First Croatian valley opened for digital nomads in Zadar

Zadar (Photo credit: Stipe Surac)

Zadar – a city known for its rich cultural and historical heritage, natural beauty, excellent traffic position in the central Adriatic and tourist attractions, will now be recognised as a central base and starting point for digital nomads in Croatia.

This is an innovative project of grabAhome – the first Croatian platform for medium-term rental accommodation designed in cooperation with Zadar City Tourist Board, Administrative Department for EU Funds in the City of Zadar, Innovative Zadar and Falkensteiner H&R.

In Falkensteiner Resort Borik in the Zadar area Puntamika, the first Digital Nomad Valley is located in the facilities of Falkensteiner Premium Camping Zadar and Falkensteiner Club Funimation Borik.

Together with the local partners, grabAhome has exquisite offers tailored for digital nomads worldwide, such as accommodation, co-working spaces, and various other benefits. All this will be united by the coordinator or the so-called community leader. This person organises activities and contents related to nomads located in this tourist resort and the city of Zadar.

(Photo credit: Filip Brala)

Many digital nomads will want to stay in private accommodation in Zadar, which makes it an excellent opportunity for renters in Zadar. It is a group that mostly stays in one place for a period of two weeks to several months and often out of the summer season. All interested renters who want to offer their accommodation capacity to digital nomads on the so-called medium term may have full occupancy already this winter so that they can register on the online platform grabAhome at this link: https://www.grabahome.com/landlords/

The phenomenon of digital nomads is relatively new, and during the covid-19 pandemic, it gained even more in numbers. They come from all over the world, live complete freedom of movement and work from home, from cafes, from a distant island or any other place they like. When choosing a location, the most critical condition is a fast and top-notch internet connection, hospitality, and in the recent pandemic time, safety aspect. They are mostly highly qualified foreigners, most often IT experts or in a broader sense connected with creative industries, and ever more increasingly, they are discovering Croatia as a unique piece of paradise on Earth.

(Photo credit: Filip Brala)

In order to attract this population, the Republic of Croatia was the second in the European Union to amend the Laws on Foreigners and Income Taxes and change the Regulations on Pension and Health Insurance and thus enabling the arrival of digital workers outside the EU. Digital workers outside the European Community can apply for visas, which allows them to stay for a year without paying income tax.

The application has to prove that they work remotely, have accommodation and health care, and earn at least 2.2 thousand euros a month. Of course, they should not work for any company from Croatia.

On the promotional side, the Croatian National Tourist Board has opened a new website for digital nomads Croatia, Your New Office, and a promotional campaign of the same name has been launched with the aim of positioning Croatia as an attractive and well-prepared destination for this type of offer.

(Photo credit: Filip Brala)

Zadar, as a neither too big nor too small city, and now having this specially arranged association, is ideal for their needs. Because the environment of people with similar interests and lifestyles is one of the most important criteria when choosing a new place for a temporary home of digital nomads. This project is the first official community in Croatia that will contribute to the perception of Zadar as a go-to-place for this welcome demographic group.

(Photo credit: Stipe Surac)

In just two weeks since the launch of the project at the beginning of October 2021, 250 digital nomads have already applied to come to Zadar, and some did arrive last week. Most applications come from the United States, Great Britain, Ireland, Germany, and thirty other countries worldwide.