A Croatian summer has always been inextricably linked to tourism, as the hordes head for the Adriatic coast and the islands. What if the coast and tourism were not part of the equation? A very satisfying experience so far.

My inbox is full of invitations to hotel openings, restaurant openings, festivals.

I refused them all.

My social networks are full of heavenly images of beaches, cafes on the water, swimming in the Adriatic, accompanied by captions such as Ko ovo flatterwhich roughly translates to “invaluable”.

I smile at them all and wish them good luck. I’ve posted thousands of similar posts over the years, many with the hashtag why aren’t you here?

And I am not here – or rather here – this year, completely of my own free will. Lots of good nights and parties that will go by unattended. Indeed, without the opening of the Peljesac bridge this week, I might not see the coast at all this summer.

Because I’m rather enjoying a different Croatia at the moment – a Croatia that has nothing to do with the coast or tourism in general. The world of the Croatian entrepreneur and startup.

It’s a fascinating world, and having made the decision to ignore most of this tourist season, aside from guest needs and special interest topics, I see Croatia in a whole new light. Yes, again, as I approach my 20th birthday in Croatia next month.

After writing about Croatian tourism for over a decade, I realized that my passion for the subject was waning, and there are plenty of other fabulous things to explore in this beautiful country that have little or nothing to do with tourism.

Let’s face it, when you have a “strategy” that relies on sun and sea every year, with very little innovation, there comes a time when there is very little to report. One can almost predict the stories, as the cycle is the same year after year (assuming there is no pandemic) – record numbers, celebrity arrivals, job crisis due to lack of staff , restaurant rip-off stories, highway queues, heat waves, storms, lodging horror stories, more record numbers, hotel openings, cruise ships, overtourism, party tourism, inspections harassing peak season business, no more record numbers. And suddenly it’s all over, the end of another season in this joyous land. Not a word (or very little) about the environmental damage this approach to tourism is causing to the coast, and how unsustainable it all is in the long run.

What if – just for once – I ignored all that and focused my time and energy on a Croatia that had nothing to do with tourism. After 13 full-time years in Hvar, as well as 7 years reporting on tourism for TCN, it might seem strange not to be on the coast with everyone on the planet, but I’ve had more than my fair share priceless coastal moments over the years. How would you like to miss an entire summer?

In truth, it is FANTASTIC.

Zagreb is really a joy in the summer, especially if you are busy with plans, like me. The town is emptying (indeed many bars and restaurants will close for the first half of August as everyone heads for the coast. The ratio of tourists to locals seems to be 1 to 1, and there are so many of space.

The locals who stay are usually there for a reason, as they can also work on projects. It’s almost like we’re keeping a guilty secret. Everyone is on the coast, but the real fun happens here.

I am shifting TCN’s strategic focus from tourism to a much more interesting space – business and entrepreneurship. And there really isn’t enough time to follow the amazing things that are happening all over this city.

Over the past few days, for example, a sampling of the meetings I’ve had (all of which will be featured on TCN in due course)

• the reopening of Croatia’s oldest coworking space in a fantastic new location, as Impact Hub reopens in the famous filming location in central Zagreb. A wonderful networking opportunity.
• great brainstorming over a beer with a consultant offering kayaking advice in a dark river, starting from central Zagreb. How cool is that?
• a couple who fulfilled their teenage daughter’s desire for a pair of $700 sneakers by working with the girl to develop a fabulous financial literacy app for teens. The girl has become so good at financial planning that she is now the proud owner of these sneakers.
• and speaking of sneakers, a meet and update with a very exciting Croatian startup, which officially has the most durable sneakers in the world, and is about to make a major announcement.
• lunch with a leader in the NFT space (previously featured by Forbes), taking me on a journey to a place I was a little afraid to enter – the metaverse.
• lunch with the Indian Ambassador, followed by a visit to the Chinese Ambassador’s residence for an interview on the opening of the Peljesac Bridge.

And after work is done, an evening stroll through the parks of Zagreb before a little liquid refreshment to reflect on another perfect summer day.

I see a lot of complaints about the hot weather, which hasn’t been a problem for me so far (but I think it will be with the opening of the Peljesac bridge). There is a lovely gentle breeze through the window, with the melodic sounds of the piano from the nearby music school providing the perfect backdrop.

Working with these entrepreneurs has been very stimulating, without an uhljeb in sight. Croatia’s tourist receipts are around 9 billion euros from memory. I wonder how long it will be before this new breed of entrepreneurs (if they are allowed to breathe) generate that, and more.

Croatia is a fantastic tourist country, there’s no doubt about it, and I urge you to explore the magic of the coast (and mainland Croatia).

But Croatia is also a fantastic country if you take out the tourism factor. No doubt even more.

You heard it here the first time…

What is it like to live in Croatia? Expat for 20 years, you can follow my series, 20 Ways Croatia Changed Me in 20 Years, starting from the beginning – Business and Dalmatia.