Mark Thomas - The editor and big chief of The Dubrovnik Times. Born in the UK he has been living and working in Dubrovnik since 1998, yes he is one of the rare “old hands.” A unique insight into both British and Croatian life and culture, Mark is often known as just “Englez” or Englishman. He is a traveller, a current affairs freak and a huge AFC Wimbledon fan.
Email: mark.thomas@dubrovnik-times.com
Guests at the four-star Hotel Kompas in Dubrovnik had a rather rude awakening this morning as a fire broke out in a machine room meaning they had to be evacuated.
Three fire engines, with eleven fire-fighters were on the scene quickly as the fire was noticed at 7.55 in the engine room on the outside perimeter of the hotel.
Ten minutes after the alarm was raised the fire brigade was on the scene and the fire was extinguished within 15 minutes. Due to the large amount of smoke from the fire guests were evacuated for their safety. It is believed that the fire broke out in the electrical installations.
Tourist and hotel companies always compete to provide their guests with the best and quality service. Nowadays it means the use of advanced and innovative technological solutions.
Last year the Croatian hotel company Arena Hospitality Group introduced a unique ''digital key'' service, which, through specially developed mobile application, enables opening of electronic locks in hotel rooms and apartments with smart phones.
This year the company has launched a new ''handy'' service for guests. Upon arrival at one of the Arena Hospitality Group hotels, a mobile device on a special ''docking'' (charging) station will be at guests' disposal in their rooms and apartments. The mobile device offers several options free of charge such as unlimited international and local calls, internet access, destination tour guide, the phone number of the reception on a speed dial and information on emergency services.
The mobile device comes with a ''handy'' operating system as a custom version of Android that enables customizing of language settings in accordance to guests' preferences.
The Arena Hospitality Group company implemented this service with the Tink Labs Limited company from Hong Kong and their branch office in London. After the implementation of the new service in the hotels Park Plaza Arena and Park Plaza Histria in Pula, by the end of 2017, the same service is to be introduced in eight hotels of the Group in Germany and Hungary.
The 68th Dubrovnik Summer Festival hit the ground running last night with a spectacular performance of Carmina Burana. After the grand opening of the festival on Monday the Carla Orff piece Carmina Burana in front of the St. Blaise Church in the heart of the Old City of Dubrovnik.
The Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra, the Dubrovnik Symphony Orchestra and the Academic Choir Ivan Goran Kovačić, all under the direction of conductor Ivan Josip Skender, lit up the Dubrovnik night sky with a moving and atmospheric performance that was completely sold out.
The international team of musicians consisted of Owen Willets, the Austrian coloratura soprano Nicola Proksch and baritone Nikola Mijailović.
The concert was also enjoyed by the executive director of the IMF, Christine Lagarde.
According to data from Eurostat, the most popular destination of EU citizens in 2015 was the Canaries with 94 million overnight stays, followed by the French region Île-de-France including Paris, with 76.8 million overnight stays.
Furthermore, the Spanish Catalonia placed as the third with 75.5 million overnights, whilst the Croatian coast was in the very high fourth place with 68.1 million overnight stays realized in 2015.
Croatia’s Adriatic left many attractive destinations behind such as the Spanish tourist pearl the Balearic islands, the Italian region Veneto including Venice, the land of corridas and flamenco-Andalusia, the French regions of Provence-Alps-Côte d'Azur and Rhone Alps as well as the British capital of London with its surroundings, Tuscany and many others.
However, Sanja Cizmar, the analyst from the HDCZ consultancy company warns that this comparison was not quite relevant because it compared regions that could not be compared in terms of tourist products and services.
‘’What are the points of interest of a summer resort on the Adriatic and let us say, Paris? Even a comparison with the Canaries is not relevant because there the tourist season last almost a year thanks to the favourable climate. Nevertheless, it is a positive thing that we positioned very high on this list. In addition, Europe is a large receptive market and it is better for us to be mentioned along the most successful tourist destinations in Europe. For example, we were side by side of Catalonia, with which we can compare and which is globally recognized as a successful tourist destination’’, commented Cizmar.
The Eurostat data also showed that EU citizens achieved almost 90 percent of all overnights in EU countries. As far as other world destinations are concerned, in 2015 the most desirable destinations to EU citizens were the US where they realized 14 percent overnight stays and Turkey with 10.4 overnights stays realized by EU citizens. However, this list would look quite different today because due to terrorism attacks, tourist interest in Turkey has declined heavily over the past few years.
The cruise ship Celebrity Constellation dropped anchor in the Port of Dubrovnik yesterday as part of a cruise from Malta to Venice with around 2,000 gay passengers on board. This is the seventh time that this same sex cruise ship has berthed in Dubrovnik and what seemed like a sensation seven years ago has now become a common event.
The floating hotel Celebrity Constellation sailed into the city with more than 2,000 gay men from around the world and immediately upon arrival the passengers made their way to the historic core of Dubrovnik. Although some of them preferred to stay onboard and soak up the summer rays by the pool with little or no clothing.
- We watched the Gay Pride Weekend in London, and we were sorry we were not able to attend, but it's important we love it. Love has no limits! – commented Nick and Andrew as they went for a guided tour of the city.
The 300 metre-long Celebrity Constellation is cruising from Malta to Venice and for the 2,000 passengers onboard there are around 1,000 members of staff to make sure that the cruise is luxurious. In summer the cruise ship is in the Mediterranean and in the winter months of the year it heads to destinations in the Caribbean, the Bahamas, the Middle East and Asia.
The Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, Christine Lagarde, participated in an international conference of economic experts in Dubrovnik, stressed that Croatia should accelerate economic growth and implement reforms that are necessary steps for the country's progress.
- When and how Croatia becomes part of the Eurozone, it is a matter for the Croatian Government and the European Union. Every new member of the EU had to go through tough and painful reforms to adopt the Euro as their official currency. The Croatian National Bank must be independent. There are many criteria to be fulfilled to enter the Eurozone and I am optimistic that the Croatian economy and the Croatian people will have their vision and will eventually go in the right direction towards the goal – commented Lagarde on the final day of the congress in Dubrovnik. Adding that the IMF is always looking for ways to motivate young people to stay in their homeland and create the future of their country.
- In the IMF we have seen a lot of changes in Croatia. I would say that every government should be transparent. Governments will come and go but it is important what they leave behind, which laws and which reforms they introduce – said the IMF director.
According to Governor of the Croatian National Bank, Boris Vujčić, the Dubrovnik congress was attended by 30 finance ministers from central, eastern and south-east Europe and numerous financial experts and was very constructive and will help with measures to accelerate economic growth in Croatia.
The population of the European Union on the 1st of January this year was bigger by 1,5 million in comparison to the previous year, i.e. it rose to 511,8 million inhabitants, Eurostat reported a few days ago.
According to the Eurostat data, the largest decline in the population was recorded in Croatia, Lithuania and Latvia.
Considering that the birth and the death rate in the EU were the same as in 2016, an increase of 1,5 million is attributed to migration.
Last year the EU population grew in 18 member countries, mostly in Luxembourg (1,98%), Sweden (1,45%), Malta (1,38%), and Ireland (1,06%). On the other hand, ten EU member countries recorded a decline in their population, however, the worst situation was in Lithuania (-1,45%), Latvia (-0,96%), and Croatia (-0,87%).
The Eurostat data show that on the 1st of January 2016 Croatia had a population of 4,190,700, whilst on the same date this year the country recorded 4,154,200 inhabitants.
The EU country with the largest population is Germany (82,8 million), followed by France (67 million) and Great Britain (65,8 million).
In addition, 5,1 million children were born in the 28 EU member countries in 2016 with the highest birth rate in Ireland, Sweden, and Great Britain, and the lowest birth rate in Italy, Portugal, and Greece.
The opening night of the 68th Dubrovnik Summer Festival was a glamorous affair last night.
The opening ceremony, which was held in front of the St. Blaise Church, was followed by a fireworks display in front of the Old City shooting high above the Dubrovnik night sky. Thousands of locals and tourists witnessed this amazing beginning to the most important cultural festival in Croatia.
Check out this stunning aerial video of the fireworks display last night from One Frame Media.