Sunday, 09 February 2025
Mark Thomas

Mark Thomas

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

Destinations: The Holiday and Travel Show, the UK’s longest-running and most prestigious travel exhibition, celebrates its landmark 30th edition this year at Olympia London.

Sponsored by The Times and The Sunday Times, the event will welcome over 600 leading travel brands, including renowned tour operators and more than 90 tourism boards from around the world.

Dubrovnik Shines at the UKs Premier Travel Show Destinations Celebrates 30 Years 1

For the 13th consecutive year, the Dubrovnik-Neretva County Tourist Board will take part in this highly regarded event, joining forces with the tourism boards of Split-Dalmatia, Šibenik-Knin, Zadar, and Lika-Senj counties. Their joint 28 m² stand continues to draw considerable attention from visitors, proving to be an effective platform for promoting Croatia’s diverse travel experiences.

British tourists remain the most frequent visitors to Dubrovnik-Neretva County and the city of Dubrovnik. In 2024, the region recorded 300,141 arrivals and 1,466,899 overnight stays by British travelers—representing a 14% increase in arrivals and a 12% rise in overnight stays compared to the previous year. This sustained growth underscores the region’s enduring appeal as a premier travel destination.

A new list of products with price caps will now include 70 items, Prime Minister Andrej Plenković confirmed on Thursday, following a meeting with representatives from retail chains and manufacturers to discuss revising the list of capped products and the next steps for consumer protection.

Plenković highlighted data showing that Croatia is experiencing above-average economic growth, but he also noted that despite improvements at the macroeconomic level, many citizens are struggling to meet their basic needs.

The government, he explained, has taken measures to safeguard the standard of living by introducing fiscal policies and imposing price limits on certain products. The new list, which now includes 70 products with price restrictions, is the latest step in this effort.

“The state has acted, but others must also step up,” Plenković said, adding that no one would suffer if prices were moderated.

Finance Minister Marko Primorac dismissed claims that the government is benefiting from high inflation rates to boost the state budget.

“I categorically reject this claim,” Primorac stated, explaining that it is the national budget that has been absorbing the cost of various aid packages for both citizens and businesses, including the one for the state-run electricity provider, HEP.

He also rejected the notion that tax policy is to blame for inflation, pointing out that Croatia’s income and corporate taxes are among the lowest in Europe.

While acknowledging that Croatia’s general VAT rate is one of the highest in the EU, Primorac argued that this should not be used as an excuse for inflated prices, especially as the government has already lowered VAT to 5% on a wide range of “farm-to-table” products, from agricultural inputs to final goods.

The government, he reiterated, has no interest in seeing inflation rise, as it undermines policy objectives. Furthermore, he argued that there is no justification for suggesting that Croatia’s tax policies are responsible for food prices being higher than in the rest of the EU.

The first weekend of February in Dubrovnik will bring unsettled weather, with grey skies and scattered showers expected on both Saturday and Sunday. Temperatures will remain mild, ranging between 16 and 18 degrees Celsius.

However, for the most cherished day on the city’s calendar—the Festivities of St. Blaise on February 3rd—the forecast looks far more favorable. Conditions are expected to be calmer and warmer, with pleasant highs reaching 18 degrees, ensuring a more enjoyable celebration of Dubrovnik’s beloved patron saint.

Croatia’s top government officials have quietly pocketed massive salary increases since June, with some seeing their pay skyrocket by over 75%, according to the latest asset declarations, reports N1

Prime Minister Andrej Plenković has seen the biggest boost, with his net salary soaring by €2,423 to €5,685.94 per month—up from last year’s €3,262.82. And it’s not just his paycheck growing—his savings have ballooned by €10,000, now sitting at €230,000.

Defense Minister Ivan Anušić isn’t far behind, enjoying a €2,328.97 pay hike, a 77% increase. Meanwhile, government spokesman Marko Milić saw his salary jump from €1,836.72 to €3,274.58, an eye-watering 78% rise.

Even Zvonimir Frka-Petešić, the Prime Minister’s Chief of Staff, has benefited handsomely—his salary jumped by €1,690.28, a 76% boost, now reaching €3,894.04 per month.

Croatians are hitting the slopes with their digital wallets in hand! A new survey reveals that 61% of winter travelers are ditching cash in favor of cards, smartphones, and smartwatches. And they’re ready to splash out—49% are planning a winter getaway, with nearly half budgeting between €50 and €150 per day, reports Poslovni Dnevnik

But there’s a catch—many ski resorts and tourist spots are still lagging behind on digital payments. The biggest pain points? Restaurants (23%), parking (22%), and ski passes (14%). A whopping 37% of consumers say the lack of cashless options could make them spend less or even take their money elsewhere!

From Slopes to Spas Croatian Skiers Embrace Cashless Spending 1

Despite this, Croatia remains the top winter destination for locals, though Slovenia (20%) and Austria (16%) are strong contenders. And it’s not just skiing—travelers are increasingly splashing out on spa treatments, gourmet dining, and cultural experiences.

Visa’s Croatia boss, Renata Vujasinović, warns businesses to step up their game: “Without digital payments, they risk losing customers—especially in competitive hotspots like ski resorts.”

With 60% of Croatian skiers now preferring a completely cashless experience, the message is clear—adapt or get left out in the cold!

 

On Friday, January 31, the 20th anniversary of Night of Museums will take place—a national event organized by the Croatian Museum Association in collaboration with numerous museums and other heritage, scientific, and educational institutions across Croatia. As in previous years, the event will be held on the last Friday of January from 6 PM to 1 AM, with this year’s central theme being "Museums – Visible and Invisible."

In Dubrovnik, city museums will be joined by the Museum of Red History and the Love Stories Museum, offering a rich program across 13 different locations. Visitors can enjoy educational workshops, lectures, exhibitions, performances, concerts, guided tours, interactive games, quizzes, and discounts on museum catalogs and souvenirs. As in previous years, public transport provider Libertas will support the event by adjusting the schedules of its most frequent bus lines.

easyJet is set to strengthen its presence in Croatia this summer with the launch of several new seasonal routes. Despite operating in Split only during the summer, the airline remains the city’s largest carrier by seat capacity, reports EX-YU Aviation

Among the latest additions, easyJet will introduce a new connection between Porto and Split, starting June 23 and running twice weekly until August 30. This marks the airline’s 16th destination from Croatia’s second-largest city.

In addition, new routes from Liverpool and Milan Linate to Split will begin on June 9 and June 23, respectively. Dubrovnik and Zadar will also see fresh connections, with flights from Bordeaux and Lyon launching this June. Tickets are now available on easyJet’s website.

Dinamo Zagreb won against AC Milan in the eighth and final round of the Champions League and finished the group stage with 11 points.

However, this was not enough for them to qualify for the knockout stage due to unfavorable results in other matches.

By simply qualifying for the Champions League, Dinamo secured €34 million, while each group stage victory brought in €2.1 million and a draw €700,000. Dinamo achieved three wins (Milan, Slovan, Salzburg), two draws (Celtic, Monaco), and three losses (Bayern, Arsenal, Borussia Dortmund), earning a total of €7.6 million.

As the 25th club in the final standings, Dinamo received an additional €3.3 million, as the last-placed team gets €275,000, with each higher position earning the same incremental amount.

The Voice of Dubrovnik

THE VOICE OF DUBROVNIK


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