The Dubrovnik-Neretva County Tourist Board and the City of Dubrovnik Tourist Board are once again participating in the F.RE.E travel fair in Munich, this year as co-exhibitors at the Croatian National Tourist Board (HTZ) stand, which spans 264 square metres.

Throughout the fair, the Croatian stand will host tastings of Croatian wines, cheeses, and fritule (traditional fried pastries). Visitors will also be entertained by mascots Galeb Marko and Licitarko, with performances by KUD San Marino.

In 2024, Dubrovnik-Neretva County recorded 153,615 German visitors, representing a 1% decrease compared to the previous year. They generated 668,952 overnight stays, which was 3% less than in 2023. German visitors have consistently ranked second in terms of overnight stays in the Dubrovnik-Neretva region, maintaining the same position in 2024.

The Croatian National Tourist Board (HTZ) is presenting Croatia’s diverse tourism offerings at the REISE + CAMPING trade fair, which runs in Essen until February 23. As one of the most important events for the camping sector, the fair features around 800 exhibitors from across the globe and attracts more than 80,000 visitors. This year, Croatia is being showcased as the Partner Country, ensuring enhanced visibility and promotion throughout the event. Leading the Croatian tourism delegation are Tonči Glavina, Minister of Tourism and Sport, Kristjan Staničić, HTZ Director, and Romeo Draghicchio, Director of HTZ’s Frankfurt Office.

“Germany remains our most important source market, providing the highest number of visitors to Croatia. That’s why we dedicate special attention to promoting our country here. At the Essen fair, we are presenting Croatia as a top destination for camping, cycling, and outdoor activities. According to the latest European Travel Commission research, 79% of Germans want to travel abroad, and with nature, camping, and outdoor experiences as their main travel motives, Croatia remains among the top 10 destinations for European travelers. Germany recognizes Croatia as one of Europe’s leading camping destinations, confirmed by ADAC rankings, where Croatia holds second place for camp quality and first for bathing quality. We are also proud that 26 Croatian campsites have been awarded ADAC’s prestigious Superplatz distinction, highlighting the high standard of our camping facilities,” said Minister Glavina.

During the official opening ceremony, hosted by renowned German TV presenter Andrea Griessmann, one of the keynote speakers was Thomas Kufen, Mayor of Essen. The event was also attended by Gordan Bakota, the Croatian Ambassador to Germany.

“Camping is a vital segment of our tourism industry, distinguished by its high quality and ongoing investments in additional amenities such as wellness centers, sports facilities, and playgrounds. Beyond the quality of our campsites and their prime locations, Croatia’s accessibility is a major advantage, with many guests just a few hours' drive away by car or camper. By expanding services and enhancing the camping experience, we aim to maintain Croatia’s leading position in this sector. This is especially crucial given that campsites represent our second-largest accommodation category, following private rentals,” said HTZ Director Staničić.

The Croatian exhibition stand hosts 14 co-exhibitors, including local tourist boards, national parks, hoteliers, travel agencies, and transport companies. A special highlight was the Sustainable Business Award, presented to Obonjan Camp by João Alves Pereira, President of the World Camping Federation (FICC). Visitors also had the opportunity to sample premium Croatian wines and cheeses, thanks to a collaboration with the Croatian Chamber of Commerce.

Additionally, the Croatian delegation met with representatives of Misir Reisen, a German tour operator specializing in Croatia, which brings around 25,000 German travelers to the country each year.

“North Rhine-Westphalia is Germany’s most populous federal state and the leading regional source market for tourism. Given its proximity to Croatia and excellent air connections from Düsseldorf and Cologne, many travelers from this region opt for flights, particularly to southern Croatian destinations. However, camping is extremely popular in this area, and many German tourists prefer to stay in our campsites, especially during the July school holidays. I am confident that our presence at the Essen fair, combined with our promotional efforts, will further strengthen our market position and visibility among potential visitors from this key region,” said Draghicchio.

Germans remain Croatia’s largest and most significant tourist group, accounting for over 20% of all overnight stays. Last year alone, German visitors recorded over 22 million overnight stays, 7.7 million of which were in campsites. The most popular regions were Istria (10+ million overnight stays), Kvarner (4.5+ million), Split-Dalmatia, and Zadar counties (2.4+ million). Among individual destinations, Rovinj, Poreč, and Medulin were the top choices for German travelers.

Prime Minister Andrej Plenković will participate this afternoon in the second meeting this week on Ukraine and European security, convened by French President Emmanuel Macron, according to sources from the Croatian government.

Plenković, who is concluding his visit to Egypt today, will join the meeting via video link, along with other invited leaders.

Macron held the first emergency meeting on Monday, attended by the prime ministers of Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, Poland, Spain, the Netherlands, and Denmark, as well as European Council President Antonio Costa, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.

Some countries expressed dissatisfaction that the informal meeting was limited to select leaders rather than all EU member states. Among them was Slovenian President Nataša Pirc Musar.

"Symbolically, the organizers of the summit in Paris are showing the world that not all EU states are treated equally," she stated.

France plans to hold a second meeting on Wednesday focused on Ukraine and European security. This time, European countries that were not included earlier in the week have been invited, along with NATO ally Canada, according to diplomatic sources on Tuesday.

The European summit in Paris is taking place amid concerns that the EU could be sidelined in Ukraine peace negotiations, which U.S. President Donald Trump has initiated directly with Russia, without Ukraine’s involvement.

The Dubrovnik Museums will launch a series of free expert-guided tours and lectures titled "Fridays at Five" on Friday, February 21, 2025. The first lecture and guided tour of the exhibition "Togas, Damask, and Power – Historical Textiles and Official Attire of the Dubrovnik Republic" will be led by curator Viktorija Žuvela at 5:00 PM in the Rector’s Palace.

The Dubrovnik Republic placed great importance on visual symbols, particularly reflected in the official attire of its highest-ranking officials. In this aristocratic republic, clothing had to align with the community’s values and behavioral norms of each social class, while official robes played a crucial role in collective identity. The style and decorative elements of fabrics were meant to clearly signal political function and rank within the well-structured state system. A Dubrovnik patrician, draped in a toga with clear connections to ancient heritage, identified himself as a direct successor of the city's founders. The specific style of these togas, inspired by ancient prototypes, symbolized integrity and political effectiveness.

During the lecture, exhibition author and curator Viktorija Žuvela will explore the styles and influences behind ceremonial and official clothing, the toga as the defining element of aristocracy, the unique design and cut of the Rector’s toga, the materials used, and the workshops responsible for their production.

A wealth of fascinating information about the Rector’s toga can also be found in the publication "Togas, Damask, and Power – Historical Textiles and Official Attire of the Dubrovnik Republic", which will be available for purchase at a special discounted price in the Rector’s Palace following the lecture and guided tour.

Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković stated on Tuesday in Cairo that U.S. peace initiatives for Ukraine are "relatively swift but not sufficiently detailed," emphasizing that Kyiv and the European Union should be involved in peace negotiations following the first U.S.-Russia meeting in Riyadh.

"I believe we need to wait a bit longer for all U.S. initiatives to become more substantial and well-developed," Plenković told reporters in Cairo.

On Tuesday, the United States and Russia announced they had agreed to continue efforts to end the war in Ukraine after their meeting in the Saudi capital, which did not include Ukrainian representatives.

Plenković reiterated that Republican U.S. President Donald Trump perceives Russia’s aggression against Ukraine—first in Crimea in 2014 and then the full-scale war since February 2022—as events that occurred under the Democratic administrations of Barack Obama and Joe Biden.

"He sees himself as a president of peace or a peacemaker. That’s why I am certain these initiatives, while relatively swift, may not yet be sufficiently structured as a comprehensive peace plan. They are meant to position him as the one who facilitated a ceasefire and ended the killing of people. From his perspective, that is the key priority right now," Plenković said.

He stressed that Kyiv and the European Union must be directly involved in negotiations regarding Ukraine’s future.

"Our stance is clear. We all support an end to the killing. (…) But if, following an initial ceasefire, no serious peace plan emerges—one that respects Ukraine, its sovereignty, and territorial integrity, and provides something more concrete and beneficial than Minsk 1 and Minsk 2 while resembling our peaceful reintegration process—then that would be a good plan that delivers a just peace for Ukraine, with Ukraine and the European Union at the table," Plenković stated.

The Prime Minister underscored the need for a "comprehensive and structured plan" to ensure that those with territorial ambitions do not assume they can act without consequences.

The main topics discussed at Tuesday’s session of the Economic and Social Council in Zadar were platform work in Croatia and the effective use of European funds.

According to Ivan Mišetić from the Croatian Employers’ Association (HUP), the number of platform workers has been increasing yearly, but the number of so-called aggregators—intermediaries for digital work platforms—has been rising even more. Last year, there were 1,500 such intermediaries, and this year, that number has doubled. He also highlighted that more than 8,000 third-country nationals in Croatia are currently employed through digital platforms.

Minister of Regional Development and EU Funds, Šime Erlić, addressed the effective use of European funds, particularly in relation to entrepreneurship. He emphasized that Croatia is at a historic moment, experiencing the largest investment cycle from EU funds, and such an opportunity may never be as widespread again.

“We are working on improving the system. Currently, more than €2.7 billion is available for investments in businesses, primarily for digitalization, innovation, research, and business development. These funds are available as grants, as well as subsidized loans and other financial instruments,” Minister Erlić stated.

27 Contracts Signed for Social Partnership Projects

Before the Economic and Social Council session, a conference titled Promotion of Social Partnership and Strengthening Social Dialogue was held, during which 27 contracts worth €10 million were signed under the European Social Fund initiative Strengthening the Capacity of Social Partners – Phase I.

The conference aimed to promote social partnership and encourage bipartite and tripartite social dialogue at all levels. The contract signatories will have two years to implement their projects.

Sanja Šprem, President of the Association of Croatian Trade Unions, noted that each project is unique, with trade unions, federations, and employers selecting initiatives most relevant to their needs.

The conference was attended by Ivan Vidiš, State Secretary at the Ministry of Labour, Pension System, Family and Social Policy; Irena Weber, CEO of the Croatian Employers' Association; and Sanja Šprem, Vice President of the Economic and Social Council.

If you’ve been dreaming of a European getaway, now is the perfect time to book your flights! Croatia Airlines is offering a 20% discount on all tickets purchased between February 17 and February 28.

This limited-time promotion allows travelers to fly from Split, Dubrovnik, Pula, Zadar, and Rijeka to various European destinations at a discounted rate. The travel period for this offer runs from March 15 to April 12, giving you the perfect opportunity to plan a spring adventure.

To take advantage of this special deal, simply use the promo code FLYEUROPE when booking your ticket online. Whether you’re looking for a city break, a cultural escape, or a relaxing holiday, this is your chance to explore Europe for less.

A massive rock broke off above the main road into Dubrovnik this morning and fell onto a van, according to reports from drivers in the "Radar Control" group. The passengers in the van were injured, and traffic on the highway has been completely halted. Emergency services are on-site, and Dubrovnik police have confirmed that one person has lost their life, while others have sustained injuries. The road closure has also caused traffic congestion on alternative routes through Brgat and Komolac, reports Dubrovacki Vjesnik. 

This morning, at around 7:30 AM, on the D-8 state road above Dubrovnik, a vehicle with Dubrovnik registration plates traveling from Župa Dubrovačka towards Dubrovnik overturned onto its roof under still undetermined circumstances.

One person tragically died at the scene, while another was transported to Dubrovnik Hospital for medical treatment due to sustained injuries.

The road remains completely closed, and traffic is being redirected via Komolac and Brgat.

An investigation at the scene will be led by the Deputy State Attorney.