ZAGREB, March 25, 2019 - President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović on Monday attended a ceremony marking Zadar University Day at which she recalled that the city's Dominican college of philosophy and theology, established in 1396, had been the first tertiary institution in Croatia, adding that that tradition was part not only of Zadar University but of the overall national identity and the history of Croatian education and culture.

The president sees universities as important stakeholders in the restoration of dialogue on the political and social scene.

"Our society lacks dialogue and understanding, debates in which strength is measured by arguments and competence, and that's why I see universities as drivers and stakeholders in shaping a culture of dialogue and a more constructive social atmosphere," she added.

The president underscored that she "is following all the changes and recommendations related to education, which is the foundation of development of any country."

"As such, I welcome the initiative by the Rectors' Conference and its president, Rector Dijana Vican, who are highly motivated to use EU funds to improve university infrastructure and equipment, which is essential for the work of students, professors and researchers and for the overall development," she said.

She underscored that she expected the academic community "to be more actively involved in social changes and not just education reform so that our nation can actively participate in European academic and scientific development processes."

More news about Croatian universities can be found in the Lifestyle section.

It’ll be another busy year for Croatian airports as some 11 million passengers are expected to travel through them in 2019. Recall, this is quite an increase from last year’s 10.5 million. But who’s counting. 

Here’s a breakdown of what Croatia’s nine commercial airports expect this year, courtesy of Ex-Yu Aviation on March 21, 2019. 

Zagreb Airport: The airport in Croatia’s capital expects a 5% increase in passengers in 2019, with a 3% growth in operations. This is thanks to several carriers boosting capacities this summer, including Iberia, Vueling, LOT Polish Airlines, Qatar Airways, and Eurowings. Many other airlines, however, will expand operations. 

Split Airport: It’ll be an exciting year for Split airport, which will open their new terminal in June. As works are still aggressively underway to meet the summer deadline, Pero Bilas, Deputy General Manager of Split Airport, announced the usual 5 to 10% increase in passengers this year. Split airport will also see 50 airlines this summer, with many new carriers including Air France, British Airways, Luxair, Ryanair and Laudamotion.

Dubrovnik Airport: It’ll be another solid year for Dubrovnik airport, which expects passenger growth of 4.59% in 2019. Most travelers are expected from the United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands, Sweden, Poland, and the Czech Republic. Nearly 70 airlines will operate to the city this year, and most exciting is the launch of the American Airlines flight from Philadelphia, which will connect the US to Croatia for the first time in 28 years. Also impressive is that Flydubai will continue with trips this summer and Ryanair will launch flights to Dubrovnik. A significant increase in traffic should be seen from London, Paris, Amsterdam, and Dublin said Dubrovnik airport general manager Frano Luetić.

Pula Airport: After a record 2018, Pula airport projects growth of 7% this year and expects to handle 750,000 travelers. Eleven thousand flights will operate out of the airport in 2019, with airlines EasyJet, Laudamotion, TUI Airways, Jet2, and Condor all introducing new services. Brexit, however, could affect the airport this year, as 32% of passengers traveling through Pula are British. 

Zadar Airport: It’ll be a big year for Zadar airport as Ryanair introduces eight new routes from the city. Easyjet will add two new lines, while Iberia Express, Air Serbia, Transavia, Laudamotion and Condor will launch seasonal flights this summer. Zadar airport will count 16 airlines and 51 trips to 31 destinations in Europe this year and should count an additional 100,000 passengers to last year’s 603,819. 

Rijeka Airport: Lufthansa, Air Serbia, TUI Airways and Volotea will launch operations at Rijeka airport this year, which should see a 16% increase in passengers. Operations at Rijeka airport should also increase by 6%. Many airlines will also boost activities to Rijeka, such as Transavia, who will increase flights by 300% compared to last year. 

Osijek Airport: A growth of 11% and 74,300 travelers are expected at Osijek airport this year. While Wizz Air will boost operations on its Basel service, Eurowings will begin their service from Cologne forty days earlier. 

Brač Airport: Dalmatia’s island airport should see around 31,000 travelers in 2019, which is the same as last year. Recall, the airport is currently in the process of expanding its runway and terminal, which is the primary focus. Works should begin in 2020. 

Lošinj Airport: To conclude, the seasonal Lošinj airport will maintain flights from Zagreb and Lugano on Silver Air this summer, while the Czech carrier will introduce a new operation to Venice twice a week, replacing their Pula route. 

You can read the full report on Ex-Yu Aviation. 

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

As eZadar writes on the 11th of March, 2019, quite a significant number of American citizens live in Zadar and the islands belonging to Zadar County, many of these people are Americans who hold dual Croatian and US citizenship, and one of the aspects of the US Embassy's activity is to provide consular services to its citizens.

The US Embassy has recently launched an initiative called MeetUS, which aims to create a group of experts for each county that will work on extending and strengthening the activities of the US Embassy in the Republic of Croatia. Every year, a team of American and local members of staff of the US embassy will focus on one county to strengthen co-operation with local representatives of all sectors of society.

The aim of the initiative is to strengthen and maintain good relations with key stakeholders in public administration, the economy, the education sector and civil society as a whole throughout Croatia. The purpose of this particular initiative is to present the county with the US embassy staff, get better acquainted with local needs and find ways to cooperate further.

On Tuesday, March the 12th, 2019 Meeting with the Director of the Zadar Tourist Board, Mr. Mari Palek and the staff will be held in the premises of the Zadar Tourist Board at 10:30.

The US embassy staff who will come to Zadar County for an informal, working visit are:

Anja Picelj-Kosak - Media Specialist
Mirjana Pribanić - Budget Analyst
Darby Carter - GSO EPAP Officer
Željko Medić - Visa Assistant

In the light of the upcoming tourist season, and especially given the increased Croatian marketing activity on the American broadcasting market and the knowledge of booking by hoteliers and travel agencies, one of the topics to be tackled is the increasing number of American tourists arriving in Zadar and the wider Zadar County.

Make sure to stay up to date by following our dedicated politics and lifestyle pages.

March 10, 2019 - At Zadar airport on March 7, 2019, in the presence of Croatia’s prime minister Andrej Plenković, an agreement was signed between the Minister of the Sea, Transport, and Infrastructure and the Zadar airport, which regulates financing the project to overhaul the airport facilities. Namely, Zadar airport will extend the runway by 700 meters, and expand the terminal building and apron so they could handle long haul flights, reports AvioRadar and Ex Yu Aviation. 

“This is a strategic project worth more than 500 million kuna (70 million euro),” said the Minister of the Sea, Transport, and Infrastructure, Oleg Butković, adding that this agreement resolves the legal property relations so that it could extend the runway by 700 meters. The Croatian government will also assist in financing the project.

“When the project documentation is complete, the project will also be submitted for EU funds,” Butković added. 

Josip Klišmanić, the general manager of Zadar airport, said that the necessary project documentation would be obtained this year to ensure works begin as quickly as possible, though there is no deadline for the project’s completion as of yet. 

Defense Minister Damir Krstičević even said that the Croatian Army, using the expanded USS and operational areas, will gain new capabilities and fully support this project. 

Recall, Zadar has planned to handle long haul flights for years, as they specifically hoped to welcomed flights from China. The airport, however, gave up hope two years ago. 

In other news, Zadar airport welcomed 603,819 passengers in 2018 and will celebrate 50 years in 2019. The airport also hopes to welcome an additional 100,000 passengers this year. 

In 2019, Ryanair will introduce eight new routes, EasyJet will launch two, and Iberia Express, Air Serbia, Transavia, Laudamotion and Condor will begin seasonal flights to Zadar this summer. Thus, 16 airlines will operate 51 flights to 31 destinations in Europe from Zadar, adds Ex Yu Aviation. 

Zadar airport now follows the footsteps of Zagreb, Dubrovnik and Split in carrying out a significant airport overhaul. 

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

March 8, 2019 - A fabulous family entertainment addition to the Adriatic this summer, as Falkensteiner Punta Skala near Zadar will host the world's largest bouncy castle. Are you ready for The Monster in Croatia?

Time Out London called it 'the number one thing to do in London this summer" in 2018, and the place to be for the summer of 2019 is Falkensteiner Punta Skala, as the luxury resort a few kilometres north of Zadar will have rather large and fun addition for much of the summer - the largest bouncy castle in the world. Come and try The Monster in Croatia!  

A staggering 300 metres in length, with a challenging array of obstacles along the route, The Monster has been an unqualified hit in the UK, embarking on a UK tour last year. This is the first time that The Monster has left the UK, and it will be taking up residence at Falkensteiner Punta Skala from June 24 until August 4.  

In addition to the course itself, there will be professional animators from the UK (English and German speaking) who will be adding to the fun as you tackle the various challenges in front of you. 

The Monster in Croatia will have a slightly different theme than back in the UK, where it is known as a fun adult party. There will be plenty of fun at Punta Skala, that is guaranteed, but it will be aimed more as a family experience, available to all from the age of seven. 

In addition to the bouncy obstacle course, there will be a hospitality area for food and drink, as well as a DJ providing the tunes to enhance the enjoyment.  

Resort guests can enjoy free entrance for a minimum of 2 overnights in Falkensteiner Family Hotel Diadora **** S, Hotel & Spa Iadera ***** or Premium Apartments Senia. 

The Monster will also be available to non-residents, so if you are looking for something a little different for the family in the Zadar region (or beyond), a visit to the Falkensteiner Resort - one of Croatia's most luxurious - will be a day out to remember for all. The resort is set on a spectacular peninsula on the water, and it boasts, among other things, the largest wellness centre on the Adriatic - a fine place to relax after a couple of hours of bouncing fun. 

Of course, finding a place to house something as big as The Monster might be a challenge for many locations, but the ample Punta Skala grounds offer several options. 

The Monster will be located close to Hotel Diadora, as you can see above. It will be open daily from 10:30 until 21:00 (opening times may vary, depending on the weather). 

Tickets will be priced at 25 euro for a 3-hour pass, which compares very favourably for the £20 for 30 minutes back in the UK. 

An aerial view of the luxury Falkensteiner Resort Punta Skala - all that is missing from the photo is the world's biggest inflatable obstacle course - and that will be available from June 24. 

As the official promo material states:

"The world’s craziest inflatable obstacle course is a phenomenal 300 meters long and will be accessible for kids from 7 years + and all adults! You can jump, skate and cross various thrilling obstacles and just for the brave, the pinnacle of the track is a huge 18-metre-long slide. Unforgettable fun that no one can miss!"

Check out The Monster official website for more information.

The resort is located close to Petrcane, 12 kilometres north of Zadar, and a short drive from the main Zagreb to Split motorway, so the catchment area for visiting tourists is broad. 

While the arrival of The Monster in Croatia is probably the most high-profile event that the resort has staged, Falkensteiner Punta Skala has a reputation for innovative and activity and gourmet events. 

One of the gourmet highlights of last summer, for example, was the launch of a pop-up sushi restaurant, with Mediterranean-Asian fusion. The restaurant featured Japanese chefs, as well as a Japanese partner - Jiro Kambe, owner and CEO of the local Kali tuna farm.  

Legendary German football captain is a regular summer visitor with his annual soccer camp, and other sporting events for this season include the resort's very own Punta Skala Triathlon, fitness training with Steve Maxwell, and Tennis Days with Joachim Johansson, the former Swedish player once ranked in the world's top 10. 

The 5-star Falkensteiner Iadera also played host to the 2018 Nikola Tesla EV Rally, the quiest rally in the world, as about 50 Tesla and other electric vehicles descended on Punta Skala. 

I was fortunate enough to be on the rally, and very much enjoyed the hospitality - I was not alone as you can see from the impression of a fellow rally participant from Canada, above. Many participants agreed that as well as a relaxing stay, it was the gourmet highlight of the rally. 

You can learn more about Falkensteiner Punta Skala on the official website, but for 2019 highlights, The Monster is going to take some beating. 

March 6, 2019 - The latest news from around Croatia’s airports for new flights to Croatia with updates from Split and Zadar. 

Austrian low-cost airline Laudamotion will now fly to Split throughout the year! Namely, in addition to the new Split-Stuttgart line which will begin traffic on March 31 this year, the airline has also announced a new winter flight, set launch for the 2019/2020 season. Laudamotion will thus operate between Split in Stuttgart this winter from October 27, 2019, to March 28, 2020, reports AvioRadar. 

In the summer, Split and Stuttgart will be connected three times a week, on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Sundays. In the winter, Laudamotion will continue operating three times a week, on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. All Laudamotion tickets are sold via Irish low-cost carrier Ryanair.

 It is also interesting to note that the competing low-cost carrier German Wings operates between Split and Stuttgart in the winter. 

AvioRadar also reports that Aigle Azur will be a new name among carriers to Zadar this year. Namely, the French airline will operate on the new Lyon-Zadar charter line. The route will run once a week in August, from August 4 to September 1, 2019, and will work in the evenings on Saturdays. 

The French regional air carrier HOP! has already flown this charter line for two years with the Canadair CRJ-1000. Thus, the announcement of Aigle Azur means that the capacity has increased on this route. 

Aigle Azur is little-known to Croatian airports. In the early years, the airline was used mainly for charter flights between France and Dubrovnik. The company was founded as Société Aigle Azur Transports Aériens as the first private airline after World War II in France, in 1946. 

At present, Aigle Azur has nine Airbus 320 aircraft and two Airbus 330-200 aircraft for intercontinental lines. The majority owner is the Chinese HNA group, which is the owner of Hainan Airlines. 

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

TCN continues looking at the plans and expectations of Croatian airports in 2019, with updates from Dubrovnik, Split, and Zadar, thanks to AvioRadar. 

February 23, 2019 - The latest news from around Croatia’s airports for new flights to Croatia with updates from Dubrovnik, Pula, Zadar, Split, and Zagreb. 

The sun and the sea are no longer the main motives for tourists to coming to Zadar and Zadar County, according to a survey conducted in 2018 by tourists using low-cost airlines to the area, reports HRTurizam on February 18, 2018. 

The most significant results of the research were presented in Zadar County's Grand Hall to representatives of tourist communities, local self-government units, HGK - Zadar County Chamber, National Park Krka and tourism sector employees.

The research was conducted by the Department of Tourism and Communication Sciences of the University of Zadar at Zadar Airport's outbound terminal from June to November 2018. The sample was taken of 866 respondents aged 18 and over who stayed at least two overnights in Zadar County.

"The research results show that tourists of low-cost air carriers behave according to tourist trends, since they do not only stay in Zadar and Zadar County, but are extremely mobile, and therefore visit all of Croatia, especially Dalmatia and protected areas such as national and nature parks,” said Tomislav Klarin of the Department of Tourism and Communication Sciences of the University of Zadar.

Also, their arrival is inspired by various motives, among which the sun and the sea are no longer dominant, but tourists want new experiences and experiences through gastronomy, culture and entertainment, sports, recreational and health facilities, and staying in preserved nature. This is also reflected in the content they used, or through increasingly complex requirements for specific content in the destination.

When booking accommodation and researching information about the destination, the tourists surveyed said that they significantly use Internet services, including online booking services, travel websites and social networks. They collect a lot of information from their relatives and friends, and they would recommend Zadar and Zadar County as a destination to their relatives and friends.

“Their satisfaction arises from the results of the survey, as it can be concluded that the respondents are mostly satisfied with what Zadar and Zadar County provide them. It should be emphasized that there are still elements of the offer that should be continuously upgraded. We are happy that the consumption per person, per day, amounted to 97 euro, which is above-average for consumption in Croatia,” said the County's deputy for the economy, tourism, infrastructure, and EU funds Lovro Jurišić.

The research results outline the profile, behavior, and satisfaction of tourists using low-cost airlines to Zadar and Zadar County.

Tourists surveyed come mainly from Great Britain, Germany, and France, as well as other European countries, which are conditioned by the established low-cost airlines, while respondents are mostly younger, which is in line with the typical travelers using this type of transport.

You can see the survey here.

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

Treasure hunt walking tours have recently become popular all over the world, and recently there have been some attempts to popularize them in Croatia as well. The most successful story of the treasure hunt walking tour in Croatia comes from a tourist guide from Zadar, Valentina Matešić, who organizes her tours in Zadar, Nin and Split, and who's recently received the award as the top tourist guide for the town of Zadar in 2018!

Valentina is a mother who has decided to create the tours in a way that would make them interesting for the adults and the children alike, making them a perfect way to get to know a town for the entire family. You will solve puzzles presented by the "game", and learn about Croatian history and UNESCO-protected heritage while having fun. And the towns where she organizes her tours are places where there's a lot of history and heritage to be discovered! You'll find out why Zadar and Split are so different, although we know they're both Roman towns, you'll learn all about the Roman walls around Zadar, you'll find out about the amazing history of a small place, like Nin, where the coronations of Croatian kings took place. In Split, you'll find out what it takes to live in the emperor's personal bathroom (spoiler alert: about 2000 years of passage of time!)

Valentina Matešić says that one of the most amazing things is that many locals find her tours interesting, including school kids who come to her treasure hunts to learn about history while walking around the towns and having fun. We're sure that knowledge sticks much better than what you'd get in a classroom!

You can take the Treasure hunt - heritage pursuit tours in English, French and of course Croatian, and you can find out more at the CityGame Croatia website.