes pains to handle logistics; a hotel restaurant in Split makes an off-the-menu pašticada on a whim; a solo tour goes from worrisome encounter to a delightful friendship.

Along the way, the author learns about the life of a local dependent on tourism: “They work 24/7 during the tourist season and it sounds incredibly stressful, but you’d never know.”

Is Croatia Expensive?

As the travel diary continues, a picture emerges of a conscious, selectively frugal spender. Our unnamed narrator carries her own collapsable water bottle; keeps snacks on hand; and chows on hotel breakfasts whenever possible.

“I am not a fan of hostels or shared accommodations, am willing to pay for good location, and the hotel stays included breakfast so this is where I spent the most,” she writes.

This precise spending reveals itself in her trinket and souvenir expenditures: magnets galore, as well as lavender soaps. But also something more authentic, preferably local. In Dubrovnik, she shelled out extra for filigree earrings and rose moisturizer.

“The earrings and rose cream are very touristy purchases,” she admits, then adds, “but are also so typical of Dubrovnik that they are perfect reminders of my trip.”

She’s also a cost-conscious eater. At no point during her trip does a meal come close to the triple-digit range. Granted, a solo traveler must either splurge on a Michelin Star meal or pig out in excess to cross the $100 threshold in Croatia. She often expresses disbelief at sums on her bills.

Her first meal in Zagreb sets the tone. After people-watching (another cheap-yet-fun experience) on Britanski Trg, she eats at Heritage, a tiny joint specializing in Croatian cuisine which emphasizes the food's local origins.

The bill offers a delightful sticker shock. “When I finish I’m stuffed, and when I get the bill and figure out the cost in USD I’m shocked how much I got for so little.” She paid $9.

Compare that to the $30-plus meals she regularly eats in Dubrovnik and Split.

Price disparities pop up in a myriad other ways. A cab from the airport to the hotel in Zagreb is $30; the same trip cost her $17 with Uber. (Not surprise anymore.)

All told, the traveler spent $4,603.74 in total. That includes airfare, travel, meals, souvenires and accommodations. That’s about $230 per day — days which included trips to neighboring Montenegro and Slovenia.

So... Has Croatia become too expensive?

Avoiding Well-Worn Paths

The tourism industry in Croatia often feels almost obsessed with online ratings and website recommendations. Yet our traveler’s piece limits her tech-guidance and dependency to three main apps: Airbnb, Uber and Viator.

The rest of her decisions are largely based on serendipity and word-of-mouth — either from locals or fellow travelers. It leads her to unexpected places you won’t find in many brochures or promotional videos.

While in Split, she visits Froggyland.

Froggyland?

Yes, Froggyland, “a weird little tourist trap of a museum, but worth the visit and entrance fee,” she writes. “It houses the largest collection of taxidermied frogs, all posed in dioramas performing different activities. 

“It was bizarre, but I kind of loved it.”

She takes a small group tour of the Pakleni Islands run by a husband-wife duo which owns and operates “Amazing Hvar”.

The traveler then goes zip-lining in Omiš. It ends up being one of her favorite and most-dissected parts of her trip, with paragraphs-long descriptions. (Plitvice, by comparison, gets a few cursory and well-worn sentences about natural beauty.)

The tail end of her stay in Zagreb inadvertently coincides with an international street performance festival called “Cest Is D’best”, which provides a fallback diversion on quieter days. She also takes a Secret Zagreb tour, which explores the lesser-seen parts of the city.

Yes, there are obvious overtures to Croatia’s natural beauties and pitstops at all the usual hotspots; Dubrovnik’s city walls, Diocletian's palace and Plitvice all make an appearance.

Yet it’s the strokes of logistical luck which pepper her travelogue with unique and rewarding experiences.

The Intangibles

So what can one learn from this singular, yet instructive experience?

A few choice lessons:

There’s a difference between a traveller and a tourist: Many attempts to guide tourists’ gazes can often backfire, or at least distract people from what they set out to experience. The piece’s author seemed most keen on understanding where the locals ate, hung out and found cool. Some restaurant or dish suggested by a local became a must.

People want to understand and experience the lives of locals and fellow travelers. The traveler in this story seemed willing to assimilate, for however little she visited. She even shelled out $55 for a Croatian language audio course.

“It was surprisingly easy to learn enough to speak conversationally and ask directions,” she wrote (she's in the minority). “But I rarely actually needed to since most people I cam in contact with spoke perfect English.”

There are too many Game of Thrones tours: "I’m going on a Game of Thrones walking tour and am supposed to look for my guide in the square outside the gate holding a GoT flag," she writes, "which isn’t super helpful because there are at least 3 of them.”

Perhaps Croatia’s entire tourism industry can collectively take a few notes.

To read more about tourism in Croatia, check out TCN’s dedicated page.