The stand of the Croatian National Tourist Board (HTZ) with its 24 exhibitors is the largest at this year’s Munich Tourism Fair, with the tourism potential of both Zagreb and Slavonia having special emphasis placed on them. Gari Cappelli believes that continental tourism is the future for Croatia’s tourism offer.
As Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 21st of February, 2019, through the variety of Croatian snacks prepared by famous Croatian chefs, master chef Branko Ognjenović and the chef of the Croatian football team, Tomica Đukić, numerous visitors to the International Tourism Fair f.re.e 2019 – which, as we reported recently, is being held in Munich, Germany, from the 20th to the 24th of February this year, had the opportunity to get better acquainted with the gastronomic offer of Slavonia and the City of Zagreb yesterday at the stand of the Croatian Tourist Board.
The Slavonian gastro scene showcased Ilok cellars (Iločki podrumi), Kutjevo, Belje, Brzica and Feravino. The promotion of Croatian tourism also includes some of the legends of FC Bayern – Slavonia native Ivica Olić, Giovani Elber, and Andreas Jung.
The f.re.e. tourist fair is otherwise the largest and most visited tourist fair in Bavaria, stretching to over 88,000 square metres, and this year, boasting as many as 1,300 exhibitors from 70 countries across the world, it is bigger than ever before.
The Croatian Tourist Board’s stand, with its 24 exhibitors, was the biggest at the fair. Unlike in previous years when Croatia promoted its popular destinations on the coast mostly, this year the often overlooked Croatian continent, more specifically the capital of Zagreb and the Eastern region of Slavonia, which both have a lot to offer to tourists, are taking the limelight. The promotion of Slavonia as a desirable tourist destination is an excellent move for the Days of Croatian Tourism, which is set to be held on 4th to 9th October in the Slavonian region of Osijek.
Croatian Minister of Tourism Gari Cappelli, and Director of the Croatian Tourist Board Kristijan Stančić participated in the presentation of the Croatian tourist offer along with the director of the Zagreb Tourist Board, Martina Bienefeld, Osijek-Baranja County Prefect Ivan Anušić and the domestic manager of the tour operator for Croatia, Selimir Ognjenović.
”Of the three million tourists coming to Croatia from Germany, 1.2 million of them come from Bavaria. So I can say that the Munich Fair is always some sort of indication for us to know what’s going to happen this year in regard to tourism. The Germans are the type who appreciate the quality of Croatian tourism, because when those three million tourists return home to Germany, there’s a lot to talk about.
Interestingly, we’re not presenting the coast but the continent, because I think that’s the future through health tourism, special forms of tourism, hunting, fishing, cyclotourism…” Gari Capelli told Poslovni Dnevnik.
Nera Miličić, head of HTZ in Germany, says that there is a sense of pride in announcing the expansion of the Croatian tourist offer with “The most beautiful Croatian tourist secret” – Slavonia, and the triple winner of the most beautiful European advent – the Croatian capital city of Zagreb.
”We’re especially delighted to have organised the largest presentation of the Croatian continent in Bavaria with our partners so far,” noted Miličić.
”Given that for Croatian tourism, Germany is the emitive market from which we have the largest tourist turnover, we’ve created a rich and original event program at the Croatian stand that is attracting the attention of numerous visitors.
This is also the confirmation of a well-founded cooperation with FC Bayern Munich which gives us additional promotional value on the Bavarian market, where every other German tourist comes to us from,” commented HTZ director Kristjan Staničić.
As a tourist destination, Croatia is a serious competitor on the German market. During these times of major changes, an increase in the amount of airline passengers from Germany to Croatia has been recorded, which has positioned Croatia among the most competitive destinations, alongside Spain, Turkey, Greece, Portugal, Egypt and Tunisia, countries which many tourists seeking package deals are usually attracted to.
Although Croatia was otherwise perceived as a destination to drive to from Germany, through the country’s camping and private accommodation offer, it has also entered into the package holiday segment (hotel, transfer, flight) which is sold through a tour operator network. All in all, the interest of German tourists for Croatia remains very high indeed.
Numerous tour operators are continuing to expand their programs, smaller operators have begun ”selling” Croatia, and some airlines are continuing to announce new lines.
The Germans are still in the leading position when it comes to the number of overnight stays realised by foreign tourists in the Republic of Croatia. In addition, the largest number of tourists from Germany come from the regions of Nordrhein-Westfalen, Bavaria, and Baden-Württemberg. However, the Germans typically enjoy more family oriented holidays, often bypassing potentially more ”specialised” types of tourism on offer.
Therefore, the presence of Croatia’s more specialised tourist offers at such fairs is crucial to boost the awareness of German tourists to the country’s more numerous tourist offers, and in particular to awaken tour operators to Croatia’s more luxurious package of arrangements,” stated Dragan Kovačević, Vice President of Agriculture and Tourism at the Croatian Chamber of Commerce (HGK), who is also representing Croatia’s tourist offer in Munich.
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