Is family tourism in Croatia getting the amount of attention from the state it truly deserves?
As Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 29th of January, 2018, recategorisation, more favourable HBOR loans and generally better treatment from state institutions with further growth in traffic are the key expectations of private accommodation providers in tourism for this year.
Announcing the 4th FOS or Forum for Family Accomodation, which is set to be held this year in the capital of Zagreb on the 2nd and the 3rd of February, Čavlović noted that a similar number of participants as there were in the first three forums, about a thousand from all over Croatia, are expected, as well as getting direct contacts and sharing experiences, people will also be able to hear presentations on both domestic and European trends, legal regulations, the digital revolution, pricing, branding, and other topics involved in the subject.
Čavlović emphasised how the Croatian model of family accommodation in tourism has been recognised and rewarded for its quality across Europe.
Quoting data obtained from HTZ’s eVisitor, where on August the 1st, 2017, it states that there were 92,000 registered households providing accommodation services in Croatia, with almost 545 thousand beds, which is about 11,000 establishments and about 50,000 beds more than there were recorded on the same day back in 2016, generating a total turnover of around 2.5 billion euro.
Just like last year, the continued growth in tourist arrivals and overnight stays is expected this year as well, and, as Čavlović says, there is a growing demand for family accommodation worldwide, partly because of the increase and ease of online platforms offering it, but also because of its authenticity and the personal touch which provides guests with a direct meeting with their hosts and the local way of life, a side of tourism for which Croatian family accommodation is highly appreciated.
“It’s estimated that the providers of this type of accommidation have so far invested more than 15 billion euro in construction and equipping, while their total annual investments in current maintenance reach around 120 million euro, based on a minimum of 200 euro per bed, and another 130 million euro of investment in facilities, such as swimming pools, wellness, cyclotourism, children’s playgrounds…” stated Čavlović, adding that all this is deserving of much better treatment from state institutions, including HBOR’s subsidised credit, which has been promised for years, and is still awaited.
