September 6,  2019 - Split was still a hit in August, but what will September bring?

Slobodna Dalmacija reports that the city of Split recorded the best tourism numbers in August in independent Croatia, when it was visited by 193,305 guests (10,000 more than last year) who achieved 659,000 overnights (37,000 more than 2018), which is a 5% increase in the number of arrivals and overnight stays, the Split Tourist Board revealed on Thursday. 

These numbers have pushed Split to one of the top tourist destinations in the country according to the growth of tourist traffic in the busiest month of the peak season. It is also interesting to note that most of the guests visiting Split in August were from Great Britain (21,000), while the number of French tourists came in second (20,600). Italian tourists followed with 14,965 arrivals, then Germans, guests from the USA, Spain, and Australia.

Such a structure of foreign tourist traffic points to the fact that Split is recognized in all parts of the world as a city that provides culture, entertainment, holidays and events for all tastes and generations of its visitors.

Tourists stayed in Split for an average of 3.5 days this August, and according to all data, accommodation capacities were well filled at the highest prices of the yearly-level, so the financial results of the tourism sector will be better than last year. According to the available announcements, tourist traffic in Split this September should be equally successful, thanks to numerous events that will welcome guests.

The highest increase in arrivals in August was recorded by the Irish, who made up 3,300 arrivals or 61 percent more than last year, and guests from the Republic of Korea who achieved 3,700 arrivals, which is an increase of 39 percent compared to last year.

When analyzing Split tourist traffic data from January to the end of August, Split recorded extraordinary results with 714,265 guest arrivals and 2,151,724 million overnight stays. Thus, in the past eight months, Split has recorded an 8 percent increase in arrivals or 60,000 more visitors than it did last year. They posted 200,000 more overnight stays than last year, which is an increase of 9 percent in overnight stays.

In the previous eight months this year, most tourists in Split are American (75,000), followed by Britons (72,000), the French (50,000), and Germans (42,000), while guests from Australia are in fifth place. 

In all these markets, Split has achieved double-digit growth in arrivals, which guarantees a long tourist season, since these are also guests who travel year-round. 

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

September 1, 2019 - Split welcomes September with impressive numbers. 

Splitski Dnevnik reports that through the two Split ports, the airport and the ferry port, an impressive 132,000 passengers will arrive by air and sea this weekend, the Resnik Airport and Split Ferry Port revealed on Saturday.

Mate Melvan of Split Airport said 115 aircraft with 27,000 passengers were expected on Saturday, while 95 aircraft with 25,000 people will land and take off on Sunday at the Split Airport. 

"When we look at the cumulative three months this summer and compare it to the same period last year, we see a six percent increase," said Melvan. 

The airport, he estimated, would conclude the year with a total of 3.3 million passengers.

However, there will also be crowds at the Split Ferry Port, which will receive 80,000 passengers and 13,000 vehicles in the three days of the weekend.

Jelena Ivulic, the head of Jadrolinija in Split, confirmed that there is a lower intensity of passengers towards the islands than in the past weekends, but because of that, there is a higher traffic intensity towards the ferry port.

“Due to the increased inflow of vehicles, we sent one extra line to Supetar at 8.45 am this morning, and there was a need for another extra line heading to Brač at 12.45 pm. All other departures and arrivals take place according to the timetable,” said Ivulic on Saturday, confirming that when ferries arrive and the vehicles are unloaded, traffic is usually created when leaving the port, approaching the Jadran Bridge and Bacvice in the city.

For the last weekend in August, Jadrolinija expects 80,000 passengers and 13,000 vehicles, which is a piece of cake compared to the first weekend in August, when 95,000 passengers and 18,000 vehicles passed through the port.

Recall, the penultimate Saturday in August saw many travelers return home after their summer holidays, where over 85,000 passengers and over 15,000 vehicles passed through the ferry port last weekend. 

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

August 26, 2019 - Foreign camper vans have finally found the best location to ‘camp out’ in Split this summer - and they don’t even have to reach into their wallets. 

Interestingly, the location is known and accessible to everyone in Split, and if you live in the city or, hell, even got hit with an injury or illness on your Croatian holiday, chances are, you’ve been here too. 

Namely, Slobodna Dalmacija writes that tourist campers have found a home in the southern parking lot of the Clinical Hospital Center in Firule (KBC Split), right in front of the main medical building that houses the Psychiatry Clinic. For countless days and nights, camper vans have found comfort in spending their summer holidays in this popular Split parking lot. There are sometimes five to eight vehicles, most often with Italian and Spanish license plates, though some citizens recall seeing Czech plates, too. 

Hospital staff, as well as patients and visitors of the hospital, aren't taking a liking to the campers because parking at KBC Split is already a battle, and always a headache. 

The campers can be found across the hospital parking lot, but you can also find them on the nearby dirt area, along the entire southern side of the KBC Firule complex.

“We know about this problem and we have already reported it to the Communal Police. We, as a hospital, do not have the mechanisms to remove these camper vans. But the problem is that they, as tourists, do not in practice violate the law, but are just parking in a parking lot. The Communal Police Department said they could not do anything to them either, because the campers do not occupy more than one parking space,” says Dr. Anton Marović, Assistant Director of the largest Dalmatian healthcare institution.

There have been cases in recent years where their owners would bring out tables, chairs, and even umbrellas to dine beneath the hospital windows and balconies. 

Slobodna Dalmacija also spoke to Damir Ordulj, the head of the City of Split municipal department.

“Legally, we can't do anything to them because they only take up one spot in the parking lot to accommodate the vehicle. In addition, they have not set up tables outside their campers. But we will definitely send a traffic officer right away to see what he can do in this regard,” said Ordulj on Saturday. 

KBC Split also said that they still have not been able to reach someone from the Tourist Inspectorate, which is the only one authorized to sanction campers outside the campgrounds. For reference, the closest campsite to Split is in Stobreč.

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

August 19, 2019 - Slobodna Dalmacija met with tourism workers in Split to discuss the 2019 summer season and how they would help to improve it in the future.

“Split is full of tourists and has about the same number as last year. Whether it's a little more or less, no one wants to reveal accurate information. However, what is of interest to us, who work in tourism and live off of it, is to bring in less of the 'cheaper' tourists because it would reduce the crowds (which in the peak season are created in the city port), but, with a condition for those tourists who come to us to have higher spending power,” says Đani Ponoš, owner of the rent-a-car and tourist agency "Flarent" with two outlets in the city center - in the port and the nearby Tourist Palace.

What can local and state governments do in this regard?

“In order to get more higher-spending tourists, investors should be able to obtain permits to build better hotels and four-and five-star hotels more easily, so that we don't have one hundred thousand apartments in Split which are driving down the price of accommodation, bringing in cheaper guests.”

The plans are to have hotels on the East and West Coast.

“The East Coast cannot be solved so quickly, and the Hotel Marjan needs to be remodeled on the West Coast where ships can be moored, as Željko Kerum put it. It would attract really good guests, which would definitely change the image of the city,” Ponoš thinks.

But how much will the best guests be willing to cough up if, in the heat of the season, they have to wait in hours of traffic just to get there?

Ponoš thinks a tunnel is a solution.

“Crowds can be solved with one more exit or entrance to the ferry port. One with a tunnel with an entrance near the station and an exit near the second Police Station in Bačvice, or an entrance and exit through the existing tunnel for Kopilica. Because this metro serves no purpose anyway.”

Ponoš believes the metro tunnel is the solution for another road access.

“A big problem in the season is where to park and the lack of space for car rental agencies to hand over vehicles. Just look at where some taxi drivers disembark passengers, at the pedestrian crossings at the entrance to the ferry port. But for years, there has been a discussion of solving parking problems by building underground garages in the center of Split. But it’s all talk,” Ponoš said. 

Ponoš also believes that the local government can't do anything to solve the problems of the season by next summer.

“Nothing can be resolved quickly. Tourism has been building for years. While everyone in Split is busy in August, the number of guests in the pre-season and post-season through congress and health tourism should increase. We cannot only offer the sun and the sea, so that in winter in Split all hotels are empty, while in Zagorje they are full non-stop,” she adds. 

Roko Kačunić, owner of Terminal F at the Tourist Palace, notes that in Split we have about 13 kilometers of beaches, from Žnjan to Marjan, but that we need to sell the destination better.

“This is what hotels will do for us,” emphasizes Kačunić, adding that in the next two years, "Ambassador" and "Marjan" will open, which will bring better guests. He says it was because of the Marjan Hotel that his family owned three catering establishments on the West Riva. But as it took ages for Marjan to undergo renovation, they eventually sold.

But now, the unfinished hotel has been bought by the Adris Group.

“It's a huge plus for our city. Because this Rovinj company knows how to make a destination. They will make serious money there and do a great job. It will be crazy,” Kačunić adds.

The Split Port Authority plans to move the truck traffic that supplies the islands to a new port in Stinice. Furthermore, customs will be shifted to the breakwater, thus freeing up Gat. Sv. Duje. This is important as it will provide new meters of operational shoreline for mooring ships in domestic traffic. But at the same time, the number of mini-cruisers is increasing, as there are ten more each year.

“I have to commend the Split Port Authority for everything they do and for the effort they have made to give us better places to moor. After regular service, we have priority in Split over foreign yachts. I am now the fifth ship moored parallel to the shore, with two more behind me. For the sake of greater security and comfort of the guests, it would be easier if, at the most, four or five of us were connected,” says Antonio Vuković, commander and co-owner of the Mlini ship.

He adds that small boat companies are developing too fast concerning the infrastructure on the Adriatic and that the crowds in the port of Split can be reduced if the boarding and offloading of guests took place on other days, not just on weekends. However, it is a little harder to execute because of the plans of the agencies, the airlines and the wishes of the guests.

At the taxi stand below the green market, Čedo Pocrnić, a former graphics editor at Slobodna Dalmacija who has worked as a taxi driver in recent years, gave his two sense.

“Local and state governments need to regulate the legal framework that makes it now possible for huge price differences in taxis. The whole evil begins at the airport where the Kaštela and Trogir carriers rob the tourists who land there, and when they arrive in Split, they are afraid to get into a taxi. This is evident on the ground because we have fewer trips,” says Pocrnić, adding:

"Some of my colleagues behave like the rest of society, with the example of those at the top. We are moral in this view because the state has allowed us to charge foreigners as much as 80 kuna per kilometer. It is robbery and it is normal for guests to be upset and scared to ask for the price,” he says and notes that during the hustle and bustle, it is not possible for a taxi to leave the port, though it still costs the passenger in the end.

“While stuck in traffic, the taximeter still runs,” Čedo concludes.

Pocrnić’s colleague, Šime, ho had been a Promet bus driver for 27 years, says that the rulebook by which Minister Butković sent taxi drivers from all over Croatia to Split and Dubrovnik should be changed, because it hijacked passengers from Split concessionaires.

“As if there weren't enough Uber drivers and other app-based companies. So, in the sun, we fry for two, three hours waiting for passengers,” says Šime, and adds that the commotion in the city was so crazy that, as a result, his passengers often jumped out of the taxi fearing they would be late to board.

Excerpts translated from Slobodna Dalmacija

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August 18, 2019 - There are more tourist departures than arrivals at the Split Airport and Ferry Port this weekend, showing the first signs that this year's tourist season is nearing its end in Dalmatia.

"On Saturday and Sunday, about 70,000 passengers and 12,500 vehicles will travel through the Split ferry port, of which about 60 percent are tourists returning from the islands, and 40 percent are those who are leaving for the islands," said Jelena Ivulić, head of Jadrolinija in Split, for Splitski Dnevnik.

According to Ivulić, three extra ferry lines for Supetar (Brač) - Split were introduced on Saturday due to the increased return of passengers from the island to the mainland.

The departures at Split Airport are already more noticeable than the arrivals. 

"On Saturday, 115 aircraft will land and take off with about 30,000 passengers, of which about 16,000 are departing and 14,000 are arriving,” said Mate Melvan, head of the Split Airport Reception and Dispatch Service.

According to him, in the first two weeks of August, the number of passengers through the Split Airport increased by about 4 percent compared to the same period last year.

Melvan also said that by mid-August, traffic at the Split Airport had increased by about 150,000 passengers compared to the same period last year.

"About 2.2 million passengers have flown through the Split Airport so far this year, with an estimated 1.1 million more expected by the end of the year," Melvan said.

Recall, Split Airport experienced record numbers this summer. Just after it unveiled its brand new terminal building, the airport recorded the busiest month ever - 723,048 passengers in July,  which was up 4%. From January to July, Split handled 1,825,166 travelers, which is up 6.4% or an additional 109,029 passengers compared to last year. 

There were also more passengers departing at the Split bus station on Saturday than arriving.

"About 400 buses will pass through the Split bus station on Saturday, and we increased the number of bus routes to Zagreb due to the increased number of returnees from holidays," said Split Bus Station Director Mate Jujnović.

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

August 9, 2019 - A look at the anticipated changes at the Split Ferry Port next year. 

Dalmatinski Portal reports that the breakwater at the Split ferry port and the mooring for cruisers will be occupied by international traffic lines next year, revealed the Split Port Authority on Thursday. 

Specifically, the plan is to move international traffic to the breakwater, freeing up 13,000 square meters at Gat Svetog Duje to accommodate vehicles waiting to board, and at the same time, some domestic lines that land on the breakwater would be drawn closer to the city. While this all sounds great, where would this move the cruisers?

Port Authority Director Vice Mihanović answers. 

“Depending on the need. International traffic lines take priority. If there is room for cruisers, then we will dock cruisers. If there isn’t, then we won’t. We will integrate the regular domestic services in the northern part of the port closer to the city. It's all about making the port and domestic lines flow better,” says Mihanović.

A new international terminal building on the breakwater should be renovated for HRK 60 million. This is the area of the failed Jadran Ribolov, a company that ended in bankruptcy and liquidation. Mihanović says the building is under conservation protection, as well as other facilities in the port, and it will be reconstructed, while the building itself will remain in the same dimensions.

“One of the benefits is that the new terminal building will bring together all the services in one place. From the mooring, pilots, navigation control which is currently in Zenta, to the Harbor Master's Office. They would significantly raise the level of security,” says Mihanović.

The Port Authority is seeking the assistance of the Ministry of the Sea in financing the project for the new terminal building. Mihanović says they have the full support of Split Mayor Andro Krustolović Opara, County prefect Blaženko Boban, and Minister Oleg Butkovic. The management is in the process of obtaining a building permit for the new terminal. It is estimated that this could be resolved by the end of the year, and then a contract for the contractor should be announced. Construction could take two years.

The University of Split is doing two studies, of which the Port Authority expects guidelines to arrange the port further. One relates to cruisers and the other to the concession of the remaining port facilities, breakwater storage facilities, Dalmacijavino building, and parking lots. The Dalmacijavino building is under the special protection of conservationists and must remain in its present form, which is a particular problem. The value of the works on the landscaping of this part of the port is estimated at HRK 60 million, and for it to be executed, it would be necessary to change the general urban plan. 

"When we receive our studies, we will discuss with the City of Split the best direction to develop the port as an integral part of the city," Mihanović concludes. 

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

August 2, 2019 - Split continues to impress this summer!

According to eVisitor data, in July, 189,547 arrivals and 630,467 overnights in the area of Split were recorded, which is an increase of 5% in arrivals and 4% in overnights compared to the previous year. The largest number of arrivals was achieved by tourists from the United Kingdom, the USA, France, and Germany. Split is indeed one of the most attractive tourist destinations in Croatia, as evidenced by the fact that from January to July, 517,422 arrivals and 1,484,138 overnights were achieved, which is an increase of 9% in arrivals and 10% in overnight stays. 

One of the main motives for the arrival of tourists is the many manifestations that enrich the tourist offer of the city throughout the year. The entertainment program continues this weekend, which will include a special celebration for Victory Day and Homeland Thanksgiving Day. 

Below you can see a list of upcoming events. For the complete program and hours, visit the Split Tourist Board here.

FRIDAY, August 2, 2019

Riva

Entertainment group POP ART

Peristyle

Changing of Diocletian's Guard

Roman Life (8 pm)

Nocturnal on Peristyle

Diocletian's Basement 

Summer charms of classical music

Exhibition program in Diocletian's cellar and public space

Ethnographic Museum Split 

Exhibition  "Majka grbava, dica lipa, unučad manita - o lozi, grožđu i vinu" - About rakija, grapes, and wine 

Emanuel Vidović Gallery 

Exhibition about “Marjan”

Đardin 

6th Revival of Urban Culture - Evo RUKE   

Meštrović Crikvine Kaštilac 

65th Split Summer Concert

Milesi Palace

Goran Trbuljak's exhibition: "Self-portrait painted by another"

Bačvice 

Summer cinema: “Fast and Furious”, “Hobbs and Shaw”

Saturday, August 2, 2019

RIVA

Entertainment group POP ROCK CABARET 

Peristyle

Changing of Diocletian's Guard

Nocturnal on Peristyle

Diocletian's Basement 

Summer charms of classical music

Exhibition program in Diocletian's cellar and public space

Đardin 

6th Revival of Urban Culture - Evo RUKE   

Milesi Palace

Goran Trbuljak's exhibition: "Self-portrait painted by another"

Fotoklub Split

Jadran Lazić: Split – Paris – Los Angeles

Kula Gallery

Exhibition: Peter Halley and Lauren Clay - QUBE

Bačvice 

Summer cinema: “The Accused”

Sunday, August 4, 2019 

Riva

21:30 Concert Marko Perković Thompson

Peristyle

Changing of Diocletian's Guard

Nocturnal on Peristyle

Diocletian's Basement 

Summer charms of classical music

Exhibition program in Diocletian's cellar and public space

65th Split Summer Concert

Đardin 

6th Revival of Urban Culture - Evo RUKE   

Meštrović Crikvine Kaštilac 

65th Split Summer - Drama, All About Women

Fotoklub Split

Jadran Lazić: Split – Paris – Los Angeles

Milesi Palace

Goran Trbuljak's exhibition: "Self-portrait painted by another"

Bačvice 

Summer cinema: “The Lion King”

For Victory Day and Homeland Thanksgiving Day and Croatian Veteran’s Day

Sunday 04. 08. 2019.

21:30 concert of Marko Perković Thompson

Monday 05.08. 2019.

21:00 concert Nenad Vetma and band

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

Since the beginning of the tourist season, we’ve outlined just how many travelers are passing through two of Dalmatia’s biggest hubs - the Split Airport and Split Ferry Port.

While the numbers have been above 100,000 for the last month, this weekend brings the busiest weekend of travel yet, reports Splitski Dnevnik on July 27, 2019. 

Namely, the Split Airport and Ferry Port will handle some 117,000 travelers, which is the biggest weekend in traffic this year.

“On Saturday and Sunday, there will be about 58,000 passengers through the Split Airport and 220 aircraft, which is the largest number of passengers and aircraft during a two-day weekend this year," said the Head of the Reception and Dispatch Service at Split Airport, Mate Melvan.

According to Melvan, this weekend is the peak of the tourist season, and at Split Airport, they are preparing to keep traffic operating without interruption. 

"Through the Split Ferry Port, Saturday and Sunday will welcome 59,000 passengers and 11,000 vehicles, which is the biggest weekend turnover so far,” said Jelena Ivulić, the head of Jadrolinija in Split.

The most significant number of passengers with personal vehicles are from Slovenia, Poland, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic, while English, German and Australian tourists make up most of the travelers at Split Airport. 

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

After filming the action scenes for The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard in Rovinj and Zagreb with colleagues Samuel L. Jackson and Ryan Reynolds, Hollywood actress Salma Hayek returns to Croatia, and namely Split, to meet yet another Hollywood favorite - Owen Wilson.

Hayek and her new film crew will base in the southern Dalmatian city to film science-fiction film Bliss, directed by Mike Cahill. This is a project by Amazon Studios and Endgame Entertainment, whose filming has already started in Los Angeles. Owen Wilson, along with Selma, makes up the star-studded cast, reports Dalmacija Danas on July 19, 2019.

It is rumored that the celebrity actors will appear in scenes that will be filmed in the heart of Split. In Bliss, Salma will interpret the role of homeless woman, who will fundamentally change the life of a recently divorced Major Greg Gregory (Owen Wilson), whose life was ruined after his marriage fell apart. 

Isabel (Hayek) is convinced that the world we live in is not real and that it is just a simulation within an ideal world in which good fortune and prosperity rule. Greg is at first somewhat suspicious, but Isabel eventually gains hist rust with charisma, and he becomes increasingly convinced that the truths are sound in her theories.

Dalmacija Danas exclusively wrote that actor Owen Wilson arrived at Split Airport on Friday at 4 pm on a Lufthansa plane. 

Owen will stay in Split in the coming days to film a few scenes with Hayek in the very heart of Split - the Riva and Prokurative.

The Hollywood actor was spotted in several locations on Friday. While one fan snapped a photo with Wilson at a market in the center, Wilson also visited the famous Split restaurant Zrno Soli during the evening, where he enjoyed numerous delicacies of chef Stjepan Vukadin and was eager to photograph with staff and restaurant guests, reports Dalmatinski Portal.

“He ate fish and had no problem taking photographs with everyone; he reused nobody. The children enjoyed it and in the end, he praised the food and staff of the restaurant,” said Katarina Ševo from the Split restaurant.

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

While the crowds thin in other Dalmatian hotspots this summer, Split is experiencing quite the opposite - and no, it’s not just because of Ultra Europe. 

While Split’s accommodation may be bit emptier this season due to, well, a surplus of private accommodation, the city is anything but.

This weekend, more than 100,000 passengers from all over the world will travel through the Split Airport and Ferry Port, with projections that many will stay in Split and not continue their travels to other parts of Dalmatia, Splitski Dnevnik reports. 

Mate Melvan from Split Airport said that a total of 112 aircraft will take off and land on Saturday, which would bring 30,000 passengers, while on Sunday, there would be 104 planes with 27,000 passengers.

“This weekend, Split Airport expects a total of 57,000 passengers, and we can say that the peak of arrivals and departures have begun,” Melvan said.

Even more travelers will pass through the Split Ferry Port this weekend. Jelena Ivulić of Jadrolinija said that the Split Ferry Port estimates 75,000 passengers and 14,000 vehicles on Friday, Saturday, Saturday, and Sunday. 

"Due to the greater pressure of vehicles, we sent an extra line from Split to Supetar at 11:30, and another at 2:45. On Monday, we expect even bigger traffic since the Ultra Europe festival continues to the islands of Brač, Hvar, and Vis,” she added.

You might recall that last weekend, the Split Airport and Ferry Port saw the arrivals and departures of about 100,000 passengers, which was a record weekend. Namely, passenger traffic during the first weekend of July at Split Airport was about five to six percent higher compared to the first weekend of July last year and is said to increase every coming weekend until mid-August. That same weekend, the Split Ferry Port welcomed 47,530 passengers and 8,790 vehicles.

The weekend before that, from June. 28-30, Split Airport welcomed 212 aircraft, which brought 52,000 passengers from more than a hundred world destinations, and from that Friday to Sunday, more than 70,000 passengers and more than 13,000 vehicles traveled through the Split Ferry Port. 

From June 21 to 23, Split estimated 112,000 travelers from Croatia, around Europe and the world thanks to airplanes, ships, ferries, and catamarans.

And the weekend before that, on June 15th, which officially marks the start of the tourist season, figures revealed that 140,000 passengers traveled through the Split Airport and Ferry Port.

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