February 28, 2020 - Ultra Europe's main man Joe Basic talks about the potential of the music festival in Split - and things are just getting started.

Within the “Talk & Grow by UNIST" lecture cycle, organized by the University of Split, Joe Basic, founder and director of MPG, a leading marketing and promotional agency in Southeast Europe, and director and promoter of Ultra Europe, explained how Split had become the world's leading destination for music tourism.

Namely, Slobodna Dalmacija reports that in his lecture, which he called "A Small Country for a Big Music Festival", Basic said, among other things, that one music festival could generate more than HRK 10 billion in additional spending, as it manages to attract the attention of 200 million people from around the world annually, and how much that ad is really worth.

“When we surveyed young people in 2013, only 34 percent of them knew how to show Croatia on the world map. Today, thanks to Ultra, 67 percent know where it is,” Bašić boasted.

He did his best to explain all of what Split would lose in the next five years if by any chance that famous, world-renowned electronic music festival left our town:

“The numbers are large, they would lose two million overnights, one billion euro spent, 150 million euro in the name of taxes, and Split would definitely not be the number one European destination for young people between 18 and 35,” said Basic.

He answered the students, who asked him questions about the problems he had discovered with Croatian bureaucracy and about his Croatian roots, but he also emphasized that Ultra in Split had not yet reached its maximum.

“I’m sure we're only halfway there. We have the opportunity to reach half a million overnights. By comparison, in the beginning, the ticket cost 85 euro, today it costs 169 euro, then, seven years ago, Split had only 6,700 beds, today there are 36,000. Overnights in 2013 were 24 euro, and today it is 67 euro, on average,” Basic concluded.

Ultra already announced the new release of Ultra Europe, which will take place from July 10-12, 2020.

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

February 28,  2020 - The Museum Documentation Center (MDC) revealed that Croatian museums recorded more than 5.2 million visitors last year, with the most visiting the Archaeological Museum of Istria (575,294 visitors).

Glas Istre reports that a survey conducted was conducted by the MDC from 160 museums from the Register of Public and Private Museums.

According to the results, out of 5,235,765 visitors, 29.6 percent visited state museums, and 70.4 percent visited other museums, a total of 211,116 fewer than in 2018.

After the Archaeological Museum of Istria, the most visited museum was the Museum of the City of Split with 389,814 visitors, which is 66,196 more than a year earlier, while the Klovićevi Dvori Gallery was the third most popular with 353,262 visitors, thanks mainly to the events in the Upper Town where it is housed.

They are followed by the Dubrovnik Museums in fourth place with 234,457 visitors (an increase of 63,024) and the Museums of Hrvatsko Zagorje (265,706) in fifth place, with an increase of 31,404 visitors.

According to the analysis of the results, signed by MDC Director Maja Kocijan, among the most visited are traditionally museums with record visitor numbers brought by the most famous ancient monuments in Croatia.

Nine museums recorded more than one hundred thousand visitors, including the Nikola Tesla Technical Museum (194,850), the Zadar Archaeological Museum (121,418), the Museum of Broken Relationships (111,798), and the Mimara Museum (101,671).

By category, the largest increase was recorded in visits to permanent establishments, which increased by 200,000 from 2018, which was contributed by the increase of foreign tourists (160,000).

The biggest drop was recorded in occasional exhibitions from 1,193,435 to 752,002 visitors, but Kocijan points out that she is not worried because last year's jump was a consequence of the 400,000 visitors listed by the museum in the squares of several cities.

"What is worrying is the continuing decline in educational programs that, from the 264,739 users registered in 2016, have dropped by 51.5 percent in just three years, while the slight decline also continues for the number of children and young people in museums," she added.

Preschool ages dropped from 56,366 in 2018 to 41,538 children last year, the number of elementary school visits went up slightly, by 4,000 (to 540,000), and the number of high school students dropped by 25,000 in the last two years, to 120,836 of them last year.

The number of foreign tourist visits increased by almost 200,000, but as some museums still do not keep records of tourist visits, including the Dubrovnik Museums, Croatian Museum of Tourism, Apoxyomenos Museum, the recorded number of 1,228,216 tourists does not correspond to the real numbers. 

Museum Night and International Museum Day numbers were down in 2019 - Museum Night dropped from 216,000 in 2018 to 169,314 last year, and International Museum Day dropped from 16,771 to 15,940 in 2019.

"Visitor statistics are a mirror of our attitude towards those we work for, but at the same time, on the one hand, a very accurate basis for reflecting on the priorities of institutions, and on the other, a solid basis for talking to the founders," she concluded.

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

ZAGREB, February 27, 2020 - The national civil protection authority on Thursday informed business people, members of the Croatian Chamber of Commerce (HGK), about measures that are being taken with regard to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus and its possible impact on the national economy, noting that there is no reason to panic.

*Follow this page for updates from Total Croatia News on the coronavirus in Croatia. Contact numbers for epidemiologists, travel advisories and measures for preventing the spread of the coronavirus can be found here.

The head of the national civil protection authority, Minister of the Interior Davor Božinović, said that the authority would keep providing business people with information of relevance for their business.

Božinović said that maximum effort was being invested in reducing possible losses and sending a message that Croatia, as the current EU chair, functions in the current situation as it should.

HGK president Luka Burilović said that the HGK was in touch with companies and was following the situation on the ground.

The situation is not alarming for now, companies are trying to adapt and for the time being they are not reporting any significant problems, he said.

He added that the HGK was in touch with retail chains which had prepared for increased sales in recent days.

Burilović said that it was difficult to assess how much the situation would affect the national economy.

He said that the HGK and the national civil protection authority were defining recommendations for companies on how to act in emergency situations and that recommendations would also be made for individual sectors in the event of major problems.

The head of the Croatian Public Health Institute, Krunoslav Čapak, said that it was rather difficult to control arrivals and departures of foreign nationals in Croatia which happened on a daily basis.

"We are doing our best to minimise the risks," he said, adding that the current estimate was that borders should not be closed, including for business entities.

A general recommendation will be published today for business entities regarding the situation with the coronavirus, it was said at the meeting.

The head of the HGK Hauliers Association, Darko Vukadinović, said that the situation with hauliers had its specificities.

"There is practically only one border crossing towards Italy, with which we work the most, and the situation on the Slovenian side of the border is already chaotic," he said, adding that several Croatian truck drivers had been advised to go into self-isolation for 14 days.

"What happens with the truck and the goods in that case is still unclear," he said, adding that there was already a shortage of workers in that sector and that the situation now was even more difficult.

The head of the HGK Small Shipbuilders Association, Boris Vukušić, believes the circulation of people is the biggest problem as domestic workers are leased mostly to Italian shipyards in the north of the country.

We are cautious and there will certainly be disruptions in business, which will impact revenues, he said, expressing hope there would be no major financial losses.

We must not panic but look for markets elsewhere, he said.

More coronavirus news can be found in the Business section.

*Follow this page for updates from Total Croatia News on the coronavirus in Croatia. Contact numbers for epidemiologists, travel advisories and measures for preventing the spread of the coronavirus can be found here.

ZAGREB, February 27, 2020 - Heritage is our most important resource and we have to manage it wisely and rationally, as well as invest in it and protect it, Culture Minister Nina Obuljen Koržinek said in Dubrovnik on Thursday at the opening of an international conference on European cooperation in the protection of cultural heritage from risk.

Dubrovnik is the conference host because it is a symbol of coping with natural disasters and war, and today with a large number of visitors, Minister Obuljen Koržinek said.

The conference "Strengthening European Cooperation for the Protection of Cultural Heritage from Risk" is being held from 26 to 28 February in the organisation of the Ministry of Culture as one of Ministry's two central events during Croatia's presidency of the Council of the European Union.

"We have to realise that heritage is our most important resource, which we need to manage wisely and rationally, as well as invest in it and protect it. By doing that we will pass it on to future generations," Obuljen Koržinek said.

She also said that it was too soon to assess the effect of the novel coronavirus epidemic on culture tourism. "The situation is changing from day to day, but right now nothing indicates that we have to think about long-term restrictions. If we act responsibly, we will withstand the crisis. There is no room for panic. There has been a slowdown in tourism, cancellations of stays in Italy, but the situation will calm down," Koržinek said.

Dubrovnik Mayor Mato Franković said that tourism growth was contributing to the influx of money, which was putting destinations under UNESCO protection at risk of urbanisation in order to maximise profit.

"Tourism is the main economic activity in Dubrovnik. As many as 80% of people live off tourism. That is why when adopting measures, we have to bear in mind that we cannot destroy tourism, but achieve sustainability with the aim of improving our citizens' quality of life," Franković said.

One of the priorities of Croatia's presidency of the Council of the EU in the field of culture is the protection of cultural heritage, especially risk management of cultural heritage. The European Union has also highlighted the field of cultural heritage as one of its priorities in the last decade.

More culture news can be found in the Lifestyle section.

ZAGREB, February 27, 2020 - This year the Croatian Army will employ 915 new staff members of the armed forces from the labour market through a public vacancy advertisement while 711 current employees will have their statuses changed, according to a plan adopted at a government meeting on Thursday.

The government adopted a plan for hiring staff for the armed forces and a plan to change the categories of the military personnel already employed, which is the continuation of recruiting soldiers, non-commissioned officers and officers with the aim of rejuvenating personnel and maintaining the number of soldiers in the army.

The Defence Ministry's financial plan for the year envisages funds for the implementation of the employment plan and the gross expenditure for the new personnel is estimated at HRK 51.36 million.

The government also adopted a decision to launch negotiations on amendments to Annex I of the collective agreement in science and higher education, which expires on March 27, and appointed its negotiation team.

The annex regulates wage supplements (amounting to 10, 12 and 15% of the base wage to calculate wages in public services), supplements for work in special conditions (exposure to high risk of danger, hazards and stress related to work injuries, professional illnesses as well as disruptions in working processes that can cause detrimental consequences for safety and health).

Minister of Science and Education Blaženka Divjak underscored that so far everything has been functioning in accordance with the annex and she expects the negotiations to be quickly resolved and an agreement to be reached on the continuation of its implementation.

More news about the Ministry of Defence can be found in the Politics section.

ZAGREB, February 27, 2020 - The Split Municipal Prosecutor's Office has instructed the police to collect information concerning a criminal complaint Social Democrat MP Arsen Bauk filed against the organisers of a carnival procession in Imotski, where an effigy of a gay couple was set on fire this past weekend.

The effigy of a gay couple holding a "child" - SDP MP Nenad Stazić, with a five-pointed star on his forehead - was burned at the traditional carnival procession in Imotski last Sunday.

The criminal complaint against the organisers of the procession, the Bakove Svečanosti association, which is headed by Milivoj Djuka, was filed by SDP MP Bauk with the local police on Monday.

Sources at the Split prosecutor's office told Hina that police were expected to carry out a preliminary investigation and take other measures to collect information for a decision on the complaint while the prosecutor's office will make a decision within its remit once it receives the information requested.

More news about LGBT rights can be found in the Politics section.

ZAGREB, February 27, 2020 - Atlantic Grupa generated HRK 5.43 billion in sales revenue in 2019, an increase of 3.4% on the year, while net profit rose by 59.8% to HRK 390.4 million, the food company said in a financial statement on Thursday.

Operating profit (EBIT) in 2019 amounted to HRK 500.4 million, an increase of 36.4% compared with 2018.

Without one-off items and changes in accounting standards based on comparison, operating profit increased by 13.1% and net profit was up by 28.9%, the company said.

"Atlantic Grupa concluded 2109 with the historically highest revenue and profit. The year was exceptionally successful for us and we saw the year end as a stable, financial prosperous and low indebted company with an empowered management and a clear vision for the future," the company's CEO Emil Tedeschi said.

The increase in sales was mainly driven by the strategic business areas "Savoury Spreads", with a 7.7% growth, and "Beverages", with a 5.2% growth. With HRK 1.13 billion in sales and a 20.9% share in total revenues, "Coffee" stood out as the largest individual category.

All markets recorded growth in distribution operations, and the most significant growth was recorded on the Croatian market, of 8.2%, followed by increased sales in Slovenia, of 3.7%.

Own brands accounted for 64.1% of the total sales, the brands of the principals in distribution accounted for 27.5%, and the Farmacia pharmacy chain participated with 8.3%.

More business news can be found in the dedicated section.

February 27, 2020 - Croatian Tourism Minister Gari Cappelli comments on the coronavirus and its effects on Croatian tourism so far.

HRTurizam reports that the panic and spread of mass hysteria around the coronavirus is of no use to anyone, and many experts and scientists are calling for the voice of reason.

Today, Croatian Tourism Minister Gari Cappelli was the voice of reason at a session of the Croatian Government, stating that 24,500 tourists are currently staying in Croatia, or about 3% more guests than at the same time last year.

"There is still no major decline, except of course from the eastern markets, such as China and South Korea, as expected. In the first month, we had an increase of about 70% from the Chinese market, and now in February, a decrease of 60% was achieved, so we got closer to zero.”

As for the impact of the current situation on tourism revenue, Capelli noted that the first three months affect somewhere around 5%, while the first six months affect 27% of total tourism revenue.

“So the first three months will not have a significant impact on total tourism revenue. The biggest eventual cancellations that occur are in business and congress tourism, which is about reservations for March. Easter is earlier this year, so it won't even be a true picture of what's going to happen in the rest of the tourist season. The real picture will be shown by the situation in May, when the biggest arrivals are achieved because tourists connect holidays."

Cappelli added that in the last two years we have a new tendency in tourism through last minute bookings, i.e., our guests only book their arrival in May and June for the peak tourist season.

"So far, we do not have any cancellations for the main part of the tourist year; our markets are still stable. Positive data shows that we have a 3% increase in interest from the German market as well as from 7% to 8% in the UK this year. So for now, we do not feel any disadvantages, except for a slight halt to bookings, which was to be expected in this situation. There is no room to panic, the government headquarters manages the situation in real-time and all services are fully prepared,” Cappelli concluded.

"We need to stop any panic and big shopping trips for supplies, because we are not in this situation or at this stage at all," said Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic, adding that the Government will remain 100% transparent and prompt about all relevant information to the public.

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