May the 6th, 2023 – British couple Mark and Gilly decided to swap Northern Europe for Strigova in Medjimurje, where life is less expensive and the peace and quiet also offered in the British countryside can be enjoyed for much less. They have also started their Medjimurje glamping business, and it’s going very well.
As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, we’re more than often flooded by depressing headlines and stories about Croats abandoning their homeland and heading off abroad in search of a better life and more economic stability, but the opposite story is also being more and more frequently told. A British couple have decided to move to Strigova and start their Medjimurje glamping (luxury camping) business. They’re far from regreful about their move.
Due to the nature of their work, Mark and Gilly have already travelled the world, but they said they knew they would one day settle somewhere in Europe, but not necessarily the UK. The final decision ended up being the Republic of Croatia.
“I noticed the vineyards, somewhere around Novi Marof, I think. I thought, this would be an interesting place to live,” said Mark.
“It seemed like a very nice place, people take care of their properties nicely, it’s very peaceful. We thought this was the perfect place to live,” added his wife Gilly Whitefield.
Mark and Gilly have lived in Strigova for three years now, and last year they started their Medjimurje glamping business, which has been going very well for them indeed.
“We have two tents, and this year we will have four. Business is going very well,” explained Gilly proudly.
“From our perspective, we wanted to live in a place with a more pleasant climate. We knew it was unlikely that we would return to the United Kingdom, it has become very expensive to live there. In addition, we like the peace and quiet, Croatian culture and the fact that Croats are more connected to nature, working on the land, growing their own food. I mean, that’s a nice part of living here,” says Mark.
Starting a business in Croatia isn’t easy, but this couple had all possible support on offer to them during the often daunting task of getting started, let alone running the business.
“We had excellent cooperation with the local mayor. He was exceptionally supportive, as were all of the other local authorities, the county and the city of Cakovec, urban planning, and tourism. In addition to all of that, we’ve only had good experiences with the local craftsmen,” pointed out Mark.
They visit local manifestations and events, socialise with local people and both agree that the move has been very good for them. Their neighbours, just by a sheer stroke of good luck, are also a couple who chose to relocate to gorgeous Medjimurje from Britain.
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