Hotels reopen in Croatia as it tries to lure back foreign tourists
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Over the last days over 133 hotels and 65 campsites reopened in Croatia, igniting hopes that this summer season will not be completely lost to coronavirus.
All beaches are now open, with visitors advised to maintain a five-feet distance (1.5 metres) from one another. The Croatian Institute of Public Health has issued other recommendations including deckchairs being disinfected multiple times a day and hand sanitiser placed in visible spots.
In addition, many restaurants have reopened, with waiters required to wear face masks. As for attractions, the port city of Pula in Istria reopened its first-century Roman amphitheatre on May 25. The well-preserved site was closed back on March 13, but has begun welcoming visitors with social distancing measures in place and the potential to extend hours should demand be high.
With 2,244 confirmed cases and 100 fatalities, the country is in a similarly encouraging position to Greece, which is also forging ahead with reopening plans in June.
The Director of the Croatian Tourism Association, Veljko Ostojic, highlighted Croatia’s relative success in tackling the virus stating: “A good epidemiological situation is a basis for achieving results this year and we are among the best in Europe in that regard. We must use that to the maximum in the period ahead,” adding that they must “intensively communicate with key markets to attract guests.”
Hotels in Croatia have been allowed to reopen since May 11 and the number of those welcoming guests is cautiously creeping up.
In addition to the dozens of properties that opened last weekend, many of the county’s high-end hotels are preparing to welcome back guests in the near future. Adriatic Luxury Hotels, a small chain that operates in and around the tourist hotspot of Dubrovnik, has begun a phased reopening, starting with the outdoor terrace of the waterside Hotel Kompas on May 26. The popular Hotel Dubrovnik Palace, which offers sweeping Adriatic views, will properly open on May 30, while two other properties, Hotel Odisej and Hotel Excelsior will be back in action by mid-June.
