February 5, 2020 - The Split-Dalmatia County Tourist Board participated in the New York Times Travel Show from January 24 to 26, 2020, in New York City.

Judging by the interest in the Split-Dalmatia County Tourist Board booth at the recently concluded 17th New York Times Travel Show, an excellent number of guests from the US market could visit the region this year. This County, led by director Josko Stella, is more than pleased with the feedback, and the attendance and interest were excellent, said Stella, noting that numerous visitors, as well as colleagues from participating countries, were delighted with their presentation. Recall that from January 24 to 26, the Big Apple hosted a global tourism summit, a valued fair, which brought together 550 exhibitors from 170 countries.

With 30,000 professionals from the tourism industry, the New York Times Travel Show brought the best of the best from all over the world. Split-Dalmatia County had a lot to be proud of. 

“Split-Dalmatia County has been presented at the New York Fair for the third year now, with the recently completed fair bringing us great attendance. Dare I say, never better. We were presented with our best, most beautiful, natural wonders, cultural sights, but also what interests the American market most, like the Game of Thrones filming locations, and the movie mega-hit Mamma Mia, links to Meštrović… All this is more than a strong wind at our backs, given the fact that last year the Americans ranked seventh in the number of arrivals. They realized 473,000 overnights, which is 13 percent more than in the previous periods. And that is certainly one of the important reasons for our already traditional presence at this significant fair,” said Stella.

The Split-Dalmatia County delegation included representatives from the top of tourism, people from the private sector, Suncani Hvar, Split's Cornaro hotel, and people from the Tourist Board of Split and Kastela. The Split Tourist Board also participated in the prize competition. Also impressive was the presentation of the Kastela Tourist Board, which introduced the famous Kastela red Zinfandel wine, thought by Americans to be of their origin. However, this fair was also an excellent opportunity for visitors to get acquainted with the fact that this premium wine originates from Dalmatia by its genetic roots.

“At fairs of this kind, with this kind of attendance from a critical market, are places where we definitely need to appear in our tourism planning strategy. The number of American tourists coming to our area is increasing every year. In addition to Dubrovnik and Zagreb, they have become numerically important in their favorite locations in Split, Hvar, in many areas of our county. We have to brag about how our county has become one of America's most important holiday destinations. The excellent impressions we have collected present the data of the current tourist barometer. We are very pleased with our presentation and delighted with the feedback,” added Stella.

A well-designed presentation strategy included another important item - a sweepstake that garnered a lot of interest from visitors. The prize fund included a two-week free stay in the county - 14 nights total, seven at Suncani Hvar, and seven days at the Cornaro Split Hotel. 

“The prize game went beyond our expectations. The lucky winner was truly thrilled. She will be greeted with a paid holiday, top quality accommodation, flights sponsored by Croatia Airlines in partnership with the Split-Dalmatia County Tourist Board and the Split Tourist Board, while accommodation will be provided by Suncani Hvar Hotel and Cornaro Split Hotel. The five remaining lucky ones went home with a bottle of Kastela's prized wine sponsored by the Kastela Tourist Board. Summarizing our participation, we can say with pleasure that this fair helps us to position ourselves in the US market as best we can,” Josko Stella said.

There is no rest for tourist workers in Croatia, as these fairs are genuine opportunities for direct publicity. Thus, it is not surprising that the county delegation, with a lot of prepared material, does most of their logistic preparations in the early months of the year. After New York, Stella and his team, intensified by private sector representatives from Split-Dalmatia County, went to Atlanta for a workshop. Other Croatian counties will join them there. The task is clear - they are waiting to be presented, promoted, but also to make even better deals with US agencies. 

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February 4, 2020 - The sixth Adriatic Gastro Show begins on Wednesday at the Spaladium Arena, featuring an entire tourist and catering range of products and services through 12,000 square meters of attractive exhibition space. 

Dalmatinski Portal writes that this year's Adriatic Gastro Show brings together over 1000 exhibitors at 200 exhibitions. The director of the fair, Stipe Šamija, has announced the arrival of exhibitors from 20 countries around the world, even from America, Africa, and some from Asia.

“This year's peculiarity is that we again managed to gather the largest number of exhibitors. I would also like to single out a large number of conferences and gatherings, while on the other hand, we have a rich accompanying program for both professionals and visitors,” said Šamija.

Visitors will enjoy the women’s bartending competition '5. Split - Lady's Cup' organized by the Croatian Bar Association on Thursday from 3 pm. In addition, at the fair, which brings together the most famous names in the field of gastronomy, winemaking and tourism, there will be a cooking show, organized visits to hotel chains, and expert lectures. In particular, there will be an attractive raffle, where Prima Furniture will donate a kitchen worth 20,000 kuna. One ticket is only 30 kuna.

Within the fair, the 5th Regional Family Tourism Forum, organized by the Croatian Chamber of Commerce, will also be held. This year, on Thursday and Friday from 10:30 am, several interested private accommodation renters will learn the new trends in tourism, possibilities of financing from EU funds, legislation, cooperation with travel agencies, marketing, and more.

“What we need to work on is the quality of the accommodation, and our education supports this. A lot of applications have already been sent to us, which means that people are hungry for knowledge and want to move forward in business,” said Natasa Busic of the HGK Split County Chamber. She added that Split and Split-Dalmatia County could offer everything regarding private accommodation.

Along with several major exhibitor companies such as Metro, Alca, Stanic, Velpro, Apfel, Tekstilpromet, the importance of the Adriatic Gastro Show and its impact on the economic processes of small and medium-sized businesses in Dalmatia, especially in the tourism segment, were recognized and sponsored by President Kolinda. Grabar-Kitarović, the Ministry of Agriculture, Croatian Chamber of Commerce, Croatian Chamber of Trades and Crafts, Split-Dalmatia County, the Split-Dalmatia County Tourist Board, and the Split Tourist Board.

The director of the Split-Dalmatia County Tourist Board, Josko Stella, highlighted the importance and contribution of the fair to the development of tourism in the pre-season. It is precisely during the pre-season and post-season that the growth of this important industry is focused, as we are limited by infrastructure in July and August.

“It comes at an ideal time, compliments to the organizer and exhibitors for helping with overall tourism,” Stella said.

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December 22, 2019 - The fourth Gastroadvent Sunday was held on December 22, 2019, at Hotel Salona Palace, inside the Tusculum restaurant in Solin. This time, rosemary, goat cheese, and print media journalists were in the Advent spotlight. 

Gastroadvent is a unique manifestation that fuses nutrition, gastronomy, and tourism while highlighting some of Split’s favorite restaurants on the less busy days of December. For the past ten years, the event has promoted the Mediterranean diet and has left a mark through its work on Mediterranean ingredients. 

Thus, every Sunday of December, valuable hosts, patrons, partners and journalists gather to honor not only the light they bring to Split, but also to recognize the integral ingredients found in the Mediterranean region. 

And this year, the central ingredient of Gastroadvent is invaluable to the city of Split.

Namely, rosemary is a fundamental part of the Mediterranean diet. It is originally from Europe and has been used since ancient times when students decorated their heads with rosemary wreaths, thinking that it has a beneficial effect on memory. Rosemary leaves and the essential oil obtained by distilling leaves are officially medicinal according to European regulations. Rosemary leaf contains natural phenolic compounds and is therefore considered medicine and a spice. By its antioxidant properties, it is the most potent food. It grows on rocky soil, withstands salt and high temperatures, and its habitat is carbonate rocks.

Rosemary could not exist without its home, stone. The same stone that Diocletian's Palace is made of, which was protected 40 years ago by UNESCO. This year's Gastroadvent wreath is made of stone and was crafted by the students of the Stonemasonry School in Pucisca, Brac, which boasts 120 years of existence. 

Furthermore, goat cheese is higher in nutrients than all other cheeses. Last year, archaeological excavations near Šibenik revealed that Dalmatia is the home of goat cheese. Namely, according to the American scientists who analyzed and found the DNA of fats in vessels during the excavation, goat cheese was produced in Dalmatia some 7,200 years ago!

Thus, on Sunday, December 22, we gathered at Hotel Salona Palace, a unique luxury resort that exudes the ancient spirit of old Salona, at the very entrance of which is located. The location has determined the charm of its content, which is a combination of ancient elegance and modern comfort, all combined with a quality and personalized service.

The hotel has 47 rooms, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a spa & wellness center, fitness room, conference rooms, banquet and a la carte restaurant and parking, and green areas that turn it into a peaceful oasis ideal for getting away from everyday stress. What sets it apart from everyone else is the cultural and historical heritage that surrounds it and is woven through visual messages throughout the hotel.

The fourth Gastroadvent candle was lit by print media journalists at the Tusculum Restaurant, where all guests were offered a special gastronomic story inspired by Mediterranean and Dalmatian cuisine. The newly renovated Roman Tavern was the perfect backdrop to complete the 10th Gastroadvent in Split. Throughout the year, this restaurant offers guests a menu based solely on local and homemade food, emphasizing quality, Croatian produce and eco-farming.

The sumptuous dining table by the restaurant’s ambitious chef was inspired by exploring Roman cuisine, goat cheese and, of course, rosemary. The menu included Dalmatian pašticada with homemade gnocchi and rosemary, filet of lubin fish with bacon and goat cheese, grilled vegetables with goat cheese, and roast veal in wine and rosemary.

Dario Stipaničev

The menu expanded into stuffed peppers with goat cheese, chicken fillet with white wine and rosemary, baked potatoes stuffed with goat cheese and rosemary, a Mediterranean pogača and classic Dalmatian cod (or bakalar). 

Dario Stipaničev

For dessert, there was a fresh goat cheese pie, while the chef displayed an assortment of rosemary cookies and cakes.

Dario Stipaničev

All dishes were paired with Plenković wines from Hvar and the Kaštela Crljenak Vuina.

Gastroadvent is held every Sunday of Advent at a different location in Split. 

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December 21, 2019 - Christmas Eve would be nothing without bakalar and fritule. Thus, the City of Split, Split-Dalmatia County, the Split Tourist Board, the Split-Dalmatia County Tourist Board, and Chefs of Mediterranean and European cuisine are ensuring that 5,000 of you (at least) won't miss it this holiday season. And all you have to do is show up to Prokurative.

Splitski Dnevnik writes that the City of Split, Split-Dalmatia County, and the Chefs of Mediterranean and European Regions are organizing the already traditional event "Split with Love" on Tuesday, December 24, 2019, at Prokurative where citizens will be greeted with 5,000 servings of Croatia’s Christmas cod, bakalar, from 11 am!

More than forty chefs will participate in preparing this famous Christmas fish, which will once again be cooked in a massive 2.2-meter-wide pot. The bakalar will be served by more than 100 volunteers in biodegradable bowls to add an environmental touch to the holiday season. 

This jumbo pot, which is already a traditional element of events in Split today, was created 14 years ago for this exact manifestation in Skver. The pot will contain 200 kilograms of cod, half a ton of potatoes, 200 kg of chickpeas, 250 kg of onion, 40 liters of olive oil, and five kilos of garlic and parsley.

Along with the free-flowing servings of cod at Prokurative, citizens will also be handed out sweet fried donuts, or fritule, which will be prepared and shared by Split hoteliers and caterers, according to their cherished recipes.

But that’s not all. 

This cod and fritule fest would be nothing without a commemorative holiday program, which will begin at 10:30 am with the Men’s, Women’s and Mixed Klapa KUD Filip Devic.

Along with the City of Split, Split-Dalmatia County, the Split Tourist Board and the Split-Dalmatia County Tourist Board, and the Chefs of Mediterranean and European regional cuisine, this year's event was organized thanks to the help of numerous sponsors and donors.

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December 20, 2019 - An EU project in Split foresees a Poljud Museum, Hajduk Interpretation Center, new Poljud stadium roof and better stadium accessibility, as well as sports and cultural routes throughout the city.

Dalmacija Danas writes that a meeting was held with representatives of the City of Split, HNK Hajduk, the Split Tourist Board, Sports Facilities, RaST Development Agency and the Naš Hajduk Association with representatives of Kocka d.o.o. and Osam d.o.o., as part of the EU project "Split - A City Connecting Sport and Culture". 

At the meeting, they presented the elaborated project technical documentation, that is, the museum concept and establishing the future Poljud Museum and Hajduk Interpretation Center, which will cover 2.323 m2 on three floors within the Poljud Stadium, below the eastern stand.

At the beginning of the meeting, Deputy Mayor Nino Vela welcomed all present and thanked everyone for their dedicated work and cooperation.

On behalf of the International and EU Projects Office, Radojka Tomasevic welcomed everyone present and informed the attendees about the project implementation and project documentation, which was prepared during the previous project implementation. She emphasized the complete project documentation for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the Poljud Stadium roof, conserving the base of Stadium, as well as the necessary rehabilitation projects throughout the Stadium, which include ensuring accessibility for persons with disabilities.

Documentation was also developed to establish sports and cultural routes that would link locations from Bacvice, the Firule Tennis Courts, and the Basketball Hall at Gripe, to the Holy Trinity Church at Poljud, the pools and stadium at Poljud, the Ancient Port at Spinut, the pools of Mornar and Jadran, the POŠK port, the Olympic trail on the West Coast, the Ad basilicas Pictas sites, the old Hajduk stadium at Stari Plac, the Croatian House building at Tonciceva, and the Old Town Hall at Pjaca.

For the park at the site of Ancient port in Spinut, a conservation base, a study of the greenery, the architectural design of the educational park, and the main architectural design of the interpretive center - a pavilion in the Scientific and Educational Ancient port park (museum and execution project) were made.

The Strategic Branding Plan of the Split Integrated Program as a City of Sport and Culture, as well as the Feasibility Study and Cost-Benefit Analysis of the Split Integrated Program as a City of Sport and Culture, will be finalized by the end of the project.

Special thanks were given to project manager Hrvoje Akrap and project coordinator Ana Jerkunica for their dedicated work in the implementation of the project from the very beginning. 

Designer Marko Barisic and project manager Jelena Devcic from the company Kocka d.o.o., and Darko Babic, director of Osam d.o.o., presented in detail the museum solution of the entire space of the Poljud Museum and the Hajduk Interpretation Center.

Thus, the Poljud Museum and the Hajduk Interpretation Center plan to offer visitors a range of new facilities using state-of-the-art technologies and multimedia equipment (9D) to create an experience and interpretation of cultural heritage and sports, presenting to the general public a valuable architectural and constructive solution for the Stadium, which is also individually protected immovable cultural property, entered in the Register of Cultural Property of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Croatia, in the category of profane architectural heritage, but also with the rich history of Hajduk.

All present expressed their satisfaction, from the Deputy Mayor, Nino Vela, the President of the Management Board of HNK Hajduk, Marin Brbic and his associates to representatives of the Tourist Board, the public institution Sports Facilities and the Naš Hajduk Association, emphasizing that the project will surely provide a new, unique tourist offer and product based on Split's underused history of sports and culture.

It is a considerable task for everyone to provide the means to implement all the planned activities as soon as possible, from the reconstruction of the stadium roof for which project documentation has been prepared, as well as necessary remediation projects and ensuring accessibility of the entire stadium to persons with reduced mobility, to establishing sports and cultural routes at various localities in the city, and branding Split as a city of sport and culture.

Recall, the EU project Split - City Connecting Sport and Culture, has been implemented since December 1, 2016, until December 31, 2019. The project developer is the City of Split, and the project partners are the Split Tourist Board and the Split Sports Facilities public institution. The total value of the project is HRK 6,392,000.00, of which the grant amount is HRK 4,999,822.40 financed by the European Regional Development Fund.

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December 10, 2019 - What is the real impact of special programs on the development of a city's tourist offer? A look at Split.  

HRTurizam writes that during Advent, all major Croatian cities offer several special events and programs - and in the last few years, increasing attention has been given to this part of the tourist offer, in which tourist boards play a major role as leaders of destination management.

With this in mind, the first scientific study of special city programs was conducted in the function of growth and development of the offer of the city of Split. The authors of the research are Doctorandus Dino Bruža and Master of Economics and Professor Andreja Rudančić, Ph.D., who presented the research findings at the International Scientific Conference "International Management Research" in May 2017 in Opatija.

Scientific work on this topic has been published in the book INTERDISCIPLINARY MANAGEMENT RESEARCH XIII., Barković, Dražen; Runzheimer, Bodo, editor (s), Opatija: Faculty of Economics in Osijek; Hochschule Pforzheim, 2017 (p.121-138).

The purpose of this scientific research is to show the real impact and role of programs and implementing special city programs on the development of the tourist offer of the city of Split, primarily from the aspect of the Split Tourist Board.

Author Dino Bruža emphasizes that the aim of the paper is to determine to what extent and in what way specific city programs affect the increase of revenues, and the extent of the level of tourist expectations and satisfaction, through the analysis of key tourism indicators. He also points out that special city programs in the tourist offer of the destination represent a unique experience on the market

“There are two main goals of implementing specific city programs: to increase economic effects on the one hand and to increase the level of tourist satisfaction on the other. Contemporary tourists have a high degree of expectation, which is a great challenge in creating tourism experiences. Event management, in this case, represents a significant segment of destination management, which deals with the planning, organization, guiding, management, and control of these special programs. 

In addition to contributing to the volume of content offered, special city programs also affect extending the tourist season, that is, reducing the seasonality of tourism and hospitality businesses, increasing revenues and attracting new guests while retaining existing tourists. Executing special city programs has a multiplier effect, as it, directly and indirectly, affects revenue growth, encourages additional hiring of skilled personnel, creates a virtual platform for a large number of manufacturers and providers of products and services and affects the development of the entire destination. That is why there is a need for strategic planning of special programs and for monitoring their success, and for providing all the necessary resources for re-implementation,” said Dino Bruža, adding that with this approach, the city of Split becomes a unique tourist destination, offering a whole range of special events and programs.

Dino Bruža also notes that in organizing special events and programs, special attention should be paid to implementing information and communication technology, for several reasons. 

“The focus of this scientific research is on the interdependence of information management, communication technology and designing special programs. Opportunities and ICT impact assessments on the business performance and competitiveness of the specific program need to be continually conducted. As the author states, the number of special programs is growing at an unprecedented rate, various management, control and leadership models are being used, but what is common to most is the inevitable adaptation to current trends in information and communication technology. Specific programs by themselves did not play a major role in the past, but served solely to increase spending, which is still one of the goals today. However, a new goal is emerging today, for the program to be an end in itself and to take on the existing "empty" part that occurs in the offer of every segment on the market,” said Bruža.

In accordance with all the above, author Dino Bruža is conducting new scientific research in order to produce a doctoral dissertation, whose results he will present in his doctoral thesis, which he will defend at the Faculty of Economics in Osijek.

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November 29, 2019 - ’Tis the most wonderful time of the year - Split Advent is finally here!

On Saturday, November 30, 2019, Split Advent will open on the famous Riva waterfront at 11 am with the performances of the Split Majorettes and Corsa Adriatica. In the evening, the festive opening will be held at 5 pm in Đardin with the traditional lighting of the Advent candle, followed by a music program and a spectacle on ice, which will be led by members of the Zagreb Snowflake Skating Club. 

The vibrant program in Đardin continues with the performance of children's choirs and choirs of the international festival Cro Patria. A playful school program will spread cheer on Marmontova Street, and Gustafi will take the Riva stage at 8:30 pm to kick the festivities into gear. From 8 pm at Perivoj, you can enjoy music by DJ Sole.

You can find the full Advent program on the Split Tourist Board website, but we are bringing you some highlights of this weekend's program.

The Croatian National Theater Split is the center of cultural and humanitarian events this winter. Opera lovers will enjoy the performance of Rigoletto at 6 pm, while costumed guided tours of the Meštrović Gallery are organized for elementary school students, where the youngest will be able to explore the entire art space. Advent would not be complete without The Nutcracker, while the vintage images of Split’s most famous photographer Feđa Klarić will light up Gaje Bulata Square.

The concert of the Cro Patria Men's Choir, AMZ Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing ZG and Brodosplit twill be held on Saturday at 7 pm in the Great Hall of the Faculty of Medicine in Split, which will be complemented by the Canticum Novum competition evening. Caroling through city streets and squares is an indispensable part of the tradition of Split and Dalmatia, so KUD Jedinstvo will tour the city center to serenade the citizens with traditional tunes. Brass music will be heard from Đardin to the Riva, and all city streets and squares will dance in different musical rhythms and styles.

Đardin will have an Ice Park this Advent, transforming the famous Split meeting spot into a true winter wonderland. A vibrant program and food and drink offer will only complete the experience.

Although humanitarian events are organized in Split throughout the year, around the holidays, they’re a bit more special. Thus, a humanitarian concert by Tomislav Mrduljas will be held at HNK Split. All proceeds from ticket sales will be donated to KBC Split to purchase vital function monitoring devices for the Intensive Care Units Clinics for Anesthesiology, Reanimatology and Intensive Care, co-organized and initiated by Assistant Professor Dr. Sc. Sanda Stojanovic Stipic.

Source: Dalmacija Danas

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November 8, 2019 - This year’s Split Advent promises an abundance of music and fun, and will also awaken nostalgia in some of its visitors.

Visitors to Split from November 30, 2019, to January 2, 2020, will hop on a retro time machine and recall some of the forgotten verses, games and flavors of the city. Across five weeks, Advent guests will enjoy a plethora of Christmas delicacies at various Advent locations, and send thousands of unique postcards to the world from photo corners on Vidilica and Matejuska.

Dalmacija Danas reports that a new edition of Split Advent was announced at today's press conference held on a branded bus that will run the free Advent line. The attendees were greeted by the host of the Advent bus, the director of Promet, Miroslav Delić, who emphasized the importance of good cooperation with the Split Tourist Board, on whose initiative two free Advent lines will be introduced this year. The new lines will run on weekends all day. In addition to Promet, HZ Passenger Transport, in cooperation with the Split Tourist Board, will offer free return rides to the citizens of Split, Solin, Kastel and Trogir every Saturday and Sunday to the city center. Free transportation on Saturday and Sunday mornings and afternoons will be provided by the suburban train between Kastel Stari - Split - Kastel Stari. 

Mayor of Split, Andro Krstulovic Opara, greeted all those present. 

“We are proud that Advent is becoming one of the most important manifestations of our city, which is confirmed by the increasing involvement of numerous institutions, associations, local communities. We are sure that it will attract a large number of visitors, especially citizens. We are breaking records during the tourist season, even this time when almost the entire Adriatic was in the minus. Christmas time is the time for us, our children and our citizens. We have designed Advent festivities to bring our citizens Christmas magic and awaken the good old feelings. We want to feel good together with our citizens, let's smile, let's be happy, that's our goal this Christmas!

This year, it was our wish that all visitors awaken the playfulness and emotion of the old times. We have introduced new locations and revived traditional locations with ice skating rinks, photo corners, retro exhibitions, themed programs, dances and many surprises which will we ride together on our retro time machine. Let's add that during Advent last year, tourist numbers increased by 17% in arrivals and 21% in overnights, and judging by this year's interest of foreign media, Split is becoming a genuinely unavoidable Advent destination.”

The director of the Split Tourist Board, Alijana Vukšić, added:

“The CEO of Spalatum DMC, Ante Sunjic, emphasized that this year's program on the Riva is particularly rich and diverse. The entertainment program is full of theme nights and performances of well-known musical names. Advent will open by Gustafi, and visitors to Advent will be entertained by Giuliano and Diktatori, Alen Nizetic, Marko Pecotic & band, the Vatra group and numerous other performers. A special treat will be Tedi Spalato’s Christmas concert and we will have a traditionally good time for New Year's Eve. Klapa Intrade and Tomislav Bralic will create a cheerful Dalmatian atmosphere, while Jelena Rozga is in charge of the party until the morning hours.”

She added that numerous sponsors recognized the event, and also thanked "Coca-Cola as a sponsor of love and warmth, OTP Bank as a sponsor of joy, the Croatian Lottery as a sponsor of memories, Radio Dalmatia as the media partner and sponsor of playfulness, and all others who have recognized the importance of events such as Pik Vrbovec, Ožujski, Procurator and Bio Planet."

The Public Invitation for offers on Advent houses opened just a few days ago. This includes 25 houses in the following locations: Riva (3 shops, 3 for simple catering, 11 for catering); Dardin (4 catering); Rudjer Boskovic RK Prima 3 (4 catering); and at Prokurative (children's entertainment - train). Those interested can apply by November 14 and be part of this year's retro Advent story.

Maja Leksic, director of marketing and sales, said: “Radio Dalmacija lives with its listeners 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, either through the Christmas Gift project, through which we assist our fellow citizens in need, or by sharing our thirteenth salary. We always listen to the needs of our listeners, and we are especially weak when it comes to children's emotions because there is no purer emotion than that. Therefore, this year, we arranged a children's park and two playgrounds in Split, and we are the proud sponsor of the Hajduk pioneers for several years. It was, therefore, logical to respond to the invitation of the Tourist Board and participate in this year's Advent as a sponsor of Marmontova and be the exclusive media sponsor of Advent.”

More info on Split Advent coming soon...

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November 5, 2019 - Split Advent this winter will be held from November 30, 2019, to January 2, 2020. 

Split Advent 2019/20 will boast nineeteen holiday houses in three locations - the Riva (11), Đardin (4), and the Split 3 neighborhood (4). On Monday, the competition for catering facilities began, reports Splitski Dnevnik.

Spalatum D.M.C. as an organizer of Split Advent 2019/20, invited all interested individuals and legal entities to submit, under general and special conditions, an offer for the display, presentation and sale of their products and services at the event from November 30, 2019 to January 2, 2020, on the Riva, Đardin, Prokurative (the plateau by FINA), and from December 6, 2019, to December 24, 2019, at Rudjer Boskovic RK Prima 3.

This year, there will be no Advent in front of the Gallery of Fine Arts due to the vibrant program and ice rink at Đardin. In addition, part of the program will be dispersed this year to the Split 3 neighborhood to provide Advent entertainment to residents outside the city center. As the stages and holiday houses will be located in a residential area, the program will last until 9 pm.

"There are no houses in front of the Gallery of Fine Arts, but we have decided to focus on the Riva, Đardin and Split 3 because of the great fluctuation of inhabitants in that part of the city. In this area, we went with a much lower price, and there will be a stage set for the music program. This is an intention to offer events outside each center and to expand zones, and to disperse some Advent events to other parts of the city, and if successful, plan to do so in other quarters in the coming years, where it is organizationally possible. Also, on the plateau in front of FINA, there will be children's content and a traditional train. The number of houses on the Riva remained the same, and the number of houses at Đardin increased,” said Ante Sunjic, director of Spalatum D.M.C., adding that the initial rental prices of houses on the Riva and Đardin remained the same as last year, and they expect the same interest. 

This year, the competition is open for exhibitions, sales and presentations, including the following: Christmas products, books and multimedia, souvenirs and gifts, original products, gastronomy, and presentations by tourist boards, counties, cities, municipalities and chambers of commerce.

Interested bidders are required to send their offer to Spalatum D.M.C. or the Split Tourist Board by November 13, 2019. Bids can be submitted from November 4 to 13, 2019. 

The accepted offers will be published on the websites of Spalatum D.M.C. and the Split Tourist Board on November 14, 2019.

Bids that do not meet the required conditions, which were not submitted in the required form and content or were not submitted within the prescribed deadline, will not be considered or included in the Advent program. 

The main selection criterion will be the highest rent or fee offered, followed by the authenticity of the products and services being offered, as well as the content related to the Christmas holiday, creativity in the interior decoration of the buildings, previous experience in exhibiting at fairs and many years of activities for which they are applying.

If a successful tenderer withdraws their offer, the Commission reserves the right to select the next best offer.

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November 5, 2019 - The World Travel Market, which takes place in London from November 4 to 6, is one of the world's most important trade fairs. This year, among the hundreds of booths showcasing tourist destinations, you'll find the Split-Dalmatia County Tourist Board, who is participating for the first time with their own booth. With this appearance at the World Travel Market (WTM), the official fair promotion of the Split-Dalmatia County tourist offer begins.

Dalmatinski Portal and TZ Split-Dalmatia County report that the Split-Dalmatia Tourist Board is presenting its tourist offer with four cluster info-desks, and has provided the county's economic operators with the conditions to interview business partners at the world's largest gathering of businesspeople from the tourism industry. Within the Split-Dalmatia County booth, a series of events and business meetings are planned, with the presence of prefect Blazenko Boban and his associates. Guests are also offered a tasting of Central Dalmatian wines, prosciutto, and cheese from local producers in Split-Dalmatia County.

“I am happy that, as a County with our own booth, we had the opportunity to be at the two largest tourism fairs this year, first in Berlin and here in London now. We aim to develop tourism in two directions. The first is to try to extend the tourist season by diverting tourist arrivals from July and August into April and May, and September and October. The fact that we were the most visited county in Croatia in October this year is confirmation that we are on the right track. We want to gently divert tourists from major coastal destinations to the rural areas of the county, which we can only achieve through attendance at fairs such as this one in London, where we have the chance to show all the beauties that our county truly abounds. And these beauties are not just in the frequently visited tourist destinations of Split, Makarska, Bol, Hvar, or Trogir. We try our best to present all the treasures of our beautiful Dalmatian Zagora and the interior of our islands. This year's results of the Imotski Tourist Board after the Berlin fair are the best indicator that we have something to offer and attract tourists both in the pre-season in the post-season and the rural, peripheral areas of the County,” said Boban, who had the opportunity to speak with the British Minister of Arts, Heritage and Tourism, Helen Whately.

Kristijan Stanicic, director of the Croatian National Tourist Board (CNTB), said that for the development of tourism, we need the right people and continuous education about the quality of tourism infrastructure, from tourist capacities and the catering offer to the quality of the overall tourist service.

“The main task of the CNTB is to recognize trends in tourism in a timely manner and to keep up with the competition in the innovation and creativity of the offer. I believe that when it comes to the sustainability of tourism development, Croatia has all the resources it needs and that a bright future awaits us.”

Tourism Minister Gari Capelli said we could expect even better results in 2021 'because, in the presence of such fairs and major marketing activities, only HRK 70 million has been invested in additional airlines over the past two years, which was discussed here'.

Josko Stella, director of the Split-Dalmatia County Tourist Board, expressed his satisfaction with the fact that Split-Dalmatia County presented itself for the first time at the London Fair.

“We want to bring our county to the British market, where we traditionally stand well,” Stella said, adding:

“We have conducted several interviews with three airlines, in cooperation with our airport in Kastela, to introduce additional lines and overcome the possible consequences of Brexit as smoothly as possible.

The results achieved during the peak season in Split-Dalmatia County continue with the new post-season records. According to data from eVisitor and the offices of the Split-Dalmatia County Tourist Board, in October, Split-Dalmatia County was the most visited and most desired Croatian region in tourism. Thus, in October, there were 188,562 arrivals and 623,895 overnights in commercial accommodation, which is an increase of 14 percent in arrivals and 8 percent in overnight stays. In October, there were 15,255 arrivals from the UK market in Split-Dalmatia County, which is an increase of 17% in arrivals and 81,142 in overnights, and an increase of 10% compared to the previous year. In the first ten months of this year, a total of 3,592,210 arrivals (+5%) and 17,932,166 overnight stays (+2%) were realized in the county. In the first ten months, the Germans ranked as our largest market for the first time, with 318,000 arrivals and 2.21 million overnight stays growing 9% in arrivals and 3% in overnight stays. Growth in arrivals and overnight stays in the first ten months compared to last year was also recorded from the UK market. Namely, with 241,000 arrivals and 1.12 million overnight stays, the UK market is up 5% in arrivals and 3% in overnight stays.

In the first ten months of this year, UK guests visiting Central Dalmatia liked Split the most. Namely, they made up 39 percent of the arrivals and 29 percent of overnight stays in Split. Split is followed by Hvar, where they made up 13 percent of the arrivals and 10 percent of the overnight stays. Split, Makarska, Hvar, Omis, Baska Voda, and Tucepi are the most visited tourist destinations in Split-Dalmatia County this year, registering an increase in the number of nights compared to last year.”

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