Minister: ‘Tourism Revenues Could be Highest in History this Year’

Revenue from tourism this year could pass 7.5 billion euros, which would be the most since Croatia became independent, the nation’s Tourism Minister Darko Lorencin said whilst being a guest on yammatFM radio on Friday…

“Every year expectations are getting bigger. Considering the good pre-season results, good post-season bookings and the traditionally busy summer period, we believe that revenues this year could be higher than last year, which were around 7.45 billion euros, and for the first time exceed 7.5 billion euros, “said Lorencin.

The Minister said Croatia offers a lot to tourists in a relatively small area, and that the creation of tourism policy has played an important role in establishing and implementing destination management, which works to create Croatia’s tourism product and helps eliminate gaps and increase competitiveness.

“Competitiveness contributes to the specialisation of a specific brand or product, which our destinations also have to do more, because for now we do not have a lot of specialised destinations in Croatia,” said Lorencin, before singling out several destinations – Dubrovnik, Split, Hvar, Mali Lošinj, Rovinj and inland Istria – which he says have already developed a ‘life style’ destination brand.

Lorencin says that the number of prominent music festival now held in Croatia are also important for tourism as they attract large numbers of tourists.

“Because of Ultra Europe music festival, Split is completely ‘reorganised’, all services are harmonious, and this year they are ready for even more visitors than the previous two editions of the festival,” said Lorencin.