225 passengers arrived on the flight, which is the full capacity of the airplane.
“We are very excited to be in Dubrovnik and to bring American tourists to Croatia. We know how important tourism is to your country and how it accounts for 25 percent of your gross domestic product. We are happy to help bring American tourists to the world, especially Dubrovnik, such a wonderful destination. I spent three days here, and I really enjoyed it,” said Delta Air Lines regional sales manager Thomas Brandt, as reported by Dubrovački Dnevnik.
He added that the flight was full in both directions and that it was extremely sought after and popular from day one, and that it was similar to other flights that would fly on the New York-Dubrovnik route.
Brandt said that all passengers on the plane can order food and that they adhere to all hygiene regulations and high standards to protect against coronavirus.
“These flights are significant, not only for the City of Dubrovnik, which is the most desirable destination for American tourists, but also for the whole of Croatia. They announced that they would meet the rest of Croatia. When tourists come to such a destination, they know no borders and will certainly visit other parts of the country. This was already evident from the recent conference in Dubrovnik when numerous American agents arrived. They also looked at the rest of Croatia and offered it to American tourists. This is just more proof that Croatia has decided to prepare well for the upcoming tourist season and remove all barriers that exist when entering the country, and at the same time create a positive epidemiological situation,” said State Secretary at the Ministry of Tourism and Sports Sandra Herman.
The director of the Croatian Tourist Board, Kristjan Staničić, answered the question of what is expected from the U.K. market.
“Like everyone in Croatia, we look forward to the further decisions by the British government on the travel of their citizens outside the British border. The British market is essential for Dubrovnik and the Dubrovnik area. Therefore, I am optimistic and convinced that many Britons will start coming to Croatia, primarily to Dubrovnik. Still, we have to wait for their government’s decision,” he replied.
Director of the Dubrovnik-Neretva County Tourist Board, Vladimir Bakić, also touched on the issue.
“This is a great encouragement when it comes to the US market. The fact is that the decision on how they can travel to other EU countries will enable transit passengers to come to Dubrovnik. As for the British market, it’s all up to the British government. According to the latest announcements, we expect that it will be possible for those Britons who have been vaccinated with two doses to traveling, and there are over 30 million of them. It would be a great opportunity, and without it, it will be difficult to expect some progress given all the circumstances with the epidemiological situation around the new strain of the virus that has spread there and is spreading to the rest of Europe,” he replied.
He pointed out that, apart from Dubrovnik, visitors from the USA were the second-largest group of guests in Korcula’s hotels.
“Dubrovnik is the most visited when it comes to guests from the United States, but they are also happy to visit the surrounding area,” Bakić said.
The director of ZL Dubrovnik, Frano Luetić, said that landing the Delta Air Lines flight means a lot, especially because the British market has not yet opened. As he says, flights from the USA could in some way ‘pull us out of the situation’ and improve tourist figures in southern Croatia. He added that the Airport has been renovated and can accommodate aircraft of this capacity because it has the longest runway in the country, and stressed that ZL employees have been preparing for the past month to accept all US procedures and systems that are demanding. However, they received praise from their American colleagues.
Mayor Mato Franković is satisfied with the flights, but appeals for vaccinations.
“The fact is that we have established an air bridge, that the health security in Dubrovnik is at a very high level, today there are two newly infected … Things are going in the right direction. But we need to raise the level of awareness of all those fellow citizens who have not yet been vaccinated. According to our estimates, the vaccination rate is 47 percent in Dubrovnik, which is not enough. If we want our season to last in September and October, we have to get vaccinated,” said Franković.
“I don’t understand people who are anti-vaccine and who 47 percent of us who got vaccinated obviously consider us fools. And we did not get vaccinated to protect our health, but on the one hand to reduce the possibility of the spread of the infection in the city, and on the other hand to ensure the recovery of the Dubrovnik economy,” added Franković, who believes that the Government has the right to introduce restrictions for those who do not want to be vaccinated, but can.
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