News

Croatia among top three non-EU travel destinations for EU residentsCroatia is among top three tourist destination outside the European Union for EU residents this year, according to a special report of Eurobarometer.
A total of 48 percent of EU residents plan to spend their summer vacation this year in their own country. The most attractive destinations are Spain, Italy, France, Germany, Poland, Greece and Great Britain.
Of the destinations outside the EU, the most visited are the United States, Turkey and Croatia, according to the survey that the European Commissioner published last week.22.03.2009. | Page

Croatian tourism – ready to undertake efforts to attract each single guestCroatian Tourism Minister Damir Bajs has said that the national tourism industry will see a decrease this year, but he is confident that the decrease will not be above the three percent forecast by the U. N. World Tourism Organization for the Euro-zone.
Minister Bajs clearly stated that the final result would depend only on our own efforts and, of course, on the economic situation in the countries which are the homeland of Croatia’s foreign tourists, i.e. the global recession and the potential drop of various currencies. He also informed everyone that the first tourist results regarding January/February 2009 were showing positive tendencies and said that Croatian tourism was not so much in need of recovery, but in the need of stabilization.20.03.2009. | Page

Minister hopes Croatia's results in tourist trade to be the same as last year'sThis year Croatia will try to repeat last year"s results in tourism despite the fact that 2009 will be a very difficult and uncertain year for global tourism, Croatian Tourism Minister Damir Bajs said at a news conference on Wednesday, the first day of the ITB Berlin (11 to 15 March), a leading travel trade show in the world.
Speaking of Croatia"s advantages, the minister cited its vicinity to Germany, good motorways, beautiful scenery, safety and a relatively good value-service ratio.
He admitted that the global crisis could produce adverse effects for the Croatian tourist trade.11.03.2009. | Page

The opening of ITB Berlin 2009On Tuesday evening Germany’s Federal Minister of Economics and Technology Dr. Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg opened this year’s ITB Berlin, one of the world’s largest tourist fairs. On that occasion zu Guttenberg invited all those involved in tourism to be more optimistic in these times of crisis.
Croatia is attending the fair while being represented by the Croatian National Tourist Board (HTZ), Croatia Airlines and a list of the twenty most successful tourist companies (Arenaturist, Valamar, Maistra, Elite Travel, Generalturist and other) as well as numerous city and county tourist offices.
On Wednesday a press-conference will be organized and on that occasion the Croatian Minster of Tourism Damir Bajs as well as the Director of HTZ Niko Bulić will be presenting all novelties regarding Croatian tourism.10.03.2009. | Page

President Mesić opens GAST 2009 Croatian President Stjepan Mesić opened on Wednesday the 14th annual "GAST" gastronomical fair, which will be taking place until 8 March in the southern Croatian city of Split. The fair is being held at the right time, ahead of the tourist season for which Croatia must prepare as well as possible, Mesić said while opening the event, adding that tourism was one of the most important branches of the Croatian economy. Tourism Minister Damir Bajs and the President of the Croatian Chamber of Economy, Nadan Vidošević, agreed with president Mesić about how Croatia had to prepare itself even more carefully for the upcoming tourist season.04.03.2009. | Page

Croatia retains 34th spot in tourism competitiveness rankingsCroatia has retained its last year"s position in the tourism competitiveness rankings, placing 34th among 133 countries, according to the latest report by the World Economic Forum. The results of the Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report 2009 put Croatia in the company of Italy and Malta and ahead of Central and Eastern European countries such as Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Romania and Bulgaria. 04.03.2009. | Page

CNN: Dubai is out, Croatia is in for celeb travel
With over-the-top resorts, year-round sunshine, killer shopping, picturesque beaches, and the world's tallest building, Dubai quickly became the celebrity destination of choice, CNN Entertainment reported on Wednesday, adding that one of the "now" destinations where celebrities will be heading in 2010 is Croatia. Not only were the Beckhams and Jolie-Pitts falling all over themselves to jet-set to the Persian Gulf, many were even investing in real estate there, until the government went public with its debt, CNN Entertainment said. Now that Dubai is "donezo", CNN suggested A-listers travel to Croatia.
21.02.2009. | Page

Minister says goal to achieve last year's tourist turnover Last year was the most successful year for Croatian tourism and since 2009 will be very demanding due to the global economic crisis, the goal is for physical turnover to be at least on last year"s level, Minister Damir Bajs said at a government session on Thursday.
More than 11 million tourists vacationed in Croatia in 2008, up 1% from 2007, generating more than 57 million nights, an increase of 2%, while revenue is expected to go up even higher, since the revenue in the first nine months of 2008 surpassed the entire 2007 revenue, said Bajs.12.02.2009. | Page