Tourism minister supports law and order in tourist trade

Tourism Minister Darko Lorencin on Friday said in Varazdin that he absolutely supported the introduction of law and order when it came to tourism and hospitality and that all commitments to the state and tax administration be met.

I absolutely support the introduction of law and order because this is about a minority that is not meeting its obligations while the majority working in hospitality and tourism do so regularly and it is for this majority in fact that we have to introduce law and order, Lorencin said in response to questions by reporters during his visit to the Spancirfest in Varazdin.

Asked whether Finance Minister Slavko Linic was being "too strict" with his decision that hospitality facilities that were not regularly meeting their obligations should be shut down in the midst of the tourism season instead of imposing large penalties, Lorencin said that he did not wish to meddle in the work of the tax administration or Minister Linic's portfolio.

Lorencin conducted a working meeting in Varazdin with city and county authorities and people from the tourism sector to discuss the problems in continental tourism and how to improve this situation.

In a statement after the meeting, Lorencin said that the 2020 Tourism Development Strategy was being implemented and he announced an outline for a strategic marketing plan and process of adapting the tourism infrastructure and tourism board to the new strategy which will be presented at this year's Croatian Tourism Days.

The document is supported by 26 action plans aimed at bringing destinations and continental tourism products closer to end users.

He advised that the new strategy would be beneficial to continental tourism which needs to be more innovative and creative than its counterpart on the Adriatic in order to attract guests.

Events like the Spancirfest, a street festival with over 150 events, are just what continental tourism needs, he said. Lorencin is the first tourism minister to have visited the festival in its 15 years of existence. (Hina)