June 5, 2022 - As part of the Green Future conference, one of the world's biggest attractions is coming in front of the Croatian National Theater in Split - the Rimac Nevera.

.A strong wind of green transition will blow in Split next Thursday and Friday, June 9 and 10. Storms are expected around the Croatian National Theater in Split, where, thanks to the Green Future Conference, a whirlwind of international and Croatian knowledge about new technologies, public policies and sources of funding will be created. The weather will be mostly sunny until it gets dark, and the mood will be extremely clear both during the day and after dark. We warn visitors and passers-by that Nevera is arriving in front of the Croatian National Theater in Split. Rimčeva Nevera.

The world's first serial electric hypercar is coming to the center of Split, in front of the Croatian National Theater! The 914-horsepower racer, with the fastest acceleration among cars in production today - up to 100 km / h in just 1.85 seconds and up to 300 km / h in just 9.3 seconds and a top speed of 412 km / h, will be exhibited in front of the Split Theater. The best electric car in the world will be on show for the people of Split, foreign guests, with photo possibilities in front of this technological marvel of Croatian production.

Rimac Group, which has just received an investment of EUR 500 million from SoftBank and Goldman Sachs, which means that the company exceeded EUR 2 billion in market value and became the second Croatian "unicorn", has been supporting the Green Future Conference since day one. Experts from the Rimac Group are participating in the conference as ideal interlocutors on the topic of a green future, which Rimac has been working on in its niche for more than a decade.

"We are thrilled that Nevera, who already has the status of an icon, found time for Split in her condensed and sold-out schedule. It will be a real experience for conference visitors and citizens, and it is also a picture of Split that we want to send to the world. Nevera is, in fact, much more than a car. She is a symbol of knowledge, motivation, innovation, vision and dedicated work. It shows us that in our society, despite the fact that the circumstances in which we live and work sometimes seem difficult, there are individuals and teams that are able not only to have world-class ideas, but also to realize them. We need to work on having as many such people as possible, and the Green Future Conference wants to create just such an environment, which brings out the best. We thank Rimac Group for being one of the first to trust the Green Future Conference as a new event on the map of Croatia and the world, we look forward to Nevera in Split and congratulate them half a billion times on their success and investment "- said the organizers.

The Green Future Conference will be the central place for the exchange of international and Croatian knowledge on the hottest topic of today, with dozens of current and interesting panels and the most competent speakers. In addition to Rimac, the conference is supported by another Croatian technology giant and the first "unicorn" - the company Infobip. Gold sponsors are OTP banka, Mastercard, A1 and Bosch, while sponsors are Daikin, Končar and Ernst & Young.

Learn more about the Green Future Conference on the official website.

June 5, 2022 - The latest flight news to Croatia as a LOT Croatia expansion is on the horizon due to an increasing number of Polish tourists booking a Croatian holiday. 

Ex Yu Aviation reports that Polish airline LOT will expand its presence in Croatia beyond the eight routes between Poland and Croatia this summer. LOT currently serves five cities in Croatia with 170,000 seats on sale between Poland and Croatia this season alone. Namely, from Warsaw to Zagreb, Dubrovnik, Split, Zadar, and Rijeka, from Krakow to Split, from Rzeszow to Zadar and from Zielona Gora to Rijeka. The Polish airline's main competitors between Poland and Croatia are Wizz Air and Ryanair.

“This summer we will fly 28 times per week between Poland and Croatia. Most Polish nationals come to Croatia by car. However, I hope that we will jointly develop solutions so that we can save our compatriots a car trip and that everyone can fly with LOT. Last year, we transported over 33,000 Poles to Croatia, and we hope for a much better result this year. I also hope that Croats will visit Poland in greater numbers," said the carrier’s CEO, Rafał Milczarski.  

"Croatia is becoming more and more popular among our passengers each year and is becoming of interest for travelers outside of Warsaw as well. As we continue to increase our offer, both Zagreb and Croatia as a whole are becoming popular for short weekend breaks as well," he added.

“Our performance in Croatia is the result of consistent work by our team as well as the growing popularity of Croatia in Poland and the increasing number of Poles who want to come to Croatia within two hours," said LOT Board Member for Commercial Affairs, Michal Fijoł.  

Ex Yu Aviation adds that Zagreb Airport has seen a growing demand from secondary cities in Poland. Before the pandemic, Zagreb saw a lot of traffic from Poland’s second-largest city Krakow, with over 5,000 people traveling between the two cities in 2019 that year on a single itinerary. The cities of Gdansk, Wroclaw, Poznan and Katowice followed.

LOT has bases in Krakow and Katowice, meaning Zagreb could be served with Embraer E170, E175, and the Dash 8 turboprop which can seat 70-80 passengers. 

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

PR TEXT - June 3, 2022 - The International Meeting of Travel Influencers which started on the first day of June is spreading across social networks and local news portals.

After exciting and delicious events that honored attractive cultural heritage and local gastronomy, it was time for a conference and roundtable on the "Impact of travel influencers on the tourism industry". 

Thus, the creative ideas and marketing tools of the digital divas and multimedia heroes from all over the world were shared at the Amphora hotel with a lecture by the professor of the Faculty of Political Science Zagreb, Domagoj Bebić.

Bebić compared the new media demand with food, which, under the influence of pandemic trends and earlier, put tourism influencers in a very important place. Bebić said that gathering so many influential social networking representatives in one place is an excellent step by the Split-Dalmatia County Tourist Board, otherwise known for its innovation and tourism pioneering and a strong focus on innovations in the world tourism trends and marketing trends.

"What is interesting for me to study is how this media diet is developing and the future of these trends," said the professor.

"Getting closer to global influencers in this way and connecting them with local tourism stakeholders is a truly innovative move that certainly positions us even more on the tourist map of Europe," he concluded, emphasizing that the arrival of influencers in the County directly affects tourism and traffic.

Apart from Professor Bebić, the forces of the tourism profession were also represented by the Head of the Global PR Department of the Croatian National Tourist Board, Lucijana Jerković, who pointed out the quality of cooperation with influencers and bloggers in various markets even during the pandemic. It is believed that the communication with the surrounding countries contributed to the excellent tourist results of Central Dalmatia, even in uncertain pandemic times. Tonči Glavina, State Secretary at the Ministry of Tourism, also commented on the challenging pandemic conditions, emphasizing the need for people to travel and spend some time outside their residence as an integral part of their quality of life.

"Accordingly, we have chosen the path to position ourselves as the first country in Europe to send a message of opening and security," said Glavina.

Joško Stella, director of the Split-Dalmatia County Tourist Board, spoke about the exceptional power of social networks, which today no one can deny.

"The roundtable served as an opportunity to present to influencers our tourism figures, events, projects we are working on, and our results. As a result, we can boast that we have the best results on social networks of all local tourist boards in Croatia," Stella proudly pointed out, adding specific figures. Thus, Central Dalmatia has over 690 thousand followers on Facebook, over 36 million views on YouTube, and over 50,000 followers on Instagram.

"We also mentioned the 'Maritime Routes' project, where we went through all the nautical routes of the county with Google Street View and 52 themed trails, or 327 kilometers, which is unique in Europe. Our last project with Metaverse and NFT is unique, and this generation is interested," said Stella, proud to have organized a destination campaign using the power of influencers, which he plans to engage and implement even more in this unique International Meeting, with carefully thought out and developed marketing strategies.

The ambassadors of this project - the most recognizable local Instagrammer, Ella Dvornik Pearce, and the famous Croatian travel writer and adventurer Goran Jovic, also spoke at the roundtable.

"I don't know how long I have been an influencer, but if you influence someone publicly in any way, you are also a kind of influencer," said Goran.

"We shared the tools and tricks we use in business. The richness of social networks is that about thirty influential people, each different in their way, will share their impressions of our county to their followers."

"I came to promote Dalmatia - with a purger accent!" joked Ella.

"I explained to the audience how I promote a tourist destination. I gave them some advice if they want to hire influencers, look for them, and communicate the desired content of publications," she added. 

It should be noted that before the roundtable, other experts in the field were also in attendance - Lucijana Natalija Jerkovic, head of global PR in the Croatian Tourist Board, and director of the Istrian Tourist Board Denis Ivosevic, and the County deputy prefect Stipe Čogelja. Although he modestly admitted that he uses only Facebook, he is well aware that people in Dalmatia should fall in love. This will be helped by influencers, who have succeeded so far with their highly aesthetic posts and fantastic photos of natural or gourmet beauties. Central Dalmatia, without exception, makes us want to walk into the screen. However, he emphasized that there is still room for improvement in cooperation with influencers and that he nurtures the strategy of visiting a different Croatian island every year. Furthermore, at the county level, called "Hidden Dalmatia," he announced raising the potential for tourism in rural Dalmatia, calling it a nicer and better version of French Provence.

The day continued at the magnificent Skywalk and WTA tournament in Makarska. We can't wait to see how photo & travel blogger Diana Loos from Brazil, Karlovac's Marjeta Kessler, and Anne Wizental and her Polish compatriots Agnieszka and Woytek Tyuls, better known as Crolovepl present this content on social networks!

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated lifestyle section.

PR TEXT - June 2, 2022 - Around 30 influencers from Croatia and Italy, Poland, Great Britain, and Brazil took part in the International Meeting of Travel Influencers, which began in Split on June 1! 

The charms of Split are well known to travel, gourmet & lifestyle bloggers around the world, which delighted the organizers of this unique event - the Split-Dalmatia County Tourist Board and Croatian Hot Spots magazine editor Maja Zlokić. 

Although the Amfora Hotel, with its beautiful sea views, was a story in itself, where would it start if not from the famous Diocletian's Palace? Participants enjoyed a tour of Split's truly iconic Peristyle. They took a few photos with the imperial guards, which with their authentic uniforms from ancient times and swords is an absolute must-see attraction.

Nothing less can be said about the famous view from Vidilica, another meeting place for travelers around the world, and not without reason - it is where the bustling Dalmatian metropolis meets the relaxed Mediterranean lifestyle. The group then went to a delicious lunch, which introduced them to the fantastic dinner that followed in the early evening, in an ambiance that every Game Of Thrones fan and lover of historical heritage would envy.

Dinner was held at Kliš Fortress, a stone beauty tied to centuries-old stories, like when it was the desirable key to Dalmatia to more recently Meereen from the TV series Game of Thrones. 

On this occasion, the famous building was the backdrop to an attractive dinner, so the Instagram influencers enjoyed the culinary delicacies of Masterchef finalist Gorana Milaković. Tommy provided the groceries, and Sikuli, Grabovac, and Senjković were the boutique wineries featured. 

After food and drink, the historical unit of the Kliški Uskoks enhanced the cultural content with a surprise show, and the influencers were able to try their hand at bow and arrow!

The next day of the event follows the example of the European Parliament office that recognized influencers as a critical and current channel of public opinion. Split-Dalmatia County Prefect Blaženko Boban will welcome the guests and draw their attention to socially responsible messages and projects.

All photos by Goran Jović

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated lifestyle section.

June 2, 2022 - This summer, Croatia will host the world-famous DJ Calvin Harris in Split as part of the first HARD Summer EUROPE festival on Žnjan beach on August 6.

The HARD Summer festival, which has been successfully organized in the USA for years, will get its European version this year! The leading North American festival will be presented to thousands of Croatian and foreign visitors on August 6, 2022, with a spectacular performance by superstar DJ Calvin Harris. An exciting concert by one of the world's leading music performers will take place in front of thousands of visitors at the popular Žnjan beach in Split. With an idyllic blend of sun, sea, and dance music, this event will be one of the best beach parties in Europe this year. 

HARD Summer Europe will be marked by a performer who has racked up music charts worldwide with countless hits, collecting over 27 top 10 singles in the UK alone. He has over 35 billion combined audio and video streams, making him one of the most-watched artists on YouTube and one of Sony Music’s greatest streaming artists. Calvin has collaborated with several international artists, including Frank Ocean, Pharrell Williams, Rihanna, The Weeknd, and Travis Scott. He has won several top music awards and nominations throughout his successful career, including 14 nominations for the MTV MMA, two wins, and five Grammy nominations. He won the Grammy Award in 2013 in the category of the best music video for the song "We Found Love".

Visitors to HARD Summer can expect to hear all the most popular songs that will form part of his indispensable set during this special event. And not only that, the organizers of the event - ALDA and Insomniac, will make sure to provide world-class production to ensure visitors an unforgettable performance of one of the world's most popular musicians.

HARD Summer has been a significant component of the California festival scene since its inaugural release back in 2007. Although this festival enjoys a globally recognized reputation as one of the most significant music events in the United States, the brand has recently decided to make a breakthrough by expanding internationally. HARD now aims to expand its diverse and numerous fan base to Europe to celebrate electronic music on Croatian soil.

Tickets are on sale at www.hardsummer.eu.

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated lifestyle section.

June 1, 2022 - Organizers MPG Live announced the premiere edition of the Fusion World Music Festival. The new world music event will bring together more than 20 of the most sought-after musical names from Croatia and the region on the largest stage in Europe - 75 meters long and 16 meters high!

For the first time, such an event will be followed only by the best that world production has to offer at the moment, reports Dalmatinski Portal. 

"For the first time, the audience will be able to see their favorite performers in the conditions in which Beyonce or Celine Dion perform. Moreover, they will perform on one of the biggest stages in Europe - the Ultra Europe festival, which only confirms that this summer the performances of Fusion stars will rise to an unprecedented level," said festival spokesman Gordan Vasilj and added that based on the audience's reactions, they hit the spot. 

"After we announced the first lineup with seven names, the demand for tickets started immediately. We unveiled the complete program a week later, and everything boiled over, which is expected because they are the most popular performers with millions of fans. In two days, we expect a little more than 50 thousand people; it will be a world event, world productions, and Split will be the music hotspot of Europe. We estimate that Fusion will result in more than 70,000 overnight stays, and guests will, according to previous experience, stay in Split and the county for an average of four days. The value of the investment in the next five years is 150 million kuna," said Vasilj, who on behalf of the organizers thanked the City of Split and Split-Dalmatia County, which supported the project.

"We have to be a city and a county of high ambitions, and the Fusion Festival brings just that. However, we need to be even more ambitious and even better. This city loves content; in the 21st-century, people are looking for as much content as possible; tourism is not just about the sun and the sea. This content is very much needed by our tourists and all the citizens of Split," said the Deputy Prefect of the Split-Dalmatia County, Stipe Čogelja, and the director of the County Tourist Board, Joško Stella, agreed.

"Such festivals significantly contribute to the branding of Dalmatia. We are a region generally known for music, so it will be a pleasure to have renowned Croatian and performers from the region who will make a phenomenal introduction to one of the best tourist seasons ever. Not only do we need this, but this must be a part of each of our tourist seasons because our guests and we deserve it. Culture, music, and song are part of our tradition and tourism and should always remain so.

Dalmatino, Doris Dragović, Jelena Rozga, Gibonni, Nina Badrić, Petar Grašo, Tonči Huljić, and Madre Badessa, Prljavo kazalište, Aco Pejović, Aleksandra Prijović, Gazda Paja, Hurricane, Sara Jo, Saša Matić, Voyage & Nucci and Željko Samardžić are the performers featured in the first edition of the event. Each of them will have a minimum of 45 minutes to perform, and the party will last until 5 am on both days.

"I have always been wonderfully welcomed in Split, and I can promise that this will be something to remember, not only from our side but also from the side of Split. We are people of goodwill, and we will lend a hand to each other; love has united us, and only love can sustain us," said Samardžić.

Tonči Huljić said that in his career, he has never performed at the Youth Park, where the Fusion Festival will be held from July 22 and 23, 2022.

"I performed at Poljud with Magazin, but I ran in elementary school at the Youth Park. So that's how I performed," he joked and revealed what attracted him to join this story.

"I’m turning to some other musical directions, more classical and crossover. I am always interested in this sociological picture - why do those performers who never appear on radio stations and television in Croatia have the largest number of visitors. This means that music finds its way, and preferences are a matter of choice, not imposing and adapting to a particular taste. I wonder how it will work in one place, how the audience will react, and whether those who like one type of music will be bothered by performers who don’t listen, whether they will whistle or applaud. I'm interested in that interaction. I don't accept performances with Madre Badess so often unless it's a challenge for me, and Fusion is it," said the musician. 

"We had a vision of raising production to a higher level; after we presented it to the performers, it was not difficult to persuade them to be part of a story like this. They deserve it, they are worldly, and I believe they will be satisfied and want to return to the festival. Today we announced all the performers with Prljavo kazalište; I think we have designed a diverse program so that each of the audience can find something. The World music inscription stands in the name because we have big plans for the next releases; we want to extend the festival for another day and bring performers from the rest of the world. We will follow the path of the Mediterranean, by which I mean Italy, Spain, and other countries," said the artistic director of the festival Ivan Huljić.

A one-day ticket costs 250 kuna, a two-day 450 kuna, and a VIP for one day 499 kuna. More info can be found here.

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated lifestyle section.

June 1, 2022 - The latest flight news to Croatia as 35 Austrian Airlines flights to Dubrovnik, Zagreb, Zadar, and Split will run in June. 

Star Alliance member Austrian Airlines plans to operate 35 times a week to four Croatian airports in June - Zadar, Split, Dubrovnik, and Zagreb. The largest number of flights have been announced for Zagreb, while most seats are scheduled for Dubrovnik, reports Croatian Aviation. 

The Lufthansa Group member plans to operate to four Croatian airports in June, 35 times a week. Namely, daily flights to Zagreb, Zadar, Split, and Dubrovnik have been announced, and two flights a day from Vienna to Zagreb and Dubrovnik have been announced on certain days.

Vienna and Zagreb

Austrian Airlines is announcing two flights a day between Vienna and Zagreb, every day except Wednesdays and Saturdays when one daily flight is available. According to Zagreb, this airline will use only E195 aircraft with a capacity of 120 seats. In June alone, the Vienna-Zagreb route will offer over 12,000 seats. Croatia Airlines also operates on this route, 5 times a week, every day except weekends.

Vienna and Zadar

Between Vienna and Zadar, Austrian Airlines is announcing daily flights in June with E195 and A320 aircraft. In total, more than 9,000 seats are available on 30 rotations, and Ryanair also operates on this line, four times a week.

Vienna and Split

Daily flights have also been announced between Vienna and Split, but mostly with the Airbus fleet (A320 and A321), so a larger number of seats is available, over 11,000. Croatia Airlines also operates on this route two times a week, and Hungarian Wizz Air three times a week. 

Vienna and Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik is traditionally the most popular summer destination in Croatia in the Austrian Airlines network, so it has a higher announcement in terms of the weekly number of flights. Namely, Austrian will operate daily from Vienna to Dubrovnik, and from mid-June, two flights a day will be available on weekends, also exclusively with the Airbus fleet (A320 and A321).

Before the pandemic, Austrian came to Dubrovnik in the summer flight schedule with wide-body aircraft type B767-300ER. In June, over 13,000 seats were available on this line. In addition to this airline, Wizz Air also operates between Dubrovnik and Vienna three times a week, and Ryanair two times a week.

Between Vienna and the four mentioned Croatian airports, Austrian Airlines will offer more than 46,000 seats in June. Developing its destination network and Vienna as an important European hub, most seats in the summer season are occupied by transfer passengers from a number of European destinations, but also those in the US to which Austrian Airlines also has direct flights.

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

May 31, 2022 - The latest flight news to Croatia as 10 Transavia Croatia lines will operate next month!

Well-known low-cost airline Transavia is planning 10 international flights to five Croatian airports in France and the Netherlands in June, reports Croatian Aviation. 

Namely, the subsidiary of the Air France - KLM group will operate on 10 scheduled flights to 5 Croatian airports - Pula, Rijeka, Zadar, Split, and Dubrovnik.

One line has been announced from Rotterdam to Pula Airport, which will be in traffic three times a week, every Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday. Transavia mainly uses 737-700 KLM aircraft on this line.

Transavia has reduced the number of flights offered to Rijeka Airport in June. On the regular line between Rijeka and Eindhoven in June, only one flight on Sundays is available for booking.

According to Zadar, Transavia has announced two lines, from Paris and Rotterdam. From Orly Airport, planes will fly to Zadar on Tuesdays and Saturdays, while flights from Rotterdam are announced on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Split Airport has announced three Transavia flights for June from Rotterdam, Amsterdam, and Paris.

Transavia will operate between Rotterdam and Split 5 times a week in June (every day except Tuesdays and Fridays), between Amsterdam and Split 3 times a week (Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays), and between Paris and Split 4 times a week (Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Sundays). Transavia will offer almost 19 thousand seats in June to and from Split Airport. 

Dubrovnik Airport has a line from Paris 5 times a week, from Rotterdam 3 times a week, and from Nantes 2 times a week.

This airline will offer more than 45,000 seats on its B737-700 and B737-800 aircraft on 10 international routes to the mentioned airports. A total of up to 30 flights per week were announced in June, with the airline leaving the possibility of increasing the number of weekly operations in the second half of June, depending on the movement of bookings.

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

May 30, 2022 - Shannon Shorter joined KK Split for the second half of the season in December. On Friday night, the team was eliminated by KK Zadar in the semi-finals of the Croatian league. However, the Yellows managed to make a run to stay in the ABA League by reaching the relegation spot and ended up not even needing to play relegation. The American guard sat down with Burak Canboy for this exclusive interview. 

Thank you very much for taking the time for this interview. Let me congratulate you on receiving the ABA League Top Scorer Award this year. You won the Korean Basketball League Championship in 2019, but apart from the Israel All-Star Game MVP in 2014, this was only your second individual international award. How do you feel?

I did win a league's top scorer title in Israel before, but it was not celebrated officially like this one. It surely wasn't my goal to become the league's top scorer when I signed. I was only looking to compete in a new league that I had heard about. I thought that I could have done better but also felt I was able to improve my game a bit during this time. It is surely a blessing being able to compete at this level.

Why basketball?

As a kid and young man, I tried different sports. Did football, baseball, etc. but at some point, I saw my brother's success in basketball and spent a lot of time and tried to follow in his footsteps.

I told my Mom I wanted to be in the NBA one day. I want to be a professional basketball player. I managed to become a professional, and the NBA is still on the horizon [laughs].

What did you know about KK Split and Jugoplastika before coming here, and what have you learned since then?

I had heard of the club and knew about Croatian legends. I read up a little online about Toni Kukoč being from here and about the 3 Euroleague titles.

The biggest thing to take away as an experience since coming here is seeing the fans and how they supported the team and me. I came here to win the title and am very disappointed about not having been able to do that for the fans and the club. 

How would you describe the five months you have been with the team? Namely, your experiences with the management, coaches, players, and fans?

I have nothing but good things to say about all of them.

KK Split is the 20th club in a 10-year career (2x Hebei Xianglan, China, and 2x Ostioneros de Guaymas, Mexico). You probably get this quite often, but how come you have changed clubs and countries so much?

Well, it wasn't planned. I did not want to go back home. If you know what I mean. I felt discomfort at home. Especially financially, so I tried being more comfortable. I tried doing something I loved and was able to get paid for it. Then after some time playing in Mexico and South America, I looked for an agent and asked him to give me the best opportunity to move my career forward.

Every step since then felt like moving forward.

USA, Mexico, Argentina, Israel, Japan, China, Turkey, France, Australia, Lebanon, Korea, Greece, and Croatia. That is 13 countries in which you have played basketball so far. Which was your favorite country to live in, and where you have enjoyed the level of competition the most?

Israel and Australia to live in. It was a very relaxed feeling. Competition was Turkey and Australia, apart from ABA League now, which is also very competitive.

Is there any country or league still on your "bucket list"?

Spain! 

That was a very fast answer! Why?

I'd say that apart from the NBA, it is one of the top 2 competitive leagues in the world, along with Turkey. It would be great to get a chance to compete on that level. 

I would like to ask you a few rather lifestyle and political questions. Most of our readers are either Croats abroad or expats in Croatia. I am sure they would like to hear how it feels for you to work and live as a foreigner in Croatia? How does Croatia relate to the other places you have played?

Croatia is surely up there with one of the top places. Split is a nice place, not too big,  no need to drive; things are close enough that you can walk to places with a lot of tourist attractions. I especially like spending time by the Riva.

You are originally from Houston, Texas. What do you love about Split, what do you like doing here, and what do you think is missing?

The people are really nice. I just love to go for walks; the experiences here are wonderful. 

What are you missing?

My wife. 

That's something we cannot change. But what would you say Split could change to be even better?

I really don't know. It is a very unique city. Maybe the stores could be open a bit longer.

If you do not wish to answer this one, I can understand, but what are your experiences regarding racism in sports, and how do they differ here in Croatia from other countries you have played in?

Growing up, I either didn't experience racism much, or maybe I wasn't aware of it yet. I would say that I didn't experience it as a professional player. Neither elsewhere nor here. Then again, I must say that the Zadar fans have been very disrespectful. I wouldn't say that was racism. I appreciate supporters trying all to get the opponent's players off their game, but in Zadar, it was too much. 

Anywhere else you have experienced that?

[Laughs]. Yeah. The fans in Lebanon were even tougher. 

Do you wish to comment on the gun shooting in Uvalde, Texas? I hope your family and friends are safe. 

It is very unfortunate, very sad. It is very distasteful and I don't have the words; I still don't have them. I don't know what to say to the families; I don't know what an individual may be thinking to do that. It must have been some very deep insecurity within himself. Something must have hurt him very deeply. 

I believe that usually, such things come from the heart. Like premeditated murder, you have to think about things first. It must come from the heart. Or rape or anything you would say is abnormal. Such things always come from inside.

I pray for the hearts of everyone on earth to get rid of that darkness in their hearts and be able to find love.

This is the 2nd mass shooting in only two weeks. Lawmakers need to make changes. It shouldn't be possible to put guns into everyone's hands. Things have to change.

Let me get back to the sports-related questions. Last year Zadar won the championship after five games against Split. This year you played a lot of derbies with Zadar both in the ABA League and in the Premijer Liga. Why do you think they could pull off those important games, and why did Split fall short when it counted?

I won championships and am used to playing in the finals over the years. When you play for titles, you understand what things you need to do and what things you cannot do when games are on the edge.

For example, on Friday, we had the momentum when we were up by 10 points. Then you get called with an intentional and a technical foul. They score all free throws and get points off the inbound. Your energy, lead, and momentum are gone.

So I can say they were more mature mentally to know how to win these games where every possession matters. We just aren't there yet.

In the second quarter against Zadar, you had a few successful back-to-back pick and roll plays with Shawn Jones. Why didn't we see these kinds of plays during the fourth quarter and regularly earlier in the season?

The play had just come to play approximately two weeks ago. That's why we hadn't used it much before. Later in the game, I agree that we could have used it more often, but other plays were also working well with Vuko and Roko. 

Your coach Srđan Subotić had his first year as a head coach. How do you think he did in general? What are his strengths, and what do you think he could improve in the future?

I have a lot of respect for him. He had a lot of pressure on him the entire time, but you could not tell. He did very well to have the team focus on what's ahead, not what's behind. I think he could push players more out of their comfort zone to challenge everyone to deliver greatness all the time. 

You are now almost 33. Coach Srđan played until he was 37. Michael Jordan came back out of retirement at your age and won three more titles before retiring at 40. How do you feel about your body, and how many more seasons do you think you have in you?

I always said that I would love to play until I am 40. In the meantime, I got married, which shifts focus. Luckily I had no serious injuries, so my body still feels good. I surely have 3 to 5 more years in me.

How much time do you spend thinking about the future, and what are your plans after retiring as a professional player?

I am thinking about the future a lot already and have a foundation back home where I do community work and try to give something back with scholarships and back-to-school drives. That's something I would do more. I also would love to do news and analytical work. I am looking for opportunities to do that in the summer. Other than that, I am meditating to help me stay present in the moment and enjoy what I have now.

Are we going to see you playing for KK Split again next season?

That's a good question. It is a possibility. I don't want to rule it out. I told the team and the management that a mutual benefit would need to be reached. I know my value and timing made it possible this year. So many talks will be needed, and we will see where it goes from there.

Once more, thank you for taking the time, and I must say that I would personally very much enjoy bumping into you again under the baskets of Gripe next season. However, even if not, I wish you and your family a safe future on your journey around the basketball courts of the world. 

Thanks, I appreciate it. 

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated sports section. 

May 30, 2022 - Split-Dalmatia County overnights and Split Airport flight traffic have hit 80% of the record 2019!

"We are only at the end of May and in the middle of an extended weekend. Nevertheless, all tourist indicators tell us that from the beginning of the year to the end of May, we are at around 80% of traffic in terms of overnight stays compared to 2019," said Joško Stella, director of the Split-Dalmatia County Tourist Board for HRT.

"If we looked at 2021, we have three times more overnights than last year. So we have excellent bookings for the peak season," he pointed out.

As for guests, domestic tourists make up about 10% in Split-Dalmatia County, and the increase in prices will affect this.

"We hope that prices will not rise too much," Stella said.

Stella added that they had made a master plan for tourism development, and their main goal is sustainable tourism with the help of the local population. They have already taken some actions, and they know how much they can burden local tourism during July and August.

Stella concluded that he expects to get very close to the 2019 results, but it is more critical for them to take care of tourism sustainability.

The head of the Passenger Reception and Dispatch Service of Split Airport, Mate Melvan, was a guest on Dnevnik N1 on Sunday. 

He pointed out that they are delighted with the traffic this extended weekend, after which there are about 140 aircraft and approximately 34,000 passengers.

"Compared to previous years, we are now at about 80 percent compared to 2019, and the goal is to reach 2019. However, compared to last year, we are significantly in the black; it is best to forget," Mate Melvan told N1.

Commenting on the impact of inflation and the war in Ukraine on price growth, he added: “Airlines are under pressure due to the crisis, but it is not affecting high demand so far, and we are looking forward to it. Figures show that we could reach the 2019 figures in July and August. 45 to 50 airlines have announced flights. It turns out that the demand for Split is growing."

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