March 19, 2023 - Can Croatia become a 12-month Mediterranean tourist leader? That and many other thought-provoking topics at this year's 3T Tourism, Travel and  Tech conference, reports Cimerfraj.   

The annual 3T conference was held with a number of experts and conclusions: AI cannot replace humans, Croatia can still be a leader in realizing the maximum sustainability of tourism in the Mediterranean, and the offer for year-round tourism is not at all questionable.

On Wednesday, March 15, 2023, the 3T - Tourism, Travel & Tech conference was held. On that chilly morning at the dawn of another spring, conference visitors came to Zagreb's Kaptol Center for a solid dose of optimism.

The conference that combines tourism and technology, without which tourism in its modern scale would not exist, brought together experts from various areas of the tourism and IT sectors and delivered current views on trends and forecasts in business to those gathered at its 6th physical and online edition.

The 3T conference was announced as a discussion on the possibilities of using AI in tourism, and this motif ran through almost all the presentations, with a common conclusion - AI will never replace humans

The response of Zoran Pejović, a consultant from Lošinj, made us think about how reliable artificial intelligence (AI) is.

Igor Marušić, product manager of Hrvatski Telekom, established that artificial intelligence can be a significant factor in solving the problem of labor shortage, in his presentation on Chatbots in the hotel industry.

Marušić emphasizes that the point is not the implementation of AI in business, which would result in the dismissal of workers, but that such technology can be programmed to solve simpler tasks and inquiries of guests, whereby people can focus and concentrate on solving more complex problems in business

This is precisely why Marušić sees the development of artificial intelligence as a great opportunity to fill unpopular jobs, which no one wants, along with the growth of the quality of tourist products.

Total sustainability is impossible
Sustainable tourism in Croatia is far from being fully realized, but it is still more than empty talk, is the conclusion of the presentation by Robert Sedlar, an expert whose company Interzero deals with the issue of waste disposal.

Transport is the biggest polluter in tourism - Robert Sedlar

Sustainability is the thread that connected almost all the presentations. There was more talk about the hotel's sustainable business than family accommodation, which accounts for over 50% of overnight stays. That is why we now know that Croatia has 1199 hotels, of which only 26 are green.

We also know that luxury tourism is no longer characterized only by the consumption of expensive and exclusive material goods, but today's luxury is the enjoyment of the unique features that abound in Croatia, like every tourist country. This type of offer is in the best position to fulfill almost all sustainable principles and achieve what we want from tourism - fewer guests and burden on local communities, with maximum income.

The participants of the panel discussion on the sustainability of luxury, moderated by the conference director Oleg Maštruko, concluded that 100% sustainability is an impossible mission, but that does not mean that we should not even try to achieve the goals of complete sustainability of tourism. The morning part of the conference ended with an interesting question by tourist journalist and blogger Anja Mutić from the audience: "Why is there so much talk about sustainable tourism, isn't it time to focus on regenerative tourism?".

From motoring to the potential of year-round tourism
The afternoon part of the conference was less about theory and more about practical examples.

No one in Croatia had previously done an expert study of the socio-economic impacts of a tourist event on local communities. The first such analysis "Socio-economic impacts of WRC Rally Croatia 2022 on the area of Central Croatia", prepared in cooperation with the Faculty of Economics in Zagreb, was presented by Marin Frčko, one of the key people from the WRC Rally Croatia organization.

Marin Frčko on the impact of WRC Rally Croatia on the quality of life of locals

In 2022, this world-renowned sports event brought Croatian tourism an income of 105 million euros. Its full potential could be unlocked only this year, because last year's result was largely influenced by the release of pandemic measures and the escalation of the Russian-Ukrainian war. This year's edition, without a doubt, we expect great results from April 20 to 23.

"The question is why Croatia has too few such global events, especially in the pre- and post-season, although I don't like those terms, I prefer to think about the year-round offer of domestic tourism," Frčko pointed out, noting that such events are followed by millions of fans around the world.

The WRC is among the TOP 20 sports events in the world. Unlike others, such as the world football championship, this and similar manifestations do not need the construction of a stadium, the existing infrastructure is used, so their organization should be among the projects of national interest in terms of the development of year-round tourism.

Did you know that, in addition to Croatia Airlines, we have another airline? Few visitors knew this, until they met Stjepan Bedić, pilot and director of ETF (Enjoy Your Flight) Airways. Launching an airplane startup during a pandemic is more than a challenge, but today ETF flies and covers the logistical problems of numerous partners with its planes.

One of the most convincing ambassadors of Croatian tourism - Paul Bradbury probably knows the cultural heritage of Croatia's gastronomy better than the average Croat. He will convince everyone that Croatia has everything a tourist could want for an unforgettable stay at any time of the year, but it's best if he tells you about it himself...

March 19, 2023 - I am not political at all, but I do like to support great ideas, such as yesterday's Dangerous Ideas 2 conference in Zagreb, which was opened by Split Mayor Ivica Puljak. You can view the entire conference on the embedded YouTube video below. 

If anyone is interested in my presentation, The Vukovar Card, a New Deal for Eastern Croatia, it starts at 07:30 and last 10 minutes. 

Below a translation of from the Croatian media about the event.

"We gather open-minded people who are not afraid to test both dangerous and best ideas. Positive selection is not afraid of competition or communication of its own ideas. That's the kind of Croatia we want and that's the kind of Croatia we will build," said the President of the Centar Party, Ivica Puljak, at the conference.

The big conference of the Center "Dangerous ideas 2 - All the good things you always wanted for Croatia, but no one dared to implement", gathered a number of experts in Zagreb on Saturday who presented ideas for the future of Croatia.

According to the President of Centar Ivica Puljkak, at these gatherings we see what Croatia can be like once HDZ is in opposition. "Croatia is in this state today because it is ruled by negative selection, and negative selection is afraid of every dangerous, good and realistic idea. When the best wins in public tenders, there is no place for those who win just because they have a party card," said Puljak, adding that clientelism, nepotism and corruption are afraid of any idea that changes the current situation.

"Old politicians are afraid of any reform. That's why we gather open-minded people who are not afraid to test both dangerous and best ideas. Positive selection is not afraid of competition or communication of its own ideas. That's the kind of Croatia we want and that's the kind of Croatia we will build," concluded the President of Centar.

"Can ideas really be dangerous? Or is it actually more dangerous to be without ideas? Through a series of stupid mistakes and as a result of unimaginably disgusting corruption, we lost INA. Are we going to allow that instead of energy independence, solar power plants on the roofs of our citizens and entrepreneurs, instead of energy exporters, instead of a stronger and more stable economy and secure democracy, we become dependent on energy, and then in every other way?" asked REGEA director Julije Domac, emphasizing that Croatia can and must do much more and better.

"All of us should be part of the changes we wish for and influence politics with our own involvement and ideas, because only then can it become a reflection of what we want as a society," said Domac.

According to entrepreneur Dražen Oreščanin, Croatia is speeding into reverse in fifth gear. "Instead of the public administration providing a framework for the development of innovation and entrepreneurship through systematic reforms and digitization, it has been fighting for decades so that nothing changes and to maintain and increase its power, influence and privileges," he warned. As he emphasized, people who do not want to go backwards but forward, should be given the environment and conditions to progress and prosper, because together with them, the whole society will prosper.

The gathering was attended by Ivica Puljak, Paul Bradbury, Julije Domac, Mihovil Škarica, Marlena Bogdanović, Dražen Oreščanin, Frano Barbir, Vinko Filipić, Ivan Mrvoš, Jasna Karačić, Branko Zemunik, Majda Milevoj Klapčić, Hrvoje Čupić, Tvrtko Jakovina, Natalia Zielinska, Dijana Grgić, Ružica Božić Cerovac and Vesna Coufal Jaić.

March 19, 2023 - Looking for a job in Croatia? A new weekly feature on TCN, in partnership with leading job site agency, Posao.hr, who present a selection of weekly job listings.

How hard is it to find a job in Croatia, and what is on offer?

We spoke to Ines Bokan, director of leading jobs site Posao.hr, who kindly took the time for this excellent interview overview.  

This week's top 10 jobs from Posao.hr:

posao.hr is hiring a person in the position sales consultant (m/f). Place of work Zagreb. We offer the possibility of earning a salary bonus. Send complete applications via link by March 27^th.

Scalable Global Solutions d.d. is hiring a person in the position of Senior Account Manager (f/m/d). Place of work Zagreb. Flexible working hours. Send complete applications via link by March 26^th.

Mamut Fortis d.o.o. / Arena is hiring a person in the position of IT System Administrator (m/f). Place of work Zagreb. We offer incentive income. Send complete applications the link by April 14^th.

TŽV Gredelj d.o.o. Zagreb, a member of the Tatravagonka group, is hiring a person for the position of Professional employment associate (female/male). Place of work Zagreb. We offer the possibility of development and professional training. Send complete applications via link by March 30^th.

Teleperformance Greece is hiring a person in the position of Croatian Customer Service (m/f). Place of work Athens, Greece. Competitive monthly salary + 2 extra salaries per year. Send complete applications via link by March 27^th.

KWS SAAT SE & Co. KGaA is hiring a person for the position (Junior) SAP Business Process Manager (m/f/d) - Corn & Sunflower. Place of work Germany.As SAP Business Process Manager (m/f/d), no day will be like the other for you. You and your passion for IT will drive our projects forward. Send complete applications via link by March 23th.

Cuspis d.o.o. is hiring a person in the position Employee in the IT industry (m/f). Place of work Zagreb. We offer work on large national and international IT projects. Send complete applications via link by March 23th.

Le Méridien Lav, Split is hiring a person for the position of Coordinator in the human resources department (m/f). Place of work Split. We offer work in an international environment where your ideas are not only valued but also implemented. Send complete applications via link by April 10^th.

Salzburg AG is hiring a person in the position of SOC Security Analyst / Specialist (m/f). Place of work Salzburg, Austria. Our attractive salary offers are based on current market salaries and are therefore, depending on qualifications and professional experience, above the minimum salary stipulated in the collective agreement. (We are legally obliged to point out that the minimum monthly salary for this position according to the collective agreement is €4,108.55 gross.). Send complete applications via link by March 31th.

Silverhand Croatia is hiring a German-speaking recruitment assistant (m/f). Place of work Zadar. We offer the possibility of professional development in an international company with an attractive salary. Send complete applications via link by April 15^th.

For more career options and job listings, visit posao.hr.

These weekly job listings will appear in the weekly TCN newsletter - you can subscribe here.

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What is it like to live in Croatia? An expat for 20 years, you can follow my series, 20 Ways Croatia Changed Me in 20 Years, starting at the beginning - Business and Dalmatia.

Follow Paul Bradbury on LinkedIn.

Croatia, a Survival Kit for Foreigners is now available on Amazon in paperback and on Kindle.

March 19, 2023 - With the sounding of the danger sirens in the morning, ten minutes after six, the complex operation of the Rijeka bomb removal and neutralisation began.

As Index writes, the residual anti-ship mine from the Second World War from the port of Rijeka began. As announced by the Civil Protection Headquarters of the City of Rijeka, the mine will be transported by ship to the intended location at sea in the Gulf of Rijeka and neutralized. Before the operation, a complete evacuation was carried out for the safety and protection of human lives.

On Saturday, around 500 residents were evacuated from buildings in the zone of immediate potential danger in case of mine activation. It all went without problems, most people organized their temporary accommodation themselves, and a smaller part was accommodated in the Youth Hall in Trsat, where beds and refreshments were arranged.

Division into zones

The work of all economic, entrepreneurial, hospitality and other activities has been suspended. On Saturday, parked vehicles were moved from the parking lot in the danger zone, all ships and boats were temporarily moved from the passenger quay in the port of Rijeka, and the Gulf of Rijeka was closed for sailing. The flight zone ban over the port of Rijeka is also in force, especially for drones.

For safety reasons, the area next to the port of Rijeka is divided into a red zone of immediate potential danger, from which residents have been evacuated, and a yellow zone. In the red zone are the streets around Putnička obala, from Žabica Square and Krešimirova Street in the west, through Adamićeva Street and Riva to Riva Boduli and the city market in the east.

In the red zone, all traffic is forbidden, so road traffic takes place in the so-called northern corridor through the center of the city. Tenants in the yellow zone were advised not to stay outdoors or near glass surfaces, and hospitality facilities not to plan work during the action.

Neutralisation of the mine is expected in the afternoon

The neutralisation of the mine is expected in the afternoon, and the end of the operation will be marked by the sirens for the end of danger. In the port of Rijeka, during infrastructure works, an anti-ship mine from the Second World War was discovered at the end of June, which had not been noticed until now because it was partially buried in the muddy seabed.

Due to the characteristics and the location where it was found, it was not possible to destroy the mine at the place of discovery, so a relocation and neutralisation plan is being carried out, in which the Civil Protection Headquarters of the City of Rijeka, the Police Department of Primorje-Gorski Kotar, the Regional Anti-Explosion Unit Rijeka, the City of Rijeka, utilities and other services are taking part.

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated News section.

March 19, 2023 - The state, now it is pretty clear, will not be able to use the EU grants from the Solidarity Fund in time to restore its two most important buildings - the Banski Dvori (government) and the Croatian Parliament building on St. Mark's Square in Zagreb.

As Index / Jutarnji write, after several failed tenders, three years after the Zagreb earthquake, the money from the EU Solidarity Fund for the structural renovation of the two most important buildings of the Croatian legislative and executive authorities will remain unspent, and only the creation of a complete renovation design will be financed.

The term expires at the end of June

HRK 87.6 million, or EUR 11.6 million, was supposed to finance the structural renovation and design documentation for the parliament building, while HRK 61.5 million o,r EUR 8.2 million, would have gone towards documentation, and the first phase of the government building renovation.

The deadline for spending that money from the Solidarity Fund expires at the end of June this year. Croatia was the only country in the European Union that received a one-year extension of that deadline. However, despite this precedent, the state could not even restore its own buildings.

In order to spend at least a small part of the money from the Fund, the government and parliament decided to call for tenders for the preparation of design documentation only. Thus, the IGH Institute won the parliamentary competition for the preparation of documentation, which undertook to deliver the project by the end of June.

The state will spend five percent of the grant

The council estimated that the work was worth HRK 9 million without VAT, or EUR 1.2 million, but IGH won the tender with a price of less than half of that estimate, i.e., slightly less than HRK 4 million or EUR 533,800. The government estimated the creation of design documentation at HRK 6.3 million, or EUR 836,100. A consortium of companies Interkonzalting and Planaxis won the tender with a price of HRK 3.5 million without VAT, or EUR 464,500.

This means that, of the projected 19.8 million euros intended for structural renovation and documentation of the parliament and government buildings, the state will spend just under a million euros for the project, i.e. only five percent of the total allocated grant from the Solidarity Fund.

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated News section.

March 19, 2023 - Today is Saint Joseph's Day, which is when, like in most other Catholic countries, Father's Day is celebrated in Croatia. Happy Father's day to all fathers in Croatia and beyond, and we wish you many happy days on paternity leave.

24Sata had a look at how the measure has been doing in Croatia. Since August 1, 2022, when it was introduced, paternity leave has been used by 12,650 fathers, of which 2,301 fathers in January of this year, stated the Central State Office for Demography and Youth on the occasion of Father's Day, on the 19^th of March.

On this special occasion, the Office highlights the importance of equal parenting and the equally important roles of father and mother in a child's life.

We want to emphasize the invaluable role of fathers from the child's earliest age; the Office emphasizes and reminds that the state has formally enabled fathers to do so by introducing paternity leave of 10 or 15 days in case of the birth of twins or more children, which can be used in the first six months of the child's life.

The state fully bears compensation for the cost of the parents' salary.

The office also reminds that with the new Act on Maternity and Parental l Allowances, the state has increased the maximum amount of compensation paid during the use of parental leave to HRK 7,500. Last year, 157 fathers used the maternity leave measure, and 1,988 fathers used parental leave.

Proactive support from employers is also important for more active engagement of fathers, which was confirmed through the DADFORCE standard, which was awarded to INA for the second time in a row on Father's Day, the company announced on Saturday.

Compared to the national data of four percent, INA can boast of as many as 28 percent of fathers using parental leave; they state at INA and add that they are one of the few companies where both women and men get equal rights to sick leave for their children.

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated News section.

March 18, 2023 - The Croatian Football Federation and national team coach Zlatko Dalić have agreed to extend their cooperation until 2026.   

The Croatian Football Federation President Marijan Kustić and Croatia's most successful coach Zlatko Dalić agreed on all the details to continue the extremely successful cooperation. They signed a contract at the headquarters of the Croatian Football Federation, according to which Dalić will remain coach until the end of the cycle that includes the FIFA World Cup in 2026, which will be held in the USA, Mexico, and Canada.

"Zlatko Dalić fulfilled absolutely all the goals that were set before him in these five and a half years, and at the same time, he had two magnificent achievements at the World Cups in Russia and Qatar and led Croatia to silver and bronze medals, thus becoming our most successful coach in history. Therefore, I am extremely pleased that we have agreed to continue our cooperation which has been brilliant so far. Zlatko not only achieved outstanding results but also created a fantastic atmosphere of togetherness within and around the team, and he also showed that he knows how to refresh the team and, at the same time, maintain the continuity of results. As before, Zlatko and the national team will have maximum support from the Federation in their work, and I deeply believe that with him at the helm, we will continue to make Croatia fans worldwide happy," said HNS president Marijan Kustić.

Dalić took over the Vatreni at a difficult time in October 2017. Since then, he has achieved impressive results. The second and third places at the World Cups in Russia in 2018 and Qatar in 2022 stand out, but Dalić also advanced to the Nations League final tournament, which will be held in the Netherlands this year, and the round of 16 of Euro 2020. Three times he qualified for the final tournaments, and in two complete qualifying cycles under his leadership, Croatia advanced as the first-placed team in the group.

"I thank President Kustić and the entire HNS for the great trust and the support I have in my work with the national team. I have often pointed out that this job is the greatest honor and pleasure I can have as a coach, and I am truly looking forward to the future with the Croatia national team. Regardless of the wonderful successes we have already achieved, I have great passion and ambition to continue working with Croatia, and I believe that there are still many great challenges ahead. In June, we will try to win the Nations League, and next summer, we want to be part of the spectacular Euro in Germany - the fulfillment of a dream to play in a big competition in front of tens of thousands of our fans. I enjoy working with our players and my great staff, and I can't imagine a more beautiful and honorable job than leading the Croatia national team," coach Zlatko Dalić said.

Source: HNS

To follow the latest sports news in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

March the 18th, 2023 - The Algebra LAB gathered together some of the most well renowned representatives of the entrepreneurial and scientific community in the jury that evaluates the best student digital projects in the financial and insurance industries.

A sustainable fourth pension pillar through the use of the first Croatian green currency, payment by fingerprint, Tinder for investors, a biometric bracelet as insurance against deepfake – and other disruptive ideas could be heard by visitors of the Money Motion Student Hackathon, a unique event held at the Spark Event Spaces premises , at the Algebra campus in Zagreb, organized by the Algebra LAB.

The student hacking competition was held as part of Money Motion, the largest fintech conference in Croatia, which gathered as many as 700 participants. The decision on the best project was made by an expert jury consisting of entrepreneurs, members of the scientific community and professionals from the financial and insurance industries, whose members are: Hrvoje Josip Balen, member of the Algebra Board; Gordan Kožulj, director of the business consulting department, Deloitte Croatia; Ivana Vukov, special adviser to the Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia; Zvonimir Oreč, CFO and member of the Management Board, Amodo; Robert Penezić, General Manager, Monri; Prof. Ph.D.Sc. Mislav Ante Omazić, EFZG; Renata Brkić, Managing Partner, Feelsgood Capital; Goran Kralj, member of the Management Board of PBZCroatia Osiguranje; Marijana Bačić, member of the Management Board and chief operating officer for business customers, Hrvatski Telekom; Ivan Šimić, Senior Manager, PwC SEE Consulting; Relja Marković, Managing Director, Digital Transformation, Addiko Bank and Ph.D. Mirko Talajić, Director of Analytical Systems Support Directorate and CDO, Hrvatska poštanska banka.

"With competitions like this one, we try to strengthen the relationship between education and the labor market and show our students how to develop an entrepreneurial mindset already during their studies. In today's time of rapid changes, it is young people who are the source of information and new knowledge about digital technologies, and at the same time their biggest consumers. In this way we encourage them to use this knowledge in an applicable way. It was an honor to be part of the jury and participate in deciding on all the inspiring ideas that we had the opportunity to hear today, and I am sure that many of them will very quickly develop into successful entrepreneurial stories," – said Hrvoje Josip Balen, a member of the Algebra Management Board.

The teams were mentored by Algebra's experts: "I am extremely pleased to see the enthusiasm of the students who approached the demanding challenges in front of them with utmost courage and professionalism. We tried to support them on this path and guide them towards the development of the idea in the direction of innovation, but also market sustainability, as a component that should not be ignored in business processes. Algebra LAB was conceived precisely as a bridge between science and entrepreneurship, a collaborative ecosystem where many successful business ideas and start-ups have matured, and with competitions like today's hackathon, we maintain the dynamism of cooperation between students and entrepreneurs", said Ph.D. Maja Brkljačić, manager of Algebra LAB.

The winner was the Cookie Monsters team, whose members Martin Majerić, Dino Pećarina and Margareta Zeko designed biometric technology applicable to devices worn on the wrist such as watches or smart bracelets, which serve as an identification factor when entering mobile banking applications and other financial digital channels which require additional user authentication, and which can serve as the first line of defense against deepfake technology.

The members of the winning team won a prize of 3,000 euros: "We decided to join the competition because it seemed like a great opportunity to learn something new and develop a good idea that might be implemented one day. We decided to take on this particular challenge because it is the area where we can bring the most innovation to the table, and we think we made the right choice. People are still not aware of the extent of the deepfake problem, every year the demand and consumption of deepfakes in the world grows by 400%, and this technology is growing especially fast in the financial industry" – emphasized Cookie Monsters team member Margareta Zeko.

The winners of today's competition can be considered all those who entered, because almost all teams achieved a certain number of points, which means that the experts liked them very much, concluded Ph.D. Mislav Ante Omazić from EFZG, who as the initiator of the hackathon and reflected on the importance of student competitions in innovation: "Communication between different professions is extremely important, and another thing is teamwork. The problems of the modern world are extremely complex and cannot be solved by the individual, especially from the perspective of competences. So it's good when they are different. Many young people will already work in teams at the beginning of their careers, however, group and team are not synonymous and it is necessary to learn a lot and work on developing collaborative skills. This type of competition pushes people out of their comfort zone, in which learning and progress is limited, from which it is important to get out and go through the zone of fear, and events like our competition make this possible."

"There is nothing more useful than encouraging young people to think in the context of entrepreneurial ideas, perhaps they are not exposed to this in schools and that is why universities that encourage this, like Algebra, are actually the right way to direct them to their further professional development. I personally got involved as a member of the jury in this project because I want to be part of successful entrepreneurial stories in Croatia, and Algebra certainly is," – said Gordan Kožulj, director of the business consulting department at Deloitte.

"Today we heard a lot of interesting ideas, and as a member of the jury, I tried to see that the idea was not only relevant, but also ambitious, because you should always reward looking outside the usual angle of things. The students are great and I believe they will achieve success in the labor market as well. Young people should be told that they should always believe in themselves and should not be afraid of innovation, everything can be improved, and success is guaranteed for those who are persistent" – said Ivana Vukov, special adviser to the Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia.

"The students showed enviable knowledge, they showed good preparation, the amount of topics and innovations was great and I want to congratulate everyone once again for their courage in participating. Amodo as a company is present in the field of fintech and it is an integral part of our DNA" – said Zvonimir Oreč, CFO and member of the Management Board, Amodo.

"It was an honor to participate in this kind of competition, I'm glad to see young people with creative ideas, and I hope that we will organize more similar events in the future" – concluded Robert Perezić, General Manager, Monri.

The competition was intended for all students interested in learning how digital technologies are revolutionizing the financial industry and who are ready to demonstrate their knowledge in the field of application of new information technologies, fintech, artificial intelligence, IoT, blockchain and other innovations in existing financial systems.

For more, check out our news section.