Croatia thrilled at summer season success despite Covid-19

“It’s much better — it’s almost like 2020 never happened,” said Josip Crncevic, a tour guide in Dubrovnik, a southern city known for its Old Town and nightlife that is Croatia’s most popular destination.

The Balkan country experienced four years of war in the 1990s, but before the pandemic had become a top vacation spot for European and American visitors who appreciated its small towns and scores of islands offering natural beauty, local seafood and recreation in comparatively uncrowded settings.

The success of the summer season carries strong implications for Croatia’s economy, which is among the weakest in the European Union.

Tourism accounts for up to 20% of gross domestic product, and visitor spending is essential to the incomes of locals who rent lodging or run other tourism-linked businesses.

Summer tourism has exceeded even the most optimistic expectations in Croatia this year. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)

While people here prepared for this year to be better than last because of the advent of COVID-19 vaccines, the tourism minister described the July and August demand for getaways in Croatia as “remarkable.” As of Aug. 10, overnight stays were at 69% of the record number seen in the 2019 season, tourism minister Nikolina Brnjac said.

The tourism revival is clearly visible in Dubrovnik, known as the “pearl” of the coastline, famous for its fortified, walled medieval city that is a UNESCO protected area and which served as a set for the popular Game of Thrones series. The main street in Old Town buzzes with people as tour groups mill along the outer walls.

As a reminder of the continuing risk of COVID-19, a huge sign on one of the stone walls warns people to keep their distance from others, to wash their hands and to wear masks. Wearing a mask is required in enclosed spaces in Croatia, but not outdoors.

Toni Dugandzic, a waiter at the restaurant Gusta Me, said the influx of tourists surprised many town residents and business people following last year’s poor season. Restaurant owners didn’t expect it and therefore didn’t hire enough staff in time, he said.

“We work a little bit more because we were not prepared regarding human resources,” Dugandzic said.

Health officials organized vaccination drives for people with jobs in tourism and kept some crowd limits in place. About 40% of the adult population in the country of 4.2 million has been vaccinated against the coronavirus.

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