Cappelli: Croatia is already breathing tourism, and the real momentum starts for Easter

Tourism Minister Gari Cappelli stated on Monday after a meeting with representatives of the tourism sector ahead of the main part of the tourist year that he expects another successful season and a whole year for Croatian tourism.

“We are facing another challenging, but I am sure, successful tourist year in which we will confirm that Croatia has become one of the world’s tourism leaders. According to announcements from the field and based on discussions with domestic and foreign representatives of airlines and tour operators, Croatia is once again in the focus of interest for tourists from all over the world, and demand is increasing,” Cappelli said in a statement to reporters.

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In support of this, he added that the number of tourists in the first three months of this year has increased by ten percent.

Stating that the perception and motives for guests’ arrival have significantly changed, and that Croatia has become recognizable not only as a destination of sun, sea, and beautiful nature but also of rich gastronomy and diverse quality offerings of tourist products, Cappelli emphasized that it can no longer be said that the tourist season in Croatia lasts from June 15 to September 15, but that the season actually begins for Easter.

“Croatia is already breathing tourism, and the real momentum starts for Easter. We have moved all flight schedules which now start three to four weeks earlier and will end two to three weeks later than last year. All tourism workers and stakeholders in Croatian tourism who contribute significantly to creating the overall tourism story in our destinations deserve credit for this success,” said the tourism minister.

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He stated that for the Easter holidays, he expects capacity occupancy at the level of last year, when a 20 percent better result was achieved compared to 2016.

The director of the Croatian Tourist Board (HTZ) Kristjan Staničić assessed that the tourist year has started well, as a result of, as he said, “numerous activities, from appearances at the largest world fairs to the implementation of key marketing and PR campaigns.”

“The focus is on positioning Croatia in distant markets through the opening of new offices and representations in the markets of China, South Korea, and the USA, as well as a significant increase in flight routes, which are one of the fundamental prerequisites for positioning our country as a quality year-round destination,” Staničić stated.

“When we compare ourselves with other countries, Croatia has one of the lowest crime rates in Europe, so our guests are less exposed to crime than elsewhere and feel safer,” said the assistant police director Krunoslav Borovec.

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This year, as announced, 18 countries will be included in the program “Safe Tourist Season,” among which for the first time will be police officers from China, who will stay in Split, Dubrovnik, and Plitvice.

The importance of cooperation was also emphasized by the director of the Croatian Institute for Emergency Medicine Maja Grba-Bujević.

“The availability of emergency medical teams is extremely important for saving the lives of local residents and tourists, especially in summer. To increase availability on the islands, we have started procuring six boats for the medical service, which I believe will significantly contribute to increasing the efficiency of interventions,” concluded Grba-Bujević.

After the meeting with representatives of the tourism sector, Minister Cappelli and Kristjan Staničić will meet with the directors of HTZ’s foreign representations.