Concerning Croatia (on Long-Term Travel & Tourism)

Croatia: sunshine, crystal-clear water, fresh seafood.

Considered by many “savvy” travelers to be the “new” European hot spot, a bucket-list trip, a once-in-a-lifetime vacation destination.

…and I never need to go back.

See: three intersecting reasons.

The rise of tourism.
The impact of long-term travel.
Personal experience and perception.

Let’s dive into these (not so) crystal-clear waters, shall we?

TOURISM

Background. On January 1, 2023, Croatia joined what is known as the “eurozone” and adopted the Euro as currency in hopes of a stronger economy and higher standards of living for its people.

One effect of this “positive” change is that tourism in this country has surged. Alongside that, prices — hotels, food, utility bills — have increased by 40%. And today? Croatia is now one of many countries dealing with the negative impacts of tourism.

Just last week I read a New York Times article titled “Was This the Summer European Tourism Reached a Breaking Point?”

And I sure hope it was.

In places like Santorini (an island of 15,500 that drew 3.5 million visitors last year), Barcelona, Venice, and of course, Amsterdam, the issue is about more than just overcrowding. People are getting harassed, residents can no longer afford their homes, and protestors are even going so far as to stage hunger strikes against tourism developments and short-term rental agreements.

“Tourists, go home.” Graffitied across the continent.

Elephant in the room. Yes, obviously, I am a tourist in Europe (though to no similar degree of ignorance and disrespect as the people who carve their names into national landmarks). Even so, I cannot help but wholeheartedly agree with this disdain.

Still, the industry is a significant part of life for many people. I mean, it’s my industry. More importantly, many local communities rely solely on tourism to survive and do in fact enjoy a higher quality of life because of it. How do we achieve a balance between the good and bad? (Something my experience in Sayulita made me weigh heavily, if you recall the shit show…)

My personal gripe is not even the crowds, the price hikes. It’s the way tourism alters the character of a place.

And by alter, I mean erase.

2. LONG-TERM TRAVEL

Combine an influx of tourism and the resulting destabilization of cultural identity with the perspective of someone who travels long-term and spends time in less touristy locales…

Not a cute combination.

One of my biggest pet peeves is when someone asks me how my “vacation” is going. If we’ve just met, fine. I’m not going to turn around hiss at you. But if you know me and you still think I’m on some sort of extended holiday…

Allow me to differentiate.

Places like Split and Dubrovnik are for vacation. For couples who get one week off their corporate jobs per year. For university students on a one-month boozy backpacking trip before the start of next semester. And this is great! Happy for you guys.

However, Split & Dubrovnik are not for those, like myself, who have the ability to spend significant stints somewhere other than “home” and the luxury of time to travel off the beaten path.

And why?

Because these cities no longer have character.

Both Split and Dubrovnik old town, while still pretty and old-looking thanks to their UNESCO protected status, are in reality, one big shopping center. And not even a good one.

The same souvenir shop seven times in a row. The same restaurant menu repeatedly shoved your face. The same tour companies selling you the same exact experience.

Depressing.

3. PERSONAL EXPERIENCE

Negative experiences impact your perception of a place.

From where I stand, it sadly doesn’t matter how much you acknowledge this as the truth and attempt to mentally skirt around it, it doesn’t become less true.

Example. Two years ago, I arrived in Rijeka to an otherworldly thunderstorm. I knew rain was in the forecast, but it was still a bummer, as this was my first day back on the coast in many months. Shortly after getting to my Airbnb, the rain intensified. But because it was late and I hadn’t eaten, I realized I must brave the storm for the sake of dinner.

When I say that the entire main street was flooded with six inches of water, I am not exaggerating. At the restaurant, when I asked a local if this happens often, he replied, “I’ve lived here my entire life and I’ve never seen rain like this.”

Ridiculous — but objectively, hilarious. I know how to laugh at unfortunate situations like these. So, I laugh and return to my room — Nikes soaked through — take a hot shower, and go to bed.

A new day dawns. I check into a hostel and spend no time inside but to sleep. The following morning, I wake up and check out. One hour later, while walking around with time to kill before my bus, I notice… wow, the mosquitos in that room ate me alive last night.

Nope. Bed bugs. Horrible allergic reaction. Welts all over my face. This? Not so funny.

Fast forward about two years to August 2024: three weeks ago.

My return to Croatia! Tisno. A festival I had purchased tickets to last October, without even knowing if I’d have the time or money to go. Something I’d been looking forward to for months. And something I was very proud of myself for making happen.

Through a course of complicated events which I will not go into, the festival was, for all intents and purposes, ruined.

I can and will look back on Tisno with an effort to remember the good moments, because there were good moments. There were.

And… there’s no way I can ever return to this town and not physically re-live the way my anticipation and joy was burned to the ground by unforeseen circumstances.

This is not Croatia’s fault, but it is my reality nonetheless.

—

If this post seemed a little down and out, that’s because it was. Or, I am. A bit. Some combination of these three things — tourism, long-term travel, and my personal life — has been weighing on me. A funky mix.

I’ve skipped posting for this reason. When I’m fully experiencing life, all the highs and lows or whatever, it is difficult for me to write about it. I am a person who requires distance to articulate things, to see things for what they are.

And listen, I’m okay! More than okay. Always grateful to be doing what I do and living my little life. As I shared on Instagram the other week, Croatia was simply a reminder that life goes on whether or not you happen to be traveling.

And by all means, please, give Croatia a shot. Chances are she will be a lot better to you than she has been to me.