As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, aside from those of us who make up the capital’s local population, Zagreb Advent 2022 is also turning out to be real lure for all sorts of guests from abroad. Although the weather conditions (rain and fog) haven’t been exactly favourable for visitors, there’s no shortage of tourists here in the city. It is the foreign guests who are driving spending and consumption most of all, because if they weren’t there, Zagreb Advent 2022 would already be in the red, at least according to a report from HRT.
The always popular ice skating rink on King Tomislav Square is a little bit different this year than it was back during previous years. Due to the ogoing rain, the number of visitors is – at least for now – significantly less than in the years before the global coronavirus pandemic shook the world.
“So far, the weather has been really awful. The first two weeks we had constant rain and maybe only two dry days. Despite this, there are really a lot of tourists in Zagreb, we can feel that at the Ice Park as well. So, regardless of the weather, the results are relatively alright,” stated the organiser of the city’s “Ice Park” Slavica Olujic Klapcic.
One hundred metres away, on Strossmayer’s Square, lies the center of Zagreb Advent 2022’s gastronomic offer. Most of the visitors there are foreigners.
“We can say that everything except the weather conditions, which aren’t very favourable to us, is actually great. There are people coming, people come even in the rain, especially on weekends,” stated restaurateur Ivan Badzek. It also seems that for our guests from abroad – given the fact that they’re already here – the rain does not bother them. “This is our first time at Zagreb Advent. It’s very beautiful and the food is very good,” said Evelyne from Austria.
“We tasted some mulled wine and it was excellent. It’s really very nice. We also tried some food, but we have more exploring to do,” said Malou from the Netherlands.
Data from the Croatian National Tourist Board (CNTB/HTZ) shows that in the first two weeks of Zagreb Advent 2022, the number of arrivals is 50 percent higher, and the number of overnight stays is 34 percent higher than last year. To evaluate the touristic effects of Zagreb Advent 2022, HRT also turned to one hotel, located in the very heart of the city, near the popular Funicular.
“This year, the occupancy levels exceeded all our expectations, during the week we’ve been 80 percent full, and over the weekend we’re 100 percent full. Advent greatly affects our occupancy rate,” said hotel manager Nikolina Kuhar. In addition to locals, foreign guests mostly come from nearby countries, but also from Western European countries such as Germany and Great Britain, as well as from across the pond in the USA. Hotel capacities here in Zagreb are very well filled until the end of this year, so, unlike many restaurateurs, hotels and hostels have reason to be satisfied.
For more, check out our news section.
