News

Croatian Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic on Monday visited a tourism complex in Kupari near Dubrovnik which used to be a seaside resort for the army, saying afterwards that by the end of this spring the government would select the best bidder who would be given a 99-year-long concession to renovate and operate the tourist complex and who would be expected to invest several hundred million euros in this project and create 300 jobs. In mid-January the government decided to issue a public call for expression of interest in construction and renovation work on this tourism complex. The call was non-binding, while binding offers are to be invited after the updating of the land register. An investor is expected to be selected in the first quarter of the year. The plan is to rebuild the existing complex of five hotels devastated during the 1991-1995 war and build new ones with a concession to be granted for 99 years. The hotels would have a total accommodation capacity of not more than 1,500 beds, and the project is estimated at 200 million euros.

The 19th edition of the international GAST fair, which is set to be held in the coastal city of Split on March 5-9, will feature over 900 exhibitors from nine countries, a news conference heard Wednesday. GAST fair is a meeting place for many manufacturers and retailers of food, drinks, hotel and restaurant equipment, recognised in business circles as a place of contract logistics for the tourist season. GAST is an opportunity for professionals from the hospitality and tourism sector. It includes several specialised dairs - food, drinks, hotel and catering equipment, coffee, furniture, wine and tourism. Apart from Croatia, exhibitors from Germany, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Austria, Italy, Indonesia, Poland and Serbia will also present their services.

Tourism Minister Darko Lorencin and the new Chinese Ambassador to Croatia, Deng Ying, met in Zagreb on Monday to discuss possibility of improving cooperation between the two countries, in particular cooperation in tourism, and attracting more Chinese tourists to Croatia. Deng said that China regarded Croatia as a friendly and tourist country rich in natural resources, adding that she was pleased that Chinese tourists were coming to Croatia in growing numbers all year round. She said that Chinese tourists visited as many as four countries within a space of 10 to 12 days intended for travel. Lorencin said that given that Chinese tourists travelled outside the peak season Croatia was working on arrangements that would include several destinations in order to be more competitive on the Chinese market.

During a working visit to Germany, Croatian Tourism Minister Darko Lorencin on Thursday met with the Bavarian Economy, Energy, Media and Technology Minister, Ilse Aigner, with whom he discussed investments in the Croatian tourism, EU funds, and other economic topics of relevance to Bavaria and Croatia. Lorencin told Croatian reporters covering the f.re.e tourism fair in the Bavarian capital of Munich that Aigner offered Bavaria's cooperation and assistance to Croatia in using money from EU funds. The two ministers also discussed the economic situation in Croatia, the situation following Croatia's accession to the EU as well as the situation in Bavaria, which this year expects a rise in its GDP, including in tourism. In terms of their accommodation capacity, turnover and number of visitors, Bavaria and Munich are No. 2 destination in Germany (Berlin being No. 1) and they can help Croatia's tourism with their experience, said Lorencin. Lorencin spoke to the Bavarian minister about investment plans in Croatia's tourism sector, projects for which tenders have already been published and those for which tenders will be published soon, calling on German investors to join in those projects.