News

UNWTO is deeply saddened by the news of the devastating floods currently affecting Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Croatia. On behalf of the international tourism community, UNWTO conveys its heartfelt sympathy to the affected communities and to the Governments of the three countries. "Our thoughts at this difficult moment are with the all the people in Serbia, Bosnia and Croatia”, said UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai. “Many livelihoods in this part of Europe depend on the tourism sector and we are calling on tourists to continue to visit the destinations and establishments still in operation as this can help speed up rebuilding efforts", he added.

Tourism Minister Darko Lorencin said on Saturday that the organisation of "Red Bull Air Race" in Rovinj over this weekend was one of the best ways to usher in this year's tourist season in Croatia. The world's fastest motorsport series is making a first-ever stop in Croatia, with its events in the Istrian coastal town of Rovinj on 12-13 April. The Red Bull Air Race World Championship features the world's best race pilots in a pure motorsport competition that combines speed, precision and skill. Using the fastest, most agile and lightweight racing planes, pilots navigate a low-level aerial track made up of air-filled pylons 25 metres high. The Red Bull Air Race 2014 World Championship has recently announced it will add a third stop in Europe with a race in the enchanted Croatian town of Rovinj and thus extend the world's fastest motorsport series to a total of eight stops in seven countries on three continents. The organisers say the Rovinj location guarantees only the best views for spectators.

The Institute of Physical Planning of Primorje-Gorski Kotar County last Tuesday presented a study on possibilities of introducing scuttling as a special tourism service intended to prolong the peak tourist season. Scuttling is a deliberate sinking of vessels which are made tourist attractions that way. For the time being, there is no official position on scuttling or surveys on locations where vessels could be scuttled without any harm. Scuttling vessels is normally not associated with recreation, so the Institute is looking into where and how it could be done. Deliberately sunk vessels must be outside navigation routes and they must be environmentally harmless and safe for divers, it was said at the presentation.