ZAGREB, 30 Jan 2022 - WRC Croatia Rally, one of the most watched sporting events in the world, returns to Croatia in April for the first time with spectators, who will be able to watch the world's best rally drivers in a total of 20 speed tests through five Croatian counties.

Thanks to the excellent organisation of the sporting and accompanying part of last year's debut race, Croatia has been cited many times as a breath of fresh air and a real surprise on the WRC calendar. The organisers were given the opportunity to extend the contract for the event for at least two more years.

WRC Croatia Rally, which will bring together the world's best rally drivers, will be held on 21-24 April with speed tests through five Croatian counties -- Zagreb, Karlovac, Krapina- Zagorje, Primorje-Gorski Kotar and Varaždin -- while the ceremonial start and finish will be in Zagreb.

This year, it is expected that there will be a record number of spectators at a sporting event in our country. The organisers estimate that there may be over 350,000 spectators in special fan zones and along the track, expected to arrive from Europe and from all over the world.

"It is a huge success for our country to have Croatia included in the world calendar, to bring the world championship here and organise the race at such a high level", said Davorin Štetner, president of the Croatian Automobile and Karting Federation.

This year the WRC is celebrating its 50th anniversary, and the 2022 season was launched last weekend in Monte Carlo.

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

ZAGREB, 26 April, 2021 - Belgian Thierry Neuville, who came in third in Croatia Rally, the third round of the World Rally Championship (WRC), will donate €4,000 for the reconstruction of the building of the General Hospital "Dr Ivo Pedišić" in Sisak.

Neuville has shown that in addition to being an excellent rally driver, he is also a great humanitarian as he joined the international humanitarian campaign "Together to the Finish Line", which was launched at the end of March by the Croatia Rally organising committee with the support of the WRC and the Croatian Red Cross as the project holder.

Neuville's team thanked the organisers for a great rally which took place this weekend at the local roads of Karlovac, Krapina-Zagorje and Zagreb counties and the City of Zagreb. They said that everyone was extremely happy and satisfied with their stay in Croatia.

Together with his colleagues Sebastien Ogier and Teemu Suninen, Neuville has been supporting the humanitarian campaign since the very start, and the Belgian had announced that he would donate €2,000 for participating and €4,000 if he won second or third place.

After a great weekend on local Croatian roads, the Belgian finished third, together with his co-driver Martijn Wydaeghe. Interestingly, the Belgian crew was third in all of the three rounds of this year's WRC, and it is ranked second in it overall WRC standings.

All those interested can support the excellent sports-humanitarian initiative until 30 April by donating to account HR2023600001502892305.

To read more news from Croatia, follow our dedicated page.

April 25, 2021 - From incredible flight news to The Total Croatia Travel INFO (TCTI) Viber community winning an award, the past week has been exciting. Here are TCN's five highlights of the week in Croatia from April 19 to 25, 2021.

The week started with the exciting introduction of a new direct route between New York and Dubrovnik. While things may have taken a slight turn in the middle of the week, the latest news regarding The Total Croatia Travel INFO Viber community ended the week on a high. From Monday to Sunday, we list five events featured on Croatia's news portals on the front pages.

Highlights of the week: TCTI Viber Community, Manjgura, Mediacor Wins 2021 Crisis Management PR Grand Prix 

The Total Croatia Travel INFO (TCTI) Viber community, in partnership with Manjgura and Mediacor, has won the 2021 HUOJ International Grand Prix Award for Crisis Communication. It was a project with a total investment of just 2,000 kunas (US $320) that generated more than 10 million euros of tourism spend for the Croatian economy in 2020. 

Although the award is associated with TCN, it actually goes to the partners, Croatia's oldest PR agency, Manjgura, and Mediacor. You can check out Manjgura services here and Mediacor here. The project was conceived by Manjgura founder Kreso Macan, who had the vision to see the need and the determination and drive to pull off the project. It was a masterclass of how to achieve the goal. 

Highlights of the week: Forbes Included Istria in 50 Spectacular Places to Visit Post-Pandemic 

Another recognition of Croatia's beauty and tourist offer as the American magazine Forbes included Istria among 50 spectacular destinations for post-pandemic travels. The article states that Istria is an ideal destination for all gastronomy lovers who wish to taste quality olive oil, truffles, prosciutto, wine, and seafood in Istria. It also emphasizes the beauty of Istrian towns and their excellent geographical position.

Srecko Niketic

"Foodies should consider Croatia's Istrian Peninsula for their next taste-testing vacation. As the crow flies, you're practically in Italy; in fact, there's a ferry that runs between Venice and Pula, Croatia. You'll find truffles, olive oil, prosciutto, wine, and all types of seafood, plus delicacies that are 100% Croatian.

This region is popular with European travelers, but Americans are only just beginning to visit. If you go, be sure to split your time between a coastal city (such as Rovinj or Pula) and inland villages (hill-top Motovun is a favorite)," writes Forbes.

Highlights of the week: United Airlines Flights to Croatia Announced with New York-Dubrovnik Line this Summer! 

United Airlines, one of the largest American airlines, is launching a direct route between the United States and Croatia! After American Airlines permanently canceled the Philadelphia-Dubrovnik route due to the global pandemic, Croatia will directly connect with the United States. 

Pixabay

Croatia has met all the conditions for abolishing tourist visas to enter the United States, and American guests can plan a vacation in Croatia this summer, so United decided to be the first to react and introduce a direct line to Dubrovnik from New York this summer! United will operate to Dubrovnik as early as July 8 this year with three flights per week. Departures from New York are planned on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays, with the return from Dubrovnik a day later.

Highlights of the week: Croatian Tennis Federation Rejects Established Croatia Player for Brother's Social Media Posts? 

A member of the Croatian tennis community and organizer of the Croatia Bol Open, Feliks Lukas, announced on his Facebook page that the Croatian Tennis Federation (HTS) rejected the request of his sister, Tena Lukas, to play at the ITF Zagreb Ladies Open. 

"The Croatian Tennis Federation rejected the request to invite the seven-time senior national team member and #268 WTA tennis player of the world to the ITF Zagreb Ladies Open, explaining it to Tena as follows:

'Because of your brother's Facebook posts, you are not a candidate for an invitation to the tournament!'

Davor Javorovic

Namely, in its defense, HTS stated that the mentioned tennis player Tena Lukas did not get a wild card because she has practically not been able to beat anyone lately. "As a member of the Croatia national team, Tena Lukas was certainly among the candidates for an invitation to the Zagreb Ladies Open because she deserved this opportunity with her performances in the former Fed Cup (now the Billie Jean King Cup) and on an individual level. However, her latest results were crucial not to be shortlisted this time: she played seven tournaments this year, and she was eliminated in all seven in the first round, either in the main event or in the qualifiers."

Highlights of the week: Croatia Rally Day One: Belgian Driver Thierry Neuville in the Lead 

The 2021 Croatia Rally, part of one of the world's most attractive auto racing competitions (World Rally Championship - WRC), is being held from April 22 to 25 this year. The race is held on across three counties, on the local roads of Zagreb, Karlovac, and Krapina-Zagorje counties.

Luka Stanzl

The two-day race began on Friday with Belgian driver Thierry Neuville (Hyundai i20) leads with three-morning victories on the WRC Croatia Rally day one. Even with small delays in the four-afternoon specials, he kept the top spot, while the current and seven-time world champion Frenchman Sebastien Ogier broke into second place (Toyota Yaris).

To follow all news from Croatia, subscribe to our newsletter.

ZAGREB, 19 April, 2021 - Everything is ready for the arrival of participants in the third round of the FIA World Rally Championship, which will take place in Croatia on 22-25 April, and the host expects more than 200 reporters and TV crews for this occasion.

A total of 69 teams are expected at the Croatia Rally route which will include local roads around Plešivica, Žumberak, and Karlovac and Krapina-Zagorje counties, while the initial special stage will be in Zagreb, the organisers said.

The event will be broadcast live to more than 150 countries worldwide.

The audience in Croatia can watch it on the national HRT broadcaster and the Arena Sport channel as well as on the WRC+ broadcaster.

A WRC service park has been set up on the Zagreb Fair (ZV) compound where about 1,200 people are involved in preparing the vehicles and drivers for the race.

The strict anti-epidemic protocols, developed in cooperation with the FIA 'Return to Motor Sport Guidelines', and the epidemiological rules imposed by Croatia's health authorities are being applied in the park and other venues of the race.

A total of 12 teams will compete in the strongest WRC category, and some of the stars are Sébastien Ogier, a French rally driver, Estonian Ott Tänak, Belgian Thierry Neuville and Finnish driver Kale Rovanperä.

The third round of the WRC rally features six Croatian drivers: Viliam Prodan, Martin Ravenščak, Krešimir Ravenščak, Ivica Siladić, Mateo Butorac and Željko Magličić.

For more about sports in Croatia, follow our dedicated page.

April 16, 2021 - The global promotion of Croatia Rally is said to be around EUR 40 million, positioning the country on the map of motorsports fans worldwide.

There is one week left until the start of the biggest sporting event in Croatia this year - the Croatia Rally, the third stage of the World Rally Championship (WRC). It is a sports spectacle of the highest level that will put Croatia on the automotive map of the world, and in addition to its sporting size, the event also brings a significant economic and tourist impact, reports HRTurizam.

Analyzes show that the value of global media visibility for Croatia alone from the Croatia Rally is over 40 million euro. Apart from the media value, Croatia Rally is also of great importance for the image of Croatia because it positions the country on the map of motorsports fans worldwide.

"Although the coronavirus and restrictions prevented us from realizing all the ideas we had, Croatia Rally will bring us global visibility among hundreds of millions of WRC fans around the world this year as well. It is important that we show the FIA ​​and the WRC Promoter that we are a reliable partner and justify the tremendous trust they have given us. I am sure that, thanks to the hard-working team that works day and night and our loyal partners, we will succeed in this plan and show that Croatia deserves to host this great event," said Daniel Šaškin, President of the Croatia Rally Organizing Committee.

Under strict epidemiological standards, 1,200 participants of the competition - drivers and support staff - will arrive in Zagreb, and the event will be watched online or live by about 1,500 journalists and camera crews.

"Sport is once again functioning as an ambassador for branding Croatian tourism because it is an excellent indirect way to attract the attention of the world public and create interest in Croatia. Global publicity with a strong media reach that we get by participating in the WRC has a stronger effect on potential consumers in tourism compared to paid tourism advertising, and thus is a very effective part of integrated marketing communication in Croatia as a tourist destination," said Sanja Čižmar, consultant at hospitality and company director 505 Consulting.

Portugal often stands out as an example of a country that has made very good use of the World Rally Championship potential. 

Studies show that the direct spending of fans, organizations, and teams during Rally Portugal 2019 exceeded 73 million euro. And it is with Portugal, which has made great use of the potential of organizing the WRC stage, that Croatia very often compares itself in terms of tourism.

"We must not neglect the economic effects that Croatia can achieve. Although the current year is marked by a pandemic and most of the economic impact of this global spectacle will be absent, an important aspect is that the race takes place in April, thus drawing public attention and potentially creating effects outside the main summer season. In addition, economic research conducted by Croatian scientific institutions several years ago showed that the estimated generated consumption in a stable market situation according to the conservative scenario is over 22 million euro. Although this level of effects will not be fully achieved this year due to pandemic restrictions, Croatia has the opportunity to host the World Cup in the coming years, when significant economic effects are expected," adds Čižmar.

Relevant research by economic analysts shows that the direct economic effects of the organization of the World Rally Championship are realized primarily in the activities of transport, catering, and accommodation, but also through accompanying events.

In addition to generating the consumption of visitors, journalists, and participants, the attractiveness of the landscape, road infrastructure, and local eno-gastronomic specialties will be promoted in parallel. International research also indicates that a very large proportion of WRC visitors visiting their destination for the first time intend to return for a tourist visit.

To follow the latest sports news in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

To learn more about sport in Croatia, CLICK HERE. 

March 26, 2021 - The World Rally Championship, Croatia Rally, and the Croatian Red Cross join forces to renovate Sisak's hospital, which was badly damaged after the earthquake.

As Tportal.hr reports, the Organizing Committee of the Croatia Rally, with the support of the World Rally Championship (WRC) and the Croatian Red Cross as the project leader, is launching an international humanitarian action ‘‘Together for a common goal’’ to help the General Hospital ‘Dr. Ivo Pedišić’ in Sisak.

The mentioned action will last from March 25 to April 30, and all funds collected by donations to the bank account HR2023600001502892305 in that period will be spent on the renovation of the Sisak hospital building.

Croatia Rally, which is included in the calendar of the World Rally Championship (WRC) for 2021, and which will host one of the world's most attractive sports events in Zagreb from April 22 to 25, is launching an initiative, with the help of citizens, to raise the financial resources needed for the successful reconstruction of the main health institution of the Sisak-Moslavina County destroyed in the earthquake of last December.

The organizers of this international humanitarian action decided to use the arrival of the world event in Croatia, which attracts the great interest of spectators every year, to help the local community, and support for this praiseworthy action comes from rally drivers Thierry Neuville, Sebastien Ogier, and Teemu Suninen. The popularity of the WRC is evidenced by the fact that, in recent years, WRC races have been watched on TV screens by about 836 million viewers, and 13 races have attracted more than 4 million viewers.

Photo: PIXSELL

‘‘From the very beginning of organizing and bringing the WRC to Croatia, we have been trying to use all ways to give our actions an additional contribution to our community. That is why our vision of the race from the very beginning goes beyond the framework of sports competition. In addition to the promotion of our country and the rich tourist offer, we are convinced that we can encourage citizens to show their big heart again and to help those who are in dire need. We will also promote the action outside Croatia and we believe in the support of many spectators around the world, and many drivers arriving in Croatia have already promised their contribution’’, said the president of the Organizing Committee of Croatia Rally, Daniel Šaškin.

The holder of the humanitarian action 'Together for a common goal' is the Croatian Red Cross, which continuously invests exceptional efforts and helps the affected areas.

Photo: PIXSELL

‘‘The World Rally Championship race is being organized on the territory of the Republic of Croatia for the first time. It is great recognition for our country, but also for motorsports. We are especially proud that the race has a humanitarian character and that the Croatian Red Cross was chosen as a partner in the implementation of the donation. We welcome the idea of ​​the organizers that the collected donations help to normalize life in the earthquake-affected area, primarily the Sisak hospital. The renovation of the hospital will raise the quality of life in the entire Sisak-Moslavina County. We are happy that even after the race and the announcement of the best drivers in Banovina, there will be a lasting trace of the humanity of the World Rally Championship motorists’’, said Robert Markt, Executive President of the Croatian Red Cross.

The director of the Sisak General Hospital expressed his gratitude and pointed out that he would invest the donated funds in the renovation of the General Hospital building so that it could serve its citizens as soon as possible.

‘‘In the devastating earthquake on December 29, 2020, OB ‘Dr. Ivo Pedišić’ in Sisak suffered great damage. Hospital buildings, medical equipment, inventory, and supplies of medicines were damaged. As time passes, we try to organize and provide the highest possible level of health care to all residents of Sisak-Moslavina County. It will certainly take a lot of effort, time, and resources for the hospital to start working at full capacity again. Therefore, we are grateful to the Organizing Committee of the Croatia Rally with the support of the World Rally Championship (WRC) and the Croatian Red Cross for the donation that will help rebuild and rehabilitate the hospital but also to continue to develop the hospital’’, said the director of the hospital, M.Sc. Tomislav Dujmenović, MD

All information about the humanitarian action can be found on the website of the Croatian Red Cross, and details about the sports spectacle that arrives in Croatia in April can be found on the official rally-croatia.com website and on their official social media channels on Facebook and Instagram.

You can participate in the humanitarian action by donating to the following bank account:

ZAGREBAČKA BANKA D.D. / HR2023600001502892305 / USER: CROATIAN RED CROSS / Reference number: 773; Swift: 773 / Description of payment: Croatia rally for Sisak hospital

To see the original article click here.

For more information about travel in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page.

March 23, 2021 - We're less than a month away until the start of the Croatia Rally 2021, the third race of the World Rally Championship.

HRT reports that this year, there will be more than 300 km of special stages at the Croatia Rally. Due to the epidemiological situation, the Super Special speed test will not be held at the Zagreb Fair. Still, the itinerary remains attractive and challenging enough for the best drivers in the world. The best crews and speedsters in the world will thus race in Croatia, particularly in the area of Zagreb and Zagreb, Karlovac, and Krapina-Zagorje counties.

The competition will begin with a ceremonial start in front of the National and University Library in Zagreb on April 22. It will last until April 25, when crews are expected to finish at Zagreb's St. Mark's Square.

"We hoped until the last moment and believed that we would be able to organize races at the Fair. But the epidemiological situation did not go our way. These are tests that would gather a larger number of people in a small space, and part would be driven inside the pavilion, so it would be difficult or impossible to maintain the prescribed epidemiological distance. The health of all participants is our number one priority, and we decided to shorten the itinerary. The rest of the competition will be held according to the schedule," said the Croatia Rally president of the Organizing Committee, Daniel Šaškin.

Despite the shortened route, Croatia Rally remains the first competition with more than 300 km of speed tests after the Rally Catalunya - Costa Daruda 2019. FIA ​​and WRC delegates were satisfied with what was seen in Croatia during last week's inspection. They believe holding the rally in a big city like Zagreb is a big plus, where, in addition to service, there will also be locations for the ceremonial start and finish. They also rated the speed tests as attractive and challenging.

"What makes us happy are the applications, and it is already clear that all WRC stars will be driving in Croatia, who will be fighting for important championship points on our tracks. Conceptually, after shortening the Croatia Rally route, it did not change significantly. The only location that will not be driven is at the Fair, near the service parking lot, and all other locations outside Zagreb will remain as planned. Friday and Saturday are reserved for expressways in the Samobor hills, Žumberak, and the Karlovac area. On Sunday, they will drive across Sljeme and in the vicinity of Kumrovec," said rally director Slaven Dedić.

Croatia Rally will score points for WRC, WRC-2, WRC-3, and Junior WRC. There will be a big fight in all classes, and currently leading in the strongest category is 20-year-old Finn Kalle Rovanperä, a Toyota driver. Second place is held by Belgian Thierry Neuville from Hyundai, while third is the seven-time world champion, Frenchman Sebastien Ogier from Toyota.

It is expected that the teams in Croatia will present the latest evolutions of cars for the first time because, in the first two competitions of the season, they did not need the maximum potential of competition vehicles due to wet and snowy conditions. The organizers still hope that the spectacle will not pass without spectators.

"In Estonia last year, the authorities allowed the holding of WRC competitions with the public in specially designated zones. I believe that something similar could be organized in Croatia. We have 150 kilometers of tracks, which potentially offer views from the road's left and right sides. There is no shortage of room to keep the epidemiological distance, and we have prepared special COVID protocols. They will have to be adhered to by all participants, officials, and spectators if allowed to come. For those who will not be able to be by the track, there are broadcasts on Croatian Radio and Television that I believe will have a large audience," concluded Šaškin.

You can read more about Croatia Rally 2021 HERE.

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

ZAGREB, 14 March 2021 - Croatia Rally will take place on 22-25 April as the next round of the World Rally Championship (WRC) after Arctic Rally Finland, and Croatia will host for the first time the best rally drivers of today and become the 34th country in history to host a WRC race.

About 80 teams are expected at Croatia Rally. The route will include local roads around Plešivica, Žumberak, and Karlovac and Krapina-Zagorje counties, while the initial special stage will be in Zagreb, the organizers said.

Croatia is the third of the 12 rounds of the 2021 championship, and the 22 special stages are over 300 kilometers long. It is unknown whether spectators will be allowed to be there, and organizers are awaiting a response from competent institutions.

We are only 45 days away from Croatia Rally. We will use the time to determine the final details of the competition, said Daniel Šaškin,  president of Croatia Rally organizing committee.

The results and standings after the first two rounds are very interesting. Finn Rovanpera is only 20 years old, the leading driver, which shows what talent he has. Interesting fights await us in all categories at Croatia Rally, and the 20th edition of Junior WRC also begins, he said.

Our rally is the first all-asphalt rally this season, so we will see how drivers will manage those conditions, Šaškin noted.

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

January 22, 2021 - The 2021 Croatia Rally, part of one of the world's most attractive auto racing competitions (World Rally Championship - WRC), will be held from April 22 to 25 this year. 

HRTurizam reports that after it was confirmed last year that Croatia Rally was included in the World Rally Championship (WRC) calendar, all other details are now known. From April 22 to 25, one of the most attractive sporting events of today will be held on the local roads of Zagreb, Karlovac, and Krapina-Zagorje counties.

The presentation of drivers and vehicles will be held at the National and University Library in Zagreb, the fastest will stand on the podium at St. Mark's Square, and test drives will start on Tuesday, April 20.

The start of the race will be in the Zagreb Fair area, and interestingly, for the first time in the history of the WRC, part of the track will be located indoors, inside the pavilion. The crews will start racing on April 23 in the area of Samoborsko Gorje, followed by speed tests in the wider area of Karlovac. The day after, speed tests will also take place in the area of Samoborsko Gorje and Karlovac. At the same time, on April 25, they will drive in the area of Hrvatsko Zagorje (Zagorska sela and Kumrovec), and on the trails on Medvednica.

"We chose the track carefully to avoid crowds, but also to enable the audience to come and enjoy the attractive rides. We hope that the epidemiological situation will allow that. Also, the WRC is an excellent opportunity to show the whole world the most beautiful parts of our country, and we have no doubt that the competition will be exciting - both live and in front of small screens," said the President of the Organizing Committee of Croatia Rally 2021, Daniel Šaškin.

The octane spectacle was watched by over 830 million viewers in 2019, and the WRC has seen a rise in popularity in the last seven years.

"With a huge international promotion, imagine the economic effect for Croatia will be achieved by tens of thousands of overnight stays, local consumption of participants, and the engagement of thousands of people needed for the organization. We hope that the situation at the end of April will allow the presence of spectators, which would mean the arrival of a large number of WRC fans from around the world. This is the best possible invitation before this year's tourist season," added the President of the Croatian Automobile and Karting Association and WRC Croatia Steering Committe, Davorin Štetner.

As Stetner pointed out, this is also a phenomenal opportunity to position and promote Croatian tourism. In 2021, Croatia will host two major spectacles, the World Rally Championship - WRC and the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series (for the next three years).

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

October 11, 2020 - Big news in the auto-racing world, as the World Rally Championship is coming to Croatia at the end of April next year!

Goran Rihelj of HRTuirzam reports that the World Motorsport Council, the FIA ​​World Automobile Federation council, confirmed that the Croatia Rally is included in the calendar of the World Rally Championship (WRC) for 2021. Croatia will host one of the world's most attractive sports events from April 22 to 25, 2021.

The start and finish of the race will be in Zagreb, and it will be driven on the local roads of Zagreb, Karlovac and Krapina-Zagorje counties. How attractive these races are is best illustrated by the 836 million spectators who watched the WRC last year. The clubs holding the Croatia Rally are D.T. from Poreč and Cro Dakar Team from Zagreb, with the support of the Croatian Auto and Karting Association.

"This was literally a fight of 11 rounds, and now the most important one awaits us, the organizational and logistical one. Still, the feeling is great because the WRC is, along with Formula 1, the most prestigious octane competition in the world and only selected countries have the opportunity to host this spectacle. In addition to the sports part, we are planning many side events, such as a large economic and investment forum, because sports are first and foremost big business. I am proud and grateful to everyone involved in this complex process! We will show Croatia in the best light and mark 115 years of motoring in Croatia in the best possible way!" concluded the president of the Croatian Auto and Karting Association Davorin Štetner.

It has taken many years of struggle, lobbying and positioning Croatia as an ideal destination for the WRC. 

Back in 2017, after Croatia Rally, as a successor to the INA Delta Rally, moved to Istria in 2013 as a European Rally Championship, the team around Auto Club D.T. from Porec, A.K. Cro Dakar Team from Zagreb and A.K. Delta Sport from Zagreb, with the support of the then president of the Croatian Auto and Karting Association (HAKS) Matko Bolanča, vice president of HAKS Domagoj Kamenski and secretary of HAKS Zrinko Gregurek, started working more concretely on the idea of ​​bringing the WRC to Croatia. Thanks to Zrinko Gregurek, secretary of HAKS, the Croatian beauties, tourist infrastructure and winding, hilly and narrow Istrian and Kvarner roads, with the persistence of project managers Daniel Šaškin, Marin Frček and their team, the WRC was at their door. Then in September, the most important people of the WRC and the FIA ​​visited Croatia to present the ideas and possibilities.

A meeting was held at the highest level, with the Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia, the project had the support of MINT and CNTB, and things were more than promising. In fact, Croatia was granted the WRC in 2018, but Turkey was faster, so in almost a week it obtained all the necessary permits and state guarantees and signed a contract with the WRC promoter for the end of September, which Croatian organizers had hoped for. After that, the term offered to Croatia was in July 2018, which was not acceptable given the seasonal crowds and the peak tourist season, and the organizers wanted the WRC in Croatia to be organized in April, May, early June, late September or October.

Without thinking about surrendering, the struggle for the arrival of the WRC in Croatia continued. Thus, at the 103rd session in 2018, the Government of the Republic of Croatia gave its consent to submit a candidacy for the organization of the World Rally Championship (WRC) in the Republic of Croatia in 2019 and 2020. This was the first precondition for the globally popular WRC to be held for the first time in Croatia, as the FIA ​​and WRC Promoters condition the bringing of one WRC station only by the active participation of state institutions in the project on several levels, of course, to ensure quality performance and an organization at the level required by the whole event.

Then all the prerequisites for the day's agreement were on the table, and the organizers wanted the WRC in Croatia to be organized in April, May, early June, late September, or October 2019 or 2020. But then the story came to a halt and there was no news about the progress of the negotiations.

However, in March 2019, Davorin Štetner, former assistant president and longtime member of the Board of the Croatian Auto and Karting Association, was elected the new president of the association. Without any multiplication of the success and effort of the entire team that worked from the beginning, the arrival of Stetner at the forefront was a game-changer and a change of direction through a new narrator. Because Davorin Štetner, entrepreneur and investor, was written in capital letters in the history of Formula 1 in 2011 as the youngest private owner of Formula 1 TV rights in the world. An achievement that enabled him to have direct contacts with the leading people of Formula 1, as well as the position of special guest of all F1 events around the world.

Also, in the same year, the Kreator Group successfully obtained media rights for the most prestigious sailing race around the world - Volvo Ocean Race ™ and the rights to broadcast the World Motorcycle Championship - MotoGP ™ and other premium sports rights.

In 2013, he launched a specialized sports channel - Kreator TV, which broadcasts in almost all cable operators in the country. In parallel with the launch of the channel, Štetner also invests in a satellite and television center in Jastrebarsko. In 2014, he signed agreements on exclusive cooperation with Eurosport and other major television companies. At the beginning of 2012, he founded the KREATOR RACING TEAM with the aim of racing in karting and foreign Formula One categories. Also, Štetner is a member of the FIA group for digital motorsport and participated in the creation of rules at the global level, and no less important, the president of the Croatian network of business angels - CRANE.

Finally, in July 2020, Jean Todt, President of the World Automobile Federation (FIA) visited Croatia, and the main topic of meetings with Croatian officials was the possibility of holding the World Rally Championship race in Croatia. Under the leadership of Jean Todt from 1993 to 2008 - Ferrari won 14 Formula 1 titles, a name that does not need to be specifically represented anywhere in the world.

All of the above led to this video address by Jean Todt on the pages of the Croatian Auto and Karting Association - HAKS.

Interestingly, Jean Todt especially referred to the successful organization and holding of the 46th INA Delta Rally in Zagreb, which took place at the end of September this year, especially in the context of restrictions and epidemiological measures related to the coronavirus epidemic.

In 2019, the WRC was watched by 836 million spectators, and 13 races attracted more than 4 million spectators, while the races achieved 1.4 billion online views. About 1,500 accredited journalists report on the competition, and almost 9,860 hours of TV programs have been produced, which are broadcast in more than 150 countries around the world.

In the last seven years, the WRC has recorded a significant trend of growing popularity. This was helped by the implementation of new television technologies with the creative use of footage from helicopters and drones.

Feasibility studies prepared in 2017 by the Faculty of Economics and Tourism from Pula, headed by prof. dr. sc. Robert Zenzerović, Cooperative for Ethical Financing from Zagreb and an abbreviated study by the Department of Economics and Sports Management of the Faculty of Kinesiology in Zagreb, headed by dr. sc. Sanela Škorić et al. sc. Mato Bartolucie from the Faculty of Economics in Zagreb, and based on data from other WRC races in the world, proves that this is a project of great benefit to the Republic of Croatia.

In the most conservative calculations, the generated consumption would amount to 22 million euros. The direct profit for the state, only through VAT, is at least four million euros, while the indirect profit of the project through media effects is 41 million euros.

It is clear that one such global attraction is a magnet for extending the tourist season and promoting and branding Croatia on a global level. We could clearly see this in the example of the Tour of Croatia race, which was unfortunately killed due to private interests. This can only be achieved with new attractive content and strong entertainment and sports events in the pre- and post-season, such as the WRC.

The arrival of the WRC in Croatia is an opportunity to promote and brand Croatia, because no matter what we think, the Croatia brand is still insufficiently recognized throughout the world. After all, the best ambassadors of Croatia so far have been its sporting successes.

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