It is not just Croatia which is banging the digital nomad drum in the region. Belgrade and Tirana area also proving very popular destinations in this emerging tourism opportunity, and there are initiatives underway to introduce a digtial nomad visa in both Montenegro and Bosnia and Hercegovina. A stronger region, with good cross-border cooperation, will only enhance the attractiveness of each individual country’s offer.
So it is great to see initiatives of colloboration rather than competition taking place, including the Budva Cross Border Coworking Conference in the picturesque Montenegrin resort of Budva from October 4-6. The two-day conference has a great lineup of expert speakers from the regon and beyond, and is introduced as follows on the official website:
From Monday, 4th October, until Wednesday, 6th October 2021, regional and global experts will gather on the Montenegrin coast, and in a series of lectures and panel discussions will deal with current topics and with their experience contribute to a better understanding of this popular trend. Participants in the conference will discuss the concept and perspectives of digital nomads, the potential of the Western Balkans, the experience of digital nomads who have stayed in the region, as well as the packages the coworking spaces that make up the Code Hub network in Mostar, Nikšić, Tuzla, and Zadar will provide to this target group in the coming period. The two-day conference will also discuss the regional coworking scene, the impact of the global pandemic on the sector, the challenges faced by coworking managers over the past 18 months, but also the benefits of distance working, and the prospects for developing new coworking communities.
Several of the driving forces of the Croatian digital nomad scene will be presenting and networking at the conference, sharing their knowledge and encouraging others to take the next steps forward. They include Jan de Jong, the Split-based Dutch entrepreneur, whose open letter on LinkedIn to Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic set the ball rolling for the introduction of the Croatian digital nomad permit from January 1 this year. De Jong has been supporting local initiatives in neighbouring countries, including Montenegro,
Tanja Polegubic, CEO of Saltwater Nomads, and the architect of three major events in the nascent Croatian DN scene, will also be speaking. Polegubic was behind the first-ever digital nomad conference in Croatia, Dubrovnik for Digital Nomads. This was followed by two award-winning events, the Dubrovnik Digital Nomads-in-Residence Program, and Zagreb Digital Nomad Week & Zagreb Digital Nomad Ambassador Project.
One of the co-organisers and sponsors of the two Dubrovnik events was the Dubrovnik Tourist Board, and Ana Hrnic, Dubrovnik Tourist Board director, will be presenting a best practice example from the region on the city’s approach to the digital nomad market.
An increasingly popular name on the DN conference scene is American Steve Tsentserensky, the 7th successful applicant for the DN permit. Tsentserensky is also doing a great job spreading the message of the wonderful and affordable Croatian lifestyle, including a viral article on CNBC News about the cost of living as a DN in Croatia. The accompanying video above has already racked in over 230,000 views.
Tomislav Capan is a technical consultant, AWS cloud architect, and software engineer, with over 15 years experience, as well as a community events organiser, occasional speaker, and remote work advocate.
There are also a number of excellent speakers from other countries, as well a lively programme. To learn more about both, visit the official website.
The conference is organized within project 2CODE, co-financed by ERDF and IPA II funds of the European Union. Register for free here.
