Ten years ago, or more precisely at the end of 2008, data from the Tourist Board of Imotski about the number of overnight stays, especially those of foreign guests in the city and the region, were astonishing.
The number of overnight stays was somewhat larger than 5,000 then – and it was a record tourist year. Ten years later, on August 22, according to the official data of the Imotski Tourist Board, 58,000 overnights were recorded, exceeding the number for all of 2017, which was also a record year with 57,950 overnight stays, reports Slobodna Dalmacija on August 26, 2018.
By the end of this calendar year, tourist workers in Imotski predict that this number could stop somewhere around 70,000 overnight stays. Out of this figure, more than 90 percent are foreigners.
Some might laugh at these figures compared to the well-known tourist destinations on Croatia’s Adriatic coast, but for Imotski and the surrounding area, they are fantastic considering in just ten years the number of overnight stays has increased by 65,000.
At present, there are about 1100 guests in the town of Imotski and the Imotski region, who are staying in 220 holiday homes. Ninety-five percent of them are renting a home with a pool and complimentary recreational facilities, outdoor sports grounds, and well-marked cycling and hiking trails.
Most of the guests visiting Imotski are from Germany, followed by Poland, England, and France, and domestic guests come only in fifth. Ten years ago, domestic guests made up 90 percent of the overnight stays, and this year – only ten percent.
It is worth noting that the number of French tourists increased by three times compared to last year. This is also thanks to the excellent television advertising of Imotski Modrog, and especially the Red Lake after the renowned French diver Frederic Swierczynski became the first to dive to the bottom of the lake at a depth of 235 meters. We should also note that an international expert exploratory expedition to the Red Lake will be underway in early September to discover the secret flora and fauna of this karst pearl.
