July 2, 2021 - Fans at Maksimir Stadium will be allowed for the 1st qualifying round of the Champions League only if they have an EU digital Covid certificate, which is a prerequisite for purchasing tickets. 

GNK Dinamo has decided that in the 1st qualifying round of the Champions League between Dinamo and Valur on July 7, starting at 7 pm at Maksimir Stadium, fans will be allowed to come to the stadium in compliance with all the above measures and conditions, which means mandatory EU digital Covid certificate, published the Croatian First League on the official website, as reported by HRT.

Every fan is obliged to present the EU digital Covid certificate when buying a ticket because it is a condition to purchase the ticket, while it is mandatory to have the same certificate (in printed or digital form) when entering Maksimir Stadium and during the match due to possible supervision of competent institutions. The procedure applies to each individual match of GNK Dinamo.

Tickets for the lower north stands are on sale at a price of 80 kuna and upper north stands. Ticket prices for the upper west stands will be 100 kuna, and the lower west stands 120 kuna.

One person can buy a maximum of five tickets upon presenting an EU digital Covid certificate for each individual person for whom they buy a ticket. The data on the ticket and the data on the EU digital Covid certificate must be identical.

A prerequisite for purchasing tickets for all fans will be presenting a valid identity document (identity card or passport, birth certificate or passport for children) and an EU digital Covid certificate. Furthermore, all tickets are personalized and read the name and surname, announced GNK Dinamo with detailed instructions.

For all you need to know about coronavirus specific to Croatia, make sure to bookmark our dedicated COVID-19 section and choose your preferred language.

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

To learn more about sport in Croatia, CLICK HERE. 

July 1, 2021 - How pet-friendly is the Croatian capital? Some things to know if you are considering travelling with pets in Zagreb. 

Travelling to a foreign country with your pet can be a stressful experience if you are not aware of what awaits. So what do you need to know about taking a pet to Zagreb, how pet-friendly is the city, and what facilities are available for our four-legged friends?

Pets are very popular in Croatia, and Croatians have a very relaxed attitude towards them. They are a common sight in cafes, where waiters will often bring a bowl of water for them after serving you coffee. While pets are welcome in many cafes, it is worth check to see if there is a sign or asking the waiter before sitting down. 

(Photo credit Boska and Kreso)

With its abundant parks and green open spaces, Zagreb is a great city for walking dogs and for letting them off their leash to run around. Please note, however, that there are several places in the city where pets are not permitted. These include children playgrounds, sports fields, cemeteries, open-air markets, school and kindergarten grounds. While walking your dog, you should keep it on a leash, and faeces should obviously be cleaned up after them. 

Looking for somewhere local to let your dog run around off the leash? Check out the map of locations above.  

If you are looking for a little culture for your pet, however, there are currently two attractions which accept pets - Zagreb 360 and the Ethnographic Museum. 

When it comes to public transport in the city, pets are welcome, but there are a few conditions, and generally they must pay their way. Free transport for pets is restricted to guide and rehabilitation dogs, as well as smaller pets (less than 30 cm in length). These should be carried in a pet container and can therefore ride for free. For all the rest, enter the public transport, muzzle the animal, and buy a ticket. 

(Photo credit J. Duval)

One of the challenges of a busy owner is finding enough time to give one's dog the exercise it needs, and this can be more challenging in a foreign city. Thankfully, help is at hand with a growing number of English-language services offered by locals to cater to this market. These include dog boarding, cat boarding, pet grooming, dog walking and even a pet taxi service. These services are available by the day or by the walk. You can learn more about the options here. There are also some overnight options for leaving your pet in good hands if you need to be elsewhere. 

Croatia has a wide range of pet-friendly accommodation, both private and hotels, and these are usually labelled on their websites. If you are looking to browse to see what options are available in Croatia, there is a very useful website, PovediMe, which offers a number of options. And if you are looking to really pamper your pet, check out the VIP service at luxury 5-star Hotel Esplanade.

(Photo credit J. Duval)

If you are looking to adopt a pet or to help out financially, there are two dog shelters in Zagreb which are online - Domovec and Noina Arka. 

When it comes to feeding your pet, there are several interesting options in addition to the usual supermarket selection. Health conscious and looking for the best organic options? Hov Hov is the first dog bakery in the city, with a BIO organic certificate for dog treats. The most comprehensive offer, however, comes from Pet Centar, which has several locations all over the city, and which also has an outstanding and very efficient online shopping system, which adds a layer of convenience. 

Should you need medical assistance for your pet while visiting the city, there are a number of vets all over the city. Find out which one is closest to you in this map. English will be widely spoken. 

And finally, for the latest rules on travelling to Croatia with pets, you can find the latest official advice here. 

Zagreb is a pet-friendly city, and waiting for your visit. 

For more news about Zagreb, follow the dedicated TCN section. 

ZAGREB, 1 July 2021 - The USKOK anti-corruption office and police continued an anti-corruption operation in Zagreb on Thursday arresting, according to unofficial information, eight businessmen and two city employees.

According to unofficial information, the city employees received money from the businessmen who wanted to land jobs from the city.

The media reported that one of those arrested was Zdranko Čabraja, a member of late mayor Milan Bandić's Labour and Solidarity Party's city committee.

A number of persons connected with Bandić were arrested yesterday, including the HRT public broadcaster's director, Kazimir Bačić, allegedly suspected of influence-peddling in exchange for a flat he was given as a bribe by businessman Milan Lončarić, also arrested on Wednesday.

Media reported that Bačić allegedly mediated between Lončarić and Bandić for the legalization of the Gardens of Light projects and that he personally brought money to Bandić in his office.

Zagreb Mayor Tomislav Tomašević yesterday confirmed the arrest of two city employees, the head of the mayor's staff service, Andreja Šulentić, and former Bandić chauffeur Zdravko Krajina.

Among those arrested yesterday are another Bandić chauffer, Vladimir Žaja, a former head of the Commission for the lease of public areas, Jelena Čeklić, the head of the mayor's staff service, Andreja Šulentić, Denis Mohenski, also known as the King of Advent, and Ana Stavljenić Rukavina, a former associate of Bandić's.

The police and USKOK are expected to say more about the arrests during the day.

For more news in Croatia, click here.

July 1, 2021 - As Zagreb Digital Nomad Week 2021 ends, the Croatian capital finds itself ranking highly on a new Work-from-Anywhere Index. 

One of the msot interesting aspects of the recent Zagreb Digital Nomad Week was observing the reactions of the visiting nomads. Things that impressed - or probably better, surprised - them was the high level of English, the quality of the Internet, the diverse offer of the city and its surrounding area, and just how cool Zagreb was. When I asked Dean Kuchel, founder of Digital Nomads Israel and Digital Nomad World what Zagreb was missing, his response was very encouraging indeed.

"Zagreb is missing more digital nomads. It has perfect weather, great nightlife. Everybody speaks English, everybody is kind to you, and it is easy to get around. The Internet is fantastic, thank you. It has been very helpful with work. I don't think it misses anything really. It checks all the boxes. It has good city life, nature, access to the sea. Just stay the same please."

Zagreb still has a lot of work to do to establish itself on the digital nomad map, and while events such as Zagreb Digital Nomad Week will certainly help, there was more encouraging news today, with the publication of a new study "highlighting the destinations that are most attractive to digital nomads in search of a new home, according to legislation as well as livability factors such as weather, cost of living and equality."

The Work-from-Anywhere Index by NestPick highlighted 75 destinations and ranked them according to three sections:

Costs & Infrastructure - Home office room rent, accommodation availability, income tax including social contributions, and Internet speed and capacity.

Legislation and Freedoms - Remote worker immigration, remote worker infrastructure, gender equality, LGBT+ equality, and minority equality. 

Livability - COVID-19 vaccination rate, cost of living, healthcare, culture & leisure, weather, and pollution (air, light, noise). 

Zagreb came in 43rd overall, with a combined score of 74.31, with Melbourne the most desirable place. 

Even more encouragingly, the Croatian capital was listed 18th in Europe, with Tallinn taking the number one spot. You can see the full results of the entire study here. 

While such studies are not official and open to interpretation, the very fact that Zagreb finds itself in such a position as it looks to pivot itself to take advantage of the digital nomad opportunity is hugely encouraging. Here are some of the key takeaways from Zagreb Digital Nomad Week 2021, which was an important first step in the city's strategy. More promotional activities are planned, starting with the arrival of the first Zagreb Digital Nomad Ambassador tonight - meet Veronica Mulhall.  

Why not become the next Zagreb Digital Nomad Ambassador?

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

July 1, 2021 - The second component of Zagreb Digital Nomad Week 2021 & Zagreb Digital Nomad Ambassador Project begins today - welcome to our first ambassador, Veronica Mulhall. 

After an intense and stimulating 7 days of the inaugural Zagreb Digital Nomad Week, which covered 7 themes in 7 locations in 7 days, attention turns to the second part of the programme, as the Croatian capital prepares to welcome its first-ever digital nomad ambassador.

The Zagreb Digital Nomad Ambassador Project will run for an initial period of six months, from July 1 - December 31, 2021, with each calendar month hosting a new ambassador. Each ambassador will have a programme for the month, and the city will benefit from their insights and suggestions over the 6-month period, as the project explores digital nomad life in the city through the seasons. The project is a collaboration between Saltwater Nomads, Total Croatia News, and Zagreb Tourist Board, with accommodation support from Doma Zagreb Aparthotel. 

At the finale of Zagreb Digital Nomad Week (you can read some key takeaways here), the first ambassador was announced - Veronica Mulhall from the USA, but living in Africa. You can see Veronica's application video below.

Veronica was already in Croatia when she applied for the ambassadorship, having flown in from Senegal. She is Marketing Director for the African Leadership Group, and her goal is to visit every country in the world. She has a particular interest in national parks, cultural centres, and UNESCO World Heritage. As such, Veronica is clearly in the right country, as Croatia has no less than 11 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, as well as countless intangible UNESCO heritage (you can find the full list here). 

Her undergraduate degree is in adventure education, and she has a certificate in community development focused on sustainable tourism. The deep-rooted passion to applying to be a Zagreb Digital Nomad Ambassador is to show others that these lesser-known cities and destinations have so much to offer the world, so much rich history and culture.

Veronica will be arriving with her partner Julian, who is from Zimbabwe and the UK, and is traveling here from Ghana. They are an inter-racial couple who have already travelled in the region - Albania, North Macedonia and Serbia - as well as Africa, the US and Europe. Veronica has over 8 years of international living experience, while Julian has been a nomad for a year - his arrival will give Zagreb an additional DN perspective. 

Veronica is a fully remote worker and is an outdoor enthusiast and a huge foodie, so it sounds like she has found the right city to spend a month in.

(Doma Zagreb Aparthotel - 4-star luxury in central Zagreb)

The couple arrive tonight from the coast, and they will be hosted by project partner, Doma Zagreb Aparthotel, in the centre of the city.

TCN will be publishing an interview with Veronica shortly, and there will be more details of the programme and opportunities to connect published early next week. 

(The Doma Zagreb Aparthotel is located in central Zagreb, with offroad parking, just a few minutes walk from the main square)

Are you interested in being a Zagreb Digital Nomad Ambassador? Learn more about the project - rolling applications are ongoing until November.

For the latest news and features about digital nomads in Croatia, visit the dedicated TCN section. 

You can follow Veronica Mulhall on Instagram or visit her website here.

ZAGREB, 30 June, 2021 - The Office of Zagreb Mayor Tomislav Tomašević said on Wednesday that a preliminary investigation by members of the Office of the Chief State Prosecutor and the Office for Suppression of Corruption and Organised Crime (USKOK) started at the city administration offices at 6 am on Wednesday.

Tomašević said in a brief press release that the new city administration fully supported the independence of state institutions and would continue advocating the transparency of work of the city administration, all city departments, companies, institutions and the related businesses.

Media say HRT director arrested

Several people were arrested on Wednesday morning on the suspicion of corruption, including, according to media reports, the director-general of the HRT public broadcaster, Kazimir Bačić.

USKOK and police have not confirmed these reports, but media say that the suspicion of corruption refers mostly to transactions of the previous Zagreb city administration at the end of 2020 and in the first half of 2021.

Bačić was allegedly arrested over a suspicious contract he signed on behalf of HRT with the Tvornica Žarulja light bulb factory.

For more about politics in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

June 29. 2021 - Zagreb is much more than a city, as participants of Zagreb Digital Nomad Week found out on the last day on aa tour of the county to Samobor and Tihocaj in Zumberak Nature Park. 

After a stimulating and intense week of keynote speeches, panel discussions, networking and socialising, the final day of Zagreb Digital Nomad Week on Sunday took participants out of the city to explore Zagreb County. 

The day, organised by the Zagreb County Tourist Board, is a continuation of the successful partnership with the Zagreb City Tourist Board on the Around Zagreb project, an attempt to showcase the natural, cultural and adventure options available in the county a short distance from the city.  

The intense heat necessitated a shorter day, but where better to start than historic Samobor, a delightfully charming old town a short drive west of Zagreb. And for all its historic charms, it was the natural ones that were the biggest initial attraction - the cooling air and spectacular nature along the river were a delight. 

The main attraction and centre of life, however, is the delightful main square of Samobor, which is an excellent event venue. The Samobor Jazz Festival is currently taking place for a month. 

And if there is one thing you must try when in Samobor, it is the famous Kremsnita, a deliciously light dessert for which the town is rightly famous. The visiting digital nomads needed no second invitiation. 

To learn more about Samobor, check out the Total Croatia guide, Samobor in a Page. 

The main attraction of the day, however, was a little higher up - the Green Hills eco-village in Tihocaj in Zumberak Nature Park. Tihocaj is home to, among other things, the first free-range wagju cows in Croatia. A village which has not seen cows for 40 years now has 7 black Japanese residents.

This unusual story is thanks to Nikola Bozic, the pioneering owner of one of Croatia's premier meat restaurants - Djurina Hiza in Varazdinske Topilce - who bought the cows in appalling conditions and brought them to the natural paradise of Zumberak Nature Park, leaving them free to roam in 20,000 m2 of pristine nature. You can learn more about their journey from Medjimurje to their new home in this TCN feature story on that journey - it was quite a day. Medjimurje to Zumberak: Transporting Croatia's 1st Free-Range Wagyu Cows.

Tihocaj has obviously been relaxing for Dougal the bull and his three female companions, for each has given birth to a calf within the first year. 

The only resident of Tihocaj today is Mare Gvozdanovic, who is 95. Mare has lived in Tihocaj for 50 years, and when she arrived, there were 150 people in the area, with plenty of children. The very remote spot is a divine spot, but far from local amenities. Mare lost her husband 4 years ago and now busies herself in the village, looking after her vegetable and talking to her Japanese four-legged neighbours, while enjoy the spectacular views and clean air. 

She will not be alone for long, for Tihocaj is home to one of the most interesting projects I have some across in Croatia. Local boy and serial entrepreneur, Davorin Stetner, our co-host - along with Ivana Alilovic, Director of the Zagreb County Tourist Board (seen with TCN above), has been buying the land and property in and around the village, while also creating an eco-farm. 

But this is no ordinary eco-farm, for it comes with its own helipad, high-speed Internet and (soon) swimming pool. The properties are being refurbished authentically, a wine cellar built, and there are no neighbours for miles. 

Perfect conditions, perhaps, for digital nomads wanting to work remotely in total peace, but connected to the world on their terms. There were plenty of murmurs of appreciation from the visiting nomads. 

Stetner organised a wine tasting and barbecue for his guest, with music in the background. Private parties in total isolation.There have already been several helicopter visits and VIP guests. Tihocaj is very much a work in progress, but it is scheduled to open for bookings next year. 

As excellent day to end a truly excellent week. The engagement from all the stakeholders was outstanding, and Zagreb truly shone. I was very pleasantly surprised at just how much the visiting digital nomads enjoyed the city. How digital nomad friendly is Zagreb? It seems from following the participants of Zagreb Digital Nomad Week 2021 that the answer is VERY!

Dean Kuchel of Digital Nomad World put it very well when asked what Zagreb is missing in this video interview. 

"The only thing missing in Zagreb is more digital nomads."

To learn more about the charms of Zagreb County, click here.

More on Zagreb Digital Nomad Week.

For more news and features on digital nomads in Croatia, visit the dedicated TCN section. 

June 28, 2021 - After an action-packed and thought-provoking Zagreb Digital Nomad Week 2021, some key takeaways for Zagreb and Croatia.

I wasn't quite sure what to expect from Zagreb Digital Nomad Week 2021, but I knew that it would be inspiring. Sometimes, when I write about an opportunity for Croatia from within Croatia, it is hard to have a global perspective. Local viewpoints are not necessarily transferred to the global viewpoint. And while a lot has been written by TCN about the digital nomad opportunity for more than 2 years now, what were the true feelings of significant names in the global nomad community?

I got my chance to find out last week with a range of keynote speeches, panel discussions, and lots of informal chats with various international nomads from all over the world who were in Zagreb. All of the feedback was extremely positive, and much of it very inspiring. Here are 6 of my takeaways from Zagreb Digital Nomad Week 2021. 

1. The impact of the digital nomad permit is far greater than the number of applications

The Croatian Prime Minister's decision to act on the LinkedIn open letter from Dutch entrepreneur Jan de Jong last year, meant that Croatia announced that it would be only the second country in Europe to offer such a visa. The ensuing 12-month permit came into effect on January 1 this year, and the whole story had global headlines - CNN, Washington Post, Euronews and many more. The timing coincided with several other factors. The most important of these was that Croatia remained open to non-EU/EEA citizens during last year's pandemic, and it was also in the EU but not in the Schengen zone (thereby making it an attractive option for those on Schengen visas to wait out 90 days). 

A combination of these factors I believe helped raise the profile of Croatia considerably. Many discovered Croatia for the first time, and more and more remote workers headed in Croatia's direction. Although the number of applications for the permit is relatively low at the moment (147 in total), the number of digital nomads is growing. I must have met over 50 digital nomads in the last week, only 2 of whom had the permit. The point was made that nomads are by definition nomadic and not necessarily looking to live in one country for 12 months. But the number of people coming for a month, two, three is on the rise.   

2. Croatia is a leader in public-private partnership for advancing digital nomad tourism opportunities

This was a surprising finding for me, as Croatia is not known for its public-private partnership initiatives. Talking to Dean Kuchel of Digital Nomad World was especially instructive. He had never come across a country with such engangement between the public and private sector, a partnership he described as groundbreaking. 

The headline cooperation, of course, was between de Jong, the Prime Minister, 5 government ministries and numerous other parties to deliver the DN permit.  But the engagement was far deeper than that. Dean was impressed at the involvement at Zagreb Digital Nomad Week 2021 of the banking section (Raiffeisen Bank Hrvatska), financial consulting (KPMG Croatia), and communications (Hrvatski Telekom), as well as SKIFT. Co-working spaces such as Impact Hub, HUB385 and BIZkosnica. Winebars such as Bornstein, Hotels such as Canopy by Hilton, Hostels such as Swanky Mint Hostel and private accommodation of Doma Zagreb.  The formation of the Digital Nomad Association Croatia is an important bridge between the authorities and digital nomad community. 

ZDNW was a great public-private partnership between Saltwater Nomads, Total Croatia News, and Zagreb Tourist Board (funded by the latter), with Zagreb County Tourist Board hosting the final day in Samobor and Zumberak Nature Park. ZDNW followed on from two other successful public-private partnerships in Dubrovnik, with the Dubrovnik for Digital Nomads conference last October, and the recent Dubrovnik Digital Nomads-in-Residence program, both of which were a partnership between Saltwater Nomads, TCN, and the city and tourist board of Dubrovnik. 

3. The seeds of collaboration not competition are already sown and bearing fruit among destinations.

Having written about tourism in Croatia for 10 years, one of the most positive aspects of this whole initiative has been the collaboration between different tourist boards and other official bodies. Croatia has a very fragmented tourist board structure, and there has been a tendency to treat another tourist board as competition.  

Zagreb Tourist Board made a great contribution on a final day panel at the Dubrovnik Digital Nomads-in-Residence progamme, and Dubrovnik Tourist Board director Ana Hrnic was a great panellist on ZDNW. The partnership of Zagreb city and county tourist boards is a great example of how to improve the quality of a destination by working together. At ZDNW, there were representatives from Zadar, Split, Osijek and Istria, all interested in taking this story forward... together. Zagreb as a digital nomad destination will be all the stronger if there are other communities in other destinations in Croatia. The concept of a Croatian digital nomad trail was discussed in Dubrovnik. By working together to develop that, the various stakeholders can produce an incredible end product. 

What was especially encouraging to me was the number of local people who ended the week a lot more enlightened about the digital nomad movement. The concept of WiFi and a bed being all that is required was relatively widely held a year ago. That is changing quickly. 

4. The development of community is key to success.

In an interview prior to ZDNW, keynote speaker and future of work explorer Albert Cañigueral talked about the importance of having a digital nomad community in place:

The sentence “content is king, context is queen” is widely used in marketing. In the DN universe I would translate as people (community) is king and location is queen. Our experience was just mind-blowing because of the community of DNs that were selected to participate, the partners of some DNs who decided to be part of the adventure, the local people who joined the workshops and other moments, the professional team that ran the whole programme and also the support from the city hall (in the middle of local elections!).   

Dean Kuchel's simple mantra perhaps explained it best. I travel solo, but I never travel alone. 

The strength of the community is probably the key deciding factor for many in where to travel to next. 

5. The positive mindsets of the digital nomad community will have a majorly positive effect on the mindsets of the next Croatian generation.

One could not help but be positive last week. So much great energy, so many inspiring people. People who care about community and the world around them. People will new ideas, a fresh look on life. As those communities grow and more digital nomads come to explore Croatia, the safe, authentic lifestyle destination, that energy will trickle into the mindset of the local population. After decades of emigration and no opportunity, an influx of new ideas and people coming into the country rather than running away will be a long-term positive. 

6. Zagreb is a truly exciting destination for digital nomads, with most of the essentials already in place. 

I was really curious what our visiting digital nomads would think of Zagreb. I think it has become a very cool city and think it has plenty to offer, but how does it compare internationally, and what is it missing? Dean Kuchel of Digital Nomad World gave his verdict:

"Zagreb is missing more digital nomads. It has perfect weather, great nightlife. Everybody speaks English, everybody is kind to you, and it is easy to get around. The Internet is fantastic, thank you. It has been very helpful with work. I don't think it misses anything really. It checks all the boxes. It has good city life, nature, access to the sea. Just stay the same please." 

A great week, an important milestone for Croatia moving forward, and lots of exciting possibilities moving forward. 

The keynote speakers at Zagreb Digital Nomad Week 2021:

Day 1 - Cybersecurity - Marko Rakar of MRAK Services

Day 2 - Online Presence - Mandy Fransz of Make the Leap Digital, and Taki Moore of Million Dollar Coach

Day 3 - Remote Careers - Kristie Sullivan and Ron Tardiff, followed by panel of Dubrovnik Digital Nomads-in-Residence hosted by Michael Freer

Day 4 - Tax and Finance - Kathleen McPaul, followed by Kristina Grbavac from KPMG Croatia

You can see all these presentations in the Day 1-4 recap. 

Day 5 - Future of Work

You can see all the presentations for Day 5 above, with a guide to the speakers below.

For more information about the Zagreb Digital Nomad Week, check out Saltwater Nomads.

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

June 27, 2021 - As Zagreb Digital Nomad Week 2021 draws to a close, Dean Kuchel of Digital Nomad World shares his thoughts on Zagreb as a digital nomad destination. 

Day 5 of Zagreb Digital Nomad Week 2021 was undoubtedly the highlight in terms of content, with a number of quality keynote presentations and panels focused on the topic of the Future of Work. 

Israeli Dean Kuchel, founder of the online communities Digital Nomads Israel and Digital Nomad World, brought a bundle of energy and positivity to the proceedings, with an energetic keynote speech on the topic of building community. 

His simple mantra that he travels solo but never travels alone is a key message for Croatian stakeholders to pick up on. If the digital nomad infrastructure is in, and Croatia is attractive for nomads, then they will come. And a key element of that is building up a community of like-minded people who choose to spend time in Croatia and who can meet and interact with like-minded digital nomads who have chosen Croatia.  

Here is what he had to say when asked what Zagreb is missing for digital nomads:

"Zagreb is missing more digital nomads. It has perfect weather, great nightlife. Everybody speaks English, everybody is kind to you, and it is easy to get around. The Internet is fantastic, thank you. It has been very helpful with work. I don't think it misses anything really. It checks all the boxes. It has good city life, nature, access to the sea. Just stay the same please."

One of the most interesting things I learned this week was that one of the biggest and most successful communities and DN destinations in Europe is Bansko in Bulgaria. A ski resort which attracts snowboarders, Bansko has a highly developed DN community, and the sense of community and lfestyle and like-minded people it offers is often more important than the destination itself. 

And if Croatia could develop that... Probably the most encouraging things that Dean told me was his opinion that Croatia is very much on the right path. He was very surprised and encouraged to see the level of public/private partnership and participation in Croatia's push to welcome the DN sector, which is something he has seen very rarely in other countries. While the most high-profile example of that is the public/private partnership to deliver Croatia's digital nomad permit, that cooperation exists at a deeper level. ZDNW was financed by Zagreb Tourist Board, with help from Digital Nomad Association Croatia, and delivered by Saltwater Nomads and Total Croatia News. But the commitment of the public and private sector to this initiative was demonstrated in the speaker and panel participants - the City of Zagreb, Zagreb Tourist Board, Dubrovnik Tourist Board, Ministry of Tourism, KPMG Croatia, Raaiffeisen Bank, and Hrvatski Telekom. It wa also a pleasure to welcome His Excellency Ilan Mor, Ambassador to the State of Israel, who came to meet and support Dean. 

A solid base on which to grow things in partnership.  

You can see all the presentations from the main day of the conference, whose important topic was the Future of Work. I highly recommend you watch them all if you are interested in the topic, but do find time to watch Dean Kuchel's VERY entertaining presenation on the importance of community building. If there was one presentation for Croatian stakeholders to listen to as they try and position themselves, it would be this one. It starts at 2 hours 42 minutes 50 seconds. 

You can follow Dean Kuchel's escapades on his Where is Dean? Instagram. Having visited over 100 countries in just 7 years (one of those being the pandemic year of 2020), Dean will not be in one place for long and is already in Bulgaria, having arrived in Zagreb from Ukraine in the middle of the week. 

For more information about the Zagreb Digital Nomad Week, check out Saltwater Nomads.

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

June 26, 2021 - A look at the 5th day of Zagreb Digital Nomad Week and the first digital nomad ambassador!

The announcement of Veronica Mulhall as the ambassador of 'Zagreb Digital Nomads' concluded the fifth day of 'Digital Nomad Week' on Friday, where the organizers Saltwater Nomads, Total Croatia News, and the Zagreb Tourist Board presented the advantages, opportunities, and possibilities of the Croatian capital for remote digital nomad work, reports Jutarnji List. 

In July, Veronica Mulhall will be the first ambassador - a digital nomad who will work and live in Zagreb for a month. 

"Congratulations to Veronica on this election, Zagreb welcomes her, and I think she will have a wonderful time in our city; that is, she will have great opportunities to find her new job office here. We will introduce her to everything that Zagreb has to offer digital nomads," said Petra Maršić Buljan from the Zagreb Tourist Board.

The 'Zagreb Digital Nomads' ambassador was preceded by three 'Digital Nomad Week' panels which analyzed future trends in the labor market, digital nomads as a solution to changes in the labor market, and Croatian policies in accepting and deepening global trends in teleworking.

Jose Alfonso Kusijanović

Before the panels, the participants were given a lecture by blogger and labor market researcher Albert Canigueral on the future of work.

"The future of work has three dimensions, the future of the job itself, the job and the fulfillment of business tasks or goals. Nomads are one of the solutions for the future of the workplace, and how far we have come in applying this way of working is evidenced, among other things, by the example of employers in the Swedish transport business who are committed to regulating the work of truck drivers from home," said Canigueral. He recalled the thesis of the famous sociologist Peter Drucker that the basic question of the labor market is not to find answers to the demands that arise but to ask a key question of the labor market.

After Canigueral’s presentation, the first three panels of the ‘Digital Nomad Week’ closing day entitled ‘Sustainable and Self-Renewing Destinations’ followed. In addition to moderations by Ron Tardiff, the director of the Zagreb Tourist Board Martina Bienenfeld, the director of the Dubrovnik Tourist Board Ana Hrnić, the author of numerous travelogues Anja Mutić, and the entrepreneur in tourism Daniel Lacko spoke about sustainable and self-renewing tourist destinations.

Ron Tardiff, one of the winners of the last Dubrovnik Digital Nomads in Residence competition, discussed Sustainable and Regenerative Destinations with a panel that included Martina Bienenfeld, CEO of the Zagreb Tourist Board. (Jose Alfonso Kusijanović)

Ana Hrnić pointed out that the tourist season in the pearl of Croatian tourism in Dubrovnik is currently under the strong influence of last year's consequences of the coronavirus and large restrictions in air traffic on Dubrovnik tourism, which, she warned, is an air destination. On the other hand, the Dubrovnik Tourist Board director pointed out that 2019 was a record year in terms of visiting guests for Dubrovnik tourism.

"In 2019, we took the first steps to ensure the long-term sustainability of Dubrovnik tourism, limiting the number of cruiser arrivals in the city port," said Ana Hrnić. Martina Bienenfeld reminded that the Zagreb tourist offer in 2020, in addition to COVID-19 and lockdown, also faced a devastating earthquake.

"I must emphasize that we have not given up our efforts to prove that we are still 'alive' as a tourist destination, and we have done many great projects and campaigns since the beginning of the pandemic. I want to remind you that Zagreb changed, and we do not give up with new stories, new projects, highlighting some of the projects such as Pimp my Pump, Mali Zagreb and Triptych. When it comes to the sustainability of the city's tourist offer, we try to prove that Zagreb is not only the capital of a beautiful tourist country but a great place to live and work," said Martina Bienenfeld.

Tanja Polegubić, organizer of Zagreb Digital Nomad Week, moderated a panel consisting of Petra Maršić Buljan from the Zagreb Tourist Board, Paul Bradbury from Total Croatia News, Dalibor Kovačević from Raiffeisen Bank Hrvatska, and Matthew Parsons from Skift. The theme was Future of Work Trends and Croatia's Global Standing. (Jose Alfonso Kusijanović)

The first panel was followed by a conversation between the moderator of ‘Digital Nomad Week’ Michael Freer, and Mandy Fransz, the founder of the company ‘Digital Leap’ for Digital Transformation.

"I heard about Croatia as a digital nomad destination, came here, and was convinced that Croatia provides a lot of events, but also opportunities for community development, which I consider the most important part of my job," said Mandy Fransz.

In the second panel, moderated by Tanja Polegubić from Saltwater Nomads, Petra Maršić Buljan from the Zagreb Tourist Board, Paul Bradbury, CEO of Total Croatia News, editor of the Skift portal Matthew Parsons and Dalibor Kovačević from Raiffeisenbank. This was followed by a presentation by Dean Kuchel, who introduced himself to the participants as a nomadic lifestyle ambassador.

Jan de Jong (Digital Nomads Association), Nikolina Pejović (Hrvatski Telekom) and Tanja Polegubić (Saltwater Nomads). (Jose Alfonso Kusijanović)

The last panel of the fifth day featured Jan de Jong, an entrepreneur who initiated the digital nomad visa in Croatia, Kristina Grbavac from the auditing company KPMG, Branka Bajt Hrvatski Telekom, and Hermes Arriaga Sierra from Impact Hub.

Asked by panel moderator Michael Freer how he came up with the idea to initiate the introduction of digital nomad visas in our country, Jan de Jong said that at his first participation in a conference on Croatian tourism, he faced the question of how to make Croatia a year-round tourist destination. The answer to the latter question, Jan de Jong, as he said, was given in the texts of Paul Bradbury on the portal Total Croatia News.

In the third and final panel, moderated by Michael Greer, Branka Bajt from Hrvatski Telekom, Kristina Grbavac from KPMG, Jan de Jong from DNA Croatia, and Hermes Arriaga Sierra from Impact Hub discussed about DNA Croatia, Policy, and Connecting a Global Community. (Jose Alfonso Kusijanović)

"In Paul’s texts, three words shone on me, digital nomad tourism. Then I started to promote this concept in my public speeches, finding great support from the followers of my speeches, but, very soon after, almost all major media in the country," said de Jong, revealing that after they received support for the development of digital nomad tourism from the Croatian Government, i.e., the Office of the Prime Minister. We managed, de Jong, concluded that Croatia becomes one of the top ten countries in the world with a visa for digital nomads. De Jong continues to implement his idea through the DNA Croatia association.

Paul Bradbury, Total Croatia News CEO, talks to Dean Kuchel, who spoke about Community Building, and Israel's Ambassador to Croatia, Ilan Mor. (Jose Alfonso Kusijanović)

"One of the DNA Croatia association goals is to extend the visa from the current six-month residence permit for digital nomads. We also want to simplify the procedures regarding the taxation of digital nomads," announced Jan de Jong.

Meet one of Friday's keynote speakers, Albert Cañigueral, one of the Dubrovnik nomads-in-residence and recently appointed to lead the Catalan Government's Transparency and Open Data, division. Albert will be focusing on the topic of the day, the future of work.  

Tourist Board Director Martina Bienenfeld on Zagreb Digital Nomad Week, Ryanair, Tourism in Pandemic

Want to be a Zagreb Digital Nomad Ambassador and live in the city for a month between July and December? 

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