While the top Croatian municipalities by the number of overnight stays are Zadar, Split, Lošinj, and Opatija, Medulin continues to improve the quality of life for its residents.
As Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 23rd of April, 2018, at the very peak of the season, 50,000 people live in their territory, and just last year alone, 2.8 million nights were achieved.
The most prosperous are the Croatian municipalities with a budget of 180 million kuna, and according to the development index, they are in the second place behind Kostrena and in front of the City of Zagreb, and according to the number of overnight stays, Zadar, Split, Lošinj, Opatija, and Umag take the crown, writes Glas Istre.
At the peak of the season, 50,000 people live in their territory, and just last year alone they have achieved a massive 2.8 million overnight stays. In 2017, they boasted an impressive 85 million kuna revenue, and they have 298 registered trades, most of which are related to catering to tourists in some manner or another.
The municipality of Medulin, for example, located on the southernmost part of the Istrian peninsula, is a municipality in which the standard of living and overall quality of life has continued to grow rapidly. The continuous investment in communal infrastructure, road construction, waste management, and the development of projects, some of which have cost millions, all emphasise the focus on development oriented towards investment and raising the quality of education, culture, welfare, and the protection of both cultural and historical heritage, according to Glas Istre.
Through the most ambitious project to date, Medulin Active Park, the value of which currently reaches approximately 22 million euro, the plans are to make it the most recognisable sport destination in the entire country. Namely, on a total area of nineteen hectares, the plans are to construct a football stadium, a recreational centre, a tennis court and an athletic/running track, while two recreational swimming pools are planned, one smaller one, and a much larger Olympic size swimming pool. A sports hotel is also in the works.
Medulin has also recently opened up a radio station, and their kindergarten has one of the highest quality pre-school programs on the level of the whole of Croatia. There is ample support for local artists and the organisation of numerous cultural and social events is a frequent occurrence. There was no giving up pf farming, and there continues to be concrete support available to local farmers. Thus, in the Medulin area, unlike some other areas in Istria, and indeed in the rest of the country, it isn’t uncommon to see cattle in close proximity to rented apartments and holiday homes. The deep engagement in olive growing continues as it always traditionally has, and oils from this area can be found alongside the world’s best examples.
What’s the secret of such success?
“First of all, I’d like to say that all our inhabitants and valuable people are worthy of success because I don’t know a person in Medulin who isn’t renting out an apartment or a holiday home. We’re proud of our natural values that’s surely the biggest magnet for visitors. The secret of our success involves the gathering of high quality people regardless of their political beliefs, people who have a common interest, and that means the better life of our people. We don’t bother talking about whether someone is left or right [politically leaning], we don’t care about that. We’re interested in new kindergartens, schools, care for the elderly, the development of agriculture and the economy, sports grounds, the construction of communal infrastructure, these are our priorities,” stated Goran Buić from the municipality.
