http://www.total-croatia-news.com/item/12365-croatia-entering-this-tourist-season-with-40-new-hotels

An infographic published in leading Norwegian daily Afterposten on June 13, 2016 shows how Croatia is benefitting from global events. Is it something Croatia can build on for the long term?

Tourism trends are constantly changing, as new trendy destinations emerge, and more established ones lose their appeal. An increasingly important factor in the decision of holiday destination in the modern age is sadly linked to the terrorist threat, and recent events in Turkey, Tunisia and Egypt to name but three, have seen their tourism industries decimated by recent attacks. Some 5.9 million Russians holidayed in Egypt and Turkey last year, a massive number of tourists who are now looking for somewhere else.

So too with Norwegians, one of the most coveted tourism countries, with their high spending reputation and desire for late season sun. Tourism from Scandinavia to Croatia has risen significantly in the last decade, with the introduction of direct flights from national carrier Norwegian a majoy factor, and s the infographic above shows, Croatia seems to be the major beneficiary, with a 12% increase in tourism from Norway since 2014, according to a surey from Euromonitor.

While the increase is welcome, it is perhaps now time to strike while the iron is hot, and build on this increase to turn Croatia into a Scandinavian destination of choice for the late season, as well as the peak, with the introduction of the one missing ingredient to make this possible – out of season flights?

Croatia has much to attract Scandinavians out of season – late season sun, culture, heritage, adventure tourism, excellent food and wine, a mere three hour flight from Oslo, but once the summer budget carriers shut up shop for the winter, access is a major stumbling block.

Leading the way commendably is Dubrovnik, which this year is introducing 14 international routes through the winter, while Ryanair appears close to 12-month flights to the Pearl of the Adriatic (although somewhat perversely, the Irish carrier has announced it will be closing its base at Oslo Rygge, with the loss of connections to Pula and Zadar). With the global situation as it is, it now not the time for Croatia to explore and introduce more year-round flights to destinations such as Pula, Zadar, Split and Dubrovnik – all fantastic 12-month destinations (if businesses are given an incentive to remain open all year).

A 12% increase in two years could become significantly more with such an introduction, and not be limited to Norway. Scandinavia, the UK, and Germany and all major growth areas for Croatian tourism, and all countries which would attract visitors out of season.

If Croatia is serious about 365 tourism, flights are the one thing stopping its expansion. I recently spoke to Ante Lacman, director of Intours DMC, who told me that they lose up to 80% of their enquiries due to flights. This, the same agency which recently pulled off the biggest incentive trip in the history of Hvar, with 650 guests at the beginning of May, when flights fortunately worked out.

A great opportunity for Croatia, and a serious investment, but the opportunity to turn Croatia into a 12-month destination is now.

https://www.total-croatia-news.com/item/12412-the-tourism-view-from-norway-a-golden-opportunity-for-croatia

You’ll need more than one trip to discover the 101 delights of Dalmatia – the rugged central coastline of Croatia, protected by a gorgeous Adriatic archipelago and backed by the dramatic Velebit mountain range.

Head out from the beautiful and vibrant 3,000-year-old town of Zadar and you’ll find a destination that has plenty to Cro about.

Relatively undiscovered by Brits, expect spectacular scenery, a fascinating heritage and an unrivalled array of ­activities that will suit both the sporty and the sedate.

We stayed at the lovely four-star boutique Hotel Bastion at the head of the small peninsula on which the old walled town stands.

GettyMystery hut for competitionIdyllic: Sunset in Zadar
It’s ideally placed overlooking the busy harbour and, behind it are the narrow streets and alleys running down to the ancient town gates, which were laid out by the Romans.

The Roman forum is well preserved as are the medieval and Renaissance buildings. The church of St Donatus dates from the 9th century, while St Anastasia’s Cathedral goes back to the 12th. The Franciscan monastery is still inhabited and it has a superb 16th century cloister.

Zadar has a excellent restaurants to suit all pockets and some lively bars. And your money really does go a long way in Croatia – beer costs just £2 for half a litre and we had excellent freshly-made pizzas and wine for £15.

GettyKolovare Beach in Zadar, CroatiaSun worship: Kolovare Beach in Zadar
Oh, and none other than movie legend Alfred Hitchcock proclaimed the sunset at Zadar to be the best he’d ever seen.

If you just want a typical beach holiday you can find superb family accommodation such as the Zaton Holiday Resort, near Nin, or the Solaris resort in Sibenik, but the area is really geared up for independently minded travellers who want to explore. And, boy, is there plenty to see.

Nin is the perfect place to start. The first capital of the Croats, it has an unexpected link with Tenby in South Wales through the European Walled Towns Association.

It has the largest area of sandy beaches in Croatia including the rather special Queen’s Beach, hailed by some as one of the most beautiful in the world.

Robert Harding World ImageryZadar, Dalmatia region, CroatiaMarina: The harbour in Zadar
Next to it you’ll find an area of medicinal mud where all manner of health treatments are available. And across the lagoon are the salt works at Nin. Started by the Romans, they are still harvesting one of the world’s finest salts purely from sun, sea and wind.

The area is also a haven for birdwatchers and there are the remains of Croatia’s largest 1st century temple, a lovely museum and several excellent restaurants.

Across the sea from Nin is the island of Pag, which since 1980 has been accessible over a magnificent bridge thanks to the late Yugoslav President Tito, who ordered its construction after it took him more than 10 hours to get there by boat.

Sailing in DamatiaWind pwer: Sailing in Dalmatia
Driving across the bridge is a real wow moment.

Pag is well known to the young festival crowd for its summer beach bashes and is popular with cyclists and tourers too.But go in June or September and you will have more than 30 beaches almost to yourself.

Pag town is a historical gem and the island – which gets covered in salt when the winter Bora wind blows – is famous for both its lamb and sheep’s cheese.

It’s an insult in the region not to provide your guests with a Pag lamb at a celebration or to forget a gift of Paski Sir, the most popular sheep’s cheese.

At the Na Tale restaurant I tucked into a plateful of Pag lamb, followed by Paski Strukli Od Skute – a sweet and savoury dessert made from Pag’s own type of cottage cheese.

Turn away from the coast and you’ll find even more spectacular sights at the Paklenica National Park and in the Zrmanja canyon.

GettyKrka Falls National Park, Dalmatia, CroatiaSpectacular: Krka Falls
The amazing gorge at Paklenica attracts climbers, mountain bikers and people who just want to walk beside the tumbling river.

Over lunch at the Rajna Hotel in Starigrad, our host Marin Marasovic explained how the national park and the canyon were used in the 1960s as the location for a series of 11 Western movies based on German language novels about a hero called Winnetou.

So while we had the Sergio Leone Spaghetti Westerns with Lee Van Cleef, these were what I’ll call the Sauerkraut Westerns and they are an institution in Germany.

Marin took us on his Velebit Foto Safari to see the wonderful locations. The most spectacular is the Zrmanja Gorge – it’s like a mini Grand Canyon and it can only be seen from above by taking a trip in an off-road 4×4.

GettyCroatia, Northern Dalmatia, Adriatic Sea, Nin fortified town, 9th century statue of BranimirHeritage: The statue of Branimir in the fortified city of Nin
Our tour then climbed high up into the mountains, where we encountered a crew preparing to film scenes for the next Game of Thrones series (they were training horses for filming the next day).

Next we drove to the small town of Obrovac for another wow moment on a delightful boat ride before travelling further up the Zrmanja river, famous for its waterfalls, kayaking and whitewater rafting.

No stay in Zadar would be complete without venturing out to sea to discover some of the islands that make up the Telascica nature reserve.

We joined a Sailing Croatia yacht just a couple of minutes’ walk from the Hotel Bastion and skipper Petr Ivanov soon had us helping out at the helm as we threaded our way between the jewels of the Adriatic.

GettyZadar’s Stari Grad, CroatiaView: Zadar’s Stari Grad, Croatia
The return trip was made under full sail with the wind pushing us along nicely back towards Zadar.

For our final night, we drove an hour south – all the roads are fantastic – to the lovely town of Sibenik to stay at the Solaris Resort’s Hotel Ivan, a stylish property on a large family complex a few minutes from the town.

Sibenik, dominated by four huge fortresses, is in a bay where the River Krka meets the Adriatic. The stone-built Cathedral of St James, in both Gothic and Renaissance styles, is on a Unesco world heritage list.

Overall, there’s both a familiar feeling of Italy in much of the region, coupled with an unfamiliar feeling of Eastern Europe in the language and in some of the more modern architecture which is reminder of its Eastern Bloc era.

The people are friendly and proud of their own locality and traditions. And though there are not so many English-speaking visitors, the language is spoken everywhere.

The food is excellent with an emphasis on fresh fish and simply grilled meats, pasta and pizza.

Dalmatia was a real eye-opener – in fact it knocks spots off everywhere else I’ve been.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/lifestyle/travel/europe-short-haul/croatias-dalmatian-coast-spot-holiday-6087908

Perfumed gardens, uninhabited islands, champagne from the sea and dolphins – Captain Branko’s introductory talk mentioned them all.
“Welcome to the Kvarner Bay,” beamed Capt Branko. “Trust me, it’s Croatia’s best kept secret.”
Croatia itself is no longer a secret – according to the tourist board nearly 400,000 visitors from the UK holidayed there last year, a figure almost on a par with pre-independence levels (the coast of the former Yugoslavia attracted around 500,000 Brits in 1989).
The majority flock to Dubrovnik and the island of Hvar in the Dalmatia region, whose perennial popularity ensures crowds and higher prices. In search of a quieter spot, I was drawn to the northern coastline, so found myself on this seven-night cruise, which cast off from Opatija on a gloriously sunny day in late June.
In the north of Croatia, at the other end of the coast from Dubrovnik, Opatija is an elegant place, replete with grand villas that were built during the Austro-Hungarian era. The resort doubled as Nice in the film Diana, about the late Princess of Wales, and it didn’t lose anything in comparison.

A fishing boat in Rab
On deck, stretched out on my sun lounger, I was struggling with a map of the region when the shouting started. Suddenly it didn’t matter where I was. Dolphins, lots of them, were dancing in front of our boat.
“They aren’t supposed to be here; they live near Lošinj and we usually see them on day six,” boomed Capt Branko over the loudspeaker. “Look now!” Around 20 bottlenose beauties (some with babies) jumped and played around us for a good 15 minutes.
As we settled down for lunch – a delicious Adriatic “blue fish” caught that morning – we travellers bonded over dolphin spotting. Our cruise included breakfast and lunch on board each day, with the evenings left free for us to sample the restaurants ashore.
• The top 5 cruise holidays in Croatia
We stopped for our first swim not far from the town of Krk on the island of the same name. That evening we explored the island’s cobbled streets, towers and ramparts and sipped local “sea champagne” (fermented in the bottle on the sea bed) in a bar that contained impressive Roman ruins.
Operated by Katarina Line our almost-new vessel, Dalmatia, had 19 spacious, air-conditioned cabins with en-suite bathrooms, plus a sun deck, a bar and a small restaurant. A crew of young Croats worked tirelessly to please our mixed-nationality group (one Spanish couple for example, put in a request for paella for lunch at least once during the sailing).
• 11 cruise ship world records
The next afternoon brought more excitement when the four spires of Rab town (on the island of the same name) came into view. We moored right in front of the huge square of Saint Kristofor in the old town.
It was here, in an open-air bistro, that I first sampled Kvarner scampi. More like a langoustine, they were served in a delicious tomato and wine sauce. “Use your bread, Madam,” instructed the waiter.
• Cruise holidays: the best destinations for 2015
Rab has several claims to fame: it has 22 sandy bays (a rarity in Croatia, where most beaches are pebbly); on a Royal visit in 1936 King Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson dallied there, and every July it holds a three-day festival that involves lavish medieval costumes, witches, musicians, falcons and fireworks.
The days became a blur of regular dips, sunbathing and lazy chat. The historic city of Zadar, also famous for its melodious “sea organ” (a natural instrument built using pipes under the concrete promenade) came and went.

Zadar’s “sea organ” at sunset
The tiny island of Molat has just one shop and it was there that a feeling of melancholy set in as we realised our holiday was already halfway through.
Over cocktails on deck we all agreed that this cruise was ticking all the boxes: hidden coves, islands and a dramatic coastline; fabulous opportunities for swimming; superb restaurants on shore serving everything from pizza to lobster; pretty villages and monuments – and no crowds to spoil any of it. Bliss.
• Makarska, Croatia: Secret Seaside
The scent of pine and rosemary reached us before we docked in Mali Lošinj – this was the “perfumed garden” that the captain had mentioned at the start of the cruise. The island is famous for the heady scents of plants and herbs, as well as the pretty pastel-coloured houses ranged around the horseshoe-shaped harbour.
As we sailed on to the island of Cres (the third island and town with the same name), there was not a dolphin in sight, although I was consoled by the chance to swim among starfish. We enjoyed a dinner of seafood risotto at a waterfront restaurant as a guitarist strummed Beatles songs.
• What causes seasickness on a cruise and how can you cure it?
Next morning Capt Branko was on the tannoy again. “Look up!” Circling overhead, massive birds were griffon vultures, which, although endangered throughout Europe, breed successfully on the remote cliffs of Cres Island, where few humans venture.
“The dolphins have sent them to say goodbye,” quipped Capt Branko. As we gathered speed towards Opatija, I really wanted to believe that was true.

Croatian tourism has had a very successful first half of the year, with figures up by 7 per cent on the same period in 2014 and an especially sharp rise in visitor numbers to Zagreb.

Figures released by the Croatian National Tourist Board, HTZ, in its half-yearly report, show a significant upward trend.

In the first six months of 2015, 4.1 million tourists visited Croatia, which was 7 per cent more than in the same period in 2014.

Over the same period, these tourists spent 16.8 million overnight stays, which was 5 per cent more than in the same period in 2014.

Of the total number of visitors, 3.6 million came from abroad, which is also 7 per cent more than last year.

Foreign tourists in this period spent 14.9 million overnight stays, which is 4.3 per cent more than over the same period in 2014.

Dalmatia, known for its sunny coastline, beaches and numerous islands, attracted 1.7 million people – 5.5 per cent more than 2014 – who spent 7.3 million nights (4.4 per cent more) in hotels, apartments and camps.

The Istrian peninsula on the northern Adriatic coast also did well with 1.1 million tourists in this period, which was 6.6 per cent more than last year. These tourists spent 5.4 million overnight stays, which was 4.2 per cent up.

Both the biggest boost to tourism figure did not come from the seaside but from the Croatian capital, Zagreb, in continental Croatia.

Between January and June, 428,000 tourists visited the capital, which was an impressive 12 per cent up on the same period last year. Tourists spent 753,000 overnight stays in the city, 11 per cent more than last year.

Most tourists who came to the Croatia in this period were taking vacations. Some 22 per cent of all tourists came from Germany, 10 per cent from Austria, 9.6 per cent from Slovenia, 5 per cent from the Czech Republic and 4.7 per cent from Italy.

Tourism Minister Darko Lorencin assessed that tourism could earn Croatia a record-high 8 billion euro this year.

The HTZ told BIRN that the healthy figures reflected good preparations for the tourist season, adding that active preparations for this season began back in last September.

The HTZ said it did not believe the boost was simply the result of tourists diverting to Croatia from unstable Greece and Tunisia.

Tourism generated 7.4 billion euro for Croatia in 2014, which was 17.2 per cent of its annual GDP. Although figures grew by 2.8 per cent in 2014 compared with 2013, they are still below the figures recorded at the pre-recession peak of 2008.

http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/croatian-tourism-makes-a-leap-in-preseason

Croatia aims to invest more money in spas, health centres and wellness centres – to enable the tourism industry to expand beyond its traditional offering of beach holidays on the coast.

In a bid to further develop Croatian tourism, the government has started to work on an action plan to develop medical tourism in the country.

According to the envisioned action plan, the government will invest around 80 million euro from EU funds to renew existing health resorts. The Tourism Ministry has made preliminary calculations that medical services could earn the country another 106 million euro annually.

Croatia is already known for quality wellness spas and other forms of medical tourism but laws need changing in order to enable private entrepreneurs  to enter the market more fully.

Currently, spas and health resorts have to set aside part of their capacity for public health requirements, while the commercial parts are often under-used.

Setting a new ratio between public and commercial capacities will be one of the biggest tasks, and will involve talks with unions of workers from the public health system.

An additional task is to develop medical tourism outside the traditional peak tourist season in July and August.

Currently, medical tourism is concentrated in wellness tourism – 80 hotels and wellness centres – health resorts  – 15 special hospitals and health resorts – and purely medical tourism  – in large hospital centres and private clinics.

Most of these spas and helath centres are located on the Istrian peninsula, on the northern Adriatic coast, in the north and in the capital Zagreb.

Besides spas, health resorts and wellness centres, medical tourism involves the offer of other medical services, such as aesthetical surgery and dental treatment.

Croatia wants to develop its medical tourism in order to compete with neighbouring Slovenia and Hungary whose thermal spas are popular among medical tourists from all over Europe.

Tourism is an important industry for Croatia, generating 7.4 billion euro in 2014, which was 17.2 per cent of its annual GDP. Although figures grew by 2.8 per cent in 2014 compared with 2013, they are still below the figures recorded at the pre-recession peak of 2008.

Sven Milekic

http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/croatia-to-develop-medical-tourism

Croatia on Wednesday said it earned almost a record 7.4 billion euro from tourism in 2014, which was up on the figures from 2013 – and not far from the all-time high of 2008.

Figures published by the Croatian national bank, HNB, show Croatia earned a healthy 7.4 billion euro from tourism in 2014, which was 2.8 per cent better than the figures for 2013.

Tourism now makes up 17.2 per cent of Croatia’s annual GDP, which was 0.6 per cent more than in 2013. The latest figures are close to the record pre-recession year of 2008, when the country earned 7.46 billion euro.

Of the total income, 7.2 billion euro was generated from trips made for personal purposes, which was 231 million euro or 3.3 per cent more than in 2013 and 135 million euro or 2 per cent more than in 2008.

Another 194 million euro came from business trips. This figure has been in constant decline since 2005, when it was around 500 million euro.

Tourism minister Darko Lorencin expressed his satisfaction with the income earned in 2014 and said the results of the government’s work were now being seen, especially in the good results for the low season, outside high summer.

“The results make me extremely happy because it is proven that tourism policy is moving in the right direction and that Croatia is becoming a more competitive, more interesting and more demanded international destination,” he concluded.

Tourism has long been a major part of the Croatian economy, bringing a vital amount of cash into the state budget.

The industry is mostly is concentrated on the Adriatic coastal resorts, around the Roman and medieval cities of Zadar, Trogir, Split, Dubrovnik as well as the islands.

Lately, however, the continental towns, including the capital, Zagreg, have drawn more visitors.

With the onset of the recession in 2008, income from tourism fell in 2009 and 2010, but it started to bounce back from then on.

Sven Milekic

http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/croatia-makes-7-4-billion-euro-from-tourism-in-2014

Some 25 new or completely refurbished hotels are due to open this summer on the Croatian Adriatic coast as a result of a sustained period of investment in the sector.

Around 25 new or completely redesigned hotels will open for the upcoming summer season along the Croatian Adriatic coast.

Croatian and foreign tourism companies have invested billions of Croatian kuna in hotels lately, far more than was invested in the last decade.

When it comes to the total number of tourists they accommodate, Croatian hotels still currently accommodate only 32.7 per cent of tourists to the country.

In other developed European tourist destinations, the figures are much higher. In France, it is 49.9 per cent, in Spain, 73.5 per cent, in Italy, 67.6 per cent, and in Greece, 76.3 per cent.

Tourism minister Darko Lorencin said sustained investment in the Croatian hotel industry was starting to bear fruit.

“The large number of new hotels opening this summer is partly a result of two years of investment in the sector… which started in 2013 with a total of 230 million euro to last year’s figure of almost 410 million euro,” Lorencin said.

“It all shows that Croatia is on the rise in terms of tourism, and there is no stagnation in terms of investment,” he added.

The minister said the authorities were aim to attract new investors into real estate on the coast, which has been in decay for decades since Yugoslavia dissolved in the 1990s.

The second biggest company in hotel industry, Valamar Riviera, will be opening its Isabella Island Resort on a small isle next to the town of Porec on the western Istrian peninsula, in which it has invested around 33 million euro.

HUP Zagreb, also amongst biggest hotel companies in Croatia, has invested around 40 million euro in hotels, opening two new ones in the region of Dubrovnik on the south of the Adriatic coast.

According to the tourism ministry, there are 620 registered hotels in Croatia with 104,000 beds and 20 apartment hotels with an additional 1,400 beds.

Croatia earned 7.4 billion euro in 2014 from tourism, which accounted for 17.2 per cent of its annual GDP. Although figures for 2014 grew by 2.8 per cent when compared with 2013, the figures are still down from their pre-recession high in 2008.

Sven Milekic BIRN Zagreb

http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/hotel-boom-on-croatian-adriatic-coast