ZAGREB, Sept 14, 2020 - Croatians in Austria have got their Croatian Hall in Vienna well ahead of the Christmas deadline, and it will host the first meeting of Croatian associations on September 17.

The building, located in the city's 23rd district, is currently being renovated. It stretches over 2,000 square meters and has two large halls, offices, and multifunctional rooms.

"I am proud and very happy. The building is just concrete now, but it is our Croatian Hall. Tireless people, enthusiasts, and professionals believed that we can achieve this and now it is up to us to move on in a spirit of unity," said the president of the Croatian Hall Vienna, Andrej Lucic.

Speaking at the first convention of Croatian associations in Austria last December, which brought together over 2,000 guests, Lucic said that their goal was to realize the Croatian Hall Vienna project before Christmas this year.

"After intensive searches and meetings, this goal has now been accomplished," the Croatian Hall said.

For the latest travel info, bookmark our main travel info article, which is updated daily. 

Read the Croatian Travel Update in your language - now available in 24 languages

Join the Total Croatia Travel INFO Viber community.

ZAGREB, Aug 17, 2020 - The authorities of Vienna have made it possible for all Austrians who returned from holidays in Croatia on August 7-16 to get tested for the coronavirus free of charge until August 21.

There are several free test options.

All persons who returned from Croatia in the said period, regardless of whether they exhibit symptoms of the infection or not, can dial a free phone line, 1450, after which a mobile medical team will visit them at home and take a test sample.

Also as of Sunday, August 16, Austrian nationals who have returned from abroad and do not have any symptoms of the coronavirus disease can get tested free of charge and without prior appointment at the Ernst Happel stadium, where there are drive-in testing stations. It is also possible to come on foot and get tested.

For all those who arrive from Croatia in Austria after August 17th, a new regulation will be in force, under which they must show a negative PCR test (not older than 72 hours) when entering the country, or get tested within 48 hours from arrival.

As Bernard Ivezic/Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 14th of March, 2019, the Austrian capital of Vienna boasts as many as 5,830 IT companies currently in operation, which is more than are in operation on the entire territory of Croatia.

The Croatian Chamber of Commerce (HGK) took with them as many as 32 Croatian companies, mostly from the IT sector, to Vienna's fifth international B2B Software Days.

Among them, the conference was participated in by King ICT, Megatrend business solutions, Mediatoolkit and Ekobit. Tajana Kesić Šapić, the director of the Croatian Chamber of Commerce's industry sector, said that the visit was organised in cooperation with the Austrian Chamber of Commerce, Advantage Austria, and the European Entrepreneurship Network who are interested in the Croatian IT sector.

"Over the last five years, IT companies' revenue in Croatia grew by 7.4 percent, and exports rose almost twice as fast, to 11.3 percent per year," stated Kesić Šapić.

Although the startup scene in the Croatian capital of Zagreb has been ''coming to life'' over the last few years, the same sector in Austria's capital city has been growing stronger at double Zagreb's rate. In Vienna alone, there are more IT companies than are in operation in the whole of the Republic of Croatia, an impressive 5,830 of them.

Vienna is investing more than the equivalent of a quarter of a billion kuna per year into the city's startup scene, and just like in Zagreb, the city readily provides all the necessary support for the free establishment of startups, up to half a million euros worth.

Goran Mrvoš, director of Infosite, one of the Croatian IT companies at the fair, said that in Vienna he realised that the overall awareness of digitalisation in Croatia was low, and that it created a market advantage for foreign competition.

Make sure to follow our dedicated lifestyle and business pages for much more.

Click here for the original article by Bernard Ivezic for Poslovni Dnevnik

It has been planned for years, and last week it finally happened: the first Dalmatian fish market, "Gastro Fisch Brač" opened in Vienna. In Neubau, one of the more prestigious neighborhoods in Vienna, just a couple of minutes walk away from the main square partners Ivo and Toni Bartulović and Milan Prgomet, opened the first Austrian branch of their famous chain of fish markets, that operate all over Dalmatia. 

They got the idea in 2016 and started working on the project in 2018 after they managed to find the appropriate location for their shop. They promised their buyers that the fish will be coming to the shop from the Adriatic 12 to 24 hours after being taken out of the sea. In addition to fish, the buyers will be able to purchase many specialties made from fish and other seafood in this dalmatian fish market.

The opening of the fish market took place on January 12th, and many Croatian as well as Austrian people from the hospitality business, as well as many seafood lovers, came to welcome the novelty to their city. The future buyers got the chance to taste some of the goodies they will be able to purchase in the dalmatian fish market in the center of Vienna in the future. The main attraction of the opening evening was the bluefin tuna, filleted and served by Ivica Katić, the chef in the Zoi restaurant in Split. For years this delicacy, expensive and demanding to breed, was exclusively exported to the Japanese market, which is always looking for more high-quality tuna. Only recently have the Gastro Fisch Brač fish markets in Dalmatia, and now in Austria, started offering the tuna to their buyers. 

As Suzana Varosanec/Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 29th of November, 2018, Business Intelligence (Poslovna inteligencija), the leading company for the implementation of analytical and strategic ICT consulting in Southeast Europe, is planning to take its business across the Atlantic to the North American continent, most likely to Canada, in a move which would be the next big step for the Croatian ICT company following the opening of their offices in two major European cities, London and Vienna.

The bold plan was confirmed by the president of the management of the aforementioned Croatian ICT company, Dražen Oreščanin, who Poslovni Dnevnik caught up with while he was on an official trip to Canada, where the Croatian-Canadian Economic Forum in Toronto was held. He was heading there as part of visit of numerous Croatian businessmen, which had already been reported by the Croatian Chamber of Commerce (HGK).
 
What are your estimates of the possible effects of the visit of our economic delegation to Canada?

Every step we made towards developing cooperation is a good step, and can make moves. During this visit, several activities were held - a forum with the Canadian-Croatian Chamber of Commerce, B2B meetings with interested Toronto companies, a meeting with the local community of Croatian emigrants in Toronto, a visit to the Kitchener Technology Centre, Waterloo University, and two hi-tech companies in Toronto. Existing contacts are interesting, and time will show whether or not it will result in some specific work.
 
What are the impressions on strengthening economic cooperation?

I think there's a mutual interest, the current commodity trade is fairly small, and the numbers grow year after year. The new CETA deal makes it much easier to trade between the European Union and Canada, and the very fact that HGK and the ambassadors of both countries are actively involved in the organisation of such a visit speaks of mutual interest and great potential.
 
What do the Canadians generally say about the business climate and the benefits of starting a business and investing in our country?

The conversations I mainly led were focused on potential opportunities that we as a Business Intelligence have on the Canadian market, but I didn't  talk to my interlocutors about just those topics. Recently, the Canadian company Constellation took over IN2, one of the largest IT companies in Croatia, so it's obvious that investment interest exists.
 
What is the potential for further expansion of the company on the Canadian market, as well as cooperation with the companies over there?

I certainly see the potential, I hope that some of the conversations we've had to turn into some concrete opportunities and work. We're certainly planning to open up a company on the North American continent after we open companies in London and Vienna. What I've seen during this visit is truly exceptional and very competitive when compared to other places we're contemplating in the United States. We'll probably make a final decision based on the volume of work we have in a specific part of the US and Canada, and here, the potential for a company like Business Intelligence is definitely big.

Make sure to follow our dedicated business and Made in Croatia pages for more information on this Croatian ICT company, other various companies from up and down the country and their services.

Click here for the original article/interview by Suzana Varosanec for Poslovni Dnevnik

Beautiful ladies of Croatian origin will compete for a chance to participate in Miss Supranational Croatia in June

A promo for Croatia in the Austrian capital.

Two popular destinations in Austria are about to get a dose of Croatian Christmas carols

One of the most distinguished Croatian inventions was presented in Vienna

The woman featured on Schiele's iconic painting is getting some long-deserved recognition - in Croatia