Dnevnik sa putovanja

Prikazani su postovi s oznakom Croatia. Prikaži sve postove

Citizens of Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina have almost always travelled haggle-free to their neighbouring country, Croatia, the three of which were once part of the same federated country – Yugoslavia.

Photo:Gettyimages

While the first two are neither part of the European Union bloc nor the Schengen Area, Croatia has been an EU member since 2013, and only recently, on January 1, 2023, became a full Schengen Area member.

Up until now, travellers from Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Serbia, only needed to show their valid passports at the Croatian borders, in order to enter the country.

However, starting from November 2023, every Bosnian and every Serb will need to apply for an online travel authorization called ETIAS – which stands for European Travel Information and Authorization System – in order to be able to enter Croatia, and the other 26 Schengen Area Member States.

The ETIAS is a system on which the EU has been working on since 2016, and was supposed to start operating in 2021, but due to technical issues has been postponed several times. The current date for its launch is November 2023.

The reason behind the creation of such a scheme is that the EU wants to enhance security in the bloc by knowing who is coming even before the travellers start their trip.

Bosnians and Serbs will need to apply online for an ETIAS, by going to the ETIAS website, which hasn’t been created yet, and completing the application form. The form will ask simple questions like the traveller’s name and surname, date and place of birth, passport data, and some background security questions.

Travellers will also have to upload their photo in the system and a scan of their passport.

Once the application is approved, the ETIAS will be granted and will be valid for either three years, or until the passport expires, whichever happens first.

Bosnian and Serbian travellers will be able to use the same ETIAS to travel to Croatia, and the other Schengen Area countries.

Around 1.4 billon people from over 60 different world countries, will have to apply for an ETIAS before any trip to the Member States, starting from November 1, 2023. Travellers from other Western Balkan countries that have a visa-free agreement with the EU will also need an ETIAS – which area Albania, Montenegro, and North Macedonia.

Citizens of Kosovo for now still need to apply for visas, but after the ETIAS becomes effective, the EU is going through the necessary procedures to grant Kosovo with visa liberalization on January 1, 2024, the latest, which means that Kosovo citizens will also need an ETIAS, though at a later point.(SchengenVisaInfo)

After officially entering the European Union in 2013, Croatia will be joining the Schengen Zone and adopting the Euro in January 2023.

Foto:Gettyimages

Croatia has grown swiftly in the past decade as a top tourist destination in Europe, attracting visitors with its stunning coastline, picture-perfect towns like Dubrovnik, and lush national parks

The country is known as a popular yachting and sailing destination, as well as for being one of the main filming locations for Game of Thrones.

Now, as of January 1, Croatia will complete its entry into the European Union as it adopts the common Euro currency and becomes a part of the Schengen Zone.

Here’s what this means for travelers visiting Croatia in 2023:

1. Americans will be subject to the 90 days rule in Croatia.

Previously, although Croatia was part of the EU, it was not part of the Schengen Zone.

This is an area made up of 26 countries (mainly EU countries and some non-EU countries like Norway, Iceland, and Switzerland) in Europe.

Americans may only spend 90 days out of every 180 days in the Schengen Zone as a tourist.

Since Croatia was not part of the Schengen Zone, Americans could spend up to 90 days in Croatia visa-free. This made it a popular place to go to “wait out” the Schengen Zone time limits.

However, that will no longer be possible as soon as Croatia joins the Schengen Zone. Any time spent in the country will count towards the 90-day limit for Americans in the Schengen Zone.

2. You won’t need to show ID when traveling from another Schengen Zone country.

Now that Croatia is joining the Schengen Zone, it will allow for free travel between Croatia and all other Schengen Zone countries.

Borders will be eliminated between Croatia and neighboring Italy, Slovenia, and Hungary, who are all part of the Schengen Zone.

It’s also now possible to travel uninterrupted all the way through Croatia to Dubrovnik. Previously, travelers had to drive through a small stretch of Bosnia and Herzegovina in order to reach the popular destination of Dubrovnik.

This was a major reason that Croatia was unable to receive Schengen Zone status.

However, a new bridge has been constructed that connects Dubrovnik to the rest of Croatia without having to cross a foreign border.

3. Prices may go up.

Although not directly tied to Croatia switching from the Croatian Kuna to the Euro, prices are expected to go up next year in Croatia.

The Croatian Kuna has already been pegged to the value of the Euro for years.

However, prices have increased dramatically over the past decade as Croatia has grown into a tourism hotspot.

Croatia has also experienced drastic inflation over the course of 2022, like many countries around the world.

All of this, combined with Croatia becoming a more accessible vacation destination, may cause prices to increase even further in 2023.

4. Some countries in Europe still aren’t part of the Schengen Zone or Eurozone.

Although Croatia was just approved, Bulgaria and Romania, two other members of the EU, were rejected from joining the Schengen Zone, with concerns about illegal migration cited as the reason for rejection.

Foto:Gettyimages

These two countries have also not yet adopted the Euro, despite being part of the EU. Additionally, Denmark, Sweden, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Poland still use their own currency instead of the Euro.

When it comes to the Schengen Zone, aside from Bulgaria and Romania, Ireland and Cyprus are the two other countries that are part of the EU but aren’t part of the Schengen Zone.

Additionally, a number of European countries including Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Albania are not part of the EU or the Schengen Zone.

For now, these countries are still good places to go while waiting for your Schengen Zone time to “reset” (and they’re great destinations in their own right!)

The Civil Protection Headquarters of Croatia has made a decision on Wednesday easing entry measures at the border for citizens of European Union countries and Schengen member states.

With the new decision, EU citizens and citizens from Schengen member states will be able to enter Croatia with one vaccine shot if the dose was received more than 22 days ago, the Croatian Tourist Board confirmed. Prior to today’s decision, a vaccination certificate showing final dose taken more than 14 days ago was required.

Tourists are asked to fulfil and evidence one of the following criteria to be allowed access to Croatia.
Rules for coming to Croatia – EU / EEA member states / regions

1. A negative PCR or antigen test taken 48 hours before arrival at the border.

2. A vaccination certificate showing at least one vaccine shot was received 22 days prior to entry.

3. Proof of recovery from COVID-19 more than 11 days and less than 180 days ago.

4. Certificate declaring: 10 days self- isolation in Croatia with option to test to release.
Visiting from outside the EU

As well as the above, visitors from outside the EU will also need to show evidence that you own property in Croatia or have paid for accommodation, be that in a hotel, camp site, private rental, boat or other tourism provider.
Exceptions

Third-country nationals not covered by the above-mentioned points may enter the Republic of Croatia from third countries if they are:

Healthcare workers, health researchers and caregivers for the elderly;

Frontier workers (as well as e.g. athletes as stated in the exceptions for passengers within the EU / EEA);

Workers in the transport sector;

Diplomats, staff of international organizations and persons invited by international organizations whose physical presence is necessary for the good functioning of those organizations, military personnel and police officers, as well as humanitarian and civil protection personnel in the performance of their duties;

Passengers in transit;

Persons travelling for schooling purposes

Seafarers

Persons who travel for tourist reasons and have confirmation of paid accommodation in a hotel, camp, private renter or rented vessel and other form of tourist accommodation or are owners of houses or vessels in the Republic of Croatia;

Persons travelling for urgent personal / family reasons, business reasons or other economic interest

Persons who have applied for residence and work, including digital nomads, provided that the competent authority has received a positive decision on the basis of their application.
Important notes

All tests taken and used as supporting evidence of a positive or negative result must be recognised by European Union.

All children under the age of 7 are exempt from providing test results should their parent or guardian fulfil the requirements.
Tourists are arriving

According to data from Croatia’s eVisitor system, tourist traffic from the European Union and Schengen member states accounted for about 80 percent of foreign arrivals in pre-pandemic times, while last year it reached as much as 90 percent.

During the last ten days, tourist traffic has been continuously growing, and, for the first time, over 100,000 tourists in one day was exceeded, with the most numerous guests in Croatia currently being from Germany, Austria, Poland and Slovenia.

More than 1 million arrivals and 3.9 million overnight stays were recorded in Croatia between 1 January – 31 May. This is growth of 42 percent in arrivals and 38 percent in overnight stays compared to the same period last year.

Looking at May alone, there were 451,000 arrivals and 1.9 million overnight stays in that month, which is an increase of 412 percent in arrivals and 256 percent in overnight stays compared to May last year. At the same time, foreign guests made more than 312,000 arrivals and more than 1.5 million overnight stays.

COVID situation

432 new COVID-19 cases were recorded in Croatia in the last 24 hours. As of Wednesday, there are 1,991 active cases of COVID-19 in the country.

709 people are still hospitalised, with 81 patients on a ventilator.

More details on entering Croatia can be found on the tourist board website –

Source: Croatiaweek

Njemačka je stavila na rizičnu listu skoro cijelu Španjolsku, a Austrija Hrvatsku.

Stari su u Dalmaciji znali reći da je kraj ljeta kada padne prva kiša nakon Vele Gospe, dakle, 15. kolovoza – a ona u pravilu nije padala do rujna. Gospodarski gledano se ljetna sezona zadnjih godina – na veselje ljudi iz turističke branše – konstantno produžavala, a klimatske promjene su ionako učinile da se čovjek na padaline i vremenske odrednice više ne može osloniti. Korona je, pak, izbrisala sva postojeća pravila. Ljetna sezona 2020. ima samo jedno – da ono što danas vrijedi, sutra više ne mora vrijediti. Toga su itekako svjesni svi oni Nijemci kojima je ljetni odmor pred vratima, a to su prije svega oni s juga zemlje. Savezne pokrajine Baden-Württemberg i Bayern, naime, uvijek imaju kasnije ljetne praznike od ostalih njemačkih pokrajina – ove godine do 7. odnosno 12. rujna, piše Deutsche Welle.

Ni last minute nije više dovoljno last

Upravo za njih su posebno atraktivne mediteranske zemlje jer se do Italije i Hrvatske mogu “dobaciti” prilično brzo automobilom. Mnogi su mislili: čekat ćemo da vidimo kakva je situacija na terenu pa ćemo bukirati neki last minute aranžaman. Ali kako se odlučiti krenuti i last minute na put kada svakoga dana njemačka vlada i Robert Koch Institut (RKI) stavljaju nove zemlje na listu rizičnih područja za zarazu koronavirusom? Otkad je u petak (14.8.) RKI na tu listu stavio skoro cijelu Španjolsku osim Kanara – a to znači i Nijemcima posebno drage Baleare, njemački mediji su puni tekstova o pravima i dužnostima njemačkih turista koji se spremaju ili se već nalaze na područjima koja su dospjela na ovu ominoznu listu.

A situacija je ovakva: ako ste uplatili aranžman preko neke turističke agencije, možete ga otkazati i dobiti natrag novac ili voucher jer se odluka poput ovog službenog upozorenja vlasti smatra validnim razlogom da otkažete ljetovanje. Vrlo je vjerojatno i da će vam turoperator sam otkazati aranžman kao što je najavio TUI kada je stigla vijest da je Mallorca rizično područje. No, ako ste planirali odmor u privatnom aranžmanu i nekom privatnom apartmanu, prava su vam manja: njemački mediji savjetuju da se stupi u kontakt s iznajmljivačem i pokuša dogovoriti da se zakazana rezervacija prebaci na ljeto 2021. Putovanje na područja proglašena rizičnima iz Njemačke nije, doduše, zabranjeno, ali od 8. kolovoza svi povratnici s njih moraju se obavezno (besplatno) testirati čim uđu u Njemačku i dok ne dobiju rezultate biti u samoizolaciji.

Isto važi i za one koje je odluka vlasti zatekla na području proglašenom rizičnim: oni ne moraju prekinuti odmor i odmah se vratiti kući, već ih očekuje ista procedura testiranja i samoizolacije do rezultata testa.

Hoće li i Hrvatska uskoro na njemačku “crvenu listu”?

Iako Njemačka Hrvatsku (još) nije stavila na listu rizičnih područja – a s obzirom na izvještaje tipa “Korona-alarm u Hrvatskoj” koji se posljednjih dana učestalo objavljuju u njemačkim medijima, ne bi bilo čudo da se to uskoro dogodi – njemački turisti se upozoravaju kako i odluka Austrije da Hrvatsku proglasi “visokorizičnom” ima posljedice za njihov put. Od ponedjeljka (17.8.) tako, prema navodima njemačkog automobilskog kluba ADAC-a, njemački turisti koji se vraćaju iz Hrvatske ne smiju se zaustavljati u Austriji.

To sve, zapravo, ne zvuči prestrašno i preodbojno: putovati se smije, kroz Austriju se mora “protutnjati” bez zaustavljanja, (što s obzirom na veličinu zemlje i nije neki problem), pri ulasku u zemlju se mora napraviti test koji je besplatan, a onda ostati koji dan doma dok se ne dobiju rezultati – pod uvjetom da je negativan.

No, Nijemce bez sumnje uznemiruju i vijesti o povratnicima iz Hrvatske koji su se, navodno, u Hrvatskoj zarazili koronavirusom. Malo njih je spremno analizirati gdje su ti zaraženi povratnici i prije svega kako provodili odmor u Hrvatskoj, jesu li partijali po Pagu ili bili gosti pretrpanog noćnog kluba u Makarskoj. Mnoge već odbija i činjenica da je u doba korone uopće dozvoljeno da rade objekti takvog tipa, objekti koji su provjereno rasadnici zaraze. Tu i tamo se u nekom članku spomene da je sporni klub zatvoren ili se prenese da je Hrvatska uvela mjeru zabrane rada noćnih lokala iza ponoći, ali to sada malo pomaže. Šteta je učinjena i ona će imati dalekosežne posljedice.

Umjesto na moru – u karantenski hotel

Pitanje o kojemu, razumljivo, mnogi razmišljaju je: što ako dobijem simptome COVID-a 19 na turističkoj destinaciji u inozemstvu na kojoj provodim odmor? Što ako se razbolim? U različitim zemljama je postupanje u takvim situacijama regulirano različito. Na Mallorci će tako oboljeli i svi koji putuju s njim biti smješteni u karantenski hotel koji je rezerviran samo za ove slučajeve. Troškove tog “hotela” oboljeli turist ne mora platiti iz svog džepa, ali mora ili on ili njegovo zdravstveno osiguranje za eventualno potrebni medicinski tretman. Isto važi i za Grčku.

Mnoge njemačke obitelji su se vratile s odmora koji su proveli u apartmanu ili kući u nekoj mirnoj uvali na nekom od hrvatskih otoka i nisu se ni u jednom trenutku osjećali izloženijima riziku zaraze nego kod kuće, u Njemačkoj. Takve nespektakularne priče, međutim, rijetko završavaju u novinama. Tamo mjesto nalaze one o partijanerima zaraženima u Hrvatskoj koji tako zaraženi nastavljaju partijati i u Njemačkoj.

Pretplati se na: Postovi ( Atom )

1. Americans will be subject to the 90 days rule in Croatia.

2. You won’t need to show ID when traveling from another Schengen Zone country.

3. Prices may go up.

4. Some countries in Europe still aren’t part of the Schengen Zone or Eurozone.

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