March 29, 2022 - The Green Future Conference, to be held on 9 and 10 June in Split, brings some of the most important international and Croatian speakers on the topic of green transition - a process that will mark the coming years in terms of environmental protection, e-mobility, energy, public policies, the economy, and in the ways companies conduct their businesses.

The Conference is therefore supported by two of the largest Croatian technology companies, Rimac Group and Infobip, and sponsored by OTP Bank and Bosch (gold sponsors) and Končar. 

Speakers at the Green Future Conference come from different lines of business and technology industries and will share their knowledge, experience, and practices at the Croatian National Theatre in Split before the audience ardent to learn more about the green transition process. 

Numerous speakers have already confirmed their appearance, and besides Matija Žulj (Agrivi), Federico Cristoforoni (Eutopia), Stephanie E. Trpkov (World Bank), Ivica Puljko (Mayor of Split) Dr Fadi Makki (behavioural scientist, B4Development), Heliodor Mack (SEAK), Laura Stäter (Thai Tourist Board), Josef Mouris (ELECTRON Aviation and ELECTRON Aerospace), new speakers have been confirmed. 

Thomas Hayden-Lefebvre is director of Ibex Publishing, a media company that addresses the topics of sustainable transport, aviation, green travel, e-mobility, and urban mobility. A holder of a law degree, a master's degree in air traffic management, and a degree in politics and geography, he is passionate about these topics and how they intertwine. 

"The green transition is a vital and comprehensive concept for all types of organisations, no matter the industry or geographical area. Organisations and individuals need to adapt to the pressing challenges of climate change, and as a media company, we are here to provide decision-makers at all levels and everyone around them with the information they need to achieve their goals. ‘Green’ is not just the latest trivial buzzword because anyone who claims to be going green must accept the existence of climate change, the need for an ecological transition and the multiple social, economic, and environmental challenges faced by citizens, businesses, governments, and communities. Without cross-sectoral collaboration, clever ideas might go to waste.  The Green Future Conference in Split is the perfect opportunity for citizens, businesses, governments, and NGOs to come together, speak frankly, and share new and innovative solutions to local and international challenges," Hayden-Lefebre said. 

Petar Pavić has a degree in interactive communications from Virginia Tech. Having worked in various digital media outlets, from creative stores to publishing companies, and having received various international awards and recognitions in digital marketing and communications, he co-founded S.T.A.R. Digital Group – a regional market leader in digital marketing that holds proprietary technology platforms present in SEE markets, and whose clients operate across the EU. He is an active presenter in the field of environmental sustainability and the founder of the PlasticFreeCroatia.org initiative.

Ivana Biočina is a textile engineer, designer, and author of three books on textile industry and sustainable fashion. Having gathered plenty of theoretical and research experience, in 2021 she founded the Institute for Sustainable Fashion in northern Croatia which focuses on local artisanal products made of sustainable fabrics without textile waste, provides training courses and spreads the word about sustainable fashion. The clothes made at the Institute for Sustainable Fashion are handmade, comply with responsible production principles, do not contain toxins and plastics but are made of vegan, organic and biodegradable materials and natural dyes obtained from local plants. The Institute for Sustainable Fashion is focused on organic growth and nurtures connections with local women and companies looking to uphold principles of sustainability. Building a regional community, empowering and learning are at the heart of the Institute for Sustainable Fashion. Sustainability is weaved into every segment of its operations, from production, materials, design, sewing, packaging, end of life of the garment, sales, buyers, to the business model.

"Since the textile industry is one of the oldest, most globalized, and largest industries in the world, the green transition is of paramount importance. Before it is complete, a garment may have circled the globe more than once. Each step of the production process takes place in a different country - the garment may be designed in the EU, but it is produced in Asia to circumnavigate production laws. This creates an imbalance when it comes to the impact on humans and the environment. Also, the textile industry does not foster innovation because progress and development are considered only in terms of competition. In short, there is a lot of work to do, we have only just started, and changes are needed at every turn. Fashion manufacturers and brands must team up with suppliers, investors, lawmakers, NGOs, the academy, and consumers to create a new eco-system that supports disruptive innovation and business models. There is no escaping the problem - it would be irresponsible to pass the buck to the next generation. There is a quote that says our survival depends on whether we wake up and change. Voices that strive for real change must be encouraged to speak up and join forces. I see that Dalmatia is resolved to become one of the centres of green thinking and I hope that Split will position itself as a city that changes and fosters change," Biočina said. 

Florian Hoffman (founder and CEO at The DO) is a social innovator and Oxford-educated philosopher who has become an influential serial entrepreneur. Florian believes in the importance of bringing different people together and finding new solutions to the great challenges of our time. All his ventures and activities are aimed at building a community while launching a new economy that is innovative, sustainable, and fair. So far, he has built up the community with hundreds of high-ranking business and state leaders, over 50,000 young social entrepreneurs from around the world, and launched more than a hundred products, services, and new solutions that have affected the lives of millions of people worldwide.

***

The Green Future Conference will be the centre of exchange of knowledge, experience, new technologies and solutions, as well as innovative policies on green transition - a process that will come to the forefront of the economies of Croatia, the European Union and the rest of the world in the years and decades to come. The conference agenda and the speakers will be presented on the official conference website in due time. Early bird tickets are available until April 15. 

The Conference is also supported by the City of Split, Croatian Chamber of Economy, Eutopia, Dwelt, Profico and Vajt. Entrepreneur Magazine, Media Servis, Dalmatian portal and Split Tech City are our media partners. The event is supported by Cornaro Hotel, Galaxy Travel, and Paradox Hospitality and their services.

For more, check out our dedicated lifestyle section.

28 March 2022 - Young people are a pillar of social recovery and development of EU countries, which is why they should be invested in, it was said at a conference on education in Split on Monday.

"Recovery and development are not possible if one invests only in tourism and the services sector. It is necessary to also invest in young people and education," Croatian member of the European Parliament, Željana Zovko of the HDZ party, who organised the conference, said at the event.

"Young people are the ones to take Croatia and Europe towards technological progress. The key message of this conference is for young people to stay here and develop their talents," she said, calling for equal education opportunities both for those living in urban areas and those living in rural areas or on islands.

The European Parliament adopted a resolution in 2021 on the European education area, which says that the teaching profession is in a crisis because there are significant differences in education in the member-states in terms of working conditions, pay, assessment and professional requirements.

Teachers should be paid adequately for their work and students should be at the centre of the learning process, the document says, underlining the importance of learning foreign languages, notably English, as well as mass open online courses as a necessary element in promoting additional training and retraining.

Addressing the event via video link, European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth Mariya Gabriel said that the Recovery and Resilience Plan has the potential to become a lever for introducing a greener, more digital and more inclusive system of education in the EU.

Ina 2016, Split-Dalmatia County established a centre of excellence that currently has 430 children and 109 mentors in four basic programmes, and an additional 2,100 children in three extracurricular programmes with another 300 mentors, the centre's head, Ivica Zelić, said.

"We want to establish a system of support for talent development and make what we, in Split-Dalmatia County, are doing a national model," Zelić said.

In cooperation with Lika-Senj County,  the county plans to build a centre of excellence campus in Nova Sela in the hinterland of Omiš.

That campus will be the first of its kind in Southeast Europe and it will be a meeting place for excellent students not only from Croatia but from all over this part of Europe, said Split-Dalmatia County head Blaženko Boban.

ZAGREB, 27 March 2022 - This year's Walk for Life will be held in ten cities across Croatia on Sundays in May and June, a news conference heard in Osijek on Sunday.

Representatives of the civic group "Walk for Life, Family and Croatia" told reporters that marches would be held in Vinkovci, Varaždin and Slavonski Brod on 7 May, in Zagreb on 14 May, in Split and Imotski on 21 May, in Zadar and Ploče on 28 May, and in Osijek and Sisak on 11 June.

Lidija Blagojević of the civic group said that the Walk for Life was a peaceful walk for every human life from conception to natural death, for the protection of unborn children and their mothers, and for the protection of every family.

The national coordinator of the Walk for Life, Željka Markić, said this year's campaign was taking place in the context of a horrible war in Ukraine, noting that many volunteers of the Walk for Life initiative were involved in collecting aid and providing accommodation for Ukrainian refugees.

"The killing of people we have been witnessing every day makes us particularly sensitive to the need to build the culture of life and fight for every human life, from its beginning to its end", Markić said.

For more, check out our dedicated lifestyle section.

March 27, 2022 - Looking to travel around Croatia quickly, at an affordable price, and with spectacular views? Meet the Croatian internal flights they don't tell you about. 

The Croatian motorways are excellent. Expensive, but excellent. 

And with so many projects on the TCN plate at the moment, from Dubrovnik to Osijek, travelling between destinations can be not only expensive, but time-consuming. 

Earlier this month, I had a long trip starting in Zagreb, which took in Split, Dubrovnik, Tivat, Tirana, Dubrovnik, Osijek, and back to Zagreb. As my car was in the garage, and with fuel prices rising due to the Ukraine conflict, I decided to use public transport for the journey, which was fine in theory, but how was I going to get from Dubrovnik to Osijek? Even if I had my car, Google told me that I had a tortuous 8-hour drive through the poor roads and eager traffic police of Bosnia and Herzegovina. 

"Why don't you fly?" a friend asked. "No, not with Croatia Airlines, but check out the amazing service of Trade Air."

Trade Air. A Croatian airline based in Osijek, but which does much of its business outside of Croatia. I was aware from blogging over the years that they had some curious routes all over Croatia, but I had never considered them before. I decided to take a look. 

The routes, part of a Public Service Obligation (PSO) tender, seemed to have been prepared especially for me. Apart from the handy connections (the Dubrovnik to Osijek flight was a little circuitous, but it was less than 3.5 hours door to door), I had never come across anyone who had actually flown these routes before, apart from one aviation geek friend who told me that the Zagreb to Osijek route is legendary among the aviation community as being fairly pointless, with little take up - an expensive subsidy. 

Wait, there is a flight from Zagreb to Osijek, which is only 2.5 hours away by car, 3 hours by bus? Not only a flight, but a flight twice a day three times a week. And with a ticket price of just 30 euro one way, rather a cheap deal indeed. As I had one overnight stay in Osijek, I booked the 06:30 flight the next day - I would be in central Zagreb for 08:00 and ready for a new business day. 

But first, I had to get to Osijek from Dubrovnik. As part of its PSO mandate, Trade Air covers different routes through the working week, connecting Dubrovnik, Split, Pula, Rijeka, Osijek and Zagreb with its 19-seater plane. As luck would have it, on my day of travel, the Dubrovnik flight to Osijek was making quick stops at Split and Rijeka Airports (on the island of Krk). When I compared the price of the ticket (450 kuna) to the cost of fuel, tolls, time, and frustration had I gone by road, it looked a bargain indeed. And that was without the views.

So how was it?

I was curious to see how many people would be on the flight. 10 passengers from Dubrovnik to Split, plus flight attendant - more than half-full in mid-March.  

In many ways, the flight took me back to the era of the Croatian seaplanes of 2014-6 - a small plane hugging the idyllic Croatian coastline, flying low, and affording the very best bird's eye views out there. Having enjoyed Mljet (see lead photo), passing over Croatia's most iconic beach at Zlatni Rat in Bol on the island of Brac, while waving to my mother-in-law in Jelsa across the water on Hvar. 

We left Dubrovnik on time at 13:20, and after 30 gorgeous sun-kissed minutes of island gazing, a gentle approach to Split Airport in the March sun. 

A stop for 30 minutes to refuel and pick up extra passengers - 14 on the short flight north to Rijeka. 

And, rather than looking at more perfect islands, I took my seat on the other side of the plane for this leg, and was rewarded with the fabulous combination of sun, sea, snow.  

As well as plenty of time to reflect on the vast emptiness of this beautiful country. So much of it completely untouched.  

And if you do have island viewing FOMO on the right side of the plane, simply look left.  

One of the joys of the flight is flying low over the islands, so that you can pick out individual idyllic spots, such as this one with one small house having the bay to itself on Vela Luka on the island of Krk.  Croatia has more than a thousand islands, each unique in its own way, and there are few better ways to get an overview than this flight. 

Some island hopping, as we landed at Rijeka Airport. Time check 15:15. 

A 30-minute stopover on Krk, enough time to check out some of the interesting planes which have taken up permanent residence close to the runway. Anyone know the story of this baby? Please contact me on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Subject Rijeka plane.

Airborne again, this time heading east, with 9 passengers for the final leg to Osijek. Slavonia, my Slavonia. Once the breadbasket of the region. Could it be again? SO much land, so much potential. 

Having started at the newly developed Dubrovnik Airport terminal, followed by a stop in fashionablee Split. arrival at Osijek Airport was a reminder of where eastern Croatia lies in the government's list of priorities.  So much potential out east, so much magic, but so little interest or meaningful investment from Zagreb. 

Arrival time 16:55, a few minutes early. One of the few flights of the day, and the airport was largely deserted. But as for the passenger experience and price, more than 10 out of 10, thanks to Trade Air and the Croatian taxpayer. The PSO service is an excellent initiative and vital link for communities (even more so with Jadrolinija connecting islands by ferry), with one major exception, as I was about to find out the following morning.  

The Zagreb to Osijek flight. With the Slavonian capital starved of connectivity anywhere (one international route to Munich starting in May), and with the allocated funds which could be used to support other, more useful routes (Osijek to Dubrovnik perhaps, allowing for locals to explore their own country, visit relatives, and do business), the final leg of my 10-day trip made no sense whatsoever. 

Just four people on the flight. How many are normally on it, I asked the Osijek ground crew? They smiled. Sometimes 2, something 3, almost never more than 5. Twice a day, 3 times a week. Yes it is a pointless route, they smiled, shrugging their shoulders. For 7 years now, apparently. And at what cost?

A little Googling got me to this paragraph, highlighting how insane the route is in an otherwise laudable PSO initiative:

The value of the new PSO contracts has not been disclosed. Under the previous deal, Croatia Airlines received 11.4 million euros in annual compensation for the domestic services. The largest amount, 4.2 million euros per year, went towards maintaining flights between Split and Zagreb, where the airline was remunerated some 22 euros per passenger carried, although the largest compensation per traveller was on the Zagreb – Pula - Zadar service, totalling 177 euros. The value of Trade Air's PSO contracts amounted to 2.5 million euros per year. The largest share of the subsidies went towards the upkeep of the Osijek - Zagreb service (1.3 million euros per year), where the airline was compensated approximately 599 euros per passenger.

I checked with some airline sources, who told me that these numbers were not accurate for the latest PSO contracts (as the website said, the amounts for the latest PSO contact were not disclosed). But the numbers were an indicator of the situation. An unnecessary waste of money on an unnecessary route, with so many more useful and deserving routes either underutlised or not existing. 

As I arrived at Osijek Aiport at 05:45 for the flight with just 4 passengers, the cafe was open, as was the souvenir shop. How many flights are there from Osijek today, I asked. Just two, inlcuding this one. The cafe went unvisited, the souvenir shop ignored. Total ticket sales mustered just 120 euro. 

I am sure somebody, somewhere knows why we have this flight for over 7 years now. And maybe one day, someone in authority will question its use and see how to better spend the money to serve Osijek.

But in the meantime, kudos to Trade Air for operating such an efficient and punctual service. It is one I shall be using again. If you want to check out the Trade Air daily timetable and ticket prices, visit the official website. 

To learn more about Osijek, check out the Total Croatia Osijek in a Page.

March 24, 2022 -  The 2022 Croatia summer flight schedule kicks off on Sunday with 100 lines to six Croatian airports! 

After a long winter, the summer flight schedule comes into force on Sunday, bringing Croatian airports back to life after months-long hibernation. After several months of slow traffic, the summer flight schedule comes into force with several new and renewed lines on several seasonal international routes to Croatian airports. Croatian Aviation brings the list of routes running in the first week of the summer flight schedule, from March 27 to April 3 to Pula, Rijeka, Zadar, Split, Osijek, and Dubrovnik.

Pula Airport
From 27.03

Zagreb / Zadar (Croatia Airlines),

London (Ryanair).

From 28.03

Split / Osijek (Trade Air),

London (EasyJet),

Brussels Charleroi (Ryanair).

Rijeka Airport
From 27.03

Stockholm (Ryanair),

Brussels Charleroi (Ryanair),.

London (Ryanair).

From 29.03

Split / Dubrovnik / Osijek (Trade Air).

Zadar Airport
From 27.03 

Zagreb / Pula (Croatia Airlines),

Vienna (Ryanair),

Budapest (Ryanair),

Dublin (Ryanair),

Dusseldorf Weeze (Ryanair),

Marseille (Ryanair),

Stockholm (Ryanair).

From 28.03

Berlin (Ryanair),

Brussels Charleroi (Ryanair),

Frankfurt Hahn (Ryanair)

Karlsruhe (Ryanair),

Cologne (Ryanair),

Rome (Ryanair).

From 29.03

London (Ryanair),

Memmingen (Ryanair),

Poznań (Ryanair).

From 30.03

Bremen (Ryanair),

Newcastle (Ryanair),

Paris Beauvais (Ryanair).

From 02.04

Krakow (Ryanair).

Split Airport
From 27.03

Zagreb (Croatia Airlines),

Munich (Croatia Airlines),

Frankfurt (Croatia Airlines),

Rome (Croatia Airlines),

Geneva (EasyJet),

Basel (Easyjet),

London (EasyJet),

Bristol (EasyJet),

Glasgow (EasyJet),

Amsterdam (KLM),

Vienna (Austrian),

Stuttgart (Eurowings),

Berlin (EasyJet),

Dublin (Ryanair),

Cologne (Eurowings).

From 28.03 

Naples (EasyJet),

Osijek / Pula (Trade Air),

Amsterdam (EasyJet).

From 29.03

Rijeka / Dubrovnik / Osijek (Trade Air),

Manchester (EasyJet),

Paris (EasyJet).

From 30.03

Helsinki (Norwegian),

Dusseldorf (Eurowings).

From 01.04

Munich (Lufthansa),

Rome (Vueling),

Osijek (Croatia Airlines).

From 02.04

Barcelona (Vueling),

Naples (EasyJet),

Frankfurt (Lufthansa),

Hamburg (Eurowings),

London (Croatia Airlines).

Osijek Airport
From 28.03

Zagreb (Trade Air),

Pula / Split (Trade Air).

From 29.03

Rijeka / Split / Dubrovnik (Trade Air).

From 01.04

Split (Croatia Airlines).

Dubrovnik Airport
From 27.03 

Zagreb (Croatia Airlines),

Amsterdam (EasyJet),

Amsterdam (KLM),

Barcelona (Vueling),

Bristol (EasyJet),

Brussels (Brussels Airlines),

Dublin (Ryanair),

Dusseldorf (Eurowings),

London (EasyJet),

London (British Airways),

Madrid (Iberia),

Paris (Croatia Airlines),

Paris Orly (Transavia),

Vienna (Ryanair),

Vienna (Austrian),

Warsaw (LOT).

From 28.03

Frankfurt (Croatia Airlines),

Istanbul (Turkish Airlines),

Rome (Vueling).

From 29.03 

Split / Rijeka / Osijek (Trade Air),

Dublin (AerLingus),

Edinburgh (EasyJet),

Geneva (EasyJet),

Naples (Easyjet).

From 30.03

Berlin (Easyjet),

Manchester (Easyjet),

Nantes (Transavia).

From 31.03

London (Jet2),

Manchester (Jet2).

From 01.04 

Helsinki (Finnair).

From 02.04 

Birmingham (Jet2)

Copenhagen (Norwegian),

Frankfurt (Lufthansa),

Munich (Lufthansa).

From 03.04 

Leeds (Jet2).

Brač Airport
Brač currently has no announced flights. For now, the first scheduled flight is expected on April 16 on the Croatia Airlines route from Zagreb.

Dubrovnik has the largest number of lines announced for the first week of the summer flight schedule (36), followed by Split with 31 lines, Zadar with 21, Pula with 5, and Rijeka and Osijek with 4 regular lines each.

Almost all lines to Zadar Airport from next week are on Ryanair, which also applies to Rijeka Airport.

On the other hand, Osijek remains on Trade Air domestic lines, which have been in traffic all winter. The start of international traffic is expected in May. At the beginning of the summer flight schedule, the novelty is the Croatia Airlines route to Split, which will start operating on April 1.

In the first week, Split and Dubrovnik expect several international routes from low-cost carriers and well-known legacy carriers such as Austrian Airlines, Lufthansa, British Airways, KLM, and others.

Zagreb Airport was excluded from this list because it had several international flights in the winter, which was not the case in other Croatian airports. 

For more on flights to Croatia and other travel announcements, check out our dedicated travel section.

March 24, 2022 - The 24th Restaurant Week in Croatia returns on Friday, March 25, where participating restaurants around the country offer 3-course menus for promotional prices! 

Restaurant Week returns to Croatia for its 24th edition on March 25. The special event is a chance for foodies around the country to enjoy three-course menus at various participating restaurants for 100/125 kuna, during both lunch and dinner. The 24th edition of this event will be held from March 25 to April 3, 2022. 

So, what is Restaurant Week anyway?

Restaurant Week is the idea of Željka Marjanović and Ozren Drobnjak, who wanted to find a way to promote Croatia’s culinary scene in cooperation with its catering establishments. Restaurants participating in the campaign meet the needs of guests through a special promotional offer. The concept is modeled on capital cities around the world and is adapted to the Croatian market. During the event, participating restaurants offer various three-course menus at promotional prices. It is held twice a year, usually in late February and late September, though the 23rd edition was held last October and this one in March.

The Croatian capital has 20 participating restaurants this time, while Croatia's second-largest city Split welcomes eight restaurants this year. 

Thus, diners in Split can enjoy 3-course menus from Brasserie on 7, Da'Mar at Hotel Marvie, Dujkin Dvor, Olive Tree, Kaštil Slanica, Sidi Bar,  Restaurant Split 1921 at Hotel Park, and Zinfandel Food & Wine Bar. 

Some menus on offer: 

Brasserie on 7

Lunch

Appetizer

1. Sweet potato and ginger soup - Sour cream with vanilla, pepper & walnuts

2. Endive and Citrus Salad - Endive, Grapefruit, Orange, Red Onion, Radish & Citrus Dressing

3. Cheeses & charcuterie - Selection of local OPG cured meat products and cheeses served with fig jam

Main course

1. "Carbonara" of smoked mackerel - Smoked mackerel, cream & parmesan

2. Bbq beef sandwich + french fries - Chili aioli & ginger slaw served with french fries

3. Chicken sandwich + french fries - Basil aioli, roasted peppers, cottage cheese & rocket

Dessert

Selection from the cake display case

Dinner

Appetizer

1. Shrimp tartar - Marinated shrimp, wasabi mayo, red pepper coulis & toasted nori

2. Cheeses & charcuterie - Selection of local OPG cured meat products and cheeses served with fig jam

3. Shrimp and mussels risotto - “Bisque” from shrimp, prawns, mussels, squid & parmesan 

Main course

1. Buzara - Mixed mussels, basil, kulen & confit tomatoes

2. Adriatic fish - Young onions, potatoes, peas with an emulsion of shellfish and saffron

3. Duck confit - Potatoes, roasted peppers, arugula & honey, and mustard vinaigrette

Dessert

Selection from the cake display case

You can find all of the menus on the official website! 

For more, check out our lifestyle section. 

March 22, 2022 - 20,000 Ultra Europe tickets have been sold so far by buyers from 90 countries, confirming that Split will once again be the center of the electronic music world this summer. 

Hibernating and waiting for life to return to where it left off almost two years ago is over, said the marketing agency and event company MPG, best known to the public as the organizers of the Ultra Europe festival announced for the summer. MPG is celebrating 25 years of business. In its celebratory year, it reveals the return of the biggest live events and completely new experiences, based on innovations and rich experiences and adapted to all the challenges of the new decade, reports Poslovni.

MPG operates in 8 countries, has more than 500 permanent employees, over 4,000 part-time employees, offices in Zagreb, Ljubljana, Belgrade, and Skopje, and is a member of a strong European network of independent SSI agencies. Behind them is a collaboration with more than 250 multinational brands, numerous live events, festivals, concerts, sporting events, retail and digital marketing. The company points out that in the pandemic, the creative forces of MPG have become even more creative. As a result, the challenges have become new opportunities that have resulted in the introduction of new technologies and adapting and implementing projects that represent future marketing.

“The tectonic changes in the way we do business caused by the pandemic have been an incredible challenge for us in the global live industry. Despite everything, I am proud that MPG managed to keep most of its workers. This has been our priority because we have always invested in people, our employees, the greatest wealth this company has. I am thrilled that in the celebratory year, we can announce the return of our biggest event, the ULTRA Europe festival, which is returning to Split after two years. Our desire, mission, and vision are to create emotions and unique experiences, and we are happy to be able to return to what we do best, and that is to make people happy," said Joe Bašić, CEO and founder of MPG.

ULTRA Europe is the largest international event in the region, and after a two-year break, it will reopen its doors to more than 100,000 visitors. Just how eager people are for live events is also shown by the fact that 20,000 tickets have already been sold from more than 90 countries worldwide. This event creates one billion kuna of additional spending for Croatia and more than 35 million euros of marketing value, which brings a big and positive promotion of the festival and Split and Croatia as destinations, reminds MPG. The festival organizers added that they used the break to offer their visitors an even more special musical and production experience for the eighth edition.

For more, check out our lifestyle section. 

March 21, 2022 - According to all economic indicators, this year's 26th GAST Fair in Split exceeded previous figures and confirmed the status of the largest fair of food, beverages, and catering in Croatia.

From March 16 to 19, 2022, more than 600 exhibitors, co-exhibitors, and brands from the country and abroad presented their products and services for the upcoming tourist season, and more than 16,000 visitors attended the fair at Spaladium Arena this year, reports Dalmacija Danas.

The 26th GAST Fair has confirmed its status as a leading regional fair that brings together all the best of gastronomy, winemaking, tourism, and tourism companies for catering and furnishings. Judging by the interest of the public and the tourism workers in the fair program and numerous events held within GAST 2022 and the satisfaction of the exhibitors and visitors, Croatia, Dalmatia, and Split are ready to welcome another successful tourist season.

Exhibitors also couldn't hide their satisfaction:

"At this year's GAST fair, we premiered our brand KA3GA, an innovative program inspired by Dalmatia. In addition, we have noted a huge interest in our chairs, armchairs, booths, and outdoor furniture, especially for furnishing restaurants, hotels, and apartments. We follow market trends, and we can fulfill the wishes of each customer and adjust the offer according to their requirements and needs. They recognized this, and we are extremely pleased with the many inquiries and results we have achieved during all four days of GAST 2022," said Ivona Curak, spokeswoman for the Split-based company Creative Design, general sponsor of GAST 2022.

PPD Croatia, the representative of illy coffee, is also satisfied.

"This year, the GAST fair showed that the Croatian tourism and hospitality scene seeks and recognizes raising standards at the supply level. Therefore, uncompromising quality is required, from the first morning coffee to ice cream as a dessert, which the fair as such confirmed and proved. As a result, there was a great interest in our products from business people and end consumers," said Antonijo Špoljarić, director of illy coffee sales.

There was great interest at the fair for the products of the Perajica House of Cheese and Prosciutto, which use the highest quality materials in production, especially pigs from Slavonia and milk from pastures in the vicinity of Drniš. 

"Caterers, but also people who buy prosciutto and cheese for their use, are uncompromisingly looking for quality. That was one of our first questions when visiting the stand. As we are uncompromising in that sense and have only the best, interest in our products at the fair was not lacking. We have already agreed on some deals with caterers from all over Croatia, both prosciutto and other cured meat products, and mature and young cheeses. Therefore, we are more than satisfied," concluded Jakov Perkušić.

In addition to traditional specialized fairs and professional fair programs, GAST 2022 hosted two competitions for young chefs: the Regional Competition World Skills Croatia and the First National Competition for Young Chefs for the World Competition of the International Gastronomic Association Chaîne des Rôtisseurs. This turned GAST 2022 into a kind of "headhunting arena" where future employers, who are chronically short of the workforce in tourism, could see their "future employees" firsthand.

The 26th GAST Fair was held under the auspices of the President of the Republic of Croatia, Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development, Ministry of Regional Development and EU Funds, Ministry of Tourism and Sports, Ministry of Agriculture, Croatian Chamber of Commerce, Split-Dalmatia County, City of Split, Split Tourist Board. Dalmatian County and the Tourist Board of the City of Split.

The partners of GAST 2022 were Tommy, Bobis, and Petason, while the general sponsors were Premis and Creative Design.

For more, check out our lifestyle section. 

March 19, 2022 - The Split City Administration building has no place in one of the city's most attractive locations. While many Split mayors had the same conclusion, Ivica Puljak assures that he has a plan for change. 

The plan is to convert Banovina, and the city officials will move to a building that has not been built yet, reports RTL.

Banovina could become a hotel in a few years. Serious plans are being made to move the Split City Administration building from the attractive location along the West Coast.

Split Mayor, Ivica Puljak, says:

"The city administration has no place in the attractive location of the West Coast and that is why we have made a plan for the conversion of Banovina. We believe that this location can be used much better for a hotel or other commercial content that will generate funds, and with the money that the City will earn from long-term rent, we will cover the cost of building a new, more favorable building for Split administration.

Detailed plans will be fully completed by the end of the year so that we can start construction next year and move to a new building in two years at the latest.

I call on all state and local institutions to move out of locations that can be much better used for another activity from which revenues can be generated. Banovina would be leased on a long-term basis, and the money would be used to build a new city administration building," Puljak said on his Facebook page.

Dražen Pejković from the City of Split Department of Urbanism said:

"It seems to me that this is the first example in Croatia when, moving from one attractive location to one that is less attractive, and putting this attractive one in a special tourist function, justifies the entire financial construction."

Most citizens have nothing against the plan. The Croatian Fraternal Union Square near the court and the police administration is a location chosen by some citizens, answering the question of where it would suit them to have a new city administration building.

"Well, let's say there is a court that would put all those buildings in one place. When a person needs to go to Banovina, to the court, that would be ideal," replied one Split local. 

This is exactly the location for which the preliminary design will be done, and it is predicted that it would cost around 120 million kuna. Relocating the city administration building was also a wish of Puljak's predecessors. 

For more, check out our lifestyle section 

March 18, 2022 - The Croatia Airlines 2022 summer flight schedule has been presented with several lines added from Split, Zagreb, and Dubrovnik!

Croatia Airlines presented this year's summer flight schedule from March to the end of October - and it has been significantly strengthened compared to last year, reports Croatian Aviation.

According to a statement, the Croatian national carrier has decided to expand its network of international destinations, renew some international routes that were not flown during the pandemic, and intensify flights on existing routes in international and domestic traffic.

This summer, Croatia Airlines plans to connect Croatia with 21 international destinations, 22 European airports, and fly on 41 international routes. In total, over 16,000 flights and approximately 1,766,000 seats are planned.

Split
Croatia's busiest airport in 2021 has 18 European destinations with Croatian Airlines, which means six new destinations compared to the 2021 summer flight schedule. In addition, five new seasonal lines will be introduced in the first half of June:

Split - Amsterdam (Tuesday)

Split - Bucharest (Wednesdays and Fridays)

Split - Dublin (Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays)

Split - Milan (Thursdays and Sundays)

Split - Stockholm (Fridays and Sundays)

In addition to announcing new seasonal routes, Croatia Airlines has also announced a promotional campaign (lasting until March 28) for these flights, offering a 30% discount. You can read more about the promotional campaign at www.croatiaairlines.hr.

With the new five lines, you will be able to fly from Split to the following European destinations:

Athens

Vienna

Berlin

Düsseldorf

Frankfurt

Copenhagen

London (Heathrow and Gatwick)

Lyon

Munich

Paris

Prague

Rome

Zurich

Zagreb

In the 2022 summer flight schedule, regular international flights from Zagreb to 15 European destinations are planned, which is one additional European destination compared to last year. Namely, passengers will be able to fly to:

Amsterdam

Athens

Barcelona - renewed seasonal line (Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays)

Vienna

Brussels

Dublin

Frankfurt

Copenhagen

London

Munich

Paris

Rome (via Split)

Sarajevo

Skopje

Zurich

Dubrovnik
Croatia Airlines plans to directly connect Croatia's southernmost airport with direct international flights from six European destinations:

Athens

Frankfurt

Munich

Paris

Rome

Zurich.

This season, the national airline is reintroducing Rijeka - Munich flights, and the novelty is the year-round international flights between Osijek - Munich from May 2 this year.

In addition to flights to European airports, Croatia Airlines also plans flights between 7 Croatian airports (Zagreb, Split, Dubrovnik, Osijek, Zadar, Pula, and Brac). 

For more on flights to Croatia and other travel announcements, make sure to check out our dedicated travel section.