Up to 50% Drop in Russians on Croatia’s Coast This Summer

According to early reports from the Croatian National Tourist Board (HTZ), tourist numbers are up in 2013, despite what Russian media say was a drop of between 40 to 50% in the number of Russians holidaying in Croatia this summer.

Russian news says that tourist packages sold for Croatia dropped by as much as 50% this year, with the sole reason being new visa regulations for Russians travelling to Croatia. Croatia adopted the European Union visa regime on 1 April this year, meaning all citizens of non-EU countries (Russia) now require a visa to enter. Croatia was an expensive holiday option for the Russians, and with the people having to shell out now for visas it put many off, says Russian News, adding that Greece, who are a cheaper option than Croatia, benefited from Croatia’s loss.