The AFP photographer became famous with his photos of Croatian footballers’ celebrations during the recent World Cup in Russia.
Following an invitation by the Croatian National Tourist Board, Yuri Cortez, a photojournalist with the Agence France-Press (AFP), will visit Croatia this week. He became globally famous with his photos of celebrations by Croatian footballers during the semi-final game at the recent World Cup, announced the Croatian National Tourist Board on August 29, 2018.
Together with his family, Cortez will travel to Croatia from 31 August to 7 September, and visit Zagreb, Dubrovnik, Split, Šibenik, Zadar, Opatija, Rovinj and Pula, as well as other tourist attractions such as the Kornati National Park and Telašćica Nature Park.
“The impressions and reactions after the historic result of the Croatian national team at the World Cup have not subsided. Following the great publicity our footballers have provided us with, we have continued to carry out activities that will further our country’s position as an attractive tourist destination that you definitely have to visit. We are looking forward to the arrival of Yuri and his family who will be able to see firsthand the beauty of Croatia and the kindness of our people,” said HTZ director Kristjan Staničić, adding that the programme was created according to the wishes of the Cortez family, who are very happy to be visiting Croatia.
“Although I have travelled the world, I have not yet visited Croatia. I am particularly glad to experience this trip with my family. Croatia is a wonderful country, full of great and unique locations, and as such is a paradise for photographers. We can hardly wait for our Croatian adventure to begin,” said Cortez.
The Cortez family will begin its stay in Zagreb, where they will tour the capital with the expert guides on Segways, including the Maksimir park and the ZOO. Then they will go to Dubrovnik, where they will visit the old town centre, the walls and the Srđ hill. After that, they will be introduced to the history of Split and enjoy the local beaches, while the next day they will visit another Dalmatian pearl, Šibenik. After sightseeing of the town, they will proceed to the Kornati National Park and the island of Žut and then depart to Zadar. The journey will continue in Opatija, where the Cortez family will meet with representatives of the Croatian National Tourist Board, the Ministry of Tourism and the Croatian Football Federation. The programme also includes a visit to the Istria peninsula, including Rovinj and Pula.
The 53-year-old Cortez is the head of the AFP’s office in Mexico. During his professional career, in addition to sports competitions, he has photographed natural disasters, humanitarian crises and battlefields around the world.
