Staničić: Tourism in Europe Expects Results from 2019, Surpassed in Croatia

Tourism in Europe this year will reach or exceed the record results from 2019, especially in the Mediterranean, while Croatia has already surpassed those results by June, emphasized the director of the Croatian National Tourist Board (HTZ) and vice president of ETC Kristjan Staničić.

According to initial data from the eVisitor system, Croatia was visited by 3.5 million tourists from the beginning of this year until May 27, who achieved 10.7 million overnight stays, which is 27 percent more than in the same period last year and 3 percent more than in 2019.

Almost half of all arrivals or 1.4 million and 4.8 million overnight stays were achieved only until May 27, which is also an increase of 3 percent compared to the same period in 2019, while compared to last May, it is an increase of 24 percent, Staničić stated for Hina after being re-elected as vice president of ETC (European Travel Commission) in Tallinn, Estonia last week as the director of HTZ.

Ahead of June, when the main part of the tourist season begins, Staničić says they expect excellent results, as the announcements from the most important markets are very good, aided by the lifting of the epidemic. However, he believes it is time to move away from mere tourist numbers and emphasize the development of new experiences and motivations for visits in the pre and post-season.

– The focus of everyone in the tourism sector must be on the sustainability of tourism and positioning Croatia as a year-round destination, which is the direction of most activities. There is an opportunity in distant markets, and it is also a trend that more and more tourists see the ideal time for vacation before and after summer, without high temperatures and crowds in destinations and with lower prices – says Staničić.

Concern Over Rising Prices

– Croatia has been highlighted as the most successful tourist destination at ETC meetings and during the pandemic, so expectations for this tourist season are high, but other ETC member countries also expect a good tourist year – says Staničić, adding that according to ETC research, Europeans’ intention to travel is strong, with more than half already booking their next trip, and 59 percent plan two or more trips by the end of September.

When asked how the rise in prices in tourism affects demand, Staničić states that according to ETC research, this year more Europeans are concerned about prices than last year, 24 percent compared to 18 percent. The same applies to concerns about the general economic situation and personal finances, but they want to travel and believe they will spend more on trips in the next six months than before, while also trying to save when planning, for example, traveling more outside the main summer months when prices are lower.

There is also a trend that this year Europe expects more arrivals of tourists from the USA, from where the number of airline seats for this season has increased by 15 percent compared to 2022, or by 3 percent compared to 2019, and investments in tourism marketing and promotion have increased in almost all countries.

– Most Croatian competitors are investing more in promotion this year than in previous years, they are very market-active, some have drawn funds from EU funds, and some national tourist organizations have partnered with the private sector, so everyone expects better results – says Staničić.

The HTZ budget this year of around 34.8 million euros is about 4 percent higher than last year, which, he emphasizes, is an amount that some competitors exceed multiple times, making Croatia’s success even greater.

Currently, HTZ is conducting the so-called main calling campaign in 14 markets, whose messages have been seen by over 150 million users through social media and display advertising, so Staničić expects excellent effects through achieved tourist traffic results, as HTZ’s TV campaign in Austria, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Germany, Slovakia, and the UK has prompted their media to additional recordings in Croatia.

‘Testing’ a New Umbrella Communication Concept by the End of June

HTZ is in the process of selecting a new umbrella communication concept for Croatian tourism with a new visual identity and slogan, which is expected to replace the current “Croatia, full of life”. According to Staničić, solutions have been received from selected bidders who have entered the second phase of the competition, and now the phase of testing the received proposals in foreign markets is ahead, which should be completed by the end of June.

– The final decision on the selection must ultimately be adopted by the HTZ Tourist Council, and as this is a very important process for us that will determine the communication and promotion of Croatian tourism in the future, we want to be as thorough as possible and choose those solutions that will be best received, i.e., which will best communicate the brand of Croatian tourism – concludes Staničić.