Nautical Tourism

Croatia has 48 marinas with about 12.500 berths on the sea and about 7.200 on land. Larger marinas have technical services, derricks, petrol stations and various commercial and catering services Marinas continuously work to improve and enrich their services, and to adjust to the new needs and wishes of their guests. About half of the marinas belong to the ACI Club (Adriatic Croatia International Club) and the others are independent. Seventeen of the twenty-one ACI marinas are open throughout the year and the other four only during the summer season.

Most of the ports that are under nautical tourism made some additions to their service: traditional cuisine, water and electricity, doctor's services, services of charter companies, accommodation in apartments, and electronic surveillance and security of their guests personal belongings.

Adriatic Croatia International Club, among the navigators also known as the ACI club presents a unique chain of 21 marinas, which extend from Dubrovnik in the south to Umag in the northern part of the Croatian Adriatic. The head office of the ACI Club is in Opatija. In the 17 years of conducting business the ACI marinas have realized recognizable quality of services, through their efforts of developing popularization of sailing and by means of recognizable architectural characteristics. Visitors of  the modern equipped ACI marina can use other technical services, along with the regular reception, have access to restaurants, snack bars, stores, Laundromats and other contents which enrich their stay and make it pleasurable. The professional navigators know the ACI club as a regatta organizer in dual sailing, among which stand out the ACI cup and World Cup in dual sailing held in Dubrovnik in 1996 and in Split in 2000 stand out.

The association, among other things stands out in the promotion of nautical tourism in Croatia and is a participant in all major nautical fairs in Europe. The association of nautical tourism, that is Croatian Marina Association, has achieved successful cooperation with the yacht club of Austria, the Board for marinas at the Slovenian Chamber of commerce, and the German association of motor yachts.
During the year 1997 contracts were signed on five-year cooperation with the German association. With the yacht club Austria and the Slovenian Chamber of commerce contracts were signed for one year, with the clause of automatic extension of contract after the expiry date.

In turn Croatian marinas get complete support in Austrian media services. They receive free support in all media accessible to the German association of motor yachts (Sander magazine, daily and summer press, professional magazines, TV and radio promotion). The Association of nautical tourism is where useful and vital information for navigators can be obtained, and where they one can discuss professional problems, and with the help of the association solve them, because nautical tourism represents one of the most attractive tourist offers of our country.

Therefore our goal is advancing tourism to the joy and contentment of the navigators and guests who have chosen our coast, islands and sea as their holiday destination.

For all the information about legal regulations: access, navigation and stay, authorization issue, navigation security compensation, paying demurrage, currency regulation, yacht master’s certificate, wintering of yachts in Croatia zones in which navigation is prohibited, boat equipment, radio telephones, participation in sporting events, transport of boats, boat rental & charter companies, change of crew you can ect. contact the nearest port authority. Harbormaster’s offices and marinas can usually be contacted on VHF- channel 17, at least during the day. Most Harbormaster’s offices have their own patrol boats, with which they can help boats in distress even when the weather is bad. In keeping with international custom and practice, harbormasters have the right to engage the help of every suitable ship, including foreign yachts.