July 31, 2023 – Minister of Tourism and Sports Nikolina Brnjac announced the latest results of the tourist season in Croatia.
As Index writes, she reported that in the current tourist season, Croatia recorded 11 million arrivals and 55 million overnight stays, which is 11 percent more arrivals compared to last year.
Head of Croatian Tourist Board: Positive Trends Continue
Kristijan Staničić, director of the Croatian Tourist Board, expressed his satisfaction with the season in Croatia. “The positive trend of tourist traffic continues after the record pre-season,” he said at the press conference where Brnjac announced the adoption of a new Tourism Act.
This act, she said, was passed so that in the future, Croatia would not rely only on the sun and the sea and could successfully face the negative consequences that excessive tourism can have on the local population and the environment.
The act, she added, foresees measures for investments in products with higher added value, improvement of the structure and quality of accommodation facilities, investment in sports-recreational, entertainment, and other facilities, as well as in green and digital transition.
“It is important to emphasize that, for the first time, grants are also possible for the greening of the charter fleet, investments in boating and marinas, and especially investments related to environmental protection,” said Brnjac.
She explained that the act’s goal is the preservation of resources and space, the satisfaction and quality of life of the local population, and the competitiveness of Croatian tourism on a global level.
She also said that the Umag ATP tournament, with its tradition and excellent organization, makes an exceptional contribution to profiling Croatia and Istria as top tourist destinations.
“Sports tourism is one of the forms of tourism that the government especially encourages because of the added value it has in our tourist offer,” said the minister.
Istria Doing Exceptionally Well
Staničić pointed out that Istria is the most well-performing tourist region, which records two percent more tourist traffic in this part of the year. Out of the top 10 destinations, four are in Istria.
In addition to Umag, which is experiencing its peak during the tournament, those include Poreč, Rovinj, and Medulin; he pointed out.
He reminded that Croatia has an excellent market position as it records an increase in tourist arrivals and overnight stays from almost all markets, Germany and Slovenia to Austria, Italy, and Hungary.
