Croatia in top 3 European destinations, say Guardian readers

After a lull in visits due to regional conflict in the 1990s, it would seem that British tourist interest in Croatia is back, with the results of the Guardian and Observer Readers Travel Awards 2013 - published online on November 11, 2013 - the latest confirmation of the increased travel from the UK.

Prior to the war in former Yugoslavia, British tourists came to the Yugoslav - primarily Croatian - coast in their droves, some 440,000 of them annually, making it the second most popular destination after Spain.

War in the region, coupled with the emergence of other affordable sun destinations, such as Egypt, Turkey and Greece, made it harder for Croatia to regain its market share, but the progress the country's tourism chiefs has made in recent years has been commendable, with the latest endorsement from Guardian readers yesterday.

In the awards, Croatia was named third favourite country behind Austria and Sweden, and ahead of Turkey and Switzerland.

The vote is mirrored by a marked increase in British visitors to the Adriatic coast. As Digital Journal has previously reported, there was a 24% increase in British visitors in the first 8 months of the year, compared to the corresponding period in 2012.

More than 500,000 British visitors are expected in 2014, up from the peak numbers in the 1980s.

The Vrlika Tourist Board gets active on Facebook

A world away from the sparkling Dalmatian coast and just an hour away by car, the historic town of Vrlika is one of the lesser discovered destinations in Central Dalmatia.

Combined with the timeless beauty of its stunning nature, including the pearl of Lake Peruca, it is also one of the region's most enchanting places, a chance to escape the crowds and experience the raw natural beauty of inland Dalmatia at its finest. 

The Vrlika Tourist Board recently embraced social media and has become very active on Facebook - follow the latest events here. And if you are not familiar with the joys of Vrlika, check out the official promotional video below.

A Good Night for Split and Central Dalmatia at Days of Croatian Tourism Awards

The 2013 season has been an encouraging one for statistics, both in the number of visitors and overnight stays, as well as strong growth in established markets such as Scandinavia and the UK, and emerging markets such as South Korea and Brazil. That feel good factor was reflected in the recent 'Days of Croatian Tourism' annual awards.

Split won the category of best medium-sized destination in Croatia, with the 'medium' being a reflection on the number of beds in the destination rather its physical size. Split was also named by the Croatian National Tourist Board as the cultural destination of the year, and there was individual recognition for the ACI Marina in Split (3rd best medium-sized marina), Strobrec (best medium-size campsite), Split Radisson Blu Resort (3rd in best four-star hotels), and Hotel Vestibul (2nd best small hotel on the Adriatic coast).

Even more encouragingly, a survey by the national tourist board of some 10,000 people found that Split has passed Istria as a name that resonates with people when mentioning Croatia. One final piece of good news for the region was that rural tourism in inland Dalmatia was declared better bait than for visitors in Istria, which is generally accepted to have a better offer.

Exciting times for tourism in Central Dalmatia, and 2014 promises to be a great season ahead.

Flights, Flights, Flights - More Choice Than Ever for Central Dalmatia in 2014

While the magnificent 2013 tourist season continues on, with tourists still swimming in the glistening Adriatic with this fabulous October weather, thoughts are already turning to plans for the 2014 season in some quarters. 

And if the early flight announcements are anything to go by, it will be busy indeed...

Split was served by more than 80 destinations and 43 airlines in 2013, and the early news is that many of those destinations are now strengthening their routes for next season. 

Perhaps the most interesting regional news is the lengthening of the flying season from Belgrade to Split by both Croatia Airlines and new successor to JAT, Air Serbia. With the investment coming from the 49% share from Etihad, there are also some interesting routes to Split via Belgrade, including three cities in Australia, the Seychelles and Dubai.

The news from the important UK market is good as well, with easyJet introducing the first direct connection from Scotland, from Glasgow, while Norwegian Air must have been pleased with their first year's flying from London to Split, as they have increased the service from Gatwick.

The news from the rest of Europe is good as well, with new routes announced for next season to Split from Lyon (easyJet), Athens (Croatia Airlines) and Brussels (Thomas Cook), while other important routes have increased their frequency, including Barcelona (Vueling) and Munich (Croatia Airlines).

All good news - Central Dalmatia awaits your visit! 

The Charms of Split Reach India

Is Central Dalmatia about to see another new tourism market?

After another great season in terms of tourism numbers, it seems that the message about the unique attractions of Split Dalmatia County are reaching new audiences...

India is not a country with a strong cultural tradition of visitors to Croatia, but could that be about to change with the some of the first tourism articles about the region appearing in the Indian press?

One of the most-read publications in English, The Hindu, featured Split earlier this week, a positive portrayal that could well be the start of increased interest from Indian tourists. Read the article here. 

Discover Dalmatia, a Sailing Paradise

There is no doubt that tourism on the Dalmatian coast, and Split is particular, is on the rise. This year's statistics have been impressive for the Dalmatian capital, and there has been much written about the number of fligths coming into Split, which was the busiest airport in the country in the summer, with more than 80 destinations served by 43 airlines.

But there has also been a large increase in tourism from the sea. 114 cruiseliners so far this year have brought an estimated 200,000 tourists, a number which is set to rise considerably next year. But there has also been a noticeable increase in another source of sea tourism - sailing.

With its plethora of islands and stunning coast, Dalmatia is becoming ever more attractive as a sailing destination, with the central islands of Brac, Hvar and Vis particularly popular. Split is becoming increasingly important as a sailing base, and there are now some excellent sailing packages and schools to suit all skill levels and time frames.

Check out the video below for a taster of the freedom of a sailing holiday, and experience the freedom of island-hopping sailing on the Adriatic next summer.


Dalmatia from Mark Lancaster on Vimeo.

Central Dalmatia Records Biggest Rise in Tourism Numbers for 2013

The beaches may be emptying now, but 2013 has been an excellent season for Central Dalmatia, and the first nine months' statistics show that the region was second only to Istria in performance.

In total, there were some 2.05 million arrivals by September 30, which transposed into 12.3 million overnight stays.  These impressive numbers meant a 10% overall improvement on the corresponding numbers in 2012, the largest rise in all Croatia.

Central Dalmatia was the favourite destination of the Czechs, who came in the largest numbers, followed by the Poles in second and Germans in third. There were some other interesting statistics from the UK and Scandinavia - a whopping 27% rise in tourists from the previous year.

To discover more of the beauty of Central Dalmatia when planning your 2014 holiday, why not follow our official Facebook page?