Croatian National Tourist Board and the Tourist Board of Osijek-Baranja County, in cooperation with the Ministry of Tourism, organized a study tour for Spanish sports and travel journalists on the occasion of the first round of Davis Cup between Croatia and Spain.
The study tour program began on Friday, February 1 when media coverage began for the first tennis match in Osijek, reports HRTurizam on February 7, 2017. On the following day, the study tour visited Kopački Rit Nature Park, wineries Belje and Erdut, cultural and scientific center Milutin Milanković in Dalj, and the Cathedral of St. Peter and the Lipizzaner horse farm in Đakovo.
Director of the HTZ Ratomir Ivičić emphasized the importance of promoting tourism through sports events.
“Sporting events and meetings, especially when it comes to national teams, represent an excellent opportunity for additional tourist promotion. Osijek and Slavonia in general were really superb hosts, and it was our desire to bring this region closer to the Spaniards, and to show them that Croatia is much more than a summer holiday destination of the sun and sea. I am sure that the tourist trade on the continent can be more pronounced, especially in the segment of prolonging the tourist season beyond the main summer months,” said Director Ivičić.
The Spanish journalists who participated in the study tour were Juan Lopez Corcoles, Galo Martin, Oscar Checa, Laura Marta Lorient and Juan Solsona Magri. Some of the journalists had already visited Croatia and had been to Dubrovnik, Split, Hvar, Opatija and Istria, but this was everyone’s first time visiting the continental part of Croatia. The journalists said they were delighted in the diversity of Croatia, and that they especially enjoyed the natural beauty and the rich cultural and historical heritage.
After a tour of Slavonia and Baranja, the Spanish journalists visited Zagreb and the various city attractions in the capitol city such as the Zagreb Cathedral, Dolac, Upper Town, and the Museum of Broken Relationships.
