October 1, 2021 - Dutchman Olav Kooij, a member of Jumbo-Visma, won the CRO Race 4th stage from Zadar to Crikvenica (197 kilometers), while Norwegian Anders Skaarseth (Uno-X) is the new leader in the overall standings.

Dutchman Olav Kooij, a member of the Jumbo-Visma team, won the CRO Race 4th stage from Zadar to Crikvenica. In 2nd was Australian cyclist Kaden Groves, and 3rd Croatian rider Josip Rumac (Androni Giocattoli), reports HRT.

After a massive fall that happened about a kilometer before the finish line, Rumac found himself in a great position, leading the race with very few cyclists behind him. However, the Croatian cyclist did not manage to last until the end and was overtaken by Kooij and Groves in the final meters.

This is the second stage victory for Kooij, who confirmed himself as the best sprinter at this year's CRO Race in Crikvenica. He also celebrated on Wednesday in Otočac after the second stage.

Skaarseth took the lead in the overall standings thanks to a three-second bonus he won during his first passing goal in Crikvenica. With that, he equaled the leading Belgian Milan Menten (Bingoal) in terms of time, but due to better placements in the stages, he took over the red shirt. Rumac jumped to fourth place in the overall standings with just eight seconds behind Skaartseth.

Very soon after the start of the stage, a group of seven cyclists was formed with Poles Marceli Boguslawski (HRE Mazowsze Serce Polski) and Szymon Rekita (Voster ATS Team), German Tom Lindner (P&S Metalltechnik), Slovenian Žiga Horvat (Adria Mobil), Italian Nicolo Buratti ( Friuli), Austrian Felix Ritzinger (WSA KTM Graz) and Australian Felix James Meo (Vorarlberg). The advantage of the leading six grew to almost six minutes, and on the first ascent of the day on Ćaćići, Rekita stood out and won the mountain goal ahead of Lindner and Ritzinger.

Rekita's solo ride ended 67 kilometers before the finish line when he was reached by the rest of the group. As the advantage over the peloton was rapidly decreasing, about 50 kilometers before the finish it, new attacks followed. The first was Lindner, who therefore won the first passing goal in Senj, then he was joined by Boguslawski, who was the fastest at the second passing goal in Novi Vinodolski.

Skaarseth won important bonus seconds ahead of compatriot and teammate Torstein Train, while Dutchman Mick van Dijke (Jumbo-Visma) was third.

During the final lap around Crikvenica, cyclists have the second ascent of the day to Dramalj, which Traen passed first, thus increasing the advantage in the fight for the green jersey they will wear in the fifth stage, which is scheduled for Saturday from Rabac to Opatija (137.5 kilometers).

CRO Race remaining stages:

October 2, 5th stage: Rabac / Labin - Opatija (137.5 km)

October 3, 6th stage: Samobor - Zagreb (156.5 km)

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

To learn more about sport in Croatia, CLICK HERE.

September 29, 2021 - The first so-called Croatian digital nomad village will open next month - meet Digital Nomad Valley Zadar.

A new milestone in the emerging Croatian digital nomad story, as the first Croatian digital nomad village has been announced by the Digital Nomads Croatia Facebook community this morning. Digital Nomad Valley Zadar is located in Borik, Zadar, a short walk from the historic old town.

Co-founder Mario Mrksa will be explaining a lot more about the concept of this Croatian digital nomad village in an in-depth interview with TCN later today (a link will appear here), but for now, here is the announcement in full:

DIGITAL NOMAD VALLEY ZADAR OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

I believe that everyone in this group knows that Croatia has a lot to offer to digital nomads. From natural beauty to culture, architecture, gastronomy, and quite importantly, the Mediterranean lifestyle.

However, we also recognize that the attractiveness of the country is not enough on its own, it’s the feeling of community that matters to digital nomads and remote workers. As moderators of this group, are working hard to empower the DN community in Croatia.

That is why I am very happy to announce a project which would, hopefully, attract even more digital nomads to visit this beautiful land and create strong and lasting communities around the country.

As CEO of grabAhome, in partnership with Falkensteiner H&R, I proudly present Digital Nomad Valley Zadar!

At one of the most beautiful resorts, in one of the most prominent cities in Croatia, we are organizing the first curated digital nomad community in Croatia.

Starting October 10th, by joining the program you will get:

• Premium mobile homes with solo or coliving options
• Exclusive coworking office
• Community manager
• Exclusive events (organized by us and the community)
• #discordcommunity channel
• Partner discounts
• Most importantly, a great community of like-minded people

JOIN US AT www.workremotelycroatia.com

Minimum 2-week stay. Starting at €130 per week, we believe that everyone will be able to find an accommodation option that suits them.

We are also able to offer the First 15 digital nomads a 15% discount for the first two weeks of stay!

This project is a part of a new initiative from grabAhome called Work Remotely Croatia, where we hope to build and support several communities around Croatia in order to promote and advocate sustainable tourism in Croatia. This project starts on October 10th until 31st March, with the possibility of an extension!

Special thanks to Falkensteiner H&R for offering long-term rentals just for the purpose of this project, and to Digital Nomad Association Croatia and Zadar Tourist Board for supporting this project.

A great addition to the Croatian digital nomad scene, and the pricing certainly looks attractive. Much more on the details and background to this story coming later in the TCN interview, which is now published.

For the latest news and features on digital nomads in Croatia, follow the dedicated TCN section. 

September 29, 2021 - The first so-called Croatian digital nomad village, Digital Nomad Valley Zadar, will open its doors at th Falkensteiner Borik resort in Zadar next month. An interview with one of the co-founders, Mario Mrksa.

As TCN reported earlier today, a new offer for the digital nomad scene in Croatia will launch next month. We caught up with one of the co-founders of Digital Nomad Valley Zadar, Mario Mrksa, to get a little more detail behind the headlines. 

1. Many people in Croatia are just coming to terms with the term 'digital nomads' and now you are introducing the concept of a 'Croatian digital nomad village'. Can you firstly explain exactly what a digital nomad village is?

A digital nomad village is something that was first coined in Madeira, when Startup Madeira, alongside Goncalo Hall introduced a small town in the island called Ponta do Sol as the first official digital nomad village. It is a concept of a curated digital nomad community, where a specially created coworking space represents the base and the soul of the “village”. The idea is to gather digital nomads in a specific area in order to create a strong community, which will then get stronger on its own, as the members of the community will invite their friends and help make the community even better. We took a lot of inspiration from that project and we started thinking about how we could do something similar in Croatia. Somehow naturally, we saw a big opportunity to do the project in Premium Camping Zadar. We simply got attracted to everything that resort had to offer and knew that it would be a perfect place for the pilot project in Croatia and were extremely happy to hear that they are also very interested in participating in the project. As it is located in Borik, which is just an area in Zadar, we called the project Digital Nomad Valley Zadar.

2. How did you come up with the idea?

Our company is in the midterm accommodation rental business, and we have observed a steady increase in the popularity of Croatia as a destination for digital nomads - even before the pandemic. This trend was accelerated by Jan de Jong who publicly spoke on Linkedin about digital nomads and what Croatia should do to attract them. His initiative for a Croatian digital nomad visa has been a huge catalyst, as well as attracting global attention.

I have never been a digital nomad per se, but I lived a nomadic lifestyle when I moved to Southeast Asia for 5 months over 4 years ago. One thing I knew about this lifestyle is that nobody likes to be lonely, and that digital nomads depend a lot on community. Sometimes it happens naturally (like in Bali or Chiang Mai), but sometimes it takes a bit of effort to create a community for a certain destination (Ponta do Sol in Madeira).

We have noticed that Croatia is on top of many digital nomads’ lists of places to visit, but often when they go here, they don’t have any idea where to go or what to do. They often join the Digital Nomads Croatia Facebook group and ask for advice from other nomads. We wanted to create the first curated digital nomad community in Croatia, by giving them an opportunity to live right next to each other, and work together in a coworking office that is specially created for them.

3. This is the first time we have heard of a Croatian digital nomad village. Where is it, what is it, what is on offer, and what are the costs?

The village is located in Borik, Zadar. It consists of Falkensteiner Premium Camping Zadar and the Falkensteiner Funimation resort, which are 5 minutes apart on foot, and about 45 minutes' walk from Zadar Old Town.

Those who join the program will get accommodation, access to an exclusive coworking office as well as a local host who will manage events and activities for participants.

Premium Camping Zadar is where the nomads will stay. It consists of mobile homes with a range from 1-3 bedrooms. Nomads will be able to take the whole unit or just an individual bedroom. Each mobile home has WiFi with at least 32/32 speed, AC, an equipped kitchen, terrace, and each bedroom has a separate bathroom. Nomads will also have an option to rent a pitch if they decide to come with a campervan. There is also a grocery store within the resort to buy essentials and a bigger store nearby the resort. 

Hotel Funimation is where the coworking office will be. It's an area of around 90m2 which will be built into an exclusive co-working space for the participants of this program. There, they will also have WiFi available at the minimum speed of 32/32 mbps.

In addition to the resident nomads, a local host will live among them who will take care of them and manage the events that will be organized for the participants. Some of these events will also be open to the public. Firstly, we will organize events and activities, but as soon as the first nomads start joining, we expect that many of them would want to organize activities, so the list of daily activities should grow on its own. It's a concept we've seen in Madeira, and we believe that it's a great and sustainable model. The local host will also help nomads with any questions they might have. especially for those that are coming straight from another country. 

Although each unit is self-catering, nomads will also be able to choose from a variety of catering options from just breakfast to all three big meals included. This will be charged separately. Participants will also receive a 20% discount for the resort SPA facility, and we will also organise free entrance to some events and facilities. We will also partner with local bars and restaurants in Zadar who are willing to provide a discount for the participants of this project.

The minimum duration of stay will be 2 weeks and the prices depend on the type of mobile home and duration of stay, but it would range from €500 to €1300 per month. We believe that the prices are very DN-friendly as access to coworking space and local-host support is included in the price.

Both Premium Camping and Funimation operate within Covid19 health regulations.

4. Who is this village aimed at, and how many people are you hoping to attract? 

The village is aimed at digital nomads and remote workers who want to come to Croatia and connect with other people within the community. However, we don’t have any restrictions, and anyone that wants to participate in the community can apply. That means that freelancers and locals can also participate. We believe this project will attract many people, but our goal is to gather around 30 people with a nomadic lifestyle in the first month.

5. Madeira had the first DN village in Europe earlier this year. Are there many others? What lessons have you learned from the Madeira initiative?

Madeira is definitely the project which received the most media attention, and what they did there was amazing. I recently visited Madeira and Ponta do Sol, and the presence of the community is very strong. The project itself did not only bring many nomads to Ponta do Sol, but to the whole island of Madeira, which is, by the way, an amazing island to live in.

One of the key impacts it has brought is that there are now a couple of towns with actual communities around the island, and all of them have a different set of activities and events. For example, everyone knows about the digital nomad sunset party in Ponta do Sol, and even tourists have heard of it and now the whole island wants to go there every Friday to enjoy good music and great people. Goncalo Hall was the project manager of that project, and now he is doing similar projects in a couple of other places which is amazing. On the other hand, a small village in Bulgaria called Bansko has already done something similar 5 years ago already, and every true nomad has heard of that place, even though it’s just a small village next to a ski resort. But the place has become so popular that now there are a couple of coworking spaces for digital nomads in this small town, as well as an annual digital nomad festival.

6. Why Zadar? 

The vision is to have more places like this in Croatia, and we would like to see such initiatives happening in smaller cities and towns as digital nomads can greatly impact their economy. But for the pilot project, we wanted to focus on a bigger and more recognizable city. Zadar seemed to be the perfect option as it has a lot of access to the sun, is well connected with the rest of the country, is surrounded by islands and already distinguished businesses for foreigners. And we also have a strong and enthusiastic partner in Falkensteiner.

7. Who are the partners in this project?

This project is part of an initiative called Work Remotely Croatia by grabAhome. The partner for this project is Falkensteiner H&R, while the project is being supported by the Digital Nomad Association and Zadar Tourist Board. The core idea is to offer exclusive accommodation and co-working space for participants in this project, but we also plan to organize events and activities where we would like to involve more partners in the project.

8. When do you expect to launch?

We will be accepting the first participants on October 10.

9. There has been a lot of hype about digital nomads in Croatia, but still a low take-up of the actual permit, although there has been a significant increase in the number of DNs coming to Croatia for periods shorter than a year. How do you see Croatia's current position on the DN scene globally?

I believe that the specially regulated permit for digital nomads was a great way to show that the country is already thinking about digital nomads and it’s the reason why many are considering staying here for a year. By talking to many digital nomads, Croatia seems to be very high on the list for many nomads that want to travel around Europe. But the community is the number one priority for most nomads, and Croatia still has a long way to go in this respect. It takes time to form a strong community, which is why I started running (alongside 2 partners) the Digital Nomad Croatia Facebook group and why we started with this project.

10. How do you see the DN scene in Croatia 12 months from now? 

DNs currently represent a small niche in Croatian tourism, and I believe that a couple of individuals can create a big difference and have a large impact on this community. We can already see the impact that Total Croatia News and Jan de Jong have brought. So, the way I see it is that we will see many more great individuals in the next 12 months that will do the same, and the more of these individuals we have, the local community and government will see the impact and start focusing more on this niche. As we know, summer represents the majority of Croatian tourism, and with remote workers and slow travelers, we can create a much more sustainable tourism in Croatia. Consequently, I believe that Croatia will do many great things in the next 12 months and will be on top of the list to live in for DNs.

You can learn more about Digital Nomad Village Zadar on the official website.

For the latest news and features on digital nomads in Croatia, follow the dedicated TCN section. 

September 24, 2021 - The 2021 Zadar Outdoor Festival (ZOF), one of Croatia's best outdoor events, will take place this weekend, September 25 and 26, on the island of Ugljan.

HRTurizam writes that at ZOF, you can participate in four different sports: Olive Island Trail (5, 10, and 21 km), kayak race, SUP race, and speed climbing. However, what is important to point out is that Zadar Outdoor Festival is equally interesting and suitable for recreationists in full physical fitness and families with children who want to spend a day in nature and relax and have fun. Thus, various workshops were organized in addition to competitive disciplines, such as the Kizomba dance workshop, children's kayak, yoga, and a sport climbing workshop.

"We save nature for future runners" is the main motto of ZOF, so the entire Festival is "plastic-free," and the medals are ecological and wooden.

"At the Zadar Outdoor Festival, we paid special attention to preserving the nature of the Island of Ugljan, under the motto 'We preserve nature for future runners!' Thus, we advise all competitors to carry reusable water bottles. When serving food, we use only recyclable materials; our Festival is completely "plastic-free." In addition to medals, which are ecological and made of wood, we also give olive seedlings to the fastest competitors. Suppose they do not have a place to plant it at home. In that case, they can donate it to the Municipality of Preko and plant it in the future Mediterranean garden above Preko, next to the water reservoir 'Stonovac,' which was built in 1924, as the largest water collection in this area and a beautiful lookout. So every year, there will be additional motivation to participate in our Festival and come to watch how the olives are growing. We paid special attention to lunch for all competitors after the trail, so we decided on an indigenous dish of this area - Čičvarda prepared in homemade olive oil," says Iva Bencun, director of the Zadar Outdoor Festival.

It is clear to everyone how important an event like ZOF is to extend the tourist season and develop active tourism for which the Zadar region is known.

“I would like to thank the organizers of the Zadar Outdoor Festival for deciding to organize most of this year's edition of the Preko festival on the island of Ugljan. I hope that we will continue our cooperation next year because I believe that it will be good and successful and that more and more people will participate in the Festival every year. It is important for us to extend the season and active tourism, but also the entire infrastructure that we have been building for the last four or five years; breaking through bike paths, roads, rest areas, lookouts, and all the educational hiking trails we did and the Željina Cliff for sport climbing, which we reactivated, so it is important that it all comes to life and that Adventure Island becomes in the true sense of the word, "adventure," said Jure Brižić, mayor of Preko.

“Zadar Outdoor Festival is a continuation of everything we have been doing in recent years on the island of Ugljan. Emphasis is placed on active holidays, with family vacations in the heart of the season in July and August. All our efforts in the development of active tourism in recent years have contributed to the arrival of more active guests on the island of Ugljan; for example, now in September we have an increase compared to last year of 200%, and if we compare with 2019, we again have a growth of about 10%, which is great. We will strive to develop the infrastructure for active holidays further, cooperate with the Zadar Outdoor Festival as before, and in the future be a support in some other events, such as bike races, where we want to promote bike trails, and even connect with Pašman, so it will be one big event that will connect both islands," said Ivan Košta, director of the Preko Tourist Board.

Two weeks later, on Saturday, October 9, the Zadar Outdoor Festival continues with another exciting trail - Ravni kotari. You can find out more information about the Zadar Outdoor Festival here.

For more, follow our lifestyle section.

September 18, 2021 - With the same views and colors of summer but without the extreme temperatures, many sports lovers and fans find the best conditions for activities such as marathons or hiking, and several will meet on September 25 and 26 on the island of Ugljan for the long-awaited return of the Zadar Outdoor Festival.

The end of September is an ideal time to spend a weekend in nature with your family and escape for a while from the city crowds. The Zadar Outdoor Festival, for its first part of the autumn edition, will be held in Preko on the island of Ugljan, on September 25 and 26, and you can participate in as many as four sports, reports Turističke Priče.

Although two years have passed since the last Zadar Outdoor Festival, the enthusiasm has not dropped at all, on the contrary, it is even greater. The climate of the island of Ugljan is often called the olive climate and is ideal for outdoor activities throughout the year. The warmth of the sea makes winters mild and hot summers less hot. The annual number of sunny days is about 120, which means that every third day is clear.

An interesting route has been prepared for competitors in kayaking and SUP, which leads around the islet of Galevac in front of Preko, and which is dominated by the church and monastery of St. Paul from the 15th century. The route is challenging and the view unforgettable.

This year, the organizers of the Zadar Outdoor Festival have prepared a new discipline, so all lovers of heights will be able to enjoy speed climbing. Željina Litica podno sv. Mihovila on the island of Ugljan is a three hundred meters wide rocky barrier with a height of 10 to as much as 60 meters. The ambiance at the foot of the cliff among the forests of holm oak and ancient olive trees is special, and the additional charm is given by the clear views of the Zadar archipelago.

In recent years, there has been an incredible increase in interest in sports. Artificial rock halls are springing up everywhere, the number of professional sport climbers is growing, and a decision was recently made to enter sport climbing into the Olympic sports community.

In addition to the competitive part of the festival, interesting workshops await you. So you can sign up for a kayak workshop for children, yoga, and a sport climbing workshop. But that’s not all from this year’s Zadar Outdoor Festival edition. Two weeks later, on Saturday, October 9, another interesting trail is being prepared: Ravni kotari.

The region is known in the world as one of the most attractive in the Mediterranean. What continues to be promoted is the beautiful landscape characterized by exceptional geographical diversity, making it an ideal place to conduct a variety of outdoor sports activities.

Exercise and being in nature speed up blood flow releases endorphins and reduces overall stress levels. Just 30 minutes of walking a day can help improve mental health; can improve general mood and sleep quality, reduce stress, anxiety, and fatigue. Physically active people face up to 30% less risk of becoming depressed, and physical activity helps them recover from depression.

You can sign up for all disciplines of the Zadar Outdoor Festival via the LINK, and follow all the news related to the festival on the social networks Facebook and Instagram.

For more on lifestyle, follow TCN's dedicated page.

September 18, 2021 - Georg Unterkircher, general manager of the Falkensteiner Punta Skala resort, talks about the pandemic season, last-minute bookings, the opening of the Fortis Club convention and sports center, and the potential of MICE in the offseason.

Georg Unterkircher is the head of the Falkensteiner Punta Skala resort, and after living in Zadar for the last 13 years, he already understands the Dalmatian mentality and is developing the tourist offer of this area. Although the coronavirus pandemic has stopped the entire tourism industry, bookings are above expectations this season. The resort's offer will undoubtedly be enhanced by the opening of the Fortis Club convention and sports center. The awakening of the MICE segment in the off-season also raises optimism for the good continuation of business, as well as new investments in infrastructure and quality of service.

Poslovni Turizam caught up with Georg Unterkircher to learn more.

Behind us are two difficult business years caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. How did it affect the resort? How have you adapted to the new conditions in hotel management?

This pandemic surprised us at the beginning of 2020, just like all other industries. In the beginning, it was very challenging to make short-term business plans, let alone long-term ones. Fortunately, the entire group is very committed to maintaining the company's stability and preserving jobs, so we have accordingly adopted measures that will ensure this. Despite the uncertainty of the situation, we have been actively working on improving the quality of our products to be ready for another season ahead. Our long-term goal is to provide guests every year with the already well-known outstanding service they are accustomed to in Falkensteiner hotels and also to improve the facilities, programs, and activities that our resort offers.

This year started cautiously, and I have to admit that we had a satisfactory number of primarily domestic guests in the spring months. Unfortunately, travel restrictions were still in force in most countries from which we traditionally have guests, such as the Austrian and German markets. Compared to the previous year, reservations went a bit slower than last year at this time because no pandemic had been declared at that time. What kept us optimistic was that we had a relatively successful season, given the situation throughout 2020. This year we hoped and expected even better results, which of course depended on the global situation and travel conditions. People have been denied travel for a long time, so this gave us hope that the need and desire for travel and vacations will be strengthened and bring good results. I must emphasize that we were active in marketing terms throughout the pandemic to be in sight of our potential guests during the lockdown, and we are pleased to interact with guests and followers on our social networks. With the border openings, primarily Austria and Germany, the situation has significantly improved; we were ready for the last-minute bookings that happened as expected.

We are witnessing a positive trend in tourist traffic in Croatia, equal to that before the pandemic. What is the current occupancy of the Falkensteiner hotel in Zadar and Petrčane? Are there any differences in the types of guests compared to 2019?

I am glad to confirm that our figures are generally better in July and August, but the reasons for this, let’s be realistic, lie in several factors. Croatia is undoubtedly a very popular destination in the last few years. Still, this year it is supported by the unstable situation of other popular Mediterranean destinations (fires in Turkey and Greece, Spain and Portugal in the red zones), the relatively safe health situation on the Croatian coast and its most popular destinations, safe conditions that I believe, is created not only by us at Falkensteiner, but also by other tourist entities, safe arrival at the destination, and more and more car tourists who have decided to travel independently for the past two years. Our traditional markets are Austria and Germany, we record fewer guests from Italy but at the same time an increase in guests from Central and Eastern Europe - the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Poland. There is a slightly larger number of domestic guests in our resort in the high season than in previous years. But keep in mind that our work does not stop at the end of August and that we must all work together to attract guests in the off-season. As the resort is open all year round, we will host several MICE events in the off-season, which we are happy about because the MICE segment is slowly waking up. In addition, we are planning several exciting weekend events for local guests, but more on that soon.

Apart from the trend of last-minute bookings, what other trends and habits do you notice in sales this year?

This season has been in many ways different from previous ones, especially in terms of last-minute bookings, which are the primary feature of this season. Although we planned promising results, we are glad that it was above expectations. It is visible how guests more often book directly. Above all, they are looking for a safe vacation that we have provided with our Safe stay concept. There is also a focus on active holidays and vacations in nature, where Punta Skala resort offers many opportunities. Today’s guests want a personalized approach more than ever. The sales process requires an individual approach in the short term. Our team has successfully adapted to the demands of the market so that we have focused our sales activities on the requirements of each guest, and we have once again confirmed that we are truly the right choice for all guests in all life cycles.

Last year, the large Fortis Club convention and sports center at the Punta Skala resort was announced. Is it operational, and what results do you expect from that investment?

We are pleased to have finally opened the Fortis Club in July, which has significantly enriched the offer of the Falkensteiner Punta Skala resort and opened the door to new business opportunities in both domestic and international markets. We expect excellent results, primarily in the segment of the MICE industry and sporting events. Fortis has immeasurably enriched the congress, sports, and recreational offer of the Punta Skala resort.

The MICE segment is slowly recovering due to several limitations and epidemiological measures when organizing events. What do you think business events will look like in the future?

We already have reason to be optimistic about organizing various events in our resort because, in 2021, we had the opportunity to hold a significant number of smaller events, while autumn this year brings us several important events. Event organizers focus on an authentic experience and combine smaller business or professional gatherings with active or sports elements. Demands for larger events are also in the direction of active elements. Sure, hybrid events will linger, but they won’t completely replace live encounters. The direct interaction of ideas and knowledge is essential for developing creativity and global progress, especially after a long period when we have not been able to do so.

You also manage Falkensteiner hotels in Serbia and Montenegro. To what extent do these markets differ from the Croatian market?

That's right, I've been working in Croatia for a full and happy 13 years, but in 2020 I also took over Falkensteiner Hotel Belgrade and Falkensteiner Hotel Montenegro. Although there should be no significant differences in a geographically small area, in terms of tourism, our hotels in Montenegro, Serbia, and Croatia are entirely different products. Falkensteiner Hotel Montenegro is a hotel located in Bečići; it is a renovated Queen of Montenegro hotel with a long tourist history in the destination, its dominant guests are air guests, and this year it is evident how much it depends on the agreed flights, especially from the markets of Serbia, Russia, Ukraine, and other CIS countries. In addition, groups come to us from Israel, and the most significant number of individual guests come from Serbia. Falkensteiner Hotel Montenegro is a location that guests choose at the last minute. Bookings are only a few days before arrival, and the previous two years, it is characterized by a very short season that should be extended in the long run with the National Tourist Board.

Falkensteiner Hotel Belgrade is our city hotel located in the business zone in Novi Belgrade, and whose business is affected slightly less than the Falkensteiner Hotel in Prague and Bratislava. The excellent positioning of the hotel and the services we offer attract mostly business people from Serbia and the closer region who often stay with us, so the hotel is recording positive results this year, regardless of the instability caused by the pandemic. MICE is also one of the critical branches of the hotel business, which fortunately is slowly waking up, and we believe that it will ensure good occupancy in the autumn months.

Unlike them, we have developed Falkensteiner Punta Skala in the last few years into a sport and ecological resort with a unique offer in Croatia. Therefore, it is not surprising that many famous athletes have chosen Punta Skala for their professional preparations and private vacation. Furthermore, every year the traditional triathlon championship, Zadarhalf triathlon, which is held for the seventh year, brings many sports lovers here, not only professionals but also their families, making this resort an ideal destination for the whole family.

Fans of active life are thrilled by the outdoor sports center with numerous sports fields, from tennis to beach volleyball. With the construction of the new sports complex, Fortis Club resort also has a professional fitness center on 800 m2, new yoga and group training halls, a new sushi restaurant, a fun zone with a bowling alley, billiards, a gaming zone, and a bar.

As a good sports massage goes perfectly after sports, all lovers of wellness treatments come to their senses because the most beautiful Spa in Croatia is located here - AcquaPura Spa. On as much as 6,000 m2, our guests enjoy numerous spa treatments, relaxation, saunas, swimming pools, and a hammam. All this makes the resort a desirable location for lovers of active life.

Are there any plans to open new Falkensteiner hotels in Croatia, especially on the continent?

The Falkensteiner Group is always active in terms of investments, and this is what characterizes it because it is continuously working on expanding its hotel network and improving services. We are currently realizing new hotels in Austria and Italy, while in Croatia, we are working on new infrastructure within the existing resorts of Borik and Punta Skala. The master plan for the development of the Punta Skala resort includes investments in the complete refurbishment of the Diadora Hotel, which will be even more adapted to children and generally families with children in terms of interactive facilities in public spaces, wholly refurbished and interactive rooms, new Falky playroom, and many other new facilities. In the coming years, we plan to build several luxury villas and the new infrastructure of the resort, which will include smaller local shops, new bars, and restaurants, the central square as a place of events and entertainment, etc. We are convinced that the direction in which we plan infrastructure development, content, and offers will further attract old and new guests to our resort.

Has the tourist development of Dalmatia reached its maximum? Everyone is talking about sustainable tourism, but it is happening slowly in Croatia. What is your vision for the tourism development of this region?

Tourism in the region happens under the influence of several factors; there is primarily the destination's natural beauty, which undoubtedly attracts enormous amounts of guests. Guests will always look for beautiful locations, quality infrastructure, proximity to the sea and beaches. Although this is consistently highlighted as a comparative advantage of Croatia, trends show that some other values ​​come to the fore and significantly affect the final decision on where to stay. The potential of Zadar and Zadar County lies not only in new investments in new accommodation facilities of high categorization that are necessary for the destination but also in stronger branding of the county as a destination for active vacations, culture, gastronomy; the choice is progress. The proximity of several national parks and nature parks provides unlimited recreational opportunities such as cycling, trekking, hiking, etc. They should be well and continuously communicated in all emitting markets. Furthermore, the position of Ravni Kotari opens countless opportunities for the development of family farms and, in the future, quality continental tourism. Istria is the best example of how a destination can be developed in this direction and branded on the tourist map of the Mediterranean.

The potential is enormous; it is only essential that all entities look in the same direction - from political structures, tourist boards to businesses to turn the prospect into a developed and strongly branded destination, with a long-term source of income for residents throughout the region.

You have been the director of the Punta Skala resort for 13 years. Have you settled in, and what do you like most about the Zadar region?

Good question! Yes, I have lived in Zadar for thirteen years, and I already feel a bit like a Dalmatian, especially when it comes to Dalmatian songs. I was born in South Tyrol in a small village near the popular winter destination of Kronplatz, where we opened a new 5-star hotel at the end of last year, ‘adults only’ on the ski slope itself. That way of life shaped my childhood. I later lived in big cities like Prague and Vienna, after which I arrived in Zadar. The first words I learned in Croatia, related to work, are "nema problema" and "sutra. “ Although it was exciting and challenging for me, especially in the first years of living and working in Zadar, the openness of local people and the willingness to create great stories together is what sold me forever. The people I work with today are people I believe in and love to work with, who I love to both relax and sing with. It is this famous Dalmatian way of life that I do not plan to change.

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August 25, 2021 -  The latest from EuroVolley 2021 in Zadar as the Croatia women's volleyball team advances to the round of 16 as the 2nd-placed team in Group C. Croatia lost to Italy in the match for first place on Wednesday night. 

The Croatia women's volleyball team recorded its first defeat in Group C at the European Championship in Zadar.

After the victories against Switzerland (3:0), Belarus (3:0), Slovakia (3:0), and Hungary (3:1), Croatia lost to Italy 0:3 (15:25, 23:25, 14:25) in a duel that decided the group winner. 

Croatia was outplayed in three sets by the current World Championship finalists. However, as the set difference and the point-difference are seen before the victory, Italy must confirm that first place spot against Switzerland.

Italy is unquestionably one of the largest national teams in European Championship history, with seven medals won, including the 2007 and 2009 gold medals. What is even more fascinating is that Itlay has finished among the top eight national teams in the last 20 European Championships. They won bronze two years ago, after losing to Serbia in the semifinal. Serbia also stood in their way in the 2018 World Cup final and the quarterfinal of the recent Olympic Games. 

In the event of a convincing defeat, Croatia could still mathematically take first in Group C, but such an outcome is not at all realistic. It is certain, therefore, that Croatia will move from second place to the second round. 

Italy will thus take first place going into the round of 16 in Belgrade, where they will play against the fourth-placed team from Group A on August 30, while Croatia will play against the third-placed team (Belgium, Russia, or France) from Group A as the second-placed team. The match is scheduled for August 29.

Croatia could meet the European and world champions Serbia in the potential quarterfinal. 

The round of 16 is also played in Bulgaria, where the teams from the first to the fourth place from groups B and D will meet.

Source: Jutarnji List

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August 25, 2021 - After defeating Hungary on Tuesday, Croatia has secured at least 2nd place in Group C at the EuroVolley 2021 in Zadar! 

In the 4th round of the European Championship's Group C in Zadar, the Croatia women's volleyball team achieved its fourth victory, winning 3-1 in sets (25-19, 21-25, 25-17, 25-21) against Hungary.

Although they lost the first set, Croatia achieved their goal and secured one of the first two spots in Group C. On Wednesday at 9 pm, they will play against Italy for the winner of the group.

Like against Slovakia on Sunday, Croatia fell asleep at the start of the match, and Hungary took a 6-3 lead.  In the middle of the first set, Hungary had a four-point advantage (14-10). However, Croatia's captain Samanta Fabris soon served and brought her team to a 16-15 advantage with five points in a row. In that wave, Croatia soon reached an advantage of 2-3 points, and in the end, convincingly won the first set 25-19.

After entering the second set equal, Hungary scored four points in a row for 12-8 on Pekarik's serve for the first time, and after Croatia's return to 14-14, Hungary's 4-0 series followed, this time on Gyimes' serve. Unfortunately, Croatia could not catch up, thus losing their first set at the European Championship.

In the third set, Croatia played more engaged in the block and defense, which gave the result. However, the key was a large series of eight consecutive points won on Fabris' serve, which increased their advantage from 14-12 to an unattainable 22-12.

Croatia controlled the 4th set from the very beginning and was up with a convincing 20-14 before Hungary reduced it to 20-17 with three consecutive points and threatened to turn it around. Fortunately, that did not happen, and Croatia took the final set. 

Croatia leads the standings with four victories, Italy is second with three victories and no defeats, Hungary follows in 3rd with 1-3, Belarus and Switzerland have 1-2, and Slovakia is in last with 0-3.

Source: HRT

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August 22, 2021 - In the 3rd round of the European Volleyball Championship in Zadar (2021 EuroVolley), Croatia beats Slovakia 3-0 (25-21, 25-14, 25-13), reaching its third victory in Group C. 

The Croatia women's volleyball team recorded its third victory without losing a set in Group C at the European Championship, which is hosted by Zadar.

After victories against Switzerland and Belarus, Daniele Santarelli's team defeated Slovakia 3-0 (25-21, 25-14, 25-13. Slovakia took the 10-6 lead, followed by an advantage of 19-12. Croatia finally woke up, Klara Perić took the serve and Croatia achieved a 6-0 series which kept them alive in the first set. After one point went to Slovakia, Croatia achieved a new series and won the first set 25-21. 

Croatia continued its momentum at the beginning of the second set. On Božena Butigan's serve, they scored six consecutive points for 8-1 and increased their advantage to 24-11. A similar situation happened in the third set. Croatia took the lead early, made it 14-5, and easily brought the game to an end. 

Croatia thus leads the group with a maximum of nine points from three matches, while Slovakia is still without points after the second game.

Croatia will play the next match in Group C on August 24 at 5 pm against Hungary, and on August 25 at 9 pm against Italy. A victory on Tuesday would secure one of the first two places in the group, while Wednesday would be the match for first place in the group.  

A better position in the group ensures a nominally weaker opponent in the round of 16.

Zadar is the host of Group C at the European Women's Volleyball Championship, while Belgrade, Plovdiv, and Cluj-Napoca are the other host cities. Before the start of the tournament, Croatia was expected to finish 2nd in the group. 

Source: HRT

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August 21, 2021 - In the second round of the 2021 EuroVolley in Zadar, the Croatia women's volleyball team defeated Belarus 3:0 (25:19, 25:23, 25:15).

After beating Switzerland without losing a set at the opening of the tournament at Krešimir Ćosić Hall in Višnjik, Croatia was dominant in the second match as well.

At the beginning of the match, Croatia fell behind Belarus, but they finally equalized at 10:10 in the first set. However, once Croatia finally took the lead, Belarus came back ahead at 17:16. Fortunately, Belarus couldn't hang onto their lead much longer, as Croatia won the first set 25:19.

The end of the second set was much more uncertain, where Croatia was up by 4 points in the middle of the set. Belarus managed to come back and equalize, but with two consecutive points, Croatia celebrated 25:23. After that, Croatia dominated the third set, winning 25:15.

"We are happy to have won three points: our second game, our second victory. We concentrate day by day to try to do our best and grow from game to game every day. In the second set, we gave them a little more space to close the gap. We still have some oscillations, but we are working to have the best possible continuity. We are satisfied with today's 3 points," said captain Samanta Fabris, whose ace point at the end of the second set gave them the confidence to win. 

"I am satisfied with today's match. We played great games both today and Thursday, especially today when we were much more stable both in the block and in defense. We also made fewer mistakes. In the second set, we made mistakes that allowed Belarus to reach our advantage, but we took the opportunity to win, and in the third set, we took advantage of their drop in concentration and finally won. Slovakia is waiting for us tomorrow, and now we are going to the hotel for dinner and an analysis of the next opponent. There is no rest, we are going to work, and we hope that tomorrow's game will end just as well as today," said Božana Butigan.

"A very strange match. We had good moments, but also a lot of unforced mistakes. We played against Belarus at the beginning of the summer, but we certainly have the capacity and opportunity for an even better game. In the last set, we had three big mistakes that we cannot tolerate if we want to play against the strongest teams in Europe. I’m happy to win, but I’m not happy with the level of our game. I know my players, and I know the level of play we can show. Tomorrow we will have another crucial match against Slovakia. I hope that we will continue with the victories because it is of great importance to us," coach Daniele Santarelli pointed out.

Croatia plays their next game of Group C tomorrow against Slovakia at 5 pm, followed by Hungary on August 24 at 5 pm and Italy on August 25 at 9 pm.

Source: HRT

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