UberBOAT service will be launched in June.

Speedboats that will be part of the UberBOAT service have already started coming to Croatian coastal areas. The service will be introduced this summer first in Croatia, and later it will expand to other tourist countries. The plan is to start with the service as early as June and to cover all destinations with enough interest from visitors. The negotiations have already begun in Split, Dubrovnik and Korčula, reports Poslovni.hr on March 14, 2017.

The goal is to increase the availability, mobility and security of transport between the mainland and islands, and between individual islands. Croatia has been chosen to launch this new product due to its significant growth of tourist traffic, explained Davor Tremac, general manager of Uber for Southeast Europe.

“Our plan is to hire speedboats of different sizes, which will be more accessible than existing taxi-boats, and prices will vary depending on the number of passengers. Although the prices will be determined only when the application is launched, our prices will not be much different from advertised prices of existing taxi boats. The ride from Split to Hvar could cost about 40 to 50 euros per person. Our service will be recognizable to users, especially to foreign tourists, who already use Uber in many cities. In accordance with Croatian legislation, people who operate their charter management business through professional companies will be able to work for UberBOAT”, said Tremac. As is well-known, Croatian laws do not allow private rental of boats, but Uber does not consider that to be a significant restriction.

When it comes to road transport, Uber says they are very pleased with the results in Croatia, which is currently the fastest growing market in the world for Uber, according to Rob Khazzam, general manager of Uber for Central and Eastern Europe. Uber is currently waiting for announced changes to the law on road transport, given that the government recently accused the company of operating illegally in Croatia.

“We are extremely satisfied with our operations in Croatia and with the fact that the government is working on making changes to the law, given that Croatia is a technologically advanced country. I am sure that your government will recognize the potential of the digital economy and make adjustments to the regulations in accordance with EU directives”, said Khazzam.

In Croatia, there are about 1,500 drivers currently working for Uber, and the company expects that number to grow to 10,000 in two to three years.