Are the Croatian borders open? Are tourists allowed to enter the country? And what regulations will you have to follow when you arrive in Croatia? These, and many similar questions, have been filling our mailbox for weeks. Information on the Covid-19 situation across Croatia has been flowing fluidly and finding the right answer isn’t always that easy in the mass of daily information.

That is why the Croatian Tourism Association (HUT), together with other national professional tourism associations - the Croatian Hotel Employers Association (UPUHH) and the Croatian Camping Association (KUH), made an overview of key tourist information updated on May 22, to better prepare for the opening of the summer tourist season. These new guidelines refer precisely to the conditions under which tourists from abroad can come to Croatia on holiday from this weekend until further notice.

According to the latest information from Veljko Ostojić, the director of HUT, foreign tourists from EU countries must have a confirmation of booking accommodation in a hotel, camp or other type of accommodation facility or a travel agency voucher when entering Croatia. This document must specify the exact place and address of the accommodation facility where the guest will be staying, their contact phone number and the date when the guest plans to leave the Republic of Croatia.

According to the announcements of the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Tourism, an application will soon be published in which guests will be able to enter all this information in advance in order to cross the border faster.

There is no obligation of self-isolation for EU citizens who come as tourists, but upon entering the Republic of Croatia at the border they will receive an information leaflet with recommendations and instructions from the Croatian Institute of Public Health.

In addition to confirming the reservation, the reasons for entering Croatia can be business reasons, ownership of real estate or a boat or urgent personal reasons such as a funeral and the like.

Although everyone expects that in the second half of June or early July all EU members could open their borders, for now different regulations for the entry of different citizens into Croatia still apply to each individual country.

So here is an overview of travel conditions for some of the most important tourist emitting markets for Croatia.

SLOVENIA

There are no restrictions on movement between Slovenia and the Republic of Croatia for Slovenian citizens. When entering the Republic of Croatia as a tourist, Slovenes must present a reservation of accommodation in the accommodation facility. There is no obligation of self-isolation when crossing the border between Slovenia and Croatia and vice versa.

GERMANY

Citizens of the Federal Republic of Germany must present a reservation of accommodation in an accommodation facility when entering Croatia. There is no measure of self-isolation for citizens of the Federal Republic of Germany when entering Croatia. Given that Croatia is a member of the EU with a very good epidemiological picture, most regions in Germany do not prescribe the obligation of self-isolation for their citizens returning from Croatia. Thus, the regions of Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia, Baden-Württemberg, Rhineland-Palatinate and Niedersachsen have already abolished the obligation of self-isolation, i.e. quarantine for returnees from EU countries, and the obligation of self-isolation, i.e. quarantine, will be abolished by the province of Hessen from 25 May. Travel between Germany and Croatia through Austria and Slovenia runs smoothly with a document confirming the reservation of accommodation in Croatia.

CZECH REPUBLIC, SLOVAKIA, HUNGARY

Foreign tourists who are citizens of the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary must present a reservation of accommodation in the accommodation facility when entering Croatia. There is no obligation for them to self-isolate when entering the Republic of Croatia. According to current and unofficial information, the citizens of the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary are not expected to have to carry out self-isolation when returning from Croatia from May 29, although the exact dates will be known in the coming days.

AUSTRIA

Austrian citizens, like everyone else from the EU, must have a document of accommodation with all the information when entering the Republic of Croatia. There is no obligation of self-isolation for citizens of the Republic of Austria upon entering the Republic of Croatia, and according to current unofficial information, for citizens of Austria it is expected that from the beginning of June it will not be necessary to self-isolate when returning from Croatia.

OTHER EU COUNTRIES

Foreign tourists who are citizens of EU countries when entering the Republic of Croatia must have an official reservation of accommodation in the accommodation facility, and there is no obligation for them to self-isolate when entering the Republic of Croatia. According to current and unofficial information, during June, self-isolation for guests from countries with a favourable epidemiological picture should be abolished upon return from Croatia, but the exact dates will be known in the coming days.