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.
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This year's Advent in Župa will take place from December 2, 2022, to January 3 next year. After the announcement of the public competition for holiday stalls in Srebreno, it is now known who the lessees for this year are. According to information from the parish municipality, there were six applicants, and the same number of contracts were signed.
As emphasized by the Župa Tourist Board, there will be a variety of activities for all ages this year, and the musical program will consist of Dalmatian Klapa songs and various other interesting musical performances.
The first Advent in Župa Dubrovačka was held in 2019 and immediately sparked great interest not only among the residents of Župa but also drew visitors from Dubrovnik, Konavle, and the Primorje region. The favourable location and ample parking space were undoubtedly contributing factors.
Last year's Advent in Župa, besides offering a diverse program and a rich selection, attracted attention due to the humanitarian action 'Have a Heart for Others,' organized by the youth and families of the Parish of St. Ilar, which is also expected to take place this year.
In late December, Zagreb Airport will feature a series of charter flights to cater to those seeking to celebrate the New Year abroad, reports EX-YU Aviation.
Croatia Airlines has organized charters to Catania on December 28 and Porto on December 29, both designed for travelers opting for five-day holiday packages.
Additionally, Iberia will operate a charter connecting Zagreb and Madrid on December 30, specifically tailored for a four-day tour. Tickets for these flights are available as part of comprehensive holiday packages offered by Croatian tour operators.
As previously mentioned, Croatia Airlines is also facilitating a charter service between Dubrovnik and Lisbon on December 29, serving the needs of Portuguese tour operators.
"Zagreb - Banking and Financial Center" is the title of the conference dedicated to the financial market. The entry of Croatia into the Eurozone, whether we have entered under the umbrella of protection, and what awaits us in the markets in 2024 were all topics of discussion. The conference, organized by Poslovni dnevnik, featured the participation of the governor of the Croatian National Bank, the Minister of Finance, his predecessors, and prominent financial experts.
"As for the impact of introducing the euro on inflation, it has been, as we announced, within the figures (...) that we announced before the introduction of the euro. So, none of these bad scenarios have occurred," said Boris Vujčić, the governor of the Croatian National Bank.
The Minister of Finance, Marko Primorac, is also participating in the conference. "If we continue to lead fiscal policy in a stable manner and achieve all our economic priorities, we can expect further increases in credit ratings," said Primorac.
Former Finance Minister Slavko Linić believes that the budget will be good and "will not create new deficits," and that revenues are stable and secure.
According to the received registrations and cancellations of tourists through the eVisitor system, there were 1,637 tourists in Dubrovnik last weekend, which is 29 percent less than at this time last year.
Among them, the most numerous were guests from Germany, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the United States, France, Mexico, and the United Kingdom.
Since the beginning of the year, there have been one million and 213 thousand tourist arrivals and three million and 824 thousand overnight stays, which is nine percent more than in the same period last year.
Hrvoje Stojić, the chief economist of the Croatian Employers' Association, stated in an interview on HRT's Dnevnik that Croatia's issue is not the number of unemployed because even if we were to employ them overnight, our employment rate would still be among the lowest in the EU.
"If Croatia wants to grow, it must have a higher labour market participation, and the employment rate must be higher. We need to employ people in sectors with higher added value, such as the IT industry and everything we have as a competitive advantage," he emphasized.
He added that Croatia has labour market flexibility, and this needs to be supported. Regarding foreign labour, on one hand, we are facing unfavourable demographic trends, and on the other hand, we are dealing with emigration.
"In the next five years, the number of foreigners could reach half a million, and over a more extended period, the number of foreigners may have a tendency to increase," said Stojić.
He added that in five years or more, every fourth employee could be a foreigner.
easyJet is set to launch flights connecting Glasgow and Pula for the upcoming summer season in 2024, marking a revival of the route last operated two years ago.
The airline plans to initiate services on June 24, offering flights twice a week, specifically on Mondays and Fridays, until August 30, reports EX-YU Aviation.
In addition to this, easyJet will enhance its flight frequency for seasonal operations between London Luton and Pula, increasing it to three times a week. Notably, services on this route will recommence as early as April 2, marking a timely return for travelers.
Inflation in the European Union noticeably slowed down in October for the second consecutive month, following a considerably milder price increase in the Eurozone, thanks to cheaper energy, reported Eurostat.
At the EU level, the annual inflation rate, measured by the Harmonized Index of Consumer Prices (HICP) enabling comparison among member states, decreased to 3.6 percent in October, down from September's 4.9 percent. Eurostat's calculations thus show a significantly milder rise in consumer prices for the second consecutive month, from 5.9 percent in August.
In the Eurozone, inflation stood at 2.9 percent in October, confirming Eurostat's estimate from the end of October. In September, it was 4.3 percent, and in August, 5.2 percent. On a monthly basis, prices in both areas increased by 0.1 percent, after a 0.3 percent increase in September.
In October, a strong drop in energy prices, by 11.2 percent compared to the same month last year, significantly hindered inflation in the Eurozone, more than twice as strong as in September. Among EU countries outside the Eurozone, Hungary recorded the highest inflation rate in October, at 9.6 percent, and the Czech Republic is close, with prices rising by 9.5 percent.
In Poland, the leading economy outside the Eurozone, inflation was 6.3 percent. Only Denmark in this group of countries experienced a decrease in prices, by 0.4 percent. Among Eurozone countries, prices increased the most in Slovakia, by 7.8 percent. Croatia and Slovenia followed with price increases measured by HICP at 6.7 and 6.6 percent, respectively, compared to October of the previous year.
Prices, on the other hand, fell the most in Belgium among Eurozone countries, by 1.7 percent.
The Croatian Tourist Board, in the heart of Chile, in the Croatian club Estadio Croata, held a special presentation showcasing the overall Croatian tourism offer. The presentation was organized as part of the 28th Catad’Ora, the most prestigious and popular wine competition and evaluation of wines and spirits in Latin America, held in Santiago de Chile, where Croatia, for the first time, holds the status of Partner Country.
Although all the riches of Croatian tourism were presented, the special focus of the presentation, held for 70 of the most significant Chilean tour operators, agents, tourist journalists, and travel bloggers, was on nautical tourism, the diverse coastline, the cleanliness of the sea, untouched nature, as well as the safety of Croatia as a tourist destination and its top-notch wine and gastronomy.
The national tourist offer was presented by Kristjan Staničić, the director of the Croatian Tourist Board, Tomislav Fain, the director of the Association of Croatian Travel Agencies, and Tomislav Radoš, the vice president of the Croatian Chamber of Commerce for industry and sustainable development. The participants were welcomed at the beginning of the event by Mira Martinec, the ambassador of the Republic of Croatia in Chile.