The Telegraph gives Croatia summer holidays guide

Croatia is now definitely "in", with some 400,000 arrivals from the UK in 2013, up 25 per cent on 2012, the British Telegraph has said on its website. "The newest member of the EU, all but forgotten for almost a decade following the war (1991–1995) that saw the break-up of Yugoslavia, is firmly back on the summer destinations map. And with its stunning coastline, unspoilt nature (including eight national parks) and beautifully-preserved centuries-old harbour towns, it offers a less commercial take on the sun, sea and sand holidays you would expect in Greece or Spain. So where exactly should you head for?," The Telegraph said.

"Fly to Pula in the north-west to explore Istria, a green peninsula with close cultural ties to northern Italy. Popular with both Italians and Central Europeans on account of its accessibility, it's also the most highly organised region in terms of tourism facilities and infrastructure." The magazine says the "region is best known for its Venetian-era port towns on the west coast, including its top seaside destinations, Porec and Rovinj. The undulating hills of the interior are planted with vineyards giving forth the rich red Teran wine, and pungent truffles are unearthed in its woodlands. Ideal for a low-key foodie holiday with some hiking and culture included, Istria also attracts festival-goers with open-air electronic music bonanzas by the sea at Fort Punta Christo (fortpuntachristo.net) just outside Pula."



"More rugged and wild, and less developed, Dalmatia lies to the south, and can be divided into three. From the UK, you can fly direct to Dubrovnik (South Dalmatia), Split (Central Dalmatia) or Zadar (North Dalmatia). The big pluses are the blissful pine-scented Dalmatian islands and the warm Mediterranean climate, but you also get plenty of historic buildings too (most obviously in Dubrovnik and Split, both Unesco world heritage sites), and the dramatic, soaring Dinaric Alps backing the coast," The Telegraph wrote. "The most visited islands are trendy Hvar, with its slick minimalist design hotels and boho-chic seafood eateries, slower-paced Korcula, with its lovely medieval-walled car-free old town, and Pag, where Zrce beach near Novalje hosts a string of open-air music festivals through summer."
The magazine also says that the "main hubs for ferries to the islands are Dubrovnik, Split and Zadar, so with a bit of planning you can fly in and sail out the same day. For ferry timetables, see jadrolinija.hr."

"Islands aside, the Dalmatian coast more than warrants exploration. If you hire a car and drive up from Dubrovnik to Split, you'll pass the Peljesac peninsula, a haven for foodies with its hillside vineyards producing the potent red Dingac, Ston Bay, with its acclaimed oysters and mussels, and the Makarska Rivijera, with its fine pebble beaches and turquoise waters, backed by the imposing heights of Mount Biokovo." "Alternatively, you could fly to the capital, Zagreb, then hire a car and drive (or take the train) across to Rijeka or down to Split to explore Istria or Dalmatia respectively. If you head south for Dalmatia, work in a stop at Plitvice National Park to see spectacular waterfalls and lakes at Croatia's most visited inland destination," The Telegraph says.

Oznake: dubrovnik, zadar, Split, makarska, korcula

Tourism in Croatia: Booming Split Airport leads way in Dalmatia

Here are a couple of statistic about Croatian tourism. "With the tourist season on the Dalmatian coast in full swing, some very encouraging airport arrival statistics have been released. As millions of tourists bask in the pristine waters of the Adriatic Sea and on the beaches of the Dalmatian coast, there was more confirmation on the rising popularity of the city of Split on August 13, 2013, with the release of the latest airport arrival statistics, according to respected regional air blog Ex Yu Aviation. According to the blog, Split not only handled more passengers in a 24-hour period than any other airport in the region, but has already passed one million passengers for the year: "Split Airport has continued to post impressive numbers. The coastal airport has already handled more passengers within 24 hours than any other airport in the former Yugoslavia. In July alone, it saw an impressive 335.923 passengers use its services, up a significant 14.6% compared to last year. In the first seven months of 2013, a total of 853.714 passengers have been handled, up 11.7%. Yesterday, Split welcomed its millionth passenger for the year, nearly two weeks ahead of 2012. The millionth passenger was travelling on a Croatia Airlines flight to Vienna."

The increased numbers would seem to justify the decision to expand Split Airport in 2014, as reported recently by the same source. The strong growth was also reflected in the number of tourists staying in the city in July, according to Croatia Week: In July there were 66,957 registered tourists in Split, up 20 percent from the same period last year, the largest growth for any region in the country, says the tourist board. On top of the registered visitors, there are also thousands of tourists passing through the popular port city daily or on a day trip. “Tourism in Split has not happened just by chance. Split’s tourism development strategy for the period from 2005 to 2015 was created, after a contest, by the company URBOS. Today we are bearing the fruits of this plan and the long-term branding of the city. Do not forget that last year Split was declared the champion of tourism in Croatia,” said Split Tourist Board director Vedran Matošić.

Split Airport was not alone in posting such positive numbers, and neighbouring Zadar Airport — which lies north of Split and is a low-cost gateway for many to the Dalmatian capital — was also up 22 percent on the previous July, boosted mainly by the opening of the 54th Ryanair base in Zadar. The other Dalmatian coastal airport, Dubrovnik, is also having an excellent season, although numbers were slightly down on last year — 0.8 percent — a fact which is being attributed to the reduced tourism from Russia and Turkey due to the imposition of visa requirements post EU entry."


Read more: digitaljournal.com

Oznake: Split, zadar