Croatia has officially joined Europe’s Schengen travel area, thereby astronomically boosting its tourism potential.
Flights to and from Croatia within the Schengen area will now be deemed domestic, and most pre-existing border checks will no longer be in place.
The European Union had assented to Croatia’s admittance into the Schengen area since December 2022. However, the decision has only just been implemented today Sunday.
The Schengen Area is the biggest free travel area in the world having 27 countries as members, 22 of which are in the European Union.
Norway, Iceland, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein are the four Schengen Area members that are not members of the European Union.
About 3 million people in the Schengen Area travel to a different country daily. Also, almost 2 million European citizens live in one Schengen member country and work in another.
Croatia will now have a new opportunity to boost its tourism sector, which is a large contributor to its economy. In 2022, the country’s tourism industry made up over 20% of its GDP.
The government of Croatia has invested millions of euros in Croatia’s biggest airport in Zagreb so as to revamp its terminals and make other necessary upgrades. This is in order that the country’s travel industry will be ready for the new changes that will come with joining the Schengen zone, especially on the aviation end.
