Nautical tourism in Croatia
Nautical tourism certainly represents one of the most attractive forms of the overall tourism offer of the Republic of Croatia. We can rightfully say that Croatia, the land of a thousand islands and a beautiful, indented coastline is a "haven for boaters". All of the significant segments of nautical tourism have been brought together under the Croatian Association of Nautical Tourism, which was established as a professional organization under the Croatian Chamber of Commerce. This association includes four groups: the Croatian Marinas Group, the Croatian Charter Vessels Group, the Croatian Diving Tourism Group and the Cruising and Motor Sailboat Excursions Group.
Considering that nautical tourism represents one of the most attractive aspects of the tourism offer of our country, the Croatian Association of Nautical Tourism is a centre for obtaining useful and necessary information for boaters, a place where the profession presents its questions which are then resolved through the Association, and which aims to advance the tourism offer to the delight and satisfaction of boaters and guests who have selected our coast, islands and sea for their vacation.
Croatia is home to 50 marinas, all gathered together under the Croatian Marinas Group. The marinas are constantly working to upgrade and enrich their services, and to adapt to the modern needs and wants of nautical guests. Many nautical tourism ports have further enriched their services: from top quality traditional cuisine, water and electricity, health care clinics, charter company services, to the use of apartments, and electronic monitoring and security services to protect the property and equipment of guests, nautical school (schools), nautical chart (charts). Adriatic Croatian International Club, better known among boaters as the ACI Club, is the leading nautical tourism company in Croatia, representing a unique chain of 21 marinas stretching from Dubrovnik in the south to Umag in the northern Adriatic Sea. In its 20 years of operation, the ACI Marinas have aimed to develop and popularize sailing, and have achieved a recognizable level of high quality service.
Visitors to the modernly equipped Croatian marinas can receive the usual reception service in addition to technical services. Restaurants, snack-bars, shops, laundromats and other facilities have also been added to make the guests' stay more pleasant.
Our efforts to harmonize the development of nautical tourism in Croatia with the need for environmental protection have been rewarded with the numerous Blue Flags granted to our marinas. This prestigious international recognition awarded by the European Foundation for Environmental Education symbolizes a preserved, safe and pleasant environment, which is accompanied by exceptional tourism promotion.
There are over 140 charter companies, with a capacity of 2,700 comfortably and modernly equipped vessels, operating in Croatia today. These companies have been united under the Croatian Charter Vessels Group.
The world's largest vessel rental companies also offer their vessels on the Adriatic Sea, through domestic charter companies.