October 10, 2020 – Dubrovnik for Digital Nomads next week, as more details on the speaker line up are revealed, as well as a last call for Early Bird tickets.
One of the things I really enjoy at TCN is taking a topic I believe in, pushing it forward, and then watching things develop through other like-minded people with better skill sets than my own.
And nowhere is this more exciting currently than the buzz which is developing about the potential of digital nomad tourism and the imminent digital nomad visa.
I have been writing about the digital nomad potential for Croatia for some time now with articles such as How Croatia is Becoming Increasingly Attractive for the Digital Nomad Lifestyle, but it was Dutch TCN reader Jan de Jong who really moved things forward after I sent him some articles on the subject to help him prepare for a tourism conference back in May. The rest is history, with Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic tweeting his response to Jan’s open letter asking for a digital nomad visa for Croatia. As things stand, things look set for Croatia to become only the second country in Europe after Estonia to introduce the visa next year.
You can read Jan’s latest LinkedIn update on the subject on LinkedIn, although if you want to get the real scoop of what is happening with the visa and digital nomad movement in Croatia in general, I advise you to tune in to Jan next week at the Dubrovnik for Digital Nomads European Freelancer Week conference, which is taking place from October 16 – 25.
One of the other early pioneers of the digital nomad scene in Croatia is Tanja Polegubic, whose Croatia-based remote work and lifestyle business Saltwater is quickly become known as a go-to resource for remote workers coming to Croatia, especially those looking for a touch of Bali on a beach in Split. While others (including myself) talk about the potential in more general terms, Tanja has put more thought into the realities of where the digital nomad revolution could take Croatia, and I heartily recommend interested parties to read her excellent piece – 10 Ways Croatia Will Be At The Forefront of Countries with a Digital Nomad Visa (DNV).
Sometimes Tanja and Jan come together to brainstorm about Croatia’s digital nomad future. And next week, you can join them!
Together with the City of Dubrovnik, Dubrovnik Tourist Board and TCN, Tanja and Saltwater are hosting a series of events as part of European Freelancer Week from October 16-25, which you can attend in person or online. Tanja has done an incredible job arranging speakers for the event, a combination of Croatian experts and global names from the world of remote work.
What I particularly like about the lineup is how full it is with practical information and real-life experiences, in addition to the chance to hear from and engage with the pioneers such as Jan and Tanja. One such example is taxation and digital nomads in the Croatian context. We are very grateful to Kristina Grbavac, Director of Taxation Services at KMPG Croatia, whose tax thoughts on the subject are sure to be of great interest.
Having dealt with many local authorities over the years, I have to say that I have been very impressed by the engagement of the Dubrovnik authorities since we first approached them with our digital nomad concepts for the city back in July. Both Dubrovnik Mayor Mato Frankovic and Dubrovnik Tourist Board director Ana Hrnic will be speaking at the conference, and – together with Deputy Mayor Jelka Tepsic – the city is very focused on promoting this new opportunity. I look forward to our bigger initiative for Dubrovnik for digital nomads in April.
The sessions will be a mixture of live presentations, as well as speakers tuning in from Istanbul, Baltimore and New York. The event will also be streamed at other EF Week events in other cities, further promoting Dubrovnik as a digital nomad destination.
In addition to Jan, the other two keynote speakers are fabulous additions to the programme. Dr. Wallace J. Nichols, a marine biologist and author of the NY Times bestseller ‘Blue Mind’ will be discussing Wellbeing and Productivity, especially as it relates to digital nomad life. You can learn more and support the work of Dr Wallace J. Nichols over on Patreon. We are also thrilled to be joined by Kashlee Kucheran of the successful travel blog TravelOffPath.com. Kashlee will be talking about how Croatia can stand out, trends, digital nomad demographics, and how the tourism sector is pivoting to cater to digital nomads.
- Tickets are available here, including details of early bird tickets. There are also a limited number of tickets available free for residents of Dubrovnik if you would like to learn more about the digital nomad lifestyle and opportunity. Regarding ticket purchase, please note that once you buy a ticket, you will be emailed your receipt and then a link and instructions on how to attend within. PLEASE NOTE THAT THE DEADLINE FOR EARLY BIRD TICKETS IS MIDNIGHT TONIGHT.
- Event program and speaker information is on saltwaternomads.com/events
- Speaker Bios: https://saltwaternomads.com/speakers/
- If you would like to ATTEND IN PERSON – there are some remaining spots for digital nomads who are in or get to Dubrovnik for EFWeek. Email [email protected]
See you in Dubrovnik! It promises to be an exciting meeting of minds, exploring new opportunities for tourism in Dubrovnik.
For the latest on the Croatian digital nomad scene, follow the new TCN dedicated section.
