December 2, 2021 - After the SuperSport Croatian Football Cup quarterfinal matches came to a close on Wednesday, the Executive Board of the Croatian Football Federation decided that the Croatian Cup final match would be played in Split, namely at Poljud Stadium.

This season, the SuperSport Croatian Football Cup final will be played at Poljud Stadium, which is comforting news for Hajduk fans after the Split club advanced to the semifinals with a victory against Lokomotiva Tuesday. The Croatian Football Federation decided on Poljud after choosing between Karlovac, Koprivnica, and Split, reports HNS.

At the suggestion of the HNS Competition Commission, the Executive Board of the Federation decided that the final of the SuperSport Croatian Football Cup will be played at the Poljud Stadium in Split and that the final match will be played on May 26, 2022. It will be the first Croatian Cup final at Poljud played in a single game.

On Monday at 11 am, the draw will decide which pairs are in the semifinals. Gorica, Hajduk, Osijek, and Rijeka remain in the competition, and the matches are scheduled for March 2022. 

After the draw at noon, Hajduk president Lukša Jakobušić will meet with HNS president Marijan Kustić at the federation's headquarters on Vukovarska, a year after meeting with his predecessor Davor Šuker, when he said he would "leave the federation alone," reports 24 Sata. 

Since 2016, when the Croatian Cup changed the format and one final match was introduced, the Cup final has been hosted by Osijek, Varaždin, Vinkovci, Pula, Šibenik, and Velika Gorica.

Recall, in the quarterfinal matches which were played on Tuesday and Wednesday this week, Gorica topped Istra on penalties, Hajduk beat Lokomotiva 6:3, and Osijek beat Belupo on penalties. In the last quarterfinal, Rijeka knocked out Dinamo 3:1, which forced the resignation of Dinamo coach Damir Krznar. 

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

December 2, 2021 - Preparations for the TCN Split winter tourism round table on December 13 are underway, with the Split-Dalmatia Chamber of Economy inviting interested parties to a pre-round table tomorrow.

The reaction to the TCN Split winter tourism round table initiative has been really encouraging. The event, which will take place at Chops Grill on December 13, has most of the main key stakeholders confirmed, including the Mayor of Split, Ivica Puljak, the Deputy Zupan of Split Dalmatia County, the State Secretary from the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, as well as consultants and representatives from the local tourist board, hotels, restaurant and MICE sectors. 

Work is underway to prepare for the event, with several meetings to prepare and allow the voices of tourism businesses to be heard. 

TCN is very grateful to the Split Dalmatia Chamber of Economy for issuing the following call to interested parties, as well as hosting the event.

Thank you.  

Poštovani,

pozivamo sve dionike turizma grada Splita, čija je djelatnost cjelogodišnja, na preliminarni sastanak na temu produljenja sezone koji će se održati SUTRA, u petak 3. prosinca u 13 sati u Županijskoj komori Split.

Naime Total Croatia News organizira okrugli stol na navedenu temu, a kao priprema će se održati ovaj radni sastanak s ciljem razmjene ideja sa svim dionicima turizma u gradu Splitu.

Vaše je mišljenje potrebno kako bi priprema za okrugli stol bila što kvalitetnija, a samo održavanje okruglog stola predviđeno je 13.12.2021.

Okrugli stol će biti jedna od rijetkih prilika na kojoj će se većina dionika u turizmu sastati izravno s gradonačelnikom i nadležnim tijelima u turizmu i zračnom prometu, a cilj je produljiti izravne letove za Split s područja najmanje dva emitivna tržišta te definirati program koji je izvediv, efektan i dugoročno održiv.

Ukoliko vaša tvrtka ima ponudu koja se može razviti za cijelu godinu i imate ideja za produljenje sezone, ovim putem vas pozivamo da se pridružite radnom sastanku. Sastanak će se održati uz pridržavanje svih epidemioloških mjera te je stoga broj sudionika ograničen.

Prijava je obavezna najkasnije DANAS DO 20 sati na mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. s osnovnim podacima (ime i prezime osobe, ime tvrtke i osnovna djelatnost tvrtke).

Sve koji nisu u mogućnosti prisustvovati radnom sastanku molimo da na mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. pošalju kratak opis svoje turističke djelatnosti koju obavljaju, ili mogu obavljati, i tijekom zimskih mjeseci. 

In English:

We invite all stakeholders in tourism in the city of Split, whose activity is year-round, to a preliminary meeting on the topic of extending the season, which will be held TOMORROW, Friday, December 3 at 1 pm at the Split County Chamber.

Namely, Total Croatia News is organizing a round table on this topic, and in preparation for this working meeting will be held to exchange ideas with all tourism stakeholders in the city of Split.

Your opinion is needed in order to better prepare for the round table on this topic, which was confirmed on December 13, 2021. 

The round table will be one of the few opportunities where most tourism stakeholders will meet directly with the Mayor and the competent authorities in tourism and air transport, and aims to extend direct flights to Split from at least two emitting markets and define a feasible program that is effective and sustainable in the long run.

If your company has an offer that can be developed for the whole year and you have an idea to extend the season, we hereby invite you to join us at a working meeting. The meeting will be held in compliance with all epidemiological measures and therefore the number of participants is limited.

Registration is required by e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with basic information (Name of the person, company name, and main activity of the company).

All those who are not able to attend the working meeting, please send an e-mail to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  with a brief description of their tourism activities that they perform or can perform during the winter months.

More details on the round table here.

December 2, 2021 - A deeper look into the Bagatin VISIA Analysis and why it was exactly what my skin needed. 

Something about being in your early 30s awakens a wellness side of you that didn't quite exist before. At least not during your far-more careless 20s. 

Your age also becomes slightly more visible after you enter this new decade, with lines forming in places you once believed your skin would never see. I now understand why my godfather begged me to stop being so animated with my face when I was 10 - "because those lines will stay." I should have listened. 

But laugh lines don't worry me that much anymore. Sure, they're more prevalent at 31 than at 28, but they also add character (so I kid myself). 

However, I was more interested in seeing what kind of shape my skin was in, given a long history of issues, from acne in my teens to early 20s to learning I had rosacea at 25. It had been too long since I had visited a dermatologist, so before booking a treatment that would set me back 100 euros and may or may not be suitable for my skin, I decided to visit the best and dig deep into all of my skin's layers with the Bagatin VISIA Analysis. 

Located in the Dioklecijan Hotel & Residence building, Bagatin Polyclinic confirmed its status as the best dermatological clinic in Europe in 2018 by opening a Split location in January 2019, guaranteeing the best possible approach, staff expertise, and state-of-the-art technological equipment for all skin changes, but also in erasing signs of aging. This new clinic brings Croatia's best wellness sanctuary to Splićani without having to trek to Zagreb. And I am so happy they're just a 10-minute walk from my house. 

So, what is this Bagatin VISIA Analysis anyway? 

At Polyclinic Bagatin, we provide our clients individual consultation and analysis with the help of the advanced digital skin analysis system VISIA. This scientific approach uses a perfected imaging system combined with direct consultations with one of our medical experts. The VISIA skin analysis system's results help create a framework for any treatment programme, adjusted for each client.

Knowing your unique skin profile is the first step towards complexion health and vitality. VISIA can determine the state of your skin, both on the surface and underneath it. The multispectral image and analysis from the VISIA system give a clear, multidimensional insight into the individual aspects of your complexion, which affects your overall look and serves as a guide in a personalized skin treatment programme.

Namely, the VISIA system uses multispectral imaging and analysis to look deeper into six areas - wrinkles, spots, pores, complexion evenness (variations of complexion color), porphyrins (presence of bacteria in pores), and UV spots (photodamage characteristics and typical for excess exposure to sun).

VISIA also gives a thorough analysis of your complexion compared to other women in their database containing thousands of profiles. The analysis itself takes a few minutes, as the machine takes photos of the left, front, and right sides of your face. The Bagatin specialists then suggest the best treatments and skincare regimens right for you.

I met with Daniela (yes, we share the same, which made the experience all the more fun) for my analysis, who shared an incredible amount of expertise into skin issues, especially about issues I thought had passed. For example, learning that my true skin age was essentially right on target (phew) but that my poor skin is extremely dehydrated due to various conditions (rosacea, broken capillaries, and inflammation, all of which should be treated soon) was incredibly eye-opening. Learning that most of these fine lines will likely vanish after taking the proper care was also an enormous relief. 

I spent over 30 minutes with Daniela, who explained each intricate detail, from natural tips to treat problem areas and products I should stop using now based on my skin type. She even advised against using cotton pads or makeup remover wipes as they can be too abrasive for my sensitive skin. 

The overall experience, while humbling, was perhaps the biggest surprise I've had in my 30s so far - in a good way. Daniela created a treatment plan she thinks would help my skin issues, with pricing explained and products to follow ONLY IF my skin takes to them during the treatment. 

Daniela's patience and non-pushy attitude made me want to book my next appointment ASAP, though it's probably best I wait until the holiday season ends to get the best results. 

Bagatin, you've certainly earned your status as the best dermatological clinic in Europe.

You can read more about the Bagatin VISIA Analysis HERE and their other services on their website. 

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

December 1, 2021 - The latest flight news to Croatia as 70 KLM Split and Zagreb flights will run this December!

Dutch KLM will continue to operate daily between Amsterdam and Zagreb in December, and due to increased demand around Christmas and New Year, KLM will resume traffic between Split and Amsterdam just like last winter, reports Croatian Aviation.

KLM planes will land at Zagreb Airport every day in December. Two flights a day have been announced, with only one daily flight announced for December 26. 

The morning departure from Zagreb to Amsterdam is mainly made with an E175 aircraft with 88 seats. Around Christmas, a larger aircraft, E190, was announced. In addition, E190 aircraft with 100 seats were announced for the afternoon rotation from Zagreb to Amsterdam. From December 6 to 17, smaller E175 aircraft will also be used on this rotation. In the second half of the month, 100 seats per direction will be available again on the afternoon flight.

KLM will operate 40 return flights with E175 aircraft to Zagreb (7,040 seats) and 21 return flights with E190 aircraft (4,200 seats) in December, offering 11,240 seats.

KLM aircraft will return to Split Airport in the second half of December. Flights have been announced for Christmas and New Year. In December, 6 return flights were announced, three with B737-700 aircraft and three with B737-800 aircraft. KLM will offer 1,968 seats between Split and Amsterdam in December and additional seats available at the beginning of January next year.

After introducing the second daily flight to Zagreb, KLM is the dominant carrier, and a relatively large number of passengers choose the services of this airline to travel between the two cities and continue traveling to other destinations in Europe and the world. 

The Croatian national airline, Croatia Airlines, continues to operate daily between Amsterdam and Zagreb. Flights from Zagreb take off in the morning upon the arrival of planes from Sarajevo, Split, and Dubrovnik, so it is possible to continue the journey from these cities to the capital of the Netherlands.

According to available information, Croatia Airlines will operate most of its flights in December with A319 aircraft. A smaller DashQ400 aircraft was announced on only two dates - December 1 and December 8. In addition to KLM, Croatia Airlines will offer an additional 8,368 seats between Amsterdam and Zagreb on its flights this month.

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

November 30, 2021 - The first day of the Croatian Cup quarterfinals came to a close, with Gorica and Hajduk securing their spot in the semifinals!

Gorica was the first to qualify for the Croatian Cup semifinals, defeating Istria 1961 at home on penalties, 6-4 (2-2, 2-2). 

By the 96th minute, Istra had the semifinal match in their hands. With two goals, Beljo had Istra up 2-1, but in the last seconds, Kristijan Lovrić scored, and in the penalty shootout, the hero was Gorica goalkeeper Dominik Kotarski, who stopped two shots.

Assisted by Serderov, Beljo put Istra in the lead in the 10th minute. Dieye equalized in the 2nd minute of stoppage time for 1-1 at the half. 

Dieye tried increased Gorica's lead in the 68th minute though his goal was called offside thanks to VAR. Beljo put Istra back in the lead for 1-2 in the 83rd minute. 

A last-minute equalizer came for Gorica when hero Lovrić scored in the 6th minute of stoppage time to send the match to extra time. 

VAR canceled another Gorica goal in the 98th minute, and the match ultimately finished on penalties. Iličić and Silva were stopped by the Gorica keeper, giving Gorica the penalty shootout victory and semifinal spot. 

In the wild second quarterfinal match, Hajduk topped Lokomotiva 6-3 in Zagreb. 

Krovinović gave Hajduk the early lead with a goal in the 7th minute for 0-1. A penalty was awarded to Lokomotiva which Pivarić nailed in the 3rd minute of stoppage time for 1-1 at the half. 

The second half was one to remember. Atanasov nailed the far post from the goal line in the 51st minute for 1-2, which Ljubičić increased to 1-3 two minutes later. Livaja made it 1-4 for Hajduk in the 57th!

Dabro gave Lokomotiva some hope in the 59th minute with a goal for 2-4, but Atanasov increased Hajduk's lead to 2-5 with a rocket from 30 meters out for 2-5. Hajduk's goal in the 71st minute was called offside by VAR, but Sahiti's goal in the 90th minute made it 6-2 for the Split club. 

An own goal by Elez gave Lokomotiva their third goal of the match in the 4th minute of stoppage time for the final 3-6, and Hajduk has comfortably booked their spot in the semifinal. 

Osijek and Slaven Belupo will meet Wednesday at 4 pm, and Dinamo and Rijeka at 6:30 pm.

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

November 30, 2021 - Archaeological findings have uncovered an ancient Spalatum port in the Split area, tracing back to the Roman settlement in the 2nd century. 

The conclusion of the latest archeological campaign in the Spinut seabed on the north side of Marjan is an archaeological sensation: there, during the Roman settlement of Spalatum, in the 2nd century, an ancient port was built, which reached its peak during the construction of Diocletian's Palace, reports Slobodna Dalmacija. 

From the port, the road led to Spalatum, a settlement in the area of today's Manuš, inscribed on the ancient road map Tabula Peutingeriani from the 2nd century. It continued to the Diocletian's Palace construction site 200 meters away.

The underwater site in Spinut has been known since the 1950s, and in the mid-1960s, thanks to the efforts of Mladen Nikolanci, director of the Archaeological Museum in Split, and Nenad Cambi, the museum's curator at the time, interest in Split's underwater archaeological heritage began.

Nenad Cambi has on several occasions analyzed the Spanish and North African amphorae found in Spinut, and Irena Radić Rossi conducted archaeological research in 2006, finding that it was still an ancient port.

As part of the "Underwater Heritage of Marjan" project, run by the Museum of Croatian Archaeological Monuments in cooperation with the Diving Club "Špinut", minor archeological excavations were carried out at the underwater archeological site in front of the "Gusar" rowing club.

"Examining the Marjan seabed during September and October this year, the attention of archaeologists was attracted by slab bricks measuring 36 cm x 36 cm, exactly the ones most used in the construction of Diocletian's Palace, especially in the construction of arches. They are scarce in other sites in Dalmatia.

Along with other material found during the smaller soundings, it became clear that the Spinut port was used in Diocletian's time. The large-scale construction project required the constant supply and storage of bricks, stone, wood, food, and other necessities for slaves and workers engaged in the construction of the Palace.

"In front of the Palace was the main port, while Spinut was most likely an auxiliary port," explained Dr. Miroslav Katic, director of MHAS, adding that a good part of the construction material for the Palace had to be stored.

"Pillars were brought from Egypt, marble from Greece, and various luxury materials for furnishing buildings from other parts of the Mediterranean. The unloaded material was not immediately installed, but stored and taken as dictated by the dynamics of the works."

Material from the port of Spinut was transported to the Palace by a 1.5-kilometer road. The reconstruction of the ancient landscape of Split, made by Dalibor Popovič, best evokes the land connection, i.e., the road that approached the Palace from the west, points out Katic.

Research has revealed the intense activity of the port in the 2nd century, and according to experts, it may have been repaired at the end of the 3rd century, when the construction of Diocletian's Palace began and its use continued in late antiquity.

"In fact, it was created during Spalatum, a Roman settlement that preceded the Palace. It initially served farm buildings located somewhere in Spinut and reached its operational peak in Diocletian's time," they added.

The archaeologists concluded that the transport of a larger quantity of goods between Salona and Spalatum, i.e., the Palace, was more accessible and safer by sea than by land.

The research in Spinut, i.e., the "Marjan's Underwater Heritage" project, is co-financed by Split-Dalmatia County in the Program for the Development, Protection, and Valorization of Maritime Heritage in Split-Dalmatia County.

As an associate and partner of the Museum of Croatian Archaeological Monuments, Marjan Park-Forest is collaborating to produce a small video that will present Marjan's underwater heritage to the general public.

The head of archaeological research in Spinut is the curator of MHAS Miroslav Gogala, and archaeologists Miroslav Katić and Nikolina Uroda, and Dalibor Burić participated in the research. Divers Bruno Stanić, Antonija Grubišić Čabo, Stipe Boban, Jakša Babić and Paško Krančević from RK Špinut participated.

Work on examining Marjan's underwater heritage will continue next year.

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

November 28, 2021 - Ahead of the Split winter tourism round table on December 13, TCN catches up with Gojko Mavrinac of Croatian Aviation to get his perspective on what needs to happen to get winter flights to Split. 

Developing winter tourism in Split is going to be a complex - but achievable - process, and I am really looking forward to the TCN Split Winter Tourism Round Table at CHOPS Grill on December 13, with almost all of the key stakeholders (including Mayor Puljak) already confirmed. You can read more about the story so far here. TCN will b organising a drinks event in early December for those of you who would like to air your views and give suggestions for the round table. Details coming soon. 

The key element in developing winter tourism is the availability of flights,of course. I am very grateful to Gojko Mavrinac of the Croatian Aviation portal for giving us some of his time to give us plenty to chew on in this email interview on questions surrounding flights and winter tourism to Split.   

1. The subject of winter tourism and lack of flights to the coast is being discussed again. You have as intimate a knowledge of the airline industry as anyone. I am sure the topic is very complicated, but can you explain why there are almost no flights in winter to Split and Dubrovnik, when places such as Thessaloniki, Bari, Venice, and Alicante are so well served? And even ex-Yu destinations such as Tuzla, Banja Luka, and Nis connect to far more countries and routes.

Thank you Paul for the opportunity to talk about this extremely important topic of winter tourism in Croatia! First of all, I must say that many airlines have tried to connect Croatian coastal airports with destinations in Europe during the winter season before the outbreak of COVID-19, but, so far no luck. Demand was poor which resulted in route termination during the winter months. For example, Eurowings tried route from Dusseldorf to Pula during winter, a year later from Dusseldorf to Rijeka, LOT Polish Airlines tried with Warsaw - Dubrovnik route, Iberia with Madrid - Dubrovnik, but so far demand was not sufficient and routes are not operating during the winter season. There are many reasons why let me try to explain:

First of all, demand for Croatia during the winter is, of course, significantly lower than during the summer, I'm not sure if we have created enough programs to do in Dubrovnik or some other cities on the coast in January. Croatia is well-known as a summer destination, and I’m not sure that we are even trying to change that picture about our country and promote year-round tourism. A few weeks ago one charter airline asked me to help them to find a hotel in Dubrovnik. I was really surprised by how many hotels are closed! I mean, if there is no option for accommodation, when nothing is happening in the city, how we can expect that people will fly and stay in Croatia in January?

Second, airlines are sending aircraft somewhere where there is demand. As you mentioned, destinations such as Bari, Athens, Thessaloniki, still offer much more to the visitors even during the winter months which is not the case in Croatia. I believe that is the reason why airlines fly there, if there is no demand, there would be no flights for sure. 

Thirdly, incentives and subsidiaries. Airports can make incentive programs (as Zagreb did and Ryanair came and opened a base) and offer discounts for landing and handling charges. Do Croatian airports do that? Yes, they do, but that is not enough! Discounts should be higher and more flexible and some airlines will definitely at least try to serve destinations for one year, to check demand.  The Croatian Tourist Board offers subsidiaries that airlines use to fly to Croatia. In my opinion, it is ridiculous that we pay some low-cost airlines to fly to Croatia during the summer season since they will fly to Croatia even without subsidiaries due to heavy demand. But, on the other hand, we are not requesting from them to fly to Croatia during the winter! That's crazy! I mean, if easyJet flies more than 40 times per week from London to Croatia during the summer, there should be at least 2 flights per week during the winter! The Croatian National Tourist Board should add that in the tender, and I'm quite sure that airlines will fly with minimum frequency to Croatia during the winter to earn crazy money during the summer months.

Don’t look at Banja Luka, Nis, and Tuzla projects, that’s directly financed by local authorities and will work until there is money. Once when there are no direct subsidiaries, airlines will stop flying and switch to another airport. Some of those routes to these cities are probably even profitable without subsidiaries, but only because of diaspora, not because of tourists. 

2. If there was a concerted effort to improve the winter tourism scene, who would be the key stakeholders in that initiative, and which destination would you start with?

Airports, local tourist offices, hotels, restaurants, airlines, national tourist boards, ministry of tourism, and sports, I mean, all those mentioned stakeholders must sit and work on unique strategy and implement it. Right now there is no clear and unique vision and that’s problem number one. 

3. Dalmatia had a vibrant winter tourism scene with lots of flights back in the 1980s (see this UK tour rep interview). Things have changed, but if we had winter tourism back then, do we have the potential to have it again? 

To be honest, I was born in 1992. so I have not done any research about winter tourism on the coast in the 80s, and I’m not an expert in tourism. But what I do know is that airlines are here to monitor the market and to react on demand. If there is no demand, there are no flights, at least not without subsidiaries. In my opinion, the aforementioned stakeholders should create a winter program on the coast, invest money in marketing and pay airlines to fly to Croatia during the winter season. You know, for me it's not important if the airport is not profitable, the main reason why airports exist is to enable passengers to travel to/from some destination. If the passenger arrives here, in our city, and leaves 100 euros per day at a local grocery store, market, museum, hotel, restaurant, etc., we did something good for the local community. That is way more important than her/his airline ticket which was cheap because we pay that airline to fly to Croatia. In my opinion, if we do something good regarding the winter program and we decide to give subsidiaries to airlines, I believe we can move from the zero point where we are standing right now.  

4. Does Dalmatia have a credible winter tourism offer? If yes, what is it, and what are the quick wins to improve the current offer?

In my opinion, as I said, I’m not an expert on this topic, I don’t see too many reasons why someone should come and visit our coast during the winter season. The program is poor, hotels are closed, restaurants are as well. Go to Rovinj now, two restaurants are open, as well as two hotels. During the summer you can eat on every corner and you will not be able to find a bed week in advance. People from tourism would say that’s because tourists don’t have direct flights to Croatia, while airlines will say that’s because there is no demand to fly to Croatia during the winter, since there is no open restaurants, hotels, so we are just going round in circles. 

5. Split is a much bigger city than most in former Yugoslavia and yet the Tuzlas and Banja Lukas are attracting the flights. Is it a question of price, concessions, or something else?

As I mentioned before, Tuzla and Banja Luka are paying huge amounts of money (millions) to airlines to fly there and that is something which will at some point end. Split does not do that and I'm glad they don’t. Split Airport is well connected with Frankfurt (daily), Munich (daily), Rome (daily) with Croatia Airlines, which tries to connect Split with the biggest European hubs to enable passengers to travel to Split during the winter season. Frankfurt and Munich are great for transfers since you can reach almost any city in the world via those two airports. In my opinion, for Split, it would be great to have a connection with London, at least two times per week, as well as with some Scandinavian destinations, for example, Copenhagen. They should also stimulate KLM to fly the whole winter to Split, not just during Christmas. I am hoping this will change soon. There are also routes to other cities in Germany by Eurowings. Split is the best-connected city on our coast during the winter (and summer) and I believe that incentive program would attract more airlines during the winter. I am not sure why they don’t offer additional discounts to airlines in the winter months, I tried to get an answer from airport management, but so far no luck. 

6. While we have you, some other aviation questions if I may. Seaplanes are back in the news, with ACI Air planning to operate from ACI Marinas from May. What are your thoughts on the chances of this launching?

In my opinion, that can work. The question is how the business model is set up. So far I did not have the opportunity to see and read more in detail. But I hope they will materialize this project and start with operations from the next summer season, which, I have to say, sounds a bit optimistic but fingers crossed! I'm quite sure that during the summer months there is a huge demand for this kind of service. The last project (European Coastal Airlines) which failed had completely the wrong setup, but demand was there. II hope the guys in this project will do it now in the proper way. 

7. Ryanair has shaken up the market in Zagreb. Do you see them expanding on the coast into Dalmatia beyond Zadar?

In my opinion, no. We can expect more in Zadar. They already announced 10 new routes for the S22 season, and I can tell you that they will announce almost 10 more by the spring. That is a crazy expansion that will bring Zadar back, numbers will go up, even above 2019. Ryanair will go to Split and Dubrovnik only if they have better terms which both these airports refused to offer before, I believe nothing has changed so far. Split has huge volume and enough traffic, and there is no need for an additional low-yield low-cost airline, while Dubrovnik is also well- connected with Europe (and the USA). Ryanair did open some routes to those two cities, but under the same terms and conditions as other airlines. I would say that new routes are always possible, but not a base like in Zadar or now in Zagreb. I would say that new routes are possible for Pula as well, but the local tourist board there is more focused on easyJet. Ryanair is coming back to Rijeka next summer season with two routes, from Charleroi and Stansted, as far as I know, they should announce one more until the end of the year if negotiations go well. 

8. Will Croatia Airlines survive?

I'm quite sure it will. Next summer, we can expect some positive moves from their side as well, but negotiations are still ongoing. CTN/OU will soon go through huge changes, the new post-covid strategy should be approved by the Government soon, and the airline will change its entire fleet, work on the routes, etc. I mean, that’s the process of a few years and I hope we will have a national carrier after that process in much better shape. CTN/OU should and can be a game-changer for projects like winter tourism in this country, Croatia Airlines has bases in Dubrovnik, Split, technical support at Zadar and Pula, and can easily operate regular flights to/from our airports.

About Gojko Mavrinac: 

Goran is a 29-year-old aviation geek who has been in love with this industry since childhood so I chose appropriate study and got a mag. ing. traffic title. After University, just a week later started working. For a few years, I worked for Korean Air Lines as Station Manager at Zagreb Airport, working directly with passengers and airport staff at Zagreb Airport on our route between Zagreb and Seoul Incheon which operated three times per week with wide-body aircraft. That was, btw, the longest non-stop route to/from Zagreb, with a flight time sometimes (depending on weather) of more than 11 hours! Due to the COVID-19 route being suspended and me losing my job, I founded the Croatian Aviation web portal which brings daily news from the aviation industry in Croatia. I was lucky so for over a year I now work for one private airline in Croatia, that’s possible because Croatian Aviation portal is not run only by me anymore, we are a nice team of people in love with aviation, but also with proper education and work experience which is, I believe, even more, important and give us additional credibility. You can follow Gojko Mavrinac on LinkedIn. 

Are you a Split business with a winter tourism programme? TCN is offering a free promotional video, as well as an interview on your thoughts on how to develop Split winter tourism. Please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Subject Split Winter Tourism if you would like to be featured. Interviews in th series so far:

Split Winter Tourism: The Daltonist Presents Chef Takeovers, Live Music, Art Exhibits

Split Winter Tourism at Chops Grill: Chopsylicious Menu, Weekend Music, Christmas Flair

Split Winter Tourism: New Menu at B7, Nomad Table at Zinfandel, Charlie's Advent at Zvončac

November 25, 2021 - A new Hajduk fan song was released on Thursday - a duet including Croatian music icon Mate Mišo Kovač and Split musician Saša Antić, which many may already recognize. 

In 1975, Hajduk won the championship, and Mate Mišo Kovač won the Split Festival with the song "I can't help but love her." At the time, he could not even imagine that 46 years later, at the invitation of Hajduk, he would have the opportunity to sing a fan version of the song that has been regularly heard in the stands of his favorite club since the mid-1980s, reports the Hajduk href="https://hajduk.hr/php/vijesti_vijest.php?vijest=14346&18s8fnch=neuriyf3bbf4y3vf64" target="_blank" rel="noopener">website.

The verses “In happy days, in rough days, I can do nothing but love them. Because Hajduk is what makes me happy. I can't help but love them," will now be set to music and preserved in a new version co-signed by the famous Split songwriter and musician Saša Antić. More than two months ago, Mišo agreed to cooperate with Hajduk. As the beginning of the campaign, the song was premiered on Radio Dalmatia and immediately provoked emotions and positive reactions from many Hajduk fans.

You can listen to the song HERE. 

President Lukša Jakobušić emphasized: “If we were guided exclusively by pure logic, starting with ourselves, some things are simply inexplicable. Hajduk is one, and I think the emotion it evokes is very well reflected through Mišo's songs. As the great ambassador of Hajduk for more than half a century, Mišo is the ideal person for this cooperation and deserves the attention that Hajduk and the fans can give him." 

Mate Mišo Kovač, a Dalmatian identity, and big Hajduk fan, stated briefly: “I have been supporting Hajduk for 65 years, and I have been the strongest Hajduk player in all that time while in Zagreb. No one has ever approached me or said a rude word about it because everyone knows that Hajduk and Split live in me honestly and without calculation. That's why at the first invitation from Hajduk to sing the fan chorus of my song, I felt that energy again and immediately said… yes! Because I can't help but love them." 

Board member Marinka Akrap spoke more about the project: "The time we live in is certainly not the best, but the more we have reason to be positive and send some good messages of hope and togetherness. Sport and music create a special emotion, and we wanted the well-known connection between Hajduk and Mišo to be permanently recorded. I am thrilled that the collaboration was accepted by Saša Antić, who gave a new fan expression to Mišo's great hit. We combined both modern and urban with the legendary hit, and most importantly, throughout the song, there is a great deal of emotion. We hope to be able to pass on this feeling of love and connection of generations to all people of goodwill, and for all fans, we have prepared special products with the image of Mišo that will cheer them up during the holidays."

The song was created in the jubilee year of Hajduk's 110th birthday and the 80th birthday of Mišo Kovač. With the artistic spirit of the inspiring Saša Antić, the song gained a new dimension, returning that childhood feeling, first attachment to Hajduk, and the good and the bad.

"To reflect in football jargon, I already played a lot of games, but I still can't see what happened to me. A collaboration with Mišo, to Runjić's music, and in a letter to Hajduk. Simply amazing. I must also mention that the author of the original text is Drago Britvić and composer Stipica Kalođer, and also that the sentence "I can't help but love her" is my mother's favorite, so that is it. As for my text, it is about 15 years old, and in it, I collected memories of my days coaching football, first in Lavčević and then in Hajduk, and turned them into a story from my childhood neighborhood. If we are going to look for a message, it would be that everything, in the end, is just a game and love. But a title would come in handy," said Antić.

The families of the authors of the song's original version - Runjić, Britvić, Kalođera - and the record companies Croatia Records and Suzy selflessly gave the Club the rights to use it, while the Queen media agency is responsible for the audio and video production of the new song.

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

November 24, 2021 - TCN is delighted to announce a Split winter tourism round table on December 13, with Mayor Ivica Puljak and several key stakeholders already confirmed. 

The older I get, the clearer I see things, and the easier it becomes to get things done in Croatia. 

The timeline:

October 2 - a TCN editorial: Could Digital Nomad Concepts Solve Croatian Winter Tourism Problem? (Please note, digital nomad concepts, not digital nomads)

October 3 - the article is shared on my Facebook page, and the first comment is from Martin Gannon, who was a UK tour rep based in former Yugoslavia from 1986-91:

Both the Amfora and now Riva in Hvar Town were open all winter plus a few restaurants and cafes looking after Mainly American tourists for walking, history and Arts, that was up to 1991.

October 4 - Martin kindly agreed to an interview, which turned out to be quite astonishing - Croatian Winter Tourism in 1990: Full of Life! Tour Rep Interview. 

I invite anyone interested in developing Split winter tourism and with something to offer to contact me, just to see what might come out of the woodwork. 

There were two big gold nuggets.  

Maria Mustapic, co-owner of the excellent Zinfandel, Brasserie on 7, and Split Hostel, contacted me about efforts she was involved in, together with Jelena Tabak, President of the National Association of Restaurants.

I am also put in contact with Mario Seric, a tourism consultant who was heavily involved in a similar initiative back in 2008-9, and one with produced the concrete result of the Split-Munich year-round flight, which continues today. 

October 28 - I raise the subject at Days of Croatian Tourism at the Sheraton in Dubrovacka Zupa in a panel of experts including TUI Nordic and easyJet holidays. This leads to a meeting and fruitful discussion with Jelena Tabak.

October 29 - Jelena raises the issue with Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic at the closed session on tourism at Days of Croatian Tourism. 

November 5 - Sensing an opportunity, I drive from the Crikvenica International Health Tourism conference to Split to take part in Nomad Table, the excellent weekly gathering organised by Saltwater Nomads and Zinfandel, showing that Split is indeed full of life in winter. A fabulous evening and a complete sell-out (you can reserve your Friday night table here). I tag the Mayor of Split, Ivica Puljak and his wife Marijana, suggesting I reserve their table for next Friday. They both confirm. 

November 6 - A very productive meeting with Maria Mustapic of Zinfandel, Jelena Tabak, and consultant Mario Seric, who was involved in that 2008 winter tourism initiative. 

November 8 - Based on comprehensive data supplied by Mario, I publish Wow! Comparing Split, Dubrovnik Winter Flights to ExYu, Mediterranean Competition, to show just how nuts the situation is. 

November 10 - The inbox gets busier, with lots of people having suggestions and wanting to share their views. TCN offers a free promo article plus interview on winter tourism for any business with a winter tourism offer in Split. First up, the Daltonist, with an excellent contribution to the debate. 

November 12 - Mayor Puljak comes to Nomad Table at Zinfandel and has fruitful discussion with the Digital Nomad Association Croatia in the form of Jan de Jong, Tanja Polegubic, and Michael Freer, as well as Jelena Tabak. Check out the atmosphere in the video above. 

November 14 - Jasmina Garbin from CHOPS Grill contacts TCN to say that there is considerable interest in developing winter tourism. Jasmina offers to host and help organise a round table of key stakeholders and give them lunch afterwards. 

November 15 - CHOPS Grill is the second interview to be featured in the new TCN series.

November 18 - I sound out Mayor Puljak about his interest and availability for a Split winter tourism round table with lunch. He confirms his interest and attendance, suggesting a 10:00 start on December 13.

November 24 - Invitations are sent out to key stakeholders, with the aim of keeping the initial meeting to a maximum of 15 people. These include the City of Split and tourist board, Split-Dalmatia County and regional tourist board, Split Airport, representatives from the hotel, restaurant, and MICE industries, as well as tourism experts Mario Seric and Zoran Pejovic. Most have already confirmed.

December 13 - The round table will take place. 

Not so hard, is it?

Let's see what will be. 

November 23, 2021 - The latest news on flights to Croatia as 4 easyJet summer lines to Dubrovnik and Split have been canceled for the 2022 season. 

The British low-cost airline easyJet has canceled some seasonal routes to Croatia, despite announcing that the airline will significantly increase its capacity to Croatian airports next summer. This is due to financial troubles, which began before the pandemic, reports Croatian Aviation.

As the Ex Yu Aviation announced earlier, easyJet withdrew three lines to Dubrovnik and one to Split. The airline claims that the lines with the least passenger interest were withdrawn from sale.

Namely, lines between Luton, Milan, Toulouse, and Dubrovnik are no longer on sale, and the line between Belfast and Split has been canceled. In addition, the airline has not launched several other lines to Croatia this summer season, justifying the move by low demand due to the pandemic.

easyJet currently offers 40 international routes to Croatia next summer, but there will be operational changes at the beginning of the summer season. The Croatian Tourist Board points out that the airline showed great interest in Croatia at the World Travel Market in London, and even announced negotiations with Rijeka and Osijek on establishing regular routes to the two mentioned airports.

For now, the largest number of easyJet lines is offered to Split (14), Dubrovnik (12), Pula (9), and Zadar (5).

The airline also points out that they will announce new routes to Croatia in the coming months, emphasizing the importance of Croatia as a traditional destination of this airline. Negotiations on introducing new lines for next summer are underway. It should be noted that easyJet is one of the largest users of joint advertising, for which the Croatian Tourist Board is announcing a tender.

Croatian Aviation adds that easyJet is slowly but surely losing its share of transported passengers on the Croatian market, primarily due to the new lines of Ryanair and Wizz Air, which also have yet to announce summer programs for next year.

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