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Croatia is fortunate to have a tourism sector that benefits during times of crisis and the world and this government has decided to additionally stimulate the sector which can be seen through the introduction of a differential Value Added Tax (VAT) rate to come into effect as of 1 January next year. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Regional Development and European Funds Branko Grcic said that on Friday at a meeting of tourism employees with government members during the Croatian Tourism Days currently being held in Dubrovnik. In addition to Minister Grcic and Tourism Minister Veljko Ostojic, a strong government delegation attending the discussion included Minister of Entrepreneurship and Trade Gordan Maras, Minister of Maritime Affairs, Transport and Infrastructure Sinisa Hajdas Doncic and Deputy Construction Minister Ana Mrak Taritas. Each announced certain measures that should contribute to an even better tourist season next year.

The British ABTA travel association, one of the most influential agencies in the world with over six thousand members has chosen Dubrovnik for its annual assembly in 2013. The agency will in that regard, promote Croatia as an attractive tourist destination. This year's ABTA assembly is being held in Turkey where the ABTA announced their plans for next year, the Head Office of the Croatian Tourist Board (HTZ) reported on Friday. The conference to be held in October next year is likely to attract around 700 professionals in the tourist sector from Great Britain.

A total of 9.5 million tourists vacationed in Croatia in the first eight months of 2012, generating nearly 53 million nights, up 2.3 per cent in arrivals and 3.2% in nights on the year. August saw a 2% rise in arrivals and a 2.3% rise in nights, the State Bureau of Statistics said on Friday. Foreign tourists generated 8.4 million arrivals, up 3.2% from the first eight months of 2011, and 48.5 million nights, an increase of 4.2%. August saw nearly three million foreign arrivals, up 2.5% on the year, and 19.3 million foreign nights, up 3%. Domestic tourists accounted for one million arrivals in the first eight months of 2012, down 4.5% on the year, and 4.2 million nights, down 7%. In August, Croatians accounted for 212,700 arrivals and 1.3 million nights, down 3.4% and 6% respectively.
 

The Croatian Bank for Reconstruction and Development (HBOR) has approved slightly over HRK 1 billion in loans to the country's tourist trade in the first nine months of 2012, which is an 80% increase from 2011, and the bank plans to increase its lending to this sector by between 7% and 10% in 2013, retaining the existing interest rates of 1%, 3% and 5%. This and other measures being prepared by the Tourism Ministry and the government are expected to increase the investment attractiveness and competitiveness of the Croatian tourism sector, Tourism Minister Veljko Ostojic and HBOR board chairman Anton Kovacev said on Tuesday. We expect 2.5-3 billion kuna of investments in tourism next year, which will be twice as high as this year, the minister said.