Croatian tourism is taking a hit as several European countries, including the United Kingdom and Germany which are of extreme importance to Croatia, have either placed the entire country on a red list, or have done so with popular regions.
As Morski writes on the 21st of August, 2020, in line with the recent announcements from numerous European countries, Slovenia introduced a restriction for Croatia. The Slovenian Government prescribed that from Tuesday, all those returning from the country must go into two-week self-isolation. After Italy and Austria, restrictions were introduced today by Germany, the United Kingdom and Slovenia.
Since the beginning of the year, more than 20,000 Germans have visited Split. Now there are about a thousand and a half more in the city, reports HRT.
”We know everything, today Split was declared risky. We’re going to stay, we’ll get tested on the way back, we’re not going to leave ahead of time,” said Sandra, a tourist from Germany.
It is what it is, they say in Sibenik. Now we need to save the situation and try to keep hold of our guests, at least with cheap testing.
”Even at the expense of the hosts, to try to prevent at least a part of the guests from leaving,” said Dino Karadjole, director of the Tourist Board of the City of Sibenik.
Austrians staying in Primorje-Gorski Kotar County are being tested to avoid having to go into a two week quarantine when they return home.
”It’s passing quickly, I’ve already missed some people, I’m waiting for my boyfriend to pay for the testing. In half an hour I think we’ll manage to solve everything,” said Irina, a tourist from Austria.
Tourists from Slovenia, Croatia’s immediate neighbour to the north and its second emitting market, are also leaving Croatia. If he doesn’t leave Croatia by the end of the week, Matej will have to be quarantined upon returning home to Slovenia. He says he feels safe and is reluctant to make tracks back home.
– Yes, why not, I’m taking care of myself and of others, and that’s especially important to me,” said Matej Koenig. Out of the current number of 7,000 tourists staying in Fazana, Istria, 800 are Slovenian nationals.
”The owners of holiday homes and apartments turn to us in particular, they come to the Tourist Board and say they want to shorten their stay until tomorrow,” revealed Melita Perokovic, the director of the Fazana Tourist Board.
On the island of Vir, the situation has gone from great to somewhat sad. Their great season is over, Vir locals say. Since the beginning of the year, they have been visited by more than 15,000 Slovenes and have made a success of what was set to be absolutely dire in earlier predictions.
”At the moment, there are maybe another 500 Slovenian tourists staying on the island and a good part of them will leave during the day and will keep going home until Sunday, unfortunately,” said Srdjan Liveric, the director of the Vir Tourist Board. Some are leaving, others are coming. At the border at Gorican there are queues at the entrance to Croatia, some people spend time there, waiting for more than an hour.
”We didn’t even think of spending our summer somewhere else, we wanted to come to Croatia, we love it,” said Dajana, a tourist from Romania.
”We’re going to the vicinity of Split, for ten days. We go to our friends and stay in a secluded house,” added Agnieska, a tourist from Poland.
In the queues along the roads heading for Croatia, Poles, Czechs, Romanians, Hungarians are among the most numerous who are looking forward to a holiday in Croatia without the burden of fear of the virus.
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