The next couple of weeks are going to be interesting – and important – for tourism on the island of Hvar. New tourist board directors for Hvar Town (hey, it has only been over a year since the process started) and Jelsa should be appointed, and I am pleased to hear that all the favourite candidates (according to my information) are not only capable, but also have that rare quality in tourism promotion on Hvar – the ability to focus on the needs of tourists and developing a strategy finally, rather than pandering to the needs of local interest groups.
Something certainly needs to be done, if one wants to improve on the current ‘Tourism Happens by Accident Because We are a Beautiful Island’ policy.
And for the new incoming directors, I wish you luck. A great opportunity and a big responsibility.
As my few friends will tell you, I don’t like to complain, but I find that the occasional constructive criticism is therapeutic, and it can lead to change. Minor successes in the bigger picture, but important for morale. Who can forget, for example, Stari Grad’s decision to reverse their Croatian-language-only policy for an EU project with partners coming from all over Europe after Stari Grad Working Hard to Attract Croatian-Speaking foreign tourists? Or – and perhaps it was part of a pre-arranged strategy – the decision to upgrade the 2014 bus timetables in Jelsa in the middle of May 2015.
With two new directors coming in, I thought it would be constructive to point out a couple of things about a national tourism initiative about which they may not be aware, given that no tourist with an interest in visiting Hvar could be aware of.
The project is called Croatia365, a laudable attempt to promote tourism all year. It was unveiled with great fanfare by the Croatia National Tourist Board and Ministry of Tourism in August 2014, focusing on six categories – culture, wellness, cycling, adventure tourism, food and wine, meetings and incentives (later renamed business).
A nice original idea. Or was it? It appeared that the idea had in fact been stolen from a UNTWO prototype project in Uruguay three months before, where Punta del Este365 ws launched. More on that story in Full of Bollocks: Which Consultant Visited Uruguay in May 2014?
I was excited for Hvar about the project, and although my expectations about the current local tourists extends only to them ensuring their comfortable salaries arrived on time, I was genuinely shocked that Hvar did not feature AT ALL in this new project, as I wrote at the time. After all, I wrote this is what Hvar had to offer in these categories:
Culture – Hvar is the only island in the world with four UNESCO heritages, the oldest public theatre in Europe etc, but NO mention of any of this in Croatia 365.
Wine and Gastro – Hvar’s wines are exported all over the world, are consistent medal winners in international wine competitions, but NO mention of any of this in Croatia 365. There is not even a wine road for people who have heard of Hvar wine to explore.
Biking – cycling tourism is on the rise, and so good is the cycling on Hvar that the American cycling team was here for winter training a few years ago. The year-round offer of Hvar Adventure caters to all cycling needs, but NO mention of any of this in Croatia 365.
Wellness – Hotel Adriana has been a regular winner or finalist in the prestigious World Travel Awards in the boutique hotel section, as well as its wellness facilities, but NO mention of that in Croatia 365.
Meetings and Incentives – Hotel Amfora has outstanding conference facilities, which are increasingly popular with international companies, but NO mention of that in Croatia 365.
Outdoor – Climbing, hiking, cycling, kayaking, sailing, ironman training – these are the core activities of Hvar Adventure, a local agency with 10 years of showing tourists their playground on the island. A real treasure of diverse and challenging outdoor activities, but NO mention of that in Croatia 365.
The comedy was increased when Minister of Tourism Darko Lorencin visited Hvar in February last year and gave an interview on national television talking about the potential of 365 tourism – watch it here. Comic because he was standing on the Hvar Town waterfront, a town that used to be famous for its winter tourism (and is indeed the birthplace of organised tourism in Europe), but one where almost all of the hotels in the great Croatia365 Revolution were closed until May. Inspired!
And then, something amazing happened. On May 9, 2015, just ten fateful days before they decided to update the 2014 bus timetables, the Jelsa Tourist Board announced that they had joined Croatia365.
That was 8 months ago. And how does this great 12-month promotion of the island of Hvar look 8 months later on the official Croatia 365 website (which is not www.croatia365.com – as you see above, that website is for sale):
Meetings and Incentives (now Business) – 2 regions in the whole of Croatia (WTF?) – NOTHING on Hvar
Cycling – 8 regions in the whole of Croatia (WTF?) – NOTHING on Hvar
Wellness – 7 regions in the whole of Croatia (WTF?) – NOTHING on Hvar
Adventure tourism – 23 regions – NOTHING on Hvar
And then – big drumroll – the triumphant entrance of the island of Hvar.
Well sort of.
Culture – 23
A touch of Antiquity in the heart of the Mediterranean
The cultures of Hvar and Vis were greatly shaped by the past, which goes back to Antiquity and the period of the ancient Greeks and Romans. Take a walk through the towns and you will come across the remains of the past at every step, reminding you of the glorious days of these Dalmatian islands. You will also be attracted by the military history of the island Vis, the military bases, tunnels, airport and Tito’s cave. Visit the numerous museums and learn about the tradition and the life of the population, who still live a relaxed and simple life. See how Hvar and Vis developed from ancient days to today and how, just like today, they were one of the centres of the Mediterranean.
Besides the many events celebrating the history of the islands, you can visit many museums, which hold the artistic, literary and musical works that have marked the development of the area. You can enjoy the mentioned works at artistic events, held every day on Hvar and Vis.
Written by the Vis Tourist Board perhaps. Mention of Tito’s tunnels, but Hvar’s four UNESCO heritages, oldest public theatre in Europe etc etc? But wait, we have food and wine!
Food and Wine – 17
The divine tastes of Dalmatia
Hvar and Vis are often called the capitals of gastronomic and oenological pleasures in Dalmatia. Every year the diligent hands of the islands’ winemakers produce several thousand hectolitres of premium wine from hundreds of vineyards where the tastiest grapes ripen under the Mediterranean sun. Each of the vineyards can be seen if you take a wine road, which will lead you to the sunniest corners of these two islands. Crown your visit and learn how to make wine, which generations of Dalmatians have enjoyed.
Along with the excellent wines, these islands are the origins of the most delicious gourmet specialties. Many meat and fish dishes are flavoured with olive oil, and they represent the secret of health and longevity of the islanders. Visit their taverns where they will show you their culinary art, in which the simplest of ingredients can create magnificent masterpieces.
Substitute the word Dalmatia, Hvar or Vis for France, Spain, Italy, South Africa, and the message is the same.
So after 18 months of this glorious project, Hvar – the most exclusive island in Croatia, the one with the most UNESCO heritage in the world, the one with a 2400-year wine story, with excellent conference and wellness facilities, a terrain which is an adrenaline junkie’s dream, is reduced to a few banal words about food and the promotion of some caves on a neighbouring island.
Croatia: Full of LIfe? This project is full of something alright, but not something which can be printed on a family blog.
I will be interested to see how things develop with the new directors. It takes about an hour of intelligent copyrighting to transform’s Hvar’s representation on the national website.
