November 16, 2021 - The Days of Traditional Croatian Flavors began on November 15, jointly organized by 11 county tourist boards in cooperation with local restaurants and under the Ministry of Tourism and Sports. A press conference was held in Zagreb at the Zagreb County Tourist Board to present the culinary event officially. 

In the next 14 days, lovers of good food will be able to enjoy local dishes made from traditional ingredients and traditional recipes in 108 restaurants. Each facility will offer two menus of three courses at prices starting from 95 kn, 125 kn, or 195 kn. A list of all restaurants participating in the event can be found at www.okusi.hr.

Twelve facilities are participating from the Zagreb County area, and carry the Zagreb Region Traditional Flavors standard. During this period, guests will be able to enjoy the traditional gastronomic specialties of the Zagreb region in the following facilities: Bistro Babriga (Velika Gorica), Ekopark Krašograd (Pisarovina), Hotel Bunčić (Vrbovec), Hotel Princess (Jastrebarsko), Restaurant Ivančić (Jastrebarsko), Izletište Suhina (Sveta Nedelja), Restaurant Samoborska klet (Samobor), Rural tourism Kezele (Ivanić-Grad), Rural household Stara preša (Šenkovec), Excursion site Vina Kos-Jurišić (Sveti Ivan Zelina), Restaurant Mon Ami (Velika Gorica) and Vinogradarska kuća Braje (Jastrebarsko).

The Zagreb County Tourist Board continues with a series of promotional activities emphasizing the use of photographs as a means of communicating on social networks.

"Local gastronomy, with its flavors and aromas, as part of the culture, heritage, customs and everyday life of the people, is increasingly prominent in the world as an unavoidable component of the tourist offer. As a value and a new quality that provides experiences of something that is different. And what is different, no doubt, is what is local, original, and traditional. With this project, we all want to influence the preservation and promotion of identity and tradition and the image of our authentic, green and sustainable destination in general," said the director of the Zagreb County Tourist Board, Ivana Alilović.

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated lifestyle section.

November 14, 2021 - Air Canada Toronto-Zagreb flights will not operate next summer as planned, with ticket sales officially suspended on the line. 

After Air Transat announced it would be running between Toronto and Zagreb next year, Air Canada has suspended ticket sales for the same route next summer. The airline was meant to re-establish flights in June. Recall, Air Canada was meant to take over the Air Canada Rouge Zagreb service, after all wide-body aircraft was axed due to the pandemic, reports Ex Yu Aviation.

The Air Canada route was to run from June 2, 2022, three times a week, with 54 flights and 32,076 seats between the two cities. The route would have been serviced with the 297-seat Airbus A330-300 aircraft.

Air Canada will, however, run summer flights to many cities around Europe - Athens, Barcelona, Edinburgh, Lisbon, Manchester, Nice, Reykjavik, Rome, and Venice, with Amsterdam, Brussels, Copenhagen, Frankfurt, London, Lyon, Madrid, Milan, Munich, Paris, Vienna, and Zurich running year-round. 

Fortunately, Air Canada can still get passengers to Zagreb with a connection in Amsterdam  

“It is no secret the resumption of medium and long haul flights primarily depend on travel restriction imposed by different countries. Zagreb Airport had a notable number of passengers from the Far East, Australia, and North America. The return of these flights will depend on border restrictions. We expect the gradual resumption of these services between 2022 and 2025," said  Zagreb Airport’s General Manager, Huseyin Bahadir Bedir. 

Canadian leisure airline Air Transat announced earlier this week it would reintroduce the seasonal route between Toronto and Zagreb when announcing next summer's flight schedule. Zagreb is among the 44 international destinations in its network, reported Croatian Aviation.

The airline plans to operate to almost all destinations as before the global pandemic, adding new ones, mainly in the United States, with 13 international routes to Europe, including to Zagreb. 

The first flight from Toronto to Zagreb has been announced for Saturday, May 7, 2022. A month later, from June 7, the second weekly flight with departure from Toronto on Tuesday will be introduced. Two-weekly flights are currently announced until the end of the next summer season - October 29, 2022.

A330-200 aircraft have been announced for the Toronto-Zagreb route, with a capacity of 332 to 345 seats. Thus, Air Transat will offer more than 31 thousand seats between Toronto and Zagreb next summer. 

It is no surprise that the Canadian market is important for Croatia. In 2019, Air Transat and Air Canada Rouge handled 65,486 passengers, or a 14.6% increase on 2018.

For more on flights to Croatia and other travel announcements, make sure to check out our dedicated travel section.

November 13, 2021 - Michelin starry nights in the unlikely location of the Dubrava district of Zagreb hosts a fund-raising dinner by two chefs with Michelin credentials, Bruno Vokal and Mario Mandaric. 

I am not really a fine dining person.

Don't get me wrong, I have been fortunate to have many fine dining experiences through my 'job' at TCN, and I am constantly in awe of the art, innovation and creativity that ends up on my plate. But I invariably return home a little hungry. 

So when I was invited to come to a 5-course charity dinner to raise money to dig wells in rural Ugandan villages by celebrated chef Mario Mandaric - he of Forbes list of 30 most influential people under 30 - who would be sharing the kitchen with Zagreb's only Michelin Star chef, Bruno Vokal from Noel, I secretly planned a kebab on the way home. At 600 kuna a head donation to the Uganda fund, the meal was certainly not cheap, but I decided to invest in it to support Mario, who will be playing a big part in what comes next on TCN in our new CROMADS project launching next month. 

And what a great investment it turned out to be, as not only did I return home full, but I also had one of the top 10 nights of my 18 years in Croatia. It was summed up rather well by current Zagreb Digital Nomad Ambassador, Rax Suen from Singapore, who was my date for the evening. 

Everything about the evening was extraordinary, as well as a little unusual, starting with the choice of venue.

No central Zagreb posh address for this very chilled event, but a journey to western Zagreb to the Dubrava district, where Trattoria Volare proved to be an outstanding host. 

And inside the atmosphere was cosy indeed.

Guitar legend Yogi Lonich took a break from jamming with some of the biggest names in rock to provide the music with his Zagreb trio - big shout out to the incredible vocals and sax from Kristina Samardzija - awesome stuff. You can learn more about Yogi in this TCN interview last year. 

But the night was supposed to be about the food. Fortunately, Balkan Nomad Boy Steve Tsentserensky also joined us and brought his camera. Most of the photos are his (apart from the one below and the lead photo). 

A most unusual way to start - Grisini breadsticks with squid ink.

Steve had access to the kitchen so could see what was coming next. 

Home made butter with nutmeg / somun bread, out came the sea bass / citrus / fruits.

It was followed by what for me, was the dish of the night.

Mushroom tartare / rice / confit boletus with lemon juice. It was insanely good. 

But there was more to come.

I am a big fan of lamb, and how about this for a combination - rack of lamb / pistachio / mint / honey glazed carrots.

And to finish, young Bruno from Noel served up one of his signature dishes - deconstructed "strukle".

It was quite a finish to one of the finest meals of my life, accompanied with excellent wines. Now I get what this whole Michelin Star chef thing is all about. 

A fantastic evening, but this is just the start of the Mario Mandaric story in Zagreb. Once he returns from Uganda in early 2022, Mario and business partner Egyptian-Algerian entrepreneur Adel EL Miniawy will embark on a culinary story which will add another level of class to the Zagreb culinary scene. You can read a little teaser in Local Knowledge with a Foreign Eye: When Gourmet Visions Collide.

November 12, 2021 - The latest flight news to Croatia as Air Transat Toronto-Zagreb flights will finally return next summer!

Canadian leisure airline Air Transat announced it would reintroduce the seasonal route between Toronto and Zagreb when announcing next summer's flight schedule. Zagreb is among the 44 international destinations in its network, reports Croatian Aviation.

With the start of the summer flight schedule, Air Transat will gradually increase the number of operations to Europe (from Montreal and Toronto). In the summer of 2022, the airline plans to operate to almost all destinations as before the global pandemic, adding new ones, mainly in the United States.

Air Transat will operate from Montreal next summer on 19 international routes to destinations in Europe, of which 7 are in France. In addition, a new line between Montreal and Amsterdam is being introduced.

Air Transat plans to operate 13 international routes to Europe, including to Zagreb. At the peak of the summer season, Air Transat will have almost 60 weekly flights from Toronto to the Netherlands, Greece, Croatia, Great Britain, France, and other European countries.

Air Transat had planned to resume traffic to Zagreb during the 2021 summer, but due to restrictive measures in Canada and weak demand, this did not happen.

Before the pandemic in 2019, Air Transat operated between Toronto and Zagreb three times a week. Two-weekly flights have been announced for next summer. The first flight from Toronto to Zagreb has been announced for Saturday, May 7, 2022. A month later, from June 7, the second weekly flight with departure from Toronto on Tuesday will be introduced. Two-weekly flights are currently announced until the end of the next summer season - October 29, 2022.

A330-200 aircraft have been announced for the Toronto-Zagreb route, with a capacity of 332 to 345 seats. Thus, Air Transat will offer more than 31 thousand seats between Toronto and Zagreb next summer. 

Air Transat introduced the line to Zagreb in June 2016, gradually increasing the number of weekly flights (from 1 to 3 in the summer of 2019). Until 2019, Air Canada Rouge operated on the same route, which retired all wide-body aircraft in the corona crisis. For this reason, Air Canada released tickets to Zagreb for the next summer season, but flights will depend primarily on passenger demand and potential travel restrictions.

For more on flights to Croatia and other travel announcements, make sure to check out our dedicated travel section.

November 11, 2021 - It's the most wonderful time of the year, and the Zagreb Advent 2021 program is here! 

Organized by the City of Zagreb, the Zagreb Tourist Board (TZGZ), and institutional and private partners, this year's award-winning Zagreb Advent will be held from November 27, 2021, to January 7, 2022. While respecting the reality of the current pandemic situation, on November 27, the first Advent candle will be lit on Ban Jelačić Square at 5:00 pm. And at 7:00 pm, the Zrinjevac lights will follow. 

In addition to traditional Croatian toys that are the motif of this year's Zagreb Advent, particular emphasis is placed on cultural and musical events that will enhance the holiday mood and anticipation of Christmas. Namely, 14 music programs will be held with a total of 129 concerts, including the Zagreb Soloists, the Zagreb Chamber Orchestra, and many top Croatian musicians and promising young singers.

Zagreb museums, including the Museum of Arts and Crafts, the Ethnographic Museum, the Museum of Broken Relationships, and the Chocolate Museum, are included in this year's program, and other events, such as performances at the Croatian National Theater, Gavella at Grič Tunnel, Ilica Project: Q'ART, Advent Run, Advent at Vidra, and other special programs are prepared for the youngest visitors. 

Zagreb Tourist Board director, Martina Bienenfeld, introduced the festive event:

"Every year we try to enhance our Advent, and I am especially pleased to announce six new programs, namely: LADO Advent, Academy of Fine Arts (ALU) Christmas Garden, Advent on Katarinac, Zagreb Jingle Mingles in cooperation with Zagreb restaurants, Advent on Prolaz Matice hrvatskih obrtnika in cooperation with our craftspeople, and Advent at Zagreb hotels with a specially designed holiday offer and decorations. I would also like to mention Advent in Zrinjevac, where 13 concerts featuring famous Croatian performers will be held every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

In addition, the event will continue with last year's successfully launched augmented reality (AR) exhibition, which will use animated traditional toys as a motif for this year's Advent. This will be showcased in 10 city parks, squares, and large open spaces. Namely, Zagreb Advent 2021 and the Virtual Toys project will take visitors back to their childhood through the long tradition of handmade toys that marked our youth. Visitors will have the opportunity to play with them again with the help of smartphones. The event will also continue with the Advent Light project, where windows will be decorated on selected institutions in the Upper Town.

In addition, the Zagreb Tourist Board promotes Zagreb Advent through integrated online and offline campaigns in more than 16 markets, following the current epidemiological situation, and has designed a special promotion within the World Exhibition EXPO Dubai. We have also established our traditional promotional cooperation with Croatia Airlines, Turkish Airlines, and HŽPP, with which we have provided special ticket prices for anyone visiting Zagreb's Advent."

In addition, the Zagreb Tourist Board and its partners will decorate 11 locations in the Lower Town: Ban Jelačić Square, Zrinjevac Park, J.J. Strossmayer Square, King Tomislav Square, European Square, Oktogon, Croatian Republic Square, Ivan Mažuranić Square, Matica hrvatskih obrtnika, ALU, and Grič tunnel, and four in the Upper Town: St. Mark's Square, Bela IV Park, Gradec plateau, and Strossmayer promenade west.

"We invite everyone to responsibly enjoy Advent this year, following all measures and recommendations of the competent authorities, and for those who cannot be with us, we have provided online broadcasts on our social networks. A rich cultural and musical program at various locations in the city will, of course, be held following the latest official measures and recommendations, and all programs are subject to change. Detailed timetables of all programs, as well as current information, are available at www.adventzagreb.hr," concluded the Zagreb Tourist Board. 

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

ZAGREB, 8 Nov, 2021 - Opposition parties in the Zagreb City Assembly - the HDZ, the HSLS, Bridge and the Homeland Movement - on Monday strongly opposed plans to abolish a grant scheme for stay-at-home parents as well as reduce grants for layettes for newborn babies.

HDZ deputy and HDZ Zagreb city branch leader Mislav Herman said on behalf of the HDZ/HSLS group that the announced drastic cut in grants for stay-at-home parents and the proposal to shorten the period during which they receive them was tantamount to their abolishment.

The City of Zagreb last Friday put to public consultation a decision abolishing grants for stay-at-home parents after their child reaches the age of seven, and the grant for those with younger children is reduced to HRK 1,000 per month, from 65% of the gross average pay in Zagreb.

Herman said "the abolishment of the grants was accompanied with a bizarre explanation that it was a huge cost."

"Does demography in the 21st century in Croatia and the whole of Western Europe have a price? We believe it does not, and that the benefit of this demographic measure was great," said Herman.

He added that the measure currently costs HRK 44 million a month, while city subsidies for kindergartens amount to HRK 45 million a month, which, he said, could result in the cost of kindergarten subsidies going up because of children who will return to pre-school institutions due to the cancellation of grants for stay-at-home parents.

Herman also believes that Deputy Mayor Danijela Dolenec's view that the grants had yielded insignificant results "is not competent as no concrete figures have been provided."

He claimed that the scheme had stopped negative demographic trends in the city, concluding that Mayor Tomislav Tomašević was guided by "ideological and not by financial interests."

Bridge: 2,700 Zagreb children left without kindergarten care in 2020 

Bridge deputy Lovro Marković said that the city had not made a thorough analysis of demographic and economic effects of the scheme, introduced by former mayor Milan Bandić, and that it did not know how its cancellation would affect the filling of kindergarten capacity in Zagreb, adding that in 2020, 2,700 children could not enroll in kindergartens.

"The scheme for stay-at-home parents covers more than 6,000 children, and according to current rules, coming from families with more than one child, those children will have advantage when enrolling," he said.

His Bridge party also strongly criticises the reduction of grants for layettes, stressing that that measure was a way for taxpayers to get back the money paid into the city budget in the form of local rates.

Peternel: Tomašević attacking foundations of Croatian society

Homeland Movement deputy Igor Peternel said the abolishment of the scheme was "outrageous", causing complete mistrust in state institutions.

"We consider this to be a worldview-motivated decision which symbolically strikes at the foundations of the Croatian society, namely at the family," said Peternel, condemning also the reduction of grants for layettes.

Last Friday, the city administration submitted for 30-day public consultation its proposal to abolish grants for stay-at-home parents, as well as reduce allowances for layettes for newborn babies.

A document has been released analysing the demographic and financial effects of the scheme, as well as its effects on the inclusion of women in the labour market and children in educational institutions.

"There will no longer be new applications for the scheme, only regulating the rights of existing beneficiaries, and the right to use the measure is reduced to seven years of age of the child," Deputy Mayor Dolenec said.

This means that the beneficiaries whose children have already reached the age of seven or more will no longer be eligible for the grant as of 30 April 2022, which creates a period in which they can adapt to the new circumstances, that is, they can look for a job and get a job while they are still using the grant.

The grant for beneficiaries who have children under the age of seven will be reduced to HRK 1,000 per month as of 1 May.

They can use the measure until their child reaches the age of seven, but they can also find a job immediately and they are also allowed to enroll their child in kindergarten in May, said Dolenec.

The analysis attached to the public debate shows that the City of Zagreb has spent HRK 1.8 billion on this scheme since 2016, and if applications had not been suspended in August, the monthly budget expense for that measure would be HRK 700 million.

"The amount is equivalent to the construction of 27 new kindergartens in Zagreb", said Dolenec, adding that the measure was unsustainable for the budget.

She underscored that the demographic effect of the measure was small, that is, dubious.

"For families with three and more children there is a small increase in the period when the measure was introduced, but the total number of live births has not risen," she pointed out.

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

For more about Croatia, CLICK HERE.

November 8, 2021 - Catch Sting at Zagreb Arena next March as part of the legendary British singer-songwriter's 'My Songs' tour!

Cherrytree Music Company, Live Nation, and Charm Music announce Sting on Monday, March 21, 2022, at Arena Zagreb, where the British singer-songwriter will perform as part of the 'My Songs' tour. Ticket sales start on Friday, November 12, through Eventim.hr and at Eventim sales points.

Sting’s 'My Songs' concert is a lush and dynamic show featuring his favorite songs, written during the glorious career of this 17-time Grammy Award winner, both with The Police and as a solo artist. Hailed as a “masterful performance from start to finish,” the concert “takes fans on a musical journey through time,” with hits like “Fields of Gold,” “Shape of My Heart,” “Roxanne,” and “Demolition Man” and makes one an unforgettable event. Of course, fans can also expect the songs "Englishman In New York," "Every Breath You Take," “Message In A Bottle," and many of Sting’s other big hits.

Sting’s latest album, The Bridge, will be released worldwide on November 19 and showcases his prolific and diverse songwriting strength. Written and recorded during the pandemic, this new collection of poems reveals Sting’s reflections on personal loss, separation, lockdown, and extraordinary social and political turmoil. The Bridge presents different stages and styles from his unrivaled career and draws inspiration from genres such as rock n ’roll, jazz, classical music, and folk. This eclectic album features Sting’s typical pop-rock sound, especially well heard on the opening rock salvo of “Rushing Water” and the new indie-pop sound on “If It’s Love.” More about the album can be found at thebridge.sting.com.

Sting’s new weekly web TV series, On the Bridge, recently premiered and offers an intimate insight into the musician’s daily life as he prepares to launch his new album. In addition, Sting is releasing a new episode exclusively on Sting.com every Tuesday at 1 pm as a special tribute to his loyal fans. Each episode is exclusive to 24-hour fan club members and then available to a broader audience the next day from 1 pm.

On tour, Sting will be accompanied by an electric rock ensemble that includes Dominic Miller on guitar, Josh Freese on drums, Rufus Miller on guitar, Kevon Webster on keyboards, Shane Sager on accordion, and Melissa Musique and Gene Noble as backing vocals.

Special guest Joe Sumner appears on all newly announced dates, including the Zagreb concert.

Members of the Sting’s Fan Club will have the opportunity to access exclusive pre-sale tickets, before the general public, by visiting www.sting.com from Wednesday, November 10.

Tickets are on sale from Friday, November 12, through Eventim.hr and at Eventim sales points. Ticket prices for the following categories are: stand I 550 kn, stand II 360 kn, grandstand down I 560 kn, grandstand down II 390 kn, grandstand down III 320 kn, VIP box 830 kn, seats in the front rows 830 kn.

For more information on the tour, tickets, and fan club, visit www.sting.com.

November 8, 2021 - Russian vaccination tourism in Zagreb is the latest trend, as Russian citizens flock to the Croatian capital to get jabbed with an EU-approved vaccine. Recall, Sputnik, the Russian vaccine, has yet to be accepted by the European Union - and EU digital Covid certificates are a hot commodity.

As TCN reported on Sunday, November 7, Russian citizens waited in line for hours at the small vaccination point in Zagreb's Kajzerica neighborhood last week, hoping they could get vaccinated. It's not that Russians are having trouble getting vaccinated in their country, but only the Sputnik vaccine is available, which has yet to be approved by the European Union. 

Thus, increased demand and high capacity on flights to Zagreb from Moscow this offseason are primarily thanks to the coronavirus vaccine. Many hope to get jabbed with Johnson & Johnson since only one dose is needed, after which they can receive an EU digital Covid passport to travel freely and avoid self-isolation or quarantine. 

Four Russian airlines, Aeroflot, PegasFly, Nordwind, and Azur Air, are currently operating on scheduled flights between Moscow and Zagreb. However, Azur Air was the last to introduce a route at the end of October this year, reports Croatian Aviation and 24 Sata. 

Russia's national airline, Aeroflot, operates between Zagreb and Moscow three times a week, every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Although the announcement included A320 aircraft with a capacity of 158 seats, due to increased demand, larger A321 aircraft with 183 seats mainly operate on this line.

The planes are recording excellent occupancy, and there are only a few vacancies left on the flights in the following days. The question is whether Aeroflot will further increase its capacity to Zagreb by introducing wide-body aircraft. If there is no further increase, Aeroflot will offer almost 3,500 seats between Moscow and Zagreb by the end of the month.

Nordwind and PegasFly also operate between Moscow and Zagreb, twice a week - Nordwind on Mondays and PegasFly on Fridays. By the end of November, the two airlines offer 2,172 seats between Moscow and Zagreb. Flights are operated with E190 and B737-800 aircraft.

The newest carrier between Moscow and Zagreb is Azur Air, which operates to Zagreb from Vnukovo Airport, while other airlines use Sheremetyevo Airport. Azur Air operates to the Croatian capital only once a week, on Sundays, using aircraft type B737-800. By the end of November, this carrier will offer 1,512 seats between Moscow and Zagreb, and the company claims that if there is increased demand, it will react by introducing a B757-200 aircraft with a capacity of 238 seats.

By the end of November, the four mentioned airlines would offer a total of 7,164 seats between Moscow and Zagreb, and flights are available six times a week.

For more on flights to Croatia and other travel announcements, make sure to check out our dedicated travel section.

ZAGREB, 7 Nov 2021 - In 2020, enterprises in the Osijek, Rijeka, Split, and Zagreb urban agglomerations netted HRK 16.2 billion in profits, or 77% of the profits of all enterprises in Croatia, according to an analysis by the Financial Agency.

The agglomerations were established in 2015 and 2016 under a decision of the Regional Development and EU Funds Ministry.

In 2020, the biggest consolidated net profit was generated by enterprises in the Zagreb urban agglomeration (HRK 14.3 billion), followed by Osijek (HRK 804.1 million), Split (HRK 631.6m), and Rijeka (HRK 399.8m).

Of the 139,009 enterprises which submitted annual financial statements for last year, 79,229 were based in the four urban agglomerations, up 1.8% in 2019. Most were in Zagreb (55,282) and least in Osijek (4,476)

Of the 947,874 persons employed in enterprises in 2020, 566,310 were employed in the four agglomerations, the most in Zagreb, 430,965, or 7.8 employees per enterprise on average, and the least in Osijek, 30,930, or 6,9 employees per enterprise on average.

Last year, enterprises in the four agglomerations made HRK 512.3 billion in total revenue, down 5.5% in 2019, and accounted for 68.9% of the total revenue of all enterprises in Croatia (HRK 743.8 bn).

Their profit totaled HRK 32.5 billion, down 4.4% in 2019, while total losses went up by 45.4% to HRK 16.3 billion.

In 2020, the highest average net monthly salary in enterprises in the four urban agglomerations was in Zagreb, HRK 6,796, 5.2% more than the average in all four and 13.8% more than the average in all enterprises in Croatia, which was HRK 5,971.

The lowest net monthly salary was registered in the Osijek urban agglomeration (HRK 5,155).

(€1 = HRK 7.5)

For more, check out our business section.

November 6, 2021 - General Manager Huseyin Bahadir Bedir believes that Zagreb Airport long-haul flights will be restored between 2022-2025, with nonstop flights from the US in focus.

After the summer success of Dubrovnik Airport's nonstop flights to New York, it's no surprise that the Croatian capital wants to get on board. But given the pandemic conditions and losing out on Croatia's busiest airport title this year (which will go to Split), Zagreb Airport will take some time to get back on its feet. The Ryanair Zagreb base, however, is definitely a step in the right direction.

But even after a few challenging Covid years, Zagreb Airport General Manager Huseyin Bahadir Bedir believes that long-haul flights will return to the capital between 2022 and 2025, reports Ex Yu Aviation. 

"We are in constant contact with carriers across the world to negotiate and reach an agreement to increase airport traffic. The US market is no exception. We are working on the establishment of nonstop flights between the United States and Zagreb. However, ultimately, whether these services will be introduced depends on the commercial decision of the individual carrier”.

The United States should be on Zagreb's radar, especially after the announcement that Croatian citizens can travel visa-free as part of the US visa waiver program. But the reality is that Zagreb has not been connected with the United States since the summer of 1991 through a nonstop Pan Am flight from New York. Of course, Zagreb was also connected to the cities of New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles through JAT Yugoslav Airlines when Croatia was part of Yugoslavia, but that was a very long time ago.

Ex Yu Aviation adds that before the pandemic in 2019, 136,638 people flew indirectly between Zagreb and the United States. Most flew between Zagreb and New York (21% of all passengers between Zagreb and the US), followed by Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington, Miami, Boston, and Houston. 

Zagreb Airport likely won't fully restore its long-haul flight network until 2025, though we will already see some airlines return next year, like Air Canada and Air Transat with seasonal operations from Canada. 

“It is no secret the resumption of medium, and long haul flights primarily depend on travel restriction imposed by different countries. Zagreb Airport had a considerable number of passengers from the Far East, Australia, and North America. The return of these flights will depend on border restrictions. We expect the gradual resumption of these services between 2022 and 2025”, Bedir concluded. 

For more on flights to Croatia and other travel announcements, make sure to check out our dedicated travel section.