Bajs: Tourist season slightly better than expected

Croatia saw a three per cent rise in tourist arrivals in the first seven months of this year, while the number of bed nights increased by six per cent, which is slightly above expectations, Tourism Minister Damir Bajs said at a press conference in Zagreb on Wednesday.

Croatia saw a three per cent rise in tourist arrivals in the first seven months of this year, while the number of bed nights increased by six per cent, which is slightly above expectations, Tourism Minister Damir Bajs said at a press conference in Zagreb on Wednesday.

Citing figures from the National Tourist Board, Bajs said he was pleased by the fact that tourism revenue was increasing above the planned five per cent. He also said that hotel owners were expecting 10 per cent higher revenues this year.

Bajs said that expectations of higher revenues were partly based on the fact that this year Croatia could boast more high-quality accommodation facilities, especially hotels.
The minister reiterated expectations that this year's total revenue from tourism could reach EUR 7.3 billion.

According to the National Tourist Board, 6.13 million tourists visited Croatia in the first seven months, spending nearly 32 million nights. The majority of tourists (5 million, making 27.7 million overnight stays) came from abroad, mostly from Germany, Slovenia, Italy, Austria, the Czech Republic and France.

The number of domestic tourists and overnight stays in the reported period rose by four per cent and five per cent respectively, and the number of tourists from Japan, Poland, Spain, the Netherlands, Scandinavia and neighbouring countries also increased substantially compared with last year. (Hina)