From a place known exclusively for holiday homes, Vir has over the past two decades grown into an attractive destination for family life.

According to information reported by RTL Danas, the number of permanent residents on the island has increased 4.5 times since 2000. While at the beginning of the millennium Vir had fewer than 900 residents, today it is home to more than 4,000 people who, in search of a better quality of life, exchanged the bustle of larger inland cities for a calmer island everyday life.

Generous support as the key to success

Municipal policy focused on demographic renewal has resulted in a series of concrete measures that attract young families, writes net.hr. The local government finances kindergarten, provides 350 euros for the purchase of workbooks per child, co-finances transportation for high school students, and offers scholarships for university students in the amount of 200 to 300 euros. However, the most significant impact comes from direct support for newborns, with amounts ranging from 2,000 euros for the first child, through 6,500 euros for the third, all the way up to 26,000 euros for the fifth and each subsequent child. There are also plans to further increase the benefits to 8,500 euros for each newborn in order to maintain the positive trend.

Quality of life ahead of urban amenities

Newcomers from Zagreb, Sisak, and other parts of Croatia point out that the proximity of Zadar compensates for the lack of typical city amenities, while the advantages of island life such as safety, proximity to beaches, and a more carefree childhood are decisive for their decision to stay. As reported by RTL Danas, school generations on Vir today number between 20 and 30 pupils, which is significantly more than in previous years. Families who decided to move testify to easier organization of everyday life, opportunities to start their own businesses, and a more stable environment for raising children.

Sustainability of the demographic model

The success of Vir's example confirms the thesis that systematic and financially strong local measures can reverse negative demographic trends even in communities that had been neglected for decades. Although such a policy requires significant budget funds, the positive results in the number of residents and children show that investments in families are, in the long term, the most cost-effective form of development for any community. Vir has thus become a rare Croatian example of a place where the population is not measured by departures, but by the constant influx of new generations.