This year's tourism revenue 12 bn euro says minister - PM says cabinet meeting on Hvar has reference to development of islands

Tourism Minister Gari Cappelli on Friday told the cabinet that this year's revenue from tourism will amount to 12 billion euro, which is one billion more than last year and added that since the start of the year, 42 new hotels, 31 new camps and 26 new hostels were opened.

"Last year we had a record year of 11 billion euro in revenue from tourism, while this year we expect that to increase to 12 billion euro. This refers to overall revenue generated by domestic and foreign guests. Since the start of the year, we've recorded more than 18.8 million arrivals and 104 million bed nights with the 100th million being recorded one month earlier than last year. That is an increase of 6% in arrivals and 4% in overnight stays which is in line with what was planned. We've recorded an increase of 14% in fact during the shoulder season, this October," the minister underscored presenting the results of the tourism year to the cabinet.

Cappelli announced that precise figures will be known at the end of the year with details of the impact of tourism on the economy overall.

Speaking about investments in tourism, Cappelli said that investors have recognised the potential here and that this year investments are expected to, or have already been achieved, in the amount of about 1 billion euro in that sector. Of that amount 628 million euro refers to investments in the private sector and 311 million euro in the public sector, which is an increase of 15% compared to last year. The minister presented these figures when the cabinet sent a set of three tourism-related bills to the national parliament.

Today's cabinet meeting on the island of Hvar has reference to the development of islands, and "a hand has been extended" to the island populations through a bill on islands and three tourism-related bills, since a quarter of tourism revenues comes from the islands, Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said after the meeting in the town of Hvar on Friday.

The meeting focused on the development of the Adriatic islands and summed up the outcome of the country's most successful tourist season so far. The government also signed several projects and decisions on financing the projects on the islands, with an aggregate amount of 5.6 billion kuna.

The prime minister said that some of the projects related to the development of the electricity supply system in the next 10 years. (Hina/FaH)

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