Tourism results beyond expectations, says minister

Tourists from Germany are most numerous in Croatia and this year 1.9 million Germans visited Croatia, generating 15 million overnights and making up 22% of all overnight stays in Croatia, Tourism Minister Veljko Ostojic said on Monday in the northern Adriatic town of Rovinj, following a meeting of Croatian tourism representatives and the German ADAC auto club.

Minister Ostojic pointed out that in the first nine months of 2012 Croatia realised 6.4% more overnights and 5% more arrivals than compared to the corresponding period last year and that these results were beyond his expectations considering the economic situation around the globe.

He said that the German market deserved special attention and that German tourists were mostly interested in camping facilities which will need to enhance their quality.

ADAC vice president in charge of tourism Max Stich advised that the club had 18 million members and that the findings of a recent survey put Croatia in fifth place as a hit tourist destination.

Minister Ostojic said that Croatia could not expect significant investments into camping sites until concession agreements were signed.

The government is working on improving concession conditions which will offer long term business stability, he added.

"The Ministry will support projects that make sense but physical planning is a matter for county authorities to deal with", he said in reference to a proposed project for a tourist complex on the island of Krk that would require changes to the current physical plan. (Hina)