ZAGREB, Dec 8, 2020 – Travel agencies are the most affected segment in the tourism and travel industry in Croatia and most of them have virtually had no business for months and in order to survive they need state support and are calling for urgent aid, the Association of Croatian Travel Agencies (UHPA) said on Tuesday.
“Business operations and the survival of travel or tourism agencies is absolutely jeopardised and we have been saying that since the outbreak of the coronacrisis and that without state aid most agencies will not survive. Hence we are calling for certain measures specifically for agencies, similar to those adopted by other EU member states,” UHPA president Tomislav Fain explained.
The job-retention measures have helped, he added, for agencies to keep their employees. He explained that the criteria was adapted to the real needs and demands by agencies, however Fain said “they will not stop there.”
He revealed that last week he met with Tourism Minister Nikolina Brnjac for the talks on the problems agencies are experiencing and on compensation for agencies and tour organisers who are faced with the most difficult situation caused by the pandemic.
We discussed extending jobkeeping measures until the spring of 2021, financial support through grants and loans for liquidity along with subsidised interest.
“That is exceptionally important for tourism agencies and to assist them in compensating for payments they made to suppliers for travel that could not be conducted and to ensure guarantees in cases of insolvency occurring due to unrealised package arrangements. That is one of the main conditions to restore trust of travellers” said Fain.
