The Croatian Tourist Card

A payment card issued by a commercial bank at the request of any natural or legal person

The Croatian Tourist Card is a project implemented by the Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Ministry of Tourism and Sport with the aim of encouraging Croatian citizens to increase spending in the hospitality and tourism sectors throughout the Republic of Croatia.

Natural persons employed in the Republic of Croatia are entitled to the payment of the non-taxable part of the benefit (employers can pay their employees a non-taxable part of income in the amount of up to 400 EUR per year, all for the purpose of stimulating consumption in the hospitality and tourism sectors throughout the Republic of Croatia). This includes:
  • persons engaged in paid employment on the basis of an employment contract concluded for a definite or indefinite period of time, in accordance with a special regulation governing labour relations
  • sole traders who perform an activity registered in accordance with a special regulation governing the exercise of trades
  • farmers who perform agriculture and forestry activities
  • self-employed members of the liberal professions who have compulsory insurance on that basis in accordance with regulations governing compulsory insurance, and who perform these activities as their basic activities and are therefore registered in the register of income tax payers on the basis of those activities (activities of health professionals, veterinarians, lawyers, notaries public, auditors, engineers, architects, tax advisers, insolvency administrators, court interpreters, translators, tourism professionals, scientists, writers, inventors, as well as independent teaching activities, educational activities and other similar activities, and independent activities of journalists, artists, athletes, etc.).
This means that, on the basis of this benefit, every employer in the Republic of Croatia can pay the aforementioned amount to their employees as beneficiaries, and every sole trader or self-employed person can pay the same amount to themselves.

Using the Croatian Tourist Card as a payment card is possible throughout Croatia and all year long. The Croatian Tourist Card can be used to pay for services in all hospitality and catering facilities that provide the services of preparing and serving food and beverages (restaurants, cafés, fast food outlets, etc.) as well as in all facilities that provide accommodation (hotels, camps, boarding houses, private hosts, etc.), provided that they have a POS machine and accept payment by payment cards. You can also use the Croatian Tourist Card to pay for charter services (boat rental) and other services of tourist agencies throughout the Republic of Croatia.

Banks issuing the Croatian Tourist Card are:
  • Hrvatska poštanska banka - HPB
  • Podravska banka - POBA.