minister of tourism of croatia

All the Croatian government ministries and what they do

UPDATED: 4.6.2024.

Croatia has 18 ministries. They are responsible for developing and managing state policies and for the Republic of Croatia’s functioning.

In this post, we cover all Croatian ministries, including their field of work, examples of procedures they handle, Croatian names, ministers, and contact information.

Jump to a Ministry of…

• Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries
• Croatian Veterans
• Culture and Media
• Demography and Immigration
• Environmental Protection and Green Transition
• Foreign and European Affairs
• Justice, Administration, and Digital Transformation
• Labor, Pension System, Family, and Social Policy
• Physical Planning, Construction, and State Assets
• Regional Development and European Union Funds
• Science, Education, and Youth
• Sea, Transport, and Infrastructure
• Tourism and Sport
• Get personal guidance on Croatia
• Read reviews from our clients

The facts are these…

1. Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries

The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries is responsible for the development of agriculture, fisheries, forestry, and rural development, management and disposal of state-owned agricultural land, agricultural policy, and market and structural support in agriculture.

It is also in charge of protecting and recognizing varieties of agricultural plants, trading and applying fertilizers, soil improvers, and plant protection products, breeding farmed animals, and prescribing the conditions for the production and trade of grapes and wine.

Procedures it handles:

• Opening and closing a family farm (OPG) – view a guide here
• Selling fishing licenses – view a guide here
• Conversion of agricultural land into residential land – view how to buy real estate here
• Defining conditions for wine production – view wine cheat sheet here
• Controls the health safety of animal food

Croatian name: Ministarstvo poljoprivrede, šumarstva i ribarstva Minister: Josip Dabro

Address: Ulica grada Vukovara 78, 10 000 Zagreb – view map Phone: +385 (0)1 6106 111 E-mail: [email protected]

2. Ministry of Croatian Veterans

The Ministry of Croatian Veterans nurtures and preserves the values and achievements of the Croatian War of Independence. It protects the interests of Croatian war veterans and victims of the Croatian War of Independence by maintaining public policies that ensure adequate health and social care.

• Psychosocial support for Croatian veterans
• Loans for family members of deceased Croatian veterans
• Finding missing persons from the Croatian War of Independence – view a guide here
• Exhumation of mass graves
• Remembering victims of the Croatian War of Independence – view a guide here

Croatian name: Ministarstvo hrvatskih branitelja Minister: Tomo Medved

Address: Trg Nevenke Topalušić 1, 10 000 Zagreb – view map Phone:   +385 (0)1 2308 888 E-mail: [email protected]

3. Ministry of Culture and Media

The Ministry of Culture and Media is responsible for developing and promoting culture, cultural and artistic creation, cultural life and cultural activities, the establishment of institutions and other legal entities in culture, and promoting Croatian culture in other countries and international institutions.

The Ministry encourages the development of cultural and creative industries and cultural programs of members of the Croatian people outside of Croatia and finances cultural activities. It is in charge of the copyright and other rights protection.

• Protection of author’s rights
• Protection of cultural goods and Croatian tradition – view a guide to dry stone walls here
• Entry of happenings to the Register of Cultural Goods of the Republic of Croatia, like Sinjska alka – view a guide here

Croatian name: Ministarstvo kulture i medija Minister: Nina Obuljen Koržinek

Address: Runjaninova 2, 10 000 Zagreb – view map Phone:   +385 (0)1 4866 200 E-mail: [email protected]

4. Ministry of Defense

The Ministry of Defense is in charge of developing the defense system and other extraordinary circumstances, organizing the Croatian Army, producing and trading military equipment, and coordinating international military cooperation and activities. It also works on security measures, mobilization, and recruitment of the armed forces.

• Education of Croatian army
• International military cooperation

Croatian name: Ministarstvo obrane Minister: Ivan Anušić

Address: Trg kralja Petra Krešimira IV 1, 10 000 Zagreb – view map Phone: +385 (0)1 456 7111 E-mail: [email protected]

5. Ministry of Demography and Immigration

The Ministry of Demography and Immigration was established in 2024. Its main goal is to promote positive demographic politics and the return of Croatian immigrants from all over the world. Ured za demografiju (Office for Demography) was in charge of demography programs, but they are part of the new ministry now.

• Monitoring and analysis of demographic trends and developments in the Republic of Croatia
• Proposes measures aimed at increasing the birth rate and balancing the age structure
• Supervision and monitoring of the application of regulations on child allowance, maternity and parental leave and benefits, and aid for the equipment of a newborn child

Croatian name: Ministarstvo demografije i useljeništva Minister: Ivan Šipić

Address: Trg Nevenke Topalušić 1, 10 000 Zagreb – view map Phone:   +385 (0)1 555 7111 E-mail: [email protected]

6. Ministry of Economy

The Ministry of the Economy develops strategies and programs for the sustainable development of Croatian society based on the principle of a green and circular economy. Its job is to ensure the competitiveness of the Croatian economy, develop industrial policy, and apply innovations and new technologies.

• Opening and closing an obrt (trade business) – view a guide here
• Opening and closing a j.d.o.o. (simple limited liability company) – view a guide here
• Opening and closing a d.o.o. (limited liability company) – view a guide here
• Regulations for different types of business – view a guide here

Croatian name: Ministarstvo gospodarstva Minister: Ante Šušnjar

Address: Radnička cesta 80, 10 000 Zagreb – view map Phone: +385 (0)1 3717 111 , +385 (0)1 6106 111 E-mail: [email protected]

7. Ministry of Environmental Protection and Green Transition

The Ministry of Environmental Protection and Green Transition develops strategies related to environmental and nature protection, water management, and all associated resources like equipment, stationery, and documentation. It also handles financial resources, rights, obligations, and state civil servants, including key officials appointed by the Government of the Republic of Croatia.

• Waste management and recycling of plastic, metal, glass, and paper – view a guide here
• Water management – view a guide here

Croatian name: Ministarstvo zaštite okoliša i zelene tranzicije Minister: Marija Vučković

Address: Radnička cesta 80, 10 000 Zagreb – view map Phone: +385 (0)1 3717 111

8. Ministry of Finance

The Ministry of Finance is responsible for preparing and implementing government fiscal policy. Its job is to maintain stable economic growth, increase prosperity and quality of life, and ensure employment for Croatian citizens. It handles the state budget and manages budget revenues and expenditures (taxpayers’ money).

• Consolidation and management of Croatia’s budget
• Issuance of OIB – view a guide here
• Issuance of VAT numbers (PDV ID broj) – view a VAT guide here
• Issuance of personal tax cards – view a guide here
• Payment of health insurance costs – view a guide here
• Concession policy system
• Granting state subsidies – view a guide here
• Administration of Croatian taxes through Tax administration offices – view a tax guide here
• Customs and taxes when importing a vehicle to Croatia – view a guide here
• Customs and taxes when buying online – view a guide here

Croatian name: Ministarstvo financija Minister: Marko Primorac

Address: Katančićeva 5, 10 000 Zagreb – view map Phone: +385 (0)1 4591 333 E-mail: [email protected]

9. Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs

The Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs is responsible for representing Croatia in other countries, international organizations, and conferences and for developing and improving relations between Croatia and these organizations.

It works on strengthening international security and cooperation, international economic relations and multilateral economic structures, and international humanitarian aid. It is in charge of protecting the rights and interests of the Republic of Croatia and Croatian citizens living or residing outside of Croatia and promoting their ties with the homeland.

• Concluding international agreements
• Communication with foreign missions and consulates in Croatia – view a guide here

Croatian name: Minstarstvo vanjskih i europskih poslova Minister: Gordan Grlić Radman

Address: Trg Nikole Šubića Zrinskog 7-8, 10 000 Zagreb – view map Phone:   +385 (0)1 4569 800 E-mail:   [email protected]

10. Ministry of Health

The mission of the Ministry of Health is to protect, preserve, and improve the health of Croatian citizens through the protection of public health interest, early recognition of disease risk and occupational diseases related to work, prevention of diseases and injuries at work, and treatment and rehabilitation of the sick.

Its other goals are the promotion and preservation of health, more affordable health care, quality of the health care system, protection of public health interest, and more efficient management of financial resources in health care.

[Read: Healthcare and health insurance in Croatia ]

• Compulsory health insurance called obvezno – view a guide here
• Supplemental health insurance called dopunsko – view a guide here
• Vaccinations against diseases – view a guide here
• Regulation of GMO policies – view a guide here

Croatian name: Ministarstvo zdravstva Minister: Vili Beroš

Address: Ksaver 200a, 10 000 Zagreb – view map Phone: +385 (0)1 4607 555 E-mail: [email protected]

11. Ministry of Justice, Administration, and Digital Transformation

The Ministry of Justice, Administration, and Digital Transformation is responsible for establishing an impartial, professional judiciary and public administration accessible to citizens regardless of any differences. It must be qualified to operate within the EU and reflect the highest European standards.

• Full legalization of Croatian documents for use outside of Croatia – view a guide here
• Register of Croatian voters – view a guide here
• Entry of non-profit udruga to the Register – view a guide here
• Permission for buying residential properties to foreigners – view a guide here
• Registration of political parties – view a guide here

Croatian name: Ministarstvo pravosuđa i uprave Minister: Damir Habijanž

Address: Ulica grada Vukovara 49, 10 000 Zagreb – view map Phone: +385 (0)1 371 4000 E-mail: [email protected]

12. Ministry of Labor, Pension System, Family, and Social Policy

The Ministry of Labor, Pension System, Family, and Social Policy is in charge of the labor law, labor market, employment , and active labor market policy, unemployment records and employment assistance, work retraining, and employability enhancement programs.

It is also responsible for the pension insurance system, social security policy, and implementation of programs and projects funded by the EU and other international financial assistance.

[Read: Croatia’s pension system ]

• Defining the rights of workers in Croatia – view a guide here
• Work status of foreigners who work in Croatia – view a guide here
• Defining pension system – view a guide here
• Protection from domestic violence – view a guide here
• Rehabilitation from drug addiction – view a guide here
• Defining rights of people with disabilities
• Procedures regarding marriages – view a guide here
• Procedures regarding same-sex relationships – view a guide here
• Adoption process – view a guide here

Croatian name: Ministarstvo rada, mirovinskog sustava, obitelji i socijalne politike Minister: Marin Piletić

Address: Ksaver 200a, 10 000 Zagreb Phone: +385 (0)1 6106 835 E-mail: [email protected]

13. Ministry of Physical Planning, Construction, and State Property

The Ministry of Physical Planning, Construction, and State Property is in charge of construction, physical planning and housing, and implementation of EU and other international programs of assistance. It performs tasks related to spatial planning, use and protection of space, location permits, and arrangement and use of construction land.

The Ministry is responsible for ​​real estate valuation, determining conditions for building design and construction, energy efficiency in buildings, construction and use permits, and building use, maintenance, and removal.

• Location permits for real estate properties – view a guide here
• Real estate appraisal
• Policy of housing – view how to rent an apartment here

Croatian name: Ministarstvo prostornog uređenja, graditeljstva i državne imovine Minister: Branko Bačić

Address: Ulica Republike Austrije 20, 10 000 Zagreb – view map Phone: +385 (0)1 3782 444 E-mail: [email protected]

14. Ministry of Regional Development and European Union Funds

The Ministry of Regional Development and European Union Funds is in charge of the implementation and management of regional development policy and regional development. It works on regional development programs of Croatian counties and wider regions and encourage cross-border, and regional development.

It cooperates with local and regional self-government units, as well as with other participants and stakeholders, in preparing, organizing, and implementing the development of their regional programs and projects.

• Coordination with local and regional units
• Coordination of EU programs
• Cooperation with the EU Member States

Croatian name: Ministarstvo regionalnog razvoja i fondova Europske unije Minister: Šime Erlić

Address: Miramarska cesta 22, 10 000 Zagreb – view map Phone:   +385 (0)1 6400 600 E-mail: [email protected]

15. Ministry of Science, Education, and Youth

The Ministry of Science, Education, and Youth oversees preschool, elementary, and secondary education in Croatia. It creates the National Curriculum, approves the literature, and sets the regulations and standards for educational work.

Its responsibility is to ensure the education and formation of competent and responsible young people and an accessible education system of lifelong learning. It should be competent in the current and future domestic and international labor markets.

[Read:  How to enroll kids in kindergarten (vrtić) in Croatia ]

• Defining the elementary education system -view a guide to international schools here
• Defining the secondary education system
• Managing the register of student programs – view a guide to study here
• Approving school books – view a guide here

Croatian name: Ministarstvo znanosti, obrazovanja i mladih Minister: Radovan Fuchs

Address: Donje Svetice 38, 10 000 Zagreb – view map Phone: +385 (0)1 4569 000 E-mail: [email protected]

16. Ministry of Sea, Transport, and Infrastructure

The Ministry of Sea, Transport, and Infrastructure is responsible for domestic and international maritime, nautical, road, railway, combined, and air transport programs. It proposes development strategies and ensures the safety of the transport system.

It is also in charge of the construction, technical improvement, and traffic-technological modernization of inland waterways, and technical maintenance of waterways and navigation safety facilities disabled due to natural disasters.

• Organization of postal services in Croatia – view a guide here
• Organization of the boat travel system in Croatia – view a guide here
• Organization of the train travel system in Croatia – view a guide here
• Organization of the bus travel system in Croatia – view a guide here

Croatian name: Ministarstvo mora, prometa i infrastrukture Minister: Oleg Butković

Address: Prisavlje 14, 10 000 Zagreb – view map Phone: +385 (0)1 6169 111 E-mail: [email protected]

17. Ministry of Tourism and Sport

The Ministry of Tourism and Sports is responsible for Croatian tourism policy, the development of all types of tourism, and small and medium-sized companies in tourism, monitoring the privatization process, development of the tourism infrastructure, and implementing innovation in tourism through establishing business incubators.

The Ministry is also responsible for the development and organization of sports, the promotion of the importance of sports and athletes, and implementing regulations for sports clubs and associations. It finances sports programs, proposes national sports development programs, and participates in the preparation of the EU and other international sports programs.

• Regulation of rental accommodation – view a guide here
• Categorization of tourist facilities
• Decisions on registration or closing tourist agencies – view a guide here
• Register on the number of private renters – view a guide here
• Ensuring the health care of athletes

Croatian name: Ministarstvo turizma i sporta Minister: Tonči Glavina

Address: Prisavlje 14, 10 000 Zagreb – view map Phone: +385 (0)1 6169 111 E-mail: [email protected]

18. Ministry of the Interior

The Ministry of the Interior is the main state body responsible for police affairs and the work of the criminal police, border police, and special police. It handles the administrative affairs related to the personal status of citizens, citizenship, foreigners (immigration), and asylum.

The Ministry is responsible for activities in the field of fire and technological explosion protection, civil protection and rescue, firefighting and fire protection, production and trade of explosives and weapons, private protection and detective work, mine action, ionizing radiation protection, and nuclear safety.

[Read:  Available visas and residence permits for Croatia ]

• Applications for temporary residence in Croatia – view a guide here
• Applications for permanent residence in Croatia – view a guide here
• Issuance of Croatian visas – view a guide here
• Applications for Croatian citizenship – view a guide here
• Car and motor vehicle registration – view a guide here
• Exchange of foreign driver’s licenses – view a guide here
• Issuance of Croatian driver’s licenses – view a guide here
• Issuance of Croatian ID cards – view a guide here
• Issue of Croatian passports – view a guide here
• Work permits – view a guide here
• Weapon permits

Croatian name: Ministarstvo unutarnjih poslova Minister: Davor Božinović

Address: Ulica grada Vukovara 33, 10 000 Zagreb – view map Phone: +385 (0)1 6122 111 E-mail:   [email protected] , [email protected]

Skip the research! Save time and talk to EIC.

We crafted this post to be as detailed as possible, but sometimes questions still arise because everyone’s situation is different. If you’d like personalized guidance on your situation, we can help.

Save yourself the time and uncertainty of trying to navigate the ever-changing rules for living in Croatia by scheduling a private chat with us over video chat.

How does it work?

All first-time clients get 30 minutes with an Expat in Croatia coach PLUS 30 minutes with a vetted English-speaking lawyer from our network that you can use at any time.

Your session will be completely tailored to you and your needs whether it’s bureaucracy, culture, or daily life. All legal advice will be handled by our vetted lawyer network. We can help you with everything else.

In addition, you’ll receive a follow up with additional resources based on your situation, our Croatia Restaurant Guide as well as introductions to vetted professionals like insurance, law, real estate, translation and tax.

We have an extensive FAQ about this service  here .

Ready to get started? Click here to jump to the form.

Who will I speak with?

Carol Anne Škorvaga , known to us as “CAM”, is a first-generation Croatian-Canadian living in Jastrebarsko with her family. She grew up entrenched in the Croatian community surrounded by culture and folklore, attended Croatian school in Canada and then returned to Zagreb to attend Filozofski Fakultet. CAM is fluent in Croatian and has firsthand knowledge of being both a Canadian expat and a Croatian returnee, building a home in Croatia and being a parent with children in local schools.

Meet CAM in this quick 2-minute video here .

What is the cost?

The below costs are per 30 minutes and include VAT (25% tax mandated by the Croatian government).

• First-time clients  |  150 euros (includes 30-min session with lawyer)
• Repeat clients  |  75 euros

If additional time is requested, it is billed in ¼ hour increments.

We offer a 100% money back guarantee.  If your session was not helpful, then you will be refunded – no questions asked.

We vet our information through hands-on, human work. This process includes extensive web research, phone calls to the government, collaboration with licensed Croatian professionals, and visits to government.

Reviews from our clients

“My husband and I are looking to obtain our Croatian citizenship through heritage. CAM was exceptional and was extremely informative about the process required, timelines, contact people, both in Croatia and at home, lawyers and services offered by Expat in Croatia. She was able to easy our anxiety and we felt that we will have solid support and direction going forward. She was professional and friendly. Thank you CAM for your support.” ~ Carol W., Canada, February 5, 2024

“After months of Dr Googling we were left with some ideas but had no confidence in which process to citizenship to follow and if any of it was right. Actually at the time of our consultation the laws had changed and CAM was already on top of them. We left the consultation with a clear path to citizenship and in-depth explanation of everything we needed to do in SA before leaving. On top of this when moving to a new country you don’t know how people may react or approach you. I was apprehensive about this and CAM melted all of that away. On the facts she was professional and serious but when welcoming us, making jokes and telling us about Croatia she was so warm, kind and lifted all my fears of moving. My heart now completely lies in Croatia and we have within 2 weeks a complete plan and working on all the documents we need to gather. Every country needs an expat Croatia with such high integrity.” ~ MaryAnn V., South Africa, January 17, 2024

You can view our last few reviews  here or all of our reviews here .

Ready to book?

To schedule your personal session, complete the below form.

• Name * First Last
• Your Email * Enter Email Confirm Email

Please tell us about yourself

• Your nationality * We ask this because rules and requirements differ depending on nationality. Select country Afghanistan Albania Algeria American Samoa Andorra Angola Anguilla Antarctica Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Bouvet Island Brazil British Indian Ocean Territory Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cape Verde Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Christmas Island Cocos Islands Colombia Comoros Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Cook Islands Costa Rica Croatia Cuba Curaçao Cyprus Czech Republic Côte d'Ivoire Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Eswatini (Swaziland) Ethiopia Falkland Islands Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guam Guatemala Guernsey Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Heard and McDonald Islands Holy See Honduras Hong Kong Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Isle of Man Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jersey Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macau Macedonia Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Mexico Micronesia Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Montserrat Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Niue Norfolk Island North Korea Northern Mariana Islands Norway Oman Pakistan Palau Palestine, State of Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Pitcairn Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Romania Russia Rwanda Réunion Saint Barthélemy Saint Helena Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Martin Saint Pierre and Miquelon Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Sint Maarten Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Georgia South Korea South Sudan Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands Sweden Switzerland Syria Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tokelau Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu US Minor Outlying Islands Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela Vietnam Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands, U.S. Wallis and Futuna Western Sahara Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe Åland Islands
• How can we help? *

When would you like to chat?

• 9:00 to 12:00 CET (9am to 12pm Croatia time)
• 13:00 to 15:00 CET (1pm to 3pm Croatia time)
• 15:00 to 18:00 CET (3pm to 6pm Croatia time)

Newsletter and Consent

• I want to subscribe to the Expat in Croatia newsletter
• How did you find us? Select source Web search Word of Mouth Instagram Facebook Twitter Linkedin YouTube News Article Conference AmCham – American Chamber of Commerce ACAP – Assoc of Croatian American Professionals Other
• You should receive an immediate confirmation via email. If you don’t see an email from Expat In Croatia in your inbox, please check your SPAM folder and add us to your safe senders list.
• Consent * I agree to the privacy policy . Consent: I confirm that I have read, understood, and accepted the privacy policy of this website! I agree that my data provided in the contact form will be stored for the purpose of further communication and service provision. I understand that at my own request, I can be removed from the records at any time, request access to my data, and, if desired, edit or permanently remove them. Privola: Potvrđujem da sam pročitao/la, shvatio/la i prihvatio/la politiku privatnosti ove web stranice! Slažem se da se moji podaci navedeni u kontakt obrascu pohrane u svrhu daljnje komunikacije i pružanja usluga. Razumijem da se na vlastiti zahtjev u svakom trenutku mogu ispisati iz evidencije, zatražiti pristup svojim podacima, te ih po želji urediti ili trajno ukloniti.
• Phone This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Reviews from our happy clients

Ready to book? Submit your request here .

My husband will soon be moving to Croatia from Canada and submitting the papers for temporary residency. I wanted to know if we got everything right when it comes to paperwork, what we needed to do or not to do. I booked a meeting with Carol Anne and she was more than helpful, really kind and she made sure that I have all the info I wanted and needed. We will definitely ask for help again if ever needed. Highly recommended.

June 10, 2024

United States

I recently had the pleasure of consulting with Expat in Croatia for assistance with my Croatian citizenship review, and I must say, their service exceeded my expectations. From the moment I reached out, their team displayed remarkable attentiveness, ensuring that all my questions and concerns were addressed promptly. One of the standout qualities of Expat in Croatia is their exceptional listening skills. They took the time to truly understand my needs and preferences, making me feel valued as a client. This level of attentiveness instilled confidence in their ability to provide tailored solutions. Moreover, CAM impressed me with her thoroughness in providing information. She left no stone un turned, ensuring that I had all the necessary details to make informed decisions. This commitment to transparency and clarity is truly commendable. In conclusion, I wholeheartedly recommend CAM at Expat in Croatia for anyone seeking professional assistance with citizenship matters. Their attentive approach, coupled with their dedication to providing comprehensive information, sets them apart as a leader in their field. Thank you, Expat in Croatia for your outstanding service!

June 5, 2024

Thank you so much, Sara and the whole team at Expat in Croatia! My daughters and I have been working on obtaining our Croatian citizenship for over three years now, and we finally all received our acceptance letters. We will be attending the swearing-in ceremony on June 8th at the Croatian Extravaganza in Sacramento! I can’t even begin to describe how excited we are. This has been quite the journey with so many hoops to jump through, and we could have never done it without Expat in Croatia. You were our number one, go to source for nearly everything. Your comprehensive information, resources, and guidance helped lead us every step of the way. My grandfather was born in 1909, in Rijeka, and with your help, we were able to track down his original birth records, giving us the path we needed towards citizenship. Again, we cannot thank you enough for everything you do.

May 4, 2024

We had many questions regarding bringing our pets from the USA to Croatia that were answered as well as our residency questions. The team we spoke with was very helpful and kind. They provided great information and resources.

April 19, 2024

Consulting, Introduced to a Professional, Research Assistance

My husband and I were overwhelmed by the requirements for Digital Nomad Visas in Croatia, but Expat in Croatia came to our rescue. CAM provided a thorough consultation, clarifying crucial details like the need for a “federal level” apostilled FBI background check (I did not even know what this was prior to our conversation). We are also bringing our dog to Croatia, so Tamara did some research to find answers to very important questions about her entry as well. It was an extra fee, but very minimal and well worth it.  We now feel very prepared and confident that we will be approved once we arrive in Croatia. I HIGHLY recommend their services and if I have questions about anything else, I will certainly be reaching out to CAM + team again!

April 16, 2024

Professional Assistance

Expat in Croatia was incredibly helpful, responsive, and supportive throughout the process of preparing my application for Croatian citizenship. I’m not sure I could have done it without them — it’s a mountain of paperwork and they made sure I was 100% prepared for my appointment at the consulate. They far exceeded my expectations — highly recommend.

March 6, 2024

My husband and I are looking to obtain our Croatian citizenship through heritage. CAM was exceptional and was extremely informative about the process required, timelines, contact people, both in Croatia and at home, lawyers and services offered by Expat in Croatia. She was able to easy our anxiety and we felt that we will have solid support and direction going forward. She was professional and friendly. Thank you CAM for your support.

February 5, 2024

South Africa

Consulting, Introduced to a Professional

We needed to know the ins and outs about moving to Croatia. Our first contact we made was with CAM, then had the consult with Sara. We had superb service, they really know the meaning of customer service, with great continued follow up after our first consult, prior planning to our meeting and immediately providing us with follow up docs after our consult based on our relevant questions, and connection made with external professionals who form part of the EIC team to further support us on our journey. Great team, can definitely recommend them.

January 24, 2024

After months of Dr Googling we were left with some ideas but had no confidence in which process to citizenship to follow and if any of it was right. Actually at the time of our consultation the laws had changed and CAM was already on top of them. We left the consultation with a clear path to citizenship and in-depth explanation of everything we needed to do in SA before leaving. On top of this when moving to a new country you don’t know how people may react or approach you. I was apprehensive about this and CAM melted all of that away. On the facts she was professional and serious but when welcoming us, making jokes and telling us about Croatia she was so warm, kind and lifted all my fears of moving. My heart now completely lies in Croatia and we have within 2 weeks a complete plan and working on all the documents we need to gather. Every country needs an expat Croatia with such high integrity.

January 17, 2024

Research Assistance

I worked with Carol Anne Skorvaga and Tamara Ilic regarding some questions involving purchasing agricultural land/real estate. Carol was very clear about what EIC could do to provide assistance and what would require further research. She was very prompt in seeking out the information and providing it to me in written form. The information was very helpful to me and helped me better understand the real estate process in Croatia. I would highly recommend Carol and EIC. A pleasure with which to work. Thank you!

January 4, 2024

For my consulting session with Sara, I had questions about establishing residency, and also some questions about Healthcare. I sent in questions to her ahead of time so that my session was customized for my needs. Sara had all of those questions noted and was very prepared to elaborate on each one of them and more. I felt confident on the information that was provided and when I had a follow-up questions she was able to easily answer those for me as well. Sara is very personable and approachable in her demeanor which made the meeting enjoyable. I have been following EIC for a few years now and I am always so impressed by the wealth of information that is out there for all of us “seekers”. In addition, the pre-session communication by CAM was very efficient and much appreciated. I have already recommended Expat in Croatia to friends and family members in need of information. Thank you!

December 6, 2023

Thank you so much to these wonderful ladies for the fantastic service. I needed help with some Croatian business issues, terms & processes. They connected me with an appropriate professional – another lovely lady who I immediately connected with and felt she really understood my issue, & she was able to answer all my queries in English – bonus! I would highly recommend these fabulous, friendly ladies and service to anyone who needs some assistance. Again, many thanks.

November 16, 2023

Sara answered all my questions, happy with the call. May actually engage the fixer in the future too.

October 28, 2023

Sara was extremely knowledgeable and helpful answering all of our questions and walking us through what to expect in the process of applying for a temporary residence. She provided multiple resources promptly after the call. I can definitely see us booking another session with her as we start the process just to have a second pair of eyes help along the way. Absolutely worth every penny!

October 10, 2023

Introduced to a Professional

Amazing service. Very friendly and helpful. I needed some advice on residency options. Their vetted partners were prompt, kind and easy to communicate with.

October 7, 2023

Barbara (Richard) H.

The Expat in Croatia newsletter has been an indispensable guide for us while waiting to acquire Croatian citizenship. Since receiving citizenship this month, we decided to book a consultation to address more specific questions as we move closer to actually moving to Croatia. We chose CAM (Carol Anne) to be our consultant and found her to be the perfect “fit” for us. She has experienced everything that we will be dealing with as she moved from Canada to Croatia. Whether it is information about shipping items, registering a car, health insurance, or getting a tax consultant to navigate important financial details, she provided everything and more. We found her to be thorough, professional, personable, and smart. She is also funny and charming. We love CAM! We will continue to use this resource, consulting with CAM as needed or as more questions arise.

October 2, 2023

I learned more in an hour that my month of online searching. Everything was prompt, organized, and correct. Best money I have spent in this process thus far.

United Kingdom

Would highly recommend the services of ‘Expat in Croatia’ to friends. Sara took the time to familiarise herself with our specific situation before we chatted which meant we were able to talk through the options available and conclude with a clear idea of the avenues we should pursue.

September 28, 2023

We needed assistance with purchasing property and moving forward with applying for Croatian citizenship. We had a great conversation with Sara and CAM, they explained both processes clearly and provides us with numerous resources.  It has been helpful to understand timelines and requirements, and they have provided contact with professionals that can be responsible for the aspects that we cannot do on our own.

September 23, 2023

So far I have only had a consulting session with Sara but it was excellent and all of my questions were answered and I feel totally confident with the information provided. I was also given additional website links after the session so that I could find extra information. I felt totally at ease with Sara who came across as not only a very professional person but very personable. I would most certainly recommend Expat in Croatia to anybody else for whatever assistance they needed, and intend to use the services of a vetted professional in due course.

September 20, 2023

View other Croatian government posts

• Branches of the Croatian government
• Croatia’s largest political parties
• Croatian presidency of the Council of the European Union
• How the Croatian legislation system and courts work
• How laws are made in Croatia
• Voting in Croatia

Sources: Vlada Republike Hrvatske e-Građani

Please note:  Information provided by Expat in Croatia is only for the purposes of guidance. It does not constitute legal or financial advice in any form. Croatian laws and bureaucratic rules often change, and each personal case is individual, so different rules may apply. For legal advice,  contact us  to consult with a licensed Croatian lawyer. For financial advice,  contact us  to consult with a licensed Croatian tax advisor or accountant.

Subscribe for weekly updates from Expat in Croatia

We only send one email a week on Tuesdays. And no spam, we don't like that either!

Marija Tkalec

Latest posts by marija tkalec ( see all ).

• Crushing it in Croatia: Elisha and Marie of Oak & Olive - May 31 2024
• Crushing it with Croatians: Rea and Tiny Meow gaming studio - May 3 2024
• Crushing it in Croatia: Carolyn and The Field School of Hvar - March 29 2024

Croatia is ready for 2021 tourist season states Minister of Tourism

Given all the activities and security measures taken in the country and the tourism sector, Croatia is ready for the tourist season, said the Minister of Tourism and Sports Nikolina Brnjac at the online seminar "Croatia-safe and attractive" of the European Association of Travel Agencies and Tour Operators-ECTAA on Tuesday.

The aim of the webinar was to present security measures and offers in Croatia for this tourist season, said ECTAA President Pawel Niewiadomski, recalling that Croatia and the Czech Republic were among the first countries to agree on tourist traffic before last summer.

The webinar was organized on the initiative of Boris Žgomba, the President of the Association of Travel Agencies at the Croatian Chamber of Commerce and a member of the Executive Board of ECTAA, and was attended by representatives of Croatian hoteliers and agencies, foreign tour operators and research companies.

"This is our common and urgent goal at the European and even global level, because people want to travel again, and it is our duty to provide all the prerequisites for a safe and comfortable trip, as well as predictable vacation planning. In that sense, Croatia is among the first, if not the first, European destination that already applies broader criteria for tourist visits, the same ones that should soon be applied at the EU level as well,” said the Minister.

She also pointed out that Croatia is participating in a pilot program for European digital green certificates and will be ready to implement this system even before the conclusion of the procedure at the EU level, in early June.

She also mentioned many airlines (180) that should connect Croatia with many destinations in Europe and the world this summer, including directly with the USA (New York), which means that airlines are counting on Croatia this year.

"Croatia also started with the organized vaccination of tourism workers three weeks ago, there is great interest in tourism, but also among other citizens, and we expect that more than 55 percent of Croatian citizens will be vaccinated by the end of June," she said. There are already more than 300 tourist testing points in tourist destinations in Croatia, and the Government will subsidize antigen tests for tourists.

"We remain very serious in terms of compliance with epidemiological measures and the implementation of our key project Safe stay in Croatia, and this label has already marked about 14 thousand different facilities in the country, which we are proud of," said Brnjac.

She also pointed out that the incidence of Covid-19 in Croatia has significantly decreased in the last week. "I believe that, after the measures taken, this good trend will continue. In fact, we had zero infections in Istria yesterday, and we also have positive experiences with our regional approach to epidemiological measures,” concluded Brnjac.

The Voice of Dubrovnik

Find us on Facebook

Sustainable tourism policies in Croatia : setting a new goal

Sustainability and profitability are too often considered incompatible, especially in a sector like tourism. In recent years Croatia has firmly committed to making them two sides of the same coin, despite the struggle to overcome the pandemic and the rising inflation. In 2021 Croatia was ranked 14 th in a global ranking [1] on sustainable tourism redacted by Euromonitor International.

Croatia is one of the three nations with the largest cumulative proportion of GDP loss from extreme weather and climate events, according to an EEA analysis [2] . It has thus acknowledged the necessity to adopt a strategic approach to adaptation to climate change and to create novel solutions for sustainable development. As a result of this understanding, Croatia created its first climate change adaptation plan.

The country is giving environmental preservation priority [3] in order to secure long-term sustainable growth since sustainable tourism is essential. The Croatian government has concentrated on regulating the maritime sector to maintain the highest environmental and maritime safety requirements due to marine tourism becoming a rapidly expanding industry in recent years. Another strategic objective is to ensure that marine infrastructure, transport, and domain are safe and environmentally sustainable. In order to reduce emissions from sea transportation, Croatia also intends to switch to the use of alternative fuels for transportation links to its islands.

A new national organism

A National Council for Sustainable Development (NCSD) was established by the Croatian government in January 2018 to monitor, assess, and coordinate the implementation of the SDGs. One year later Croatia submitted its first VNR [4] (Voluntary National Review) to the UN outlining how the Croatian establishment intends to implement the 2030 Agenda in their country.

Thereafter an information system for strategic development planning and management was established with the aim of fully integrating electronic collection and storage of statistical and financial data required to monitor and report on the implementation of strategic planning documents at all three national levels, which includes monitoring the implementation of sustainable development goals. The State Bureau of Statistics’ Internet portal was developed with the UN Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform in mind in order to inform the general public of the findings and the current state of the realization of the main indicators of sustainable development.

As for tourism, the Croatian Sustainable Tourism Observatory [5] was established and hosted by the Institute for Tourism in Zagreb which holds a platform aiming at building citizens’ awareness of the projects undertaken by said organization in cooperation with the Croatian government and EU Institutions [6] .

One of the most successful one is the DestiMED PLUS project [7] , financed by the Interreg Mediterranean programme [8] and bringing together 12 partners: Lazio Region (leading partner), Catalonia Region, Tourism Institute, BLAMES University Foundation, South Aegean Region Development Agency; WWF Mediterranean, Tourist Agency of Corsica, Region of Sardinia, IUCN, Region of Crete, Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions of Europe and Regional Ministry of the Environment of Andalusia.

This programme is described as the phase in advancing integrated coastal tourism planning. DestiMED PLUS implements comprehensive policies that link tourism and conservation thanks to local decision-makers cooperation. As it states in its mission, the entire Mediterranean region’s governance structures and legal frameworks must be strengthened for ecotourism to prosper. The goal of the project, which is built on the achievements of MEET [9] and DestiMED, is to assist the Mediterranean region in improving the circumstances for ecotourism in its protected areas. This entails bolstering cross-sectoral local and regional policies, offering integrated planning techniques, and equipping stakeholders with efficient management, measurement, and promotion tools.

Efforts propounded by the Croatian establishment during pre-pandemic years led the country to a more resilient state against exogen difficulties. This is the key unveiling how well Croatia coped with the pandemic and achieved extraordinary growth, generating more revenue from foreign tourists during the summer months of 2021 than it ever has in the past, as confirmed by the Ministry of Tourism at the end of the same year [10] .

Some data by the Croatian National Bank

According to the Croatian National Bank (CNB), revenues from foreign tourists totalled 6 billion and 775 million euros in the third quarter of 2021, during the summer months of July, August, and September. This represents an increase of 100% over revenues produced during the same period in 2020, or 3 billion and 386 million euros more. Sales increased by 2 percent, or EUR 148 million more, than in the third quarter of 2019, which was a record year for Croatian tourism. In the third quarter of 2019, EUR 6 billion and 627 million in revenue were earned.

“Congratulations to all tourism workers and the entire sector on a great tourist year. Not only are we close to 2019 in terms of revenue in this tourist year, but we have also achieved the best results so far during the summer months. Namely, with almost 6.8 billion euros in revenue from foreign tourists, this summer is the most successful tourist summer in Croatia so far and we can all be proud of that. During 2021, Croatia built the image of a safe destination and we must continue to work on that.”- Minister of Tourism and Sport Nikolina Brnjac

The National Recovery and Resilience Plan 2021-2026 fits perfectly the objective of a more resistant and sustainable approach for tourism. The reform is implemented by the Ministry of Tourism and Sports in cooperation with the Institute for Tourism mentioned above.

According to the intended reform’s scope, the Republic of Croatia’s Ministry of Tourism and Sports, Ministry of Science and Education, and Institute for Tourism have signed a tripartite ‘Agreement on Partnership’ in the Implementation of activities within the Framework of the Reform Foreseen in the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (April 22, 2022). This agreement calls for the creation of the System of Satellite Accounts of Sustainable Tourism for 2022 and the European Union’s NextGenerationEU programme is funding the endeavour.

In addition, considering that over 70% of the investments of the Croatian Recovery and Resilience Plan are to be launched before the end of 2022 [11] , it is reasonable to assume that the country will experience a significant spike in growth during the next months and across 2023.

If it can all be resumed by one single phrase, ‘the best is yet to come for Croatian sustainable tourism’.

For instance, we can take into consideration ‘Croatia’s tourist Mecca’, the city of Dubrovnik with its imposing medieval walls: the first typical tourist season after two that were dominated by the coronavirus epidemic has thus far produced good results and can be regarded as back to normal [12] .

The Society of Friends of Dubrovnik Antiquities focuses on sustainable tourism rather than statistics and records. Despite this, they are nevertheless very pleased with this season thus far, especially given the positive financial outcomes.

• Euromonitor International ranking (https://www.euromonitor.com/article/europe-leads-euromonitor-internationals-sustainable-travel-index) ↑
• Extreme climate events in Europe: rising economic losses can lead to greater sovereign ratings divergence (https://www.scopegroup.com/dam/jcr:eb50a1cd-7bcd-46db-a2fe-80fa9b1d76da/Scope%20Ratings_Extreme%20climate%20events_2021%20Nov.pdf) ↑
• Kostelac, M. M., 2017,Statement by Ms. Maja Markovcic Kostelac,  State Secretary at the Ministry of Sea, Transport and Infrastructure, at the General Debate on UN Conference to Support the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14 (https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/24234croatia.pdf) ↑
• Voluntary National Review of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Implementation (https://sdgs.un.org/sites/default/files/documents/23943CROATIA_UN_final.pdf) ↑
• Croatian Sustainable Tourism Observatory (https://tourism4sdgs.org/initiatives/croatian-sustainable-tourism-observatory/) ↑
• Institut za turizam (http://www.iztzg.hr) ↑
• DestiMED PLUS project (https://destimed-plus.interreg-med.eu/) ↑
• Interreg Mediterranean programme (https://interreg-med.eu/) ↑
• MEET project (https://www.meetnetwork.org/) ↑
• The statement made by the Ministry of Tourism (https://mint.gov.hr/vijesti/najbolje-turisticko-ljeto-po-prihodima/22845) ↑
• Governamental Statement on the NRRP (https://planoporavka.gov.hr/vijesti/preko-70-investicija-iz-plana-oporavka-i-otpornosti-pokrece-se-tijekom-2022-godine/177) ↑
• https://www.morski.hr/povratak-turista-na-dubrovacke-zidine/ ↑

About the Author

B.f.g. fabrègue.

Brian F. G. Fabrègue is Ph.D candidate in law at the University of Zurich and currently working as Chief Legal Officer for a Swiss fintech company. He headed Blue Europe for one term before being re-elected as the president of the Board in 2021, authoring articles in topics such as energy, environment and economics. His main working interests are international taxation, financial regulation, statistics and econometrics. Outside Blue Europe and legal scholarship, his research focuses mostly on smart development and has led him to analyse the entanglement between technology and law, particularly from a data privacy perspective.

Subscribe to our newsletter!

Table of Contents

Previous Post Moldova amid a potential devastating energy crisis: attempted solutions and policies

Next post bulgaria's housing market : assessing problems before euro membership, you may also like.

The Current Situation of Ukrainian Refugees in Poland

LUXEMBURG - Associations des Amis de l'Europe Rue de Kokelscheuer 7 Esch-sur-Alzette POLAND - Fundacja Blue Europe Polska kraj POLSKA, woj. MAZOWIECKIE, powiat WARSZAWA REGON: 527539320, NIP: 5242996454

Latest From Europe

• Relations between China and CEE countries: discussion with Dr. Marcin Adamczyk 2024-06-28
• The Current Situation of Ukrainian Refugees in Poland 2024-06-27
• Battle for critical and rare materials: dependency, politics and business interests 2024-06-21
• Poland’s 20 years in the European Union: How the country’s economy has changed 2024-06-14

About Blue Europe

Blue Europe is both a think tank and an editorial project about the links between Central and Western Europe. Our vision is to develop exchanges between the West and the East, particularly at the industrial and technological levels. To do this, our team is made up of various experts, lawyers and financiers from all the countries concerned. We are grouped around the conviction that Central and Eastern Europe can eventually become the new driving force of Europe.

Privacy policy  Cookies technical data 

© 2024 Blue Europe. All Rights Reserved.

• google-plus
• Board & Experts
• Instagram Feed
• News & Events
• Short Analysis
• Full reports
• Peer Reviewed
• Country Analysis

15 million tourists visit Croatia so far in 2022 – record revenue generated 

• by croatiaweek
• September 1, 2022

During the first eight months of 2022, 15 million tourists arrived in Croatia, realising 86.6 million overnight stays, according to data from the eVisitor system.  

This is 40 percent more arrivals and 27 percent more overnight stays compared to the same period last year, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports said in a statement on Friday.  

Compared to the record year of 2019, 91 percent of arrivals and 96 percent of overnight stays were achieved in the same period.  

The most tourist nights were realised in Istria (24.7 million), Split-Dalmatia (16 million) and Primorje-Gorski Kotar (15.3 million), followed by Zadar County (12.8 million overnight stays), Dubrovnik-Neretva County (6.2 million) and Šibenik-Knin County (5.7 million).  

Looking at the results of the destinations, the most overnight stays since the beginning of the year were achieved in Rovinj (3.5 million), Dubrovnik (2.8 million), Poreč (2.8 million), Medulin (2.6 million), Umag (2.4 million ) and Split (2.4 million).

Looking at the markets, since the beginning of the year the largest number of overnight stays was achieved by foreign guests from Germany (19.8 million), Slovenia (8.8 million), Austria (6.5 million), Poland (5.7 million), the Czech Republic (5 .2 million), Italy (3.7 million), Slovakia (3 million) , the Netherlands (2.9 million) and the United Kingdom (2.8 million).  

According to the type of accommodation, the most overnight stays were in household facilities (33.9 million), campsites (17.6 million) and hotels (17.2 million).

“I congratulate the entire sector on these outstanding results, and apart from tourist traffic, which is almost at the level of 2019, we can be especially satisfied with the financial results, which are even better. As was shown at the very beginning of the year, when already in the first quarter we achieved higher revenues from foreign tourists than in the record year of 2019, this continued and in the current part of the year we achieved almost 600 million more in the value of fiscalised invoices than in the whole of 2019.   The announcements for the postseason are very good, and I believe that such results will be achieved at the level of the whole year,”   said Minister of Tourism and Sports Nikolina Brnjac .

Croatia has had a bumper season

“The tourist traffic results achieved so far, as well as the financial indicators, confirm that this year’s season has been well prepared despite all the challenges and circumstances caused by the pandemic and the unfortunate events in Ukraine. The achieved 96 percent of results in overnight stays at the national level is practically equal to the results from 2019, while certain regions and destinations even exceeded the results from the pre-pandemic period. We have entered September, for which the projections are excellent, especially in the nautical and business travel segment, and we will also carry out a series of activities and campaigns, especially in the markets of Slovenia, Hungary, Italy and Germany, with which we will encourage further tourist traffic throughout the post-season,” said Kristjan Staničić, the director of the Croatian Tourist Board.

In August, 32 million overnight stays were achieved

During August this year, there were 4.6 million arrivals and 32 million overnight stays, i.e. 6 percent more arrivals and 4 percent more overnight stays than in August 2021. Compared to July 2019, 92 percent of arrivals and 97 percent of overnight stays were realised in August 2019.

Fiscalisation

According to the data of the Tax Administration, from the beginning of the year until August 30, a total of 28 billion and 931 million kunas were taxed in tourist activities, that is, 64 percent more than in the same period last year.  

Compared to 2019, by August 30, 2022, invoices with a value 38 percent higher than in the same period of 2019 were fiscalised.

Sign up to receive the Croatia Week Newsletter

Related posts.

The 10 longest tunnels in Croatia 

• March 9, 2024
• in Entertainment

Most poisonous fish in the world caught off Croatian island 

• May 14, 2024

How to make Croatian Easter favourite ‘šunka u kruhu’

• March 25, 2024
• in Food & Wine

Top 10 castles and palaces in Croatia

• January 17, 2024

Croatian tourism presented at CMT Fair in Stuttgart

• January 18, 2024

Today marks 357 years since Croatia’s largest ever recorded earthquake

• April 6, 2024

Croatia visited by 20.6 million tourists in 2023

• January 3, 2024

The 14 best beaches in Croatia according to Lonely Planet 

• June 4, 2024

9 things to check out in Croatia’s Neretva Valley

• February 22, 2024

Tourists Will Interact With The World's Friendliest Locals In These Countries

W hen you visit a new country, you probably look forward to seeing the famous sights and trying local cuisine. However, it's often the people in that destination that make the experience so fulfilling and eye-opening. Chatting with a local about their lifestyle or getting insider tips from an outgoing stranger can often be more memorable than the museums and statues.

However, this all depends on how friendly people tend to be toward tourists. To find out which countries have the warmest locals, online money transfer service Remitly conducted a study of people from 27 different countries. It looked at which were the most agreeable (defined as being empathetic, caring, and altruistic toward others) based on a personality test. According to its findings, South Africa turned out to be the most agreeable — and, therefore, the friendliest — country in the world. Following the African country were Greece, Croatia, Mexico, and Sweden, respectively.

Read more: 12 Most Underrated Travel Destinations Around The World

Visit South Africa For Its Friendly Atmosphere

South Africa came in first place in Remitly's World's Friendliest Nations list, with an agreeableness score of 34.63 out of 40. The local culture puts great value on politeness, and people commonly greet others — including strangers — warmly and affectionately. South Africans are also, stereotypically speaking, chatty and prefer to strike up a conversation to fill the silence. If you travel to the country, don't be surprised if people confidently approach you, ready to share their lifestyle and learn more about your background.

Remitly's study isn't the first time the land offering  stunning coastline trails for hiking  and a  national park for viewing an array of wildlife  was called friendly. A South African woman went viral after talking about her culture in a @humanstalkhumans TikTok clip, describing South Africans' tendency to smile and interact with strangers. Redditors in a r/southafrica thread also agreed that, despite the country's challenges and poor infrastructure, locals tend to be warm and friendly. South Africa was also considered "extremely welcoming" by 89% of survey respondents when it hosted the 2010 FIFA World Cup (via Brand South Africa ).

Greece Came In Second Place For Friendliness

Greece, known for its stunning islands and historical sites (see our  guide to visiting the Acropolis In Athens ), was also found to have a friendly culture in Remitly's study. The European destination scored 33.71 for agreeableness, just under South Africa. Some travelers who have spent time in Greece agree. "Greek people are so kind," TikToker @thefoodyfrog declared in a video. While visiting the country, the content creator was given free water by a train station attendant, hung out with some locals at a bar, and was approached by a stranger who offered to take their picture. Another TikTok traveler and mother, @romajay__ , noted that the destination is especially ideal for families with children. "We spent 3 weeks in Greece, and the people are so lovely. Everyone loves kids, and Lenny [her child] got [so] much free food and snacks," she captioned her clip.

Remitly's report discusses the Greek concept of philoxenia and how this may inspire people to be warm and welcoming. In short, philoxenia equates to hospitality, a virtue that has been celebrated throughout Greece's long history. If you're invited for a meal or given a free personal tour of the sites, you have good ol' Greek philoxenia to thank.

Croatia Is Also Known For Its Friendly Locals

Croatia averaged a score of 33.5 out of 40 for agreeableness, placing it in the third spot in Remitly's World's Friendliest Nations list. According to the country's  Ministry of Tourism and Sport , the number of travelers in 2024's pre-season increased by 10% compared to the previous year. While overtourism is an upsetting travel nuisance  for locals and damaging to a country's resources, Croatians are generally happy to welcome travelers to their nation. After all, Croatia's economy is largely dependent on tourism. As long as travelers are respectful, most locals are happy to have them, and their friendliness reflects this.

Redditor  u/Fdana took to r/croatia to share their positive experience visiting the Balkan country. "Just finished a holiday in Croatia and wanted to say that you guys are very friendly!" they wrote. "I'm not white so I thought I might see some racism (apologies for my ignorance) but I was wrong. Everyone was very friendly, spoke fantastic English and I never felt like I was being treated differently." Whether you're asking for directions or ordering a cup of kava (that's Croatian for "coffee"), you'll likely find people to offer help with a smile.

Mexico Ranked Fourth In The Study

Mexico is the perfect place to visit if you're looking for photogenic beaches, delicious food, and the most breathtaking natural swimming holes . Another reason to add the country to your travel bucket list is that its people are known to be a warm and friendly bunch. In Remitly's study, Mexico ranked just below Croatia with an agreeableness score of 33.47. Community and family are important values in the North American country, and these attitudes often extend to tourists, too.

A viral TikTok posted by @girlvsglobexo confirmed this. In the clip, the content creator explains, "I've been to 50ish countries, and you meet nice people and you meet horrible people everywhere you go. But in Mexico, the percentage of nice people is actually unreal." The TikToker goes on to say that Mexicans are generally warm in a "calm way," rather than forcing or faking their friendliness. The video's comment section, flooded with feedback from locals, drove the point home. Many expressed that @girlvsglobexo is always welcome in their country and offered travel recommendations.

Sweden Rounded Out The Top Five

According to Remitly, Swedes are also highly agreeable. Sweden earned 33.30 points for agreeableness, landing it in the fifth spot on the list. In general, Swedish culture promotes equality and respect for each other's differences, and you'll likely find evidence of this when visiting the Scandinavian country. People tend to be kind and open-minded toward others.

With that said, don't expect people in Sweden to be as outgoing as they may be in some other destinations. Stereotypes of Swedes paint them as shy and reserved, and in many instances, this is at least somewhat true. People rarely go out of their way to chat with strangers, and small talk is commonly avoided. Therefore, friendliness can sometimes look different in Sweden compared to more extroverted and sociable cultures. Still, locals are often happy to offer advice, whether you're new to the custom of fika (Swedish coffee breaks) or learning how to celebrate Midsummer in Sweden .

Read the original article on Explore .

• Verify Documents, Clients & Products
• Offices & Labs
• Our Services
• Our Company
• Sustainability
• Insights & Resources

What are you looking for?

Some topics you might be interested in, sgs esg certification officially supported by the ministry of tourism arts and culture (motac) in malaysia.

The Malaysian hospitality industry took a significant step towards sustainable tourism with the launch of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) certification for hotels and resorts. This pioneering initiative is a collaborative effort between SGS, the Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) and SAIMATRIX INTERGRATED.

On June 14, 2024, all parties signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and officially launched the ESG certification. Surya Kumar, Undersecretary of the Tourism Licensing and Enforcement Division from The Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC) attended the event as the guest of honor.

Officially Supported by MOTAC

Officially supported by MOTAC, ESG Certification for Malaysian Hotels & Resorts aims to provide clear guidelines and a comprehensive, holistic and measurable checklist for hotels and resorts in Malaysia. The certification will serve as the industry's benchmark, following the nation's 2030 vision for sustainable tourism. By adopting these standards, hotels and resorts can ensure they operate in an environmentally responsible, socially equitable and well-governed manner.

Front (from left to right): Pradit Yongpanchai, Managing Director of SGS in Malaysia, Datin Christina Toh, President of Malaysian Association of Hotels, Surya Kumar, Undersecretary of Tourism Licensing and Enforcement from MOTAC and Dr Balasundram Balan, Managing Director of SAIMATRIX INTEGRATED.

Witnesses at the back (from left to right): Kenny Looi from SGS in Malaysia, Isaac Raj from MAH and Susie Peter from SAIMATRIX INTERGRATED.

Pathways to ESG certification

There are a few steps to achieve and maintain ESG certification specifically designed for the Malaysian hospitality industry:

• Engagement and commitment Hotels and resorts begin their journey towards ESG certification by participating in Basic ESG Training from SAIMATRIX INTERGRATED. This initial step introduces the requirements of certification and provides essential knowledge of ESG principles. By engaging in this training, establishments can better understand the expectations involved in pursuing the certification, allowing them to assess their level of commitment and readiness for the process.
• Pre-assessment and gap analysis Following training, hotels and resorts undergo a pre-assessment and gap analysis conducted by SGS. This comprehensive process evaluates the establishment's current practices and performance against the established ESG framework, identifying areas needed for improvement.
• Implementation Based on the findings of the gap analysis, SAIMATRIX INTERGRATED facilitates hotels and resorts to develop and implement action plans to address identified gaps and enhance their performance in key ESG areas. These action plans are tailored to the specific needs and priorities of each establishment, ensuring targeted and effective improvements.
• Reporting Once the necessary improvements have been made, hotels and resorts undergo a rigorous certification audit conducted by SGS. This audit evaluates the establishment's adherence to the ESG framework and assesses its eligibility for certification.
• ESG certification award Upon successful completion of the audit process and verification of compliance with ESG standards, hotels and resorts are awarded ESG certification. This prestigious certification serves as a testament to their dedication to sustainable practices and responsible tourism.
• Certification renewals To maintain certification status, hotels and resorts undergo yearly renewals. This ensures that certified establishments continue to uphold ESG standards and remain committed to sustainability in the long term.

Our expertise in ESG

As the appointed certification body, SGS provides comprehensive services including GAP analysis, auditing and certification. Our rigorous standards and thorough evaluation processes ensure that hotels and resorts meet the highest levels of environmental, social and governance criteria. Our expertise in conducting detailed assessments and providing actionable feedback is critical in helping establishments achieve and maintain ESG compliance.

For further information about ESG Certification for Malaysian Hotels & Resorts, please contact us .

Find out more about general information about ESG certification .

About the Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH)

About saimatrix intergrated.

We are SGS – the world’s leading testing, inspection and certification company. We are recognized as the global benchmark for sustainability, quality and integrity. Our 99,600 employees operate a network of 2,600 offices and laboratories around the world.

Related Articles

Services to Support Your EUDR Compliance

SGS Leads the Way in Sustainability Report Assurance in Asia

What Are the Benefits of the New ISO 59020 Circularity Performance Standard?

What’s New with ISO 20121:2024 and Why Is It Important?

News & insights.

• SGS Adriatica d.o.o.

+385 1 614 09 61

+385 1 614 09 62

Karlovačka cesta 4i,

• Sunday, 30 June, 2024
• Almaty 82 °F / 28 °C
• Astana 77 °F / 25 °C

• All Stories
• Kazakhstan Region Profiles: A Deep Dive Into the Heart of Central Asia
• State of the Nation
• Election 2022
• Election 2023
• Astana International Forum
• Kazakhstan’s Presidency in SCO
• 5th World Nomad Games
• Central Asia

Croatian Tourism and Sports Deputy Minister Reveals Ambitious Plans with Kazakhstan to Develop Tourism, Launch Direct Flight to Croatia

By Aibarshyn Akhmetkali in International , Tourism on 16 December 2022

ASTANA – The launch of a direct flight between Kazakhstan and Croatia is among the key initiatives to enhance the cooperation in tourism between the two countries in the upcoming year, said the State Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports of Croatia , Tonći Glavina in an interview with The Astana Times, as part of his visit to Kazakhstan.  

Tonći Glavina

During the visit of the Croatian delegation, led by Glavina, a series of meetings with the Chair of the Tourism Industry Committee of the Kazakh Ministry of Culture and Sports Dastan Ryspekov, Chair of Kazakh Tourism National Company Talgat Amanbayev, representatives of travel agencies, tour operators, and a national airline company were held to put the relations between the two countries on the map for sport and tourism-driven initiatives.

Two ministries have signed a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in the field of tourism. This would further boost connectivity between the two countries and facilitate the introduction of a new direct flight route from Astana to one of the major cities in Croatia.

“ I would like to use this opportunity to congratulate all the people of Kazakhstan on their national Independence Day that is coming up,” Glavina told exclusively to The Astana Times.  

“I also have to mention that we would like to offer our congratulations on everything that is happening on the political level in Kazakhstan. All the reforms are opening Kazakhstan not only to a better quality of life here, but it also opens the doors for much better cooperation between the European Union (EU) countries such as Croatia,” he added .

The Croatian delegation, led by Glavina, met with the Chair of the Tourism Industry Committee of the Kazakh Ministry of Culture and Sports Dastan Ryspekov (M) and Chair of Kazakh Tourism National Company Talgat Amanbayev (R). Photo credit: Croatian delegation’s press service.

Glavina also addressed the successful bilateral relations to this day and the fact that the two countries have celebrated 30 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations on Oct. 20, while also describing how crucial for Croatia it is to further expand cooperation, especially in the field of tourism.

He gave some earlier indications of what the country’s next plans are when he said that it is important to facilitate the connection by launching a direct flight from Kazakhstan to Croatia .

“ What I hope we are going to achieve after this [visit], is that it will result in a direct flight from Kazakhstan to Croatia next year in 2023. I am really hoping that this will happen not only for Kazakh tourists to arrive in Croatia, but we are also hoping to engage the interest of Croatians traveling to Kazakhstan, as it is, from everything that I have seen and that I follow, a very beautiful country that has a lot of tourism potential as well,” said Glavina.

According to him, a direct flight between Croatia and Kazakhstan is a value-driven opportunity as it connects Kazakhstan with Europe, the largest tourism destination with over 300 million people. “Europe will absolutely still be a tourism leader for the years to come,” he said.

All the efforts would not be possible without the engagement of two embassies. Glavina highlighted the engaged activity of both ambassadors, Refik Šabanović, Ambassador of Croatia to Kazakhstan, and Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Croatia Altay Abibullayev, who “has done tremendous work in Croatia, and in a very short period of time has managed to strengthen our cooperation.”

Kazakhstan and Croatia have had well-established relations for decades, which is in large due to extensive work done at embassies. On photo Gordan Grlić Radman, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of Croatia and Altay Abibullayev, Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Croatia. Photo credit: Kazakh embassy in Croatia.

Croatia has been admitted to the Schengen zone starting from Jan. 1, 2023. This decision “makes Croatia a hub to Schengen, to the European countries, and of course, to the most exciting tourism destinations,” said Glavina.

“At the same time, as equally important for us, starting Jan. 1, 2023, we are going to join the Eurozone, which means our currency will be Euro. This will also make it easier for all our guests not just from the Eurozone, but from around the world, as [Euro is] one of the most dominant currencies in the world,” he added.

Croatian football experience to be transferred to Kazakh clubs

He also highlighted some of the less well-known but still vital aspects of the cooperation between Croatian and Kazakhstan, including cooperation in sports, particularly in football training.

“ It is not only tourism that brings us together, but it is also sports,” said Glavina.

As part of the Croatian delegation’s visit to Turkistan, Glavina met with the akim (governor) of the region Darkhan Satybaldy and gifted him the Croatian national football team uniform. Photo credit: Turkistan Region akimat press office.

The interview was conducted just at the time that the Croatian football team defied the odds of reaching the World Cup semifinals for the third time in just seven attempts since 1998.

“ Small nation of only four million people from the heart of Europe is able to be presented on such a high stage. It gives us a tremendous opportunity and our football academies are known and respected around the world,” said Glavina.

As part of the agreement between several Kazakh football clubs with Croatia, children from Kazakhstan have been training and participating in football tournaments in Croatia. One of these tournaments, in which 110 Kazakh children took part, was held in the Croatian city of Split on June 2–5.

“I am happy to say that there is also a lot of success from our football knowledge here in Kazakhstan, as there is cooperation with several different clubs here. This past summer I had the opportunity to welcome the president of your football federation who came to visit the club of children that were participating in the youth tournaments,” said Glavina.

As part of the Croatian delegation’s visit to Turkistan, Glavina met with the akim (governor) of the region Darkhan Satybaldy, reported the Turkistan Region akimat press office. The two sides discussed the possibilities of implementing Croatian know-how in football to the development of football in Turkistan, as well as the opportunity for children from Turkistan to study football in Croatia.

Get The Astana Times stories sent directly to you! Sign up via the website or subscribe to our Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , Telegram , YouTube and Tiktok !

Most Recent Stories

• Sadak Atu: Reviving the Tradition of Kazakh Archery
• Legendary Sacred Lakes of Northern Kazakhstan
• Save Berkuts: Kazakhstan Joins Forces to Protect Golden Eagle Population
• Premiere of Ballet Triptych “Sacred Dances” at Almaty Theatre
• Development Bank of Kazakhstan Independent Director on Risk-Taking, ESG, and Investments
• President Tokayev Signs Law on Cargo Transportation Between Turkic Countries
• News Digest: Foreign Media on World Nomad Games, Critical Raw Material Deposits and More
• Zhas Qazaq Summer Camp Welcomes Over 250 Ethnic Kazakh Children
• Over 68% of Kazakh Citizens Reflect Optimism About Future
• Kazakhstan to Launch Industrial Development of Tungsten Ore Deposits

• Dialogue of Civilisations
• Editor’s Picks
• International
• Constitutional Referendum
• National Overview
• © 2010-2024 The Astana Times
• Privacy Policy
• About Us

• Election 2024
• Entertainment
• Newsletters
• Photography
• Personal Finance
• AP Investigations
• AP Buyline Personal Finance
• AP Buyline Shopping
• Press Releases
• Israel-Hamas War
• Russia-Ukraine War
• Global elections
• Asia Pacific
• Latin America
• Middle East
• Election Results
• Delegate Tracker
• AP & Elections
• Auto Racing
• 2024 Paris Olympic Games
• Movie reviews
• Book reviews
• Financial Markets
• Business Highlights
• Financial wellness
• Artificial Intelligence
• Social Media

Orlando Cepeda dies

After a failed bid to become prime minister, Croatia’s president says he’ll run for a second term

Croatia’s President Zoran Milanovic puts on his headphones for translation during a joint statement with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva at Itamaraty Palace in Brasilia, Brazil, Monday, June 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

• Copy Link copied

ZAGREB, Croatia (AP) — Croatia’s President Zoran Milanović said on Wednesday that he plans to seek a second five-year term at a presidential election expected later this year, months after his failed bid to become the prime minister .

Milanović told reporters that he expects support from his center-left opposition Social Democratic Party for his candidacy. He said he is among the most experienced politicians in Croatia and “that is my trump card.”

The 57-year-old Milanović had served as prime minister in the past, before running for president in the vote in December 2019. A populist-style politician, Milanović has often clashed with Croatia’s conservative Prime Minister Andrej Plenković.

Earlier this year, Milanović created an uproar ahead of a parliamentary election in April when he said he would run for prime minister if his opposition SDP party won the majority. But Milanović's bid was quashed by Croatia’s Constitutional Court, which ruled that he cannot run while still a president.

Milanović has been a critic of the European Union support for Ukraine and has often insisted that Croatia should not be taking sides. He has also openly opposed training Ukrainian soldiers in Croatia.

The presidency in Croatia is largely ceremonial. No date has been set for the election but it is largely expected to be held in December.

Croatia is the newest member state of the EU, after joining the bloc in 2013.

UN Tourism | Bringing the world closer

Share this content.

• Share this article on facebook
• Share this article on twitter
• Share this article on linkedin

First Gastronomy Tourism Forum for Asia and Pacific Unites Governments, Businesses and Top Chefs

Asia and the pacific.

• 26 Jun 2024

Asia and the Pacific’s growing status as a gastronomy tourism destination has been celebrated as key stakeholders look to a more inclusive and sustainable future.

The first UN Tourism Regional Forum on Gastronomy Tourism for Asia and the Pacific built on the success of the global event to serve as a platform for public and private sector leaders to address the main challenges and opportunities in this fast-emerging part of global tourism.

As with the World Forum, the event was co-organized by UN Tourism and the Basque Culinary Centre (BCC) and hosted by the Department of Tourism of the Philippines .

Ministers map better policies for a more inclusive future

Food is at the heart of every tourist experience, and gastronomy tourism delivers many social and economic benefits

Reflecting the strong commitment of its Member States to harnessing the economic and social benefits of gastronomy tourism, UN Tourism put the focus on policy frameworks and government action.

Addressing an opening Ministerial Dialogue, Christina Garcia Frasco, Secretary of the Department of Tourism of the Philippines, joined Martini M. Paham, Deputy Minister for Resources and Institutions of the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy of Indonesia, Jakkaphon Tangsutthitham, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports of Thailand, Mitsuaki Hoshino, Vice-Commissioner of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism for the Japan Tourism Agency and Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, Director of the Macao Government Tourism Office (China). The Ministers made the case for policies and strategies that enhance the benefits of gastronomy tourism and the importance of connecting tourism with other sectors namely agriculture, culture and rural development.

UN Tourism Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said: “Food is at the heart of every tourist experience, and gastronomy tourism delivers many social and economic benefits. For it to deliver on its potential, we need to create well-defined gastronomy tourism policies and strategies that bring together all stakeholders with a common vision and mission, as exemplified by this first regional Forum.”

Cebu Call to Action on Gastronomy Tourism

The event concluded with the Cebu Call to Action on Gastronomy Tourism , calling for both public and private sector leaders to develop comprehensive strategies at all levels to integrate gastronomy tourism into policy and practice. It urges the creation of governance mechanisms uniting stakeholders under a shared vision, fostering cooperation across sectors such as agriculture and culture, and supporting small businesses to enhance their market position. Emphasis was placed on empowering local communities through training and financing, promoting unique culinary experiences, and advocating for sustainable practices that protect local cultures and the environment.

Gastronomy Tourism: Territory, Communities and Sustainability

In line with UN Tourism’s focus on inclusive rural development, inclusion and sustainability, the Forum brought together academic, business leaders, community representatives and top chefs to explore some of the most pressing issues in the field of gastronomy tourism.

Emphasis was placed on ensuring the sector is managed in harmony with and empowers host communities and local traditions, including through the use of local products, greater linkages with agriculture and the creative industries and merging heritage with new trends. Among the “Chefs Leading Change” the Forum brought together three UN Tourism Ambassadors for Sustainable Tourism : Chef Pilar Rodriguez (Chile), Chef Rudolf Stefan (Croatia) and Chef Margarita Fores (Philippines),

On the occasion, UN Tourism nominated Chef Vicky Cheng (Hong Kong, China) as its most recent UN Tourism Ambassador.

Forum on Gastronomy

Related links.

• Download the News release on PDF
• Gastronomy and Wine Tourism
• First UN Tourism Regional Forum on Gastronomy Tourism for Asia and the Pacific

Related Content

Women take centre stage building inclusive tourism in a..., unwto completes gastronomy tourism project for ubud, in..., unwto holds executive training programme for asia and t..., unwto and pacific asia travel association focus on sust....