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The Croatian Tourist Board (HTZ) will, in cooperation with the Croatian Olympic Committee (HOO), promote the national tourism in Croatia House in Rio de Janeiro at the Olympic Games 2016, a news conference heard earlier this week. The cooperation between the HTZ and the HOO in Croatia House during the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro on August 5-21 has been confirmed by an agreement signed by HTZ director Ratomir Ivicic and HOO secretary general Josip Cop.

Croatia this year should have investments of 670 million euros in tourism, Minister Anton Kliman said on Monday visiting the Lanterna Camp in Istria, where the Valamar Riviera company is investing HRK 86 million, and the Hotel Amarin in Rovinj, which is being built by the Maistra company. "Investments this year in the tourism sector are planned at 670 million euros or 35% more than last year," Kliman said. He said that he was especially pleased with investments in the hotel sector because the Tourism Ministry was aiming to increase the share of hotel accommodation to reach at least 18% by 2020. He added that it was vital to raise the quality of camping grounds.

Prime Minister Tihomir Oreskovic said on Wednesday that this year he expected an even greater interest in investing in tourism as the most competitive branch of the Croatian economy. The prime minister was speaking at the opening of the Adria Hotel Forum conference that brought together about 300 domestic and foreign hoteliers and investors. He said that attracting investment was part of the government's strategy, adding that the most important activities were those that created added value in combination with other compatible activities. Tourism Minister Anton Kliman said that the hotel industry was a very important segment of the tourist industry and that the aim was to increase its share in the total accommodation capacity by 2020.

The number of tourism nights in the European Union in 2015 reached a new record and Croatia was among the member states with the highest rise in nights and the highest rise in the nights spent by non-residents, the EU statistical office Eurostat said on Tuesday. In 2015, the number of nights spent in tourist accommodation establishments in the EU is expected to have reached a new record level of around 2.8 billion nights, up by 3.2% compared with 2014. Since 2009, there has been a steady increase in that number, notably driven by the rise in the nights spent by non-residents. In 2015, Spain (421 million nights, +4.3% compared with 2014) reinforced its top position in terms of tourism nights. Croatia recorded 71.3 million nights, including 65.7 million by foreigners. The number of nights was 7.9% higher than in 2014, ranking Croatia among the member states with the highest rise in nights compared with 2014.

International tourist arrivals grew by 4.4% in 2015 to reach a total of 1,184 million in 2015, according to the latest UNWTO World Tourism Barometer. Some 50 million more tourists (overnight visitors) travelled to international destinations around the world last year as compared to 2014. 2015 marks the 6th consecutive year of above-average growth, with international arrivals increasing by 4% or more every year since the post-crisis year of 2010. “International tourism reached new heights in 2015. The robust performance of the sector is contributing to economic growth and job creation in many parts of the world. It is thus critical for countries to promote policies that foster the continued growth of tourism, including travel facilitation, human resources development and sustainability” said UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai.

A total of 14.1 million tourists visited Croatia in 2015, an increase of 8.3% on the year, with the number of overnights amounting to 78.5 million, up 6.8%, so overall revenues from foreign tourists will most definitely exceed 8 billion euros, outgoing Tourism Minister Darko Lorencin said on Thursday. All Adriatic regions recorded a good tourist season and wrapped it up with better numbers than the year before.