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INTRODUCING

The Dubrovnik-Neretva County: New Hotels and Facilities
This year, Dubrovnik-Neretva County will offer its visitors numerous novelties. One of the world’s most beautiful tourist destinations, Dubrovnik, as well as other prominent destinations such Cavtat, Korčula, Ston, Orebić, the Island of Mljet, the Island of Vis and the Elaphite Islands, traditionally attract a large number of tourists. This year, however, tourists will have even more reasons to come. In the 2009 season, visitors will be able to enjoy new buildings, and the newly finished infrastructural facilities will make their stay even more pleasant and interesting. In May, the Valamar Lacroma Resort, operating under the management of the Dubrovnik-Babin kuk hotel company, will open its doors. The four-star hotel features 385 rooms and 16 suites, a conference hall accommodating a thousand people, seven smaller halls, a wellness centre spread over a thousand square metres, and six bars and restaurants. In July, the Radisson SAS Resort in Orašac, which is very near to Dubrovnik, will welcome its first guests. The five-star resort, comprising a hotel and a first-class apartment village, features 155 rooms, 24 suites and 207 apartments. The resort also features sports and recreational facilities, a wellness and spa area, several restaurants and bars, and a conference centre. In July, the five-star Palace Dimitri-Lešić Hotel, located in the historic centre of the City of Korčula on the eponymous island, will open its doors. The hotel is located in a completely renovated historical palace in the city centre, right next to Marco Polo’s birthplace. It features six luxurious suites and other facilities aimed at providing a pleasurable stay: wellness&spa, restaurants, cafés and more. Most of the existing hotels will also augment their offer and increase their accommodation capacity. The destinations themselves will also welcome visitors with recently developed and new facilities ll. For instance, in February of this year, a new public garage that ahs 711 spaces was opened in Dubrovnik, in close proximity to the city walls. Also, the first phase of the public lighting project of the city walls has been completed. The second phase is to be completed by the end of June. It should be noted that the lighting has been designed in line with regulations aimed at protecting the priceless historical monuments. In Vela Luka, a prominent tourist destination on the Island of Korčula, a coastal development project will soon be finished. A parking area, new green areas with benches and a public lighting system are also planned. This will greatly contribute to the appeal of the Vela Luka city centre.

The Dubrovnik-Neretva County Tourist Board
www.visitdubrovnik.hr

Istria: Domus Bonus – a guarantee of quality
“Domus Bonus Apartments” – a top quality private accommodation project initiated by the Istrian County Tourist Board in 2006 – is aimed at promoting private accommodation and increasing the quality of accommodation in Istria. The program is intended for registered providers of private accommodation in the Istrian County. In its third year, the Domus Bonus project offers 350 privately owned apartments for rent, which are each unique in their own way. Something they share in common is their high quality and top quality service and decor, certified by the “Domus Bonus Apartments” label. The 123 owners have developed their properties in line with the highest standards, as laid out by the project, and have thus joined this eminent family of tourist facilities, which is highly recommended by the Istrian County Tourist Board. The average occupancy of three months is testimony to the fact that visitors have recognized the high level of quality of these apartments. The most successful apartments are booked out for more than four months a year. The Istrian County Tourist Board initiated the branding of private accommodation five years ago because it accounted for a mere 10 percent of overnight stays in Istria, even though it made up 25 percent of the overall accommodation capacity. The project’ aim was to promote top quality accommodation and create a brand that visitors can trust. The importance of the project has also been recognized by the Istrian Development Agency, which granted it the right to use the “Istrian Quality” label, reserved exclusively for top quality products and services that are the result of Istrian tradition, development, research, innovation and inventiveness. At the beginning of April, the Istrian County Tourist Board organized the second annual “Domus Bonus Day”, aimed at educating existing and future members. Domus Bonus families got the chance to consult with experts, share experiences and familiarize themselves with the latest trends in tourism services.

The Istrian County Tourist Board
www.istra.hr

Anniversary: Opatija celebrates 120 years as a health resort
At the beginning of March, Opatija, a prominent tourist destination in the Kvarner Bay, celebrated its 120th anniversary as a health resort. In the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, extensive research that was carried out 120 years ago into the characteristics of this region’s climate led to the official proclamation of Opatija as a health resort. The climate of Opatija is unique in the Mediterranean, with specificities that come from the region’s rich vegetation cover and Opatija’s position in the lee of the forested Mountain Učka. In addition, Opatija is sheltered from the direct impact of winds, including winter storms, which means that there are no unbearable heat-waves during the summer. This makes a stay in Opatija particularly pleasurable and contributes to the development of year-round tourism.
The fact that prior to World War I there already were 12 sanatoriums in Opatija is testimony to the incredible pace of Opatija’s development as a health resort. This is mostly due to Emperor Francis Joseph, who issued an imperial decree in 1889, officially proclaiming Opatija a health resort in the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy. At the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century, Opatija was one of the most prominent and visited tourist destinations in Europe. Royalty and other distinguished public figures, including artists such as the Russian writer Anton Pavlovich Chekhov, American dancer Isadora Duncan, Austrian composer and conductor Gustav Mahler and Czech violinist and composer Jan Kubelik, have visited Opatija. In the many tourist guide books of the time, a stay in the mild Opatija climate is recommended to convalescing patients, especially those recovering from severe diseases of the respiratory or cardiovascular system. A stay in Opatija during spring and autumn was particularly recommended. These guides also mention the coastal promenade Lungomare and describe the rooms in the hotels of the time as “clean and comfortable”. “The prices are not low,” says one guide about Opatija. “On the contrary, they are higher than in other Austrian winter destinations”. However, the guide is quick to add that Opatija is worth the price and the strenuous long train journey that visitors needed to take in those times to get to it. Continuing the tradition, Opatija still enjoys the reputation of a destination that is extremely enjoyable throughout the year on account of its favourable climate. Today, Thalassotherapia, a leading centre for cardiologic rehabilitation in the region, is located in Opatija. It is one of the largest laboratories for functional non-invasive diagnostics in cardiology. Thalassotherapia features a new wellness centre spread over 2,500 square metres. Most of the hotels in Opatija boast extensive wellness facilities. It can be said, therefore, that Opatija has done justice to its 120-year long tradition as a health resort.

The Primorje-Gorski Kotar County Tourist Board
www.kvarner.hr

The City of Opatija Tourist Board
www.opatija-tourism.hr 


NEWS

The 64th FIM Rally in Zadar: Gathering motorcyclists from 30 countries
2000 drivers and co-drivers from around 30 countries from all over the world are expected at the 64th FIM Rally, held in Zaton, near Zadar, from May 25th to May 30th. During their five-day stay, the motorcyclists will take a tour of the natural, cultural and historical sites of the City of Zadar and the region. They will visit the salt pans in Nin, the Plitvice Lakes national park and the Cerovac caves. In the historical City of Zadar, they will visit the ‘Gold and Silver of Zadar’ Museum, the Zadar Historical Museum, the Church of St Simon and the St Anastasia Cathedral. The visitors will also take a tour of the islands Dugi Otok and Ugljan. FIM (Federation International de Motocyclisme) is an international motorcyclist organization. It is also dedicated to organizing the global tourist activities of motorcyclists. The federation was founded in 1904, and its headquarters are in Geneva, Switzerland. Around 100 countries from the entire world are involved in the work of FIM. Entire families take part in FIM’s activities, from children travelling with their parents to senior members. FIM Rally 2009 is organized by the tourism committee of the Croatian Motorcyclist Union. At the event, a new map of Croatia will be promoted, published by the ADAC automobile club and the European Motorcyclist Union (UEM), in collaboration with the Croatian National Tourist Board. This event provides a great opportunity to promote Croatia, its natural beauty and its tourist offer.

The Zadar County Tourist Board
www.zadar.hr 

The Croatian Motorcyclist Union
www.hms-moto.hr


Zadar: “key players” of the camping industry gather
From June 4th to June 7th, the FICC Rally will be held in Zadar, gathering 250 representatives of around 30 national camping federations from Europe and the globe. With their activities, these federations greatly influence tourism trends in the camping industry. During their four-day stay in the Zaton Holiday Resort in Zadar, the participants of the event will take a tour of many of the region’s sites so as to get to know its camping and overall tourist offer. FICC president Alvisa Joao Perreire is expected to attend the event and hold a press conference. FICC is an international camping organization that is composed of 52 associations in 37 countries throughout the world and has several million members. It is the most prominent camping association in the world. It gives its members legal and safety advice, and many guests receive discounts in camps. FICC’s chief partner in Croatia is the Croatian Camping Association. It organized the event in cooperation with the Italian national camping federation Confedercampeggio and the Croatian National Tourist Board. Other partners are Camp Zaton, operating under the company Turisthotel Zadar, and the City of Zadar Tourist Board.

The Zadar County Tourist Board
www.zadar.hr

The City of Zadar Tourist Board
www.tzzadar.hr

The Croatian Camping Association
www.camping-croatia.com 

Senj: Hotel Libra opening in the city centre
In the very centre of the town of Senj, Hotel Libra has opened its doors after the thorough reconstruction and refurbishment of Hotel Nehaj. The hotel is owned by the Matičić family and has 39 rooms and three suites. The hotel also has other facilities, such as fully equipped conference facilities that accommodate 60 people, a restaurant and a terrace, each with a capacity of 70 people. A lounge bar, a wellness centre, fitness gym and commercial area are also part of the hotel’s offer. Libra has its own secure parking area, and the Matičić family have a beach under concession nearby.
The town of Senj is located on the Velebit channel and is the biggest town on the route from Rijeka to Zadar. It sits between the sea, the slopes of Mountain Kapela and the highest Croatian Mountain Velebit, where the Mediterranean climate and Alp-Dinara mountain climate overlap. It is, therefore, famous for a unique natural phenomenon – the Senj winter storms. Senj is a city with a rich history, and visitors will particularly enjoy a tour of the Nehaj fortress. In terms of the Senj calendar of events, the following should be highlighted: the Uskok Days, held from July 10th to July 12th, the 35th Festival of north Adriatic “klapa” singers, held from July 17th to July 19th, the sailing regatta, held from July 23rd to July 25th, and the famous international Senj summer carnival, held from August 3rd to August 8th.

The Lika-Senj County Tourist Board
www.lickosenjska.com

The City of Senj Tourist Board
www.tz-senj.hr 

The Golden Pen: the May gathering of the best international tourism journalists in Dubrovnik
From May 28th to May 31st, tourism journalists from around the world who have authored prominent reports about Croatia and its tourist offer will gather in Dubrovnik. The international journalists are selected by a special panel of the Croatian National Tourist Board on account of their work.
For the fifth consecutive year, awards are given to the journalists in two categories: the best print media feature and best TV or radio feature. All nominees will be invited to participate in a tour of Dubrovnik and its surroundings at the end of May. After a tour of this extremely interesting and attractive region, the two winners will be announced at a special ceremony. The winners will receive the grand “Golden pen” statue, and all others will receive smaller statues and acknowledgement plaquettes.
This recognition has an added value for all journalism enthusiasts since Croatia is the homeland of the pen, the symbol of the profession. It was in the Croatian capital city of Zagreb that the inventor Slavoljub Penkala invented the mechanical pencil in 1906 and the pen in 1907. Penkala’s pens were exported to more than 70 countries worldwide as early as at the beginning of the 20th century. It can be said, therefore, that, together with the tie, the fountain-pen and the ballpoint-pen (which, in Croatia, we colloquially term “penkala” after its inventor), two items which represent the heritage of world civilisation, originate from Croatia.

The Croatian National Tourist Board
www.croatia.hr 


INVESTMENTS

Zadar: The soon-to-be-opened Family hotel Diadora
In June, the four-star Family Hotel Diadora, located on the Punta Skala Peninsula, in close proximity to Zadar, will open its doors. The hotel has 187 suites of different sizes, and special attention has been given to its spaciousness, lighting and innovative design, as the investor, Vienna-based Falkensteiner hotel company, points out. The hotel will also feature many wellness and hospitality facilities and a children’s club.
Hotel Diadora is part of the Punta Skala hotel complex, which will boast the first ever five-star hotel in the Zadar County, Hotel Jader, in spring next year.


The Zadar County Tourist Board
www.zadar.hr 

The City of Zadar Tourist Board
www.tzzadar.hr

Falkensteiner Hotels
www.falkensteiner.com 


Rabac: An even better offer
The Rabac hotel company, operating under the Valamar group, has invested 18 million Kuna (€ 2.5 million) into the development and expansion of its offer. The four-star Hotel Valamar Sanfior, for instance, will welcome its guests with a new wellness centre, featuring a Finnish, a Turkish and an infra-red sauna, a Jacuzzi, a relaxation room, a wellness bar, massage services and beauty treatment programs. Also, the indoor pool that overlooks the sea and the outside pool have been renovated, which will surely contribute to the popularity of the hotel outside the peak season. The investment in the hotel and its wellness facilities amounts to more than € 1.1 million (more than HRK 8 million). Hotel Valamar Sanfior and hotel Castor will open their doors at the beginning of April.
New facilities are also awaiting visitors at the Marina campsite. It features 74 new plots, and investments have been made in six new mobile homes, a promenade and the horticulture. Access to the beach and the beach itself are also being developed.
In preparation for this season, Rabac is also investing in the reconstruction of the fence around Hotel Castro and the playground and sunbathing area next to Hotel Castor and Hotel Pollux as well as the introduction of wireless internet in the rooms, lobby and conference halls of Hotel Valamar Sanfior and Valamar Bellevue. Around € 1 million has been invested in horticulture.
The introduction of a new entertainment concept, the Maro children’s club and many other entertainment and recreational facilities will also greatly contribute to a more pleasurable stay.

The Istrian County Tourist Board
www.istra.hr 

The City of Labin Tourist Board
www.rabac-labin.com 

Valamar Hotels
www.valamar.hr 

CROATIA IN THE WORLD

Campsites: recognition from the Italian market
The Italian camping association Confedercampeggio has joined the Dutch camping guide ANWB, the British Alan Rogers guidebook and the ADAC automobile club in their recognition of Croatian campsites. Constant investments aimed at raising the quality and standard of the facilities and services have not gone unnoticed by the Italian visitors. Confedercampeggio has awarded several campsites. The ‘Sympathy and Ecology’ award was awarded to Bor Campsite on the Island of Krk, Bijar Campsite in Osor and Nevio Campsite in Orebić. Park Campsite in Umag, Park Campsite in Soline and Šimuni Campsite in Kolane on the Island of Pag received the ‘Sympathy and Quality’ award.
A special award was given to the Zaton Holiday Village campsite for the third consecutive year. The large and completely renovated campsite is located in a pine tree forest, in close proximity to an apartment village that has a sports centre.
The campsite is located in Nin, near Zadar, and is, like most Croatian campsites, located right beside the sea (the beach is particularly suitable for children and non-swimmers). It covers an area of 30 hectares and has 1500 plots. The camp features six modern sanitation areas, and is partly adapted for the disabled.
An attractive pool for children and adults, numerous facilities and a well-organized sports and entertainment program make this camp a family paradise.
Last year, Croatian campsites recorded 13.7 million overnight stays. With 1.3 million, the Italian visitors are in fourth place, after the Germans, Slovenians and Dutch. The good news is that the leading campsite are recording an increase in bookings ranging from 2 to 15 percent.

The Croatian Camping Union
www.camping.hr 

Jiri Menzel in Croatia: the Czech Oscar-winner directs two documentaries
“Our sea, your sea” and “My Croatia” are the working titles of the two documentary films to be shot by Jiri Menzel, the famous Czech director and Oscar-winner. The films will tell the story of Croatia and its sites, and the history of Czech tourism on the Adriatic coast. The films will be produced by the Documentary department of the Croatian national television, and will be shot in locations such as Dubrovnik, Makarska, Baška, Kašteli and other destinations that are commonly visited by Czech tourists. Seeing as the film will be shot throughout the year, it is expected that shooting will be finished by the end of the year.
In “My Croatia”, the famous director will present his vision of the people he encountered and collaborated with in Dubrovnik and the city itself, where he directed two plays at the Dubrovnik Summer Festival. “Our sea, your sea” is a form of recapitulation of the historical connection and love between the Czech on the one hand and Dalmatia and the entire Adriatic on the other. It will focus particularly on the history of the tourist arrivals of the Czech, whose historical affection towards and friendship with the Adriatic go back 100 years.
Interestingly, these are Menzel’s very first documentary features. Considering his distinguished style and the fact that he has been given liberty to both praise and criticise where he sees fit, one can expect the films will attract attention not only in Croatia and the Czech Republic, but all those interested in the country and its people. The public will surely show great interest in the films, but Menzel says he does not expect them to improve relations of the people from the two countries, for the simple reason that there does not seem to be much room for improvement. It should also be mentioned that a third documentary film is in the pipeline, its subject matter the making of the first two. Last year, 650,000 Czech tourists visited Croatia, and judging by the interest shown, most Czechs will also choose Croatia as their vacation destination this year.

The Croatian National Tourist Board
www.croatia.hr 

Trakošćan: And where is Sleeping Beauty?
The New Zealand daily Herald published the article “Croatia: to be manor born”, hailing Croatian castles as a top tourist destination. Most castles are located in central Croatia. The authors particularly recommend Trakošćan, describing it as a fairy-tale castle. “Dominating the dense, dark forests of the Zagorje region, Trakošćan is a pint-sized fairytale castle of the sort you'd expect Sleeping Beauty to emerge from,” says Herald. The entire region is portrayed as being abundant in mesmerising castles, but it is Trakošćan that has caught the attention of Herald and numerous visitors on account of its well-preserved state and the permanent exhibition it houses.
Castle Trakošćan is located in the north-western part of the Zagorje region. It was built in the 13th century, and from 1584 to World War II it was owned by the Drašković noble family. At the beginning of the 19th century, Juraj Drašković renovated it, turning it into a residential castle. The castle represents a valuable contribution to romanticist residential and park architecture. It is now State-owned and has a museum, harbouring the original interior decoration in areas such as the knight and hunting hall, the music salon, the studio of artist Juliana Erdoedy and the weapons collection with items from the 15th to the 19th century.
The beautiful castle surroundings are designed as a landscape park, with a lake, meadows and trees, including some exotic species. The 1.5 kilometre-long artificial lake surrounded by paths greatly contributes to the romantic atmosphere. Castle Trakošćan is located around 70 kilometres from Zagreb, 40 km from Varaždin and is placed on the key Zagreb-Maribor-Vienna route.

The Varaždin County Tourist Board
www.turizam-vzz.hr 

Castle Trakošćan 
www.trakoscan.hr
 

OFFER

Ston: A tour of the Ston City walls – a first-class tourist attraction
Visitors coming to Ston this summer will be able to take a tour of the famous Ston city walls, 5.5 kilometres long. The walls are the second longest preserved walls in the world, after the Great Wall of China. They have been under renovation for the past couple of years, and this is the first year that visitors will be able to take a walk along their entire length. Tickets will be charged for a tour of the walls, so that future maintenance of this important monument can be financed. The renovation was initiated by the Association for the preservation of the Dubrovnik historical heritage, and mostly financed from ticket sales for tours of the Dubrovnik city walls.
The huge complex, spreading along the entire length of the peninsula, was built by the citizens of Dubrovnik from 1333 to 1506. At the southern and north tip of the walls, two towns were established: Ston and Mali Ston. The 5.5 kilometre-long walls are fortified by around 40 towers and five citadels.
The announcement of the tours of the entire walls has already stirred great interest among tourists, and many international tour-operators and tourist agencies are expected to include this attraction in their programs.

The Dubrovnik-Neretva County Tourist Board
www.visitdubrovnik.hr

The Ston Municipality Tourist Board
www.tzo-ston.hr

Salsa: to the rhythm of dance
From June 23rd to June 28th, the prominent tourist destination Rovinj will be the ideal place for all dance enthusiasts, especially fans of salsa, where they can combine two pleasures – salsa and a stay in this picturesque Istrian town.
Salsa, the globally popular Latino music, has captured Croatia as well, where many dance to it in numerous dance-clubs. This is precisely why in 2005 the International Summer Salsa Festival was established. This year, at the end of June, salsa will again take over Rovinj squares and hotels. For six days and six nights, visitors will be able to take part in a unique multicultural dance event, intended for all those who enjoy dancing and want to be entertained. Rovinj will host some of the world’s most prestigious dance-instructors, artists and choreographers, and all true dance and salsa enthusiasts. A great time and playful salsa rhythms are waiting for everyone who wants to join them, both as dancers and spectators.

The Istrian County Tourist Board
www.istra.hr

The Town of Rovinj Tourist Board
www.tzgrovinj.hr

The International Summer Salsa Festival
www.crosalsafestival.com 

2008 statistics: what attracts tourists?
2,141 million tourists, 1,782 million of which were foreign, visited Croatia’s eight national parks last year. Most, around 960 000, were attracted to the Plitvice Lakes, followed by the River Krka, the Brijuni Islands, the Paklenica canyon, The Island of Mljet, the Kornati Islands, Mount Risnjak and Northern Velebit.
2,376 million tourists, 1,127 million foreign tourists, visited 147 museums and galleries, a testimony to the fact that visitor’s interest for them has not dwindled. In this respect, the Dubrovnik-Neretva County has attracted the most visitors, where 870 000 foreign tourists visited 19 museums and galleries. The second most attractive was Zagreb, where 21 museums and galleries were visited by 581 000 tourists, followed by Split-Dalmatia County, with 103 000 visitors to the 15 museums and galleries, and the Istrian, Zadar and Šibenik-Knin counties.

The Croatian National Tourist Board
www.croatia.hr 

State Statistics Institute
www.dzs.hr

Business conferences: 6 000 conferences last year
The intensive reconstruction of hotels and the development of new ones has raised the quality of Croatia’s tourist offer and caught the attention of the international business-community. The interest of business people in Croatia is all the greater since most hotels, especially the four- and five-star ones, feature conference halls, meeting rooms and accompanying facilities. This has led to a surge in business conferences, especially in the most prominent conference destinations such as Opatija, Dubrovnik and Zagreb. Thanks to the efforts and activities of the Croatian Convention & Incentive Bureau, its regional subsidiaries and national companies, the Croatian convention and conference offer is becoming increasingly attractive to potential international organizers, as shown by the statistics.
Last year alone, 6011 conferences were held in Croatia, more than half of which were held for several days. Altogether, they were held for 12,204 days. The conferences were attended by altogether 511 000 participants.
Most of the conferences were held in hotels, 5573. Altogether, these were held for 11,473 days and were attended by more than 372 000 people. The rest was held at universities, fairs and cultural institutions.
139 conventions were organized by an international organization, 300 by the Croatian Government, State or local government administration, 635 by travel agencies, and 3,218 by companies. Trade organizations held 528 conferences, and 624 conventions were organized by banks, insurance companies, political parties and NGO’s. Foreign companies, institutions and organizations held 336 conventions last year.

The Croatian National Tourist Board
www.croatia.hr