Croatia's Tourism Revenue in 2006 Expected to Exceed 6.3 Billion Euros

Croatia's tourism revenue in 2006 is estimated at more then 6.3 billion euros, with more than 10 million arrivals and more than 50 million overnight stays, Croatian National Tourist Board (HTZ) director Niko Bulić said at the 10th congress of Croatian hotel and restaurant managers, which is being held in Zagreb on Thursday and Friday.

Turnover in 2007 is expected to grow by two percent and revenue by up to five percent.

Speaking about the structure of accommodation capacity, Bulić said that it was very unfavorable. Croatia has 900,000 accommodation units, of which 45 percent are privately owned, 30 percent are camp sites, only 13 percent are hotels, and seven percent are apartments, he said.

These data, provided by the national bureau of statistics, show that Croatia must make changes if it wants to be a major player in the Mediterranean tourist market, he said.

Bulić said that Croatia must increase its hotel accommodation capacity by repairing accommodation facilities that were in use before the war, supporting a sustainable program of development of small, family-run hotels, and remodeling former factories and military facilities into hotels, as well as by improving the quality of service.

Croatia has an excellent image abroad and a real chance of greater tourism growth in relation to other Mediterranean countries, Bulić said.

The Zagreb congress was organized by the Croatian Association of Hotel and Restaurant Managers.