May 11, 2020 – Progress is being made in the information flow, but the unique approach of the Kingdom of Accidental Tourism and its travel advice continues to set the kingdom apart from its tourism competition.
This has been a seismic few days in official travel information flow from the chaps who are the appointed gurus of Croatian tourism. And I mean that genuinely.
But we not quite there yet.
But let’s start by celebrating the progress and congratulating the quick response of both the Croatian National Tourist Board and the Ministry of Tourism. For the changes have been swift and a huge improvement. Here’s hoping we can build on this wind of change.
The biggest change has come at the Ministry of Tourism since Index published the article above late last week.
Within two hours, the Ministry home page went from being contactable by fax but not by email (the year is 2020 remember)…
… to totally faxless AND with four useful email addresses.
The ministry went much further. From an English-language page where coronavirus was actually not even happening…
…to a dedicated section on the latest information, as well as information on the minister’s efforts to restart tourism.
And then yesterday, the first new article in English on the official Koronavirus website. This website has been an amazing resource in Croatian for citizens to get the latest information. I was impressed that the government produced an English version. It is updated daily with the latest numbers and charts, but little else. This latest article has very useful information and links to the latest pages regarding other countries as well.
So there we see the power of a leading Croatian portal to effect positive change in one article – Thank you, Index.
The Croatian National Tourist Board also got proactive after the Index article, turning its bizarre corona Q&A page from a copy past of the Official Gazette decision above…
… into something vaguely useful here.
My hope was that the lights might be on in the Kingdom of Accidental Tourism, and that someone might take the initiative and review the rest of the travel advice.
But alas. It wouldn’t be accidental tourism if we actually helped the tourists find their way here, would it?
The Kings of Accidental Tourism have what looks like an enticing section called Travel Info – How to Arrive.
As with many things in The Beautiful Croatia, looks are usually deceptive.
Here is the entire advice on how to fly to Croatia – it has been the same advice for years.
A useful link to the Civil Aviation Authority where you can check if the list of airports in Article 74 Paragraph 1 of the Air Transport Act, Official Gazette of the RC No. 69/09; 84/11; 54/13 and 127/13 is correct.
And if you are not booking with Croatia Airlines, are there even flights to the Kingdom of Accidental Tourism?
Some useful links to some of Croatia’s airports give more contact details where you can find out presumably about Croatia Airlines flights.
Not even a chance to email anyone, or a website to visit if you are travelling by bus, athough there are helpful links to 8 bus stations who you can contact. Make sure you are not planning a trip to somewhere like Makarska or Varazdin, which are not covered.
And my favourite – arriving by sea, which on the surface looks very useful. And it is to a point. As long as, just like Croatia Airlines, you are travelling on the state ferry, Jadrolinija.
Unlike Croatia Airlines which seeingly has the flight monopoly on flights to the kingdom, Jadrolinija has to share with SNAV, but no mention of the companies connecting the kingdom to Trieste and Venice. And spare a thought for poor Krilo, whose fabulous catamarans have connected routes the kingdom didn’t. No mention for them.
You see, in Uhljebistan, we can only promote our own services. Does it matter that easyJet, for example, brings 600,000 passengers a year? Why would you mention that?
Coming by train – here is all you need to know.
With a bigger selection of train stations than bus stations, and with a Google Map that doesn’t load correctly.
If I was the chap running Varazdin Bus Station, I might be quite upset.
For the latest from the Mighty State of Uhljebistan, follow the dedicated TCN section.
