Completely surprisingly, the Croatian authorities have decided on an extreme change of course for the residence fee, as Croatia expert Karl-Heinz Beständig, author of the YACHT area guide "888 harbours and bays", reports:
"The Ministry of Tourism has introduced a bill that will result in a painful increase in taxes for owners and holiday crews. In particular, larger boats and longer stays of more than just one holiday cruise will be taxed more heavily. The proposal has been approved by the government and has already been published in the Croatian Official Gazette and is therefore valid," says the Croatia expert. Only rarely have such decisions been overturned, especially as there has been no outcry from the nautical industry in Croatia to date. Obviously, in view of the rising number of visitors, there is optimism that the increase can be implemented.
And the figures are alarming: an owner of a 9 to 12 metre long boat with an annual berth in Croatia now pays a whopping 775 euros (5800 kuna) instead of just under 150 euros (1100 kuna) as before. If you have a 12 to 15 metre yacht, the price is already 1040 euros (7700 kuna). As before, the prices are staggered according to boat length and length of stay.
These figures were published in the Croatian Official Gazette here officially published. The Croatian government's decision seems very surprising in light of the negative experiences that the Italians had a few years ago with the introduction of a boat tax of a similar amount. According to the Italian marina association Asso Marinas, the tax, which was introduced at short notice, cost the nautical industry almost a third of its turnover, especially among private owners, and has not yet fully recovered even after the tax was cancelled two years ago.
In addition to these fees, owners must also purchase a permit for their yacht, which is calculated according to length and engine power. For a 12-metre yacht, this has so far amounted to around 50 euros.
With this huge leap in fees, Croatia is now by far the most expensive area for private owners, no other country is so aggressive in reaching into the pockets of water sports enthusiasts.
