How will the introduction of the euro in Croatia affect yacht charter prices? Will it be more expensive in Croatian marinas from 2023? Or will prices drop? What to do with kunas left over from previous trips? We invite you to read our short analysis.
Croatia 2023 - what will change?
For many years, Croatia has been one of the favorite holiday destinations of Polish sailors. There are several reasons for this state of affairs, the most important of which are:
- convenient access,
- long season,
- relatively low prices.
But now, after the introduction of the euro in Croatia, will the last point still be valid? What do analysts say about it? Let's take a look at what it looks like in practice and what can be done to avoid unnecessary costs.
Money exchange
Although the obligation to display prices in both currencies (Croatian kuna and euro) is maintained until December 31, 2023, from January 15, cash payments will be made only in euro .
The exchange of the current currency for the new one will be possible until the end of 2023. Importantly, it will be commission-free. It is also worth remembering that during this period there will be a fixed exchange rate (1 euro is 7.53450 kuna), and you will be able to exchange money:
- in banks,
- at the post office,
- At FINA (Croatian Financial Agency).
After the end of 2023, kunas will still be exchanged, but only at HNB (Croatian National Bank).
Impact on tourism
According to Kristjan Staničić, Director General of the Croatian Tourist Board , the introduction of the new currency will have positive effects on all branches of the country's economy, including tourism. The most important benefits of such a change are to include:
- no costs associated with exchanging cash at exchange offices,
- improvement of business processes,
- easier orientation in Croatian prices.
Of course, the benefits mentioned by director Staničić will apply to people from countries where the currency is already the euro. From the point of view of Polish sailors, not much will change.
Croatia in the Schengen area
Croatia's entry into the Schengen area from January 2023 is definitely positive news. There is no doubt that this will increase the competitiveness of the country in the eyes of foreign tourists. Now, when going to Croatia by car, we will avoid the inconvenience of stops at the border. It is also worth remembering that from March 26, 2023, there will be no more passport control at airports.
Joining the zone will have another advantage. In the event of possible emergency situations, such as the covid pandemic and the related restrictions, Schengen membership will avoid many unnecessary complications. It can therefore be expected that even in the face of possible restrictions, more foreign tourists will choose Croatia.
What about sailing?
Croatia stands for tourism, and data from previous years clearly show that after forced downtime related to pandemic restrictions, sailors are happy to return to Croatian waters. The revenues of ACI marinas in the first half of 2022 exceeded by almost 5 million kuna the corresponding period in 2019, which was previously considered a record good.
So the Croats decided to follow the flow and take advantage of the economic situation. ACI Marinas plans to open new charter bases (they are to be built in Trogir, Dubrovnik, Pula and Vodice) and build several hotels within the marinas. Croatia is also running intensive marketing campaigns both in Europe and in the United States.
How will this affect prices?
The fact that now it will be more convenient for tourists from countries that use the euro to make payments makes it more likely that prices will increase. An additional factor in favor of such a scenario is inflation. According to official data, it is currently 12.3% in Croatia. Certainly, this will affect the salaries of marina employees, as well as the prices of charters and berths in ports. New ships leaving shipyards are also noticeably more expensive than in previous years.
In short, it will be more expensive in the upcoming season - and there are already the first signs of it. Taking into account charter prices, an increase of about 10% can be observed compared to the previous year. Let's add that this is the state as of January 2023. It is likely that in the coming months the increases will be slightly higher, especially if it turns out that marketing campaigns will result in increased demand. When planning a cruise in Croatia, it is therefore worth making a reservation as early as possible. In this way, we will protect ourselves from price increases and gain access to a wide, yet unfinished offer of yachts.
