Tourism Minister Tonči Glavina met with representatives of the tourism sector in Istria County in Rovinj on Friday, where he praised Croatia's progress towards becoming a year-round destination.
He thanked tourism workers for an "exceptional tourist season" and said today's talks focused on improving cooperation, implementing the reform in tourism development management, and the "challenging" years ahead for tourism.
Glavina underlined the need to manage tourism based on sustainability principles. "Sustainability is what will differentiate destinations in the future and create or take away a certain market competitiveness," he said, adding that strong reform steps are being taken in the tourism, fiscal and tax policies as well as spatial planning.
He said the new Tourism Act created the conditions for cities and municipalities to significantly contribute to tourism management through their decisions.
According to Glavina, climate change presents a new challenge not just for Croatia but for all destinations. Today, 76% of travellers choose vacation spots based on environmental and climate considerations and the conditions in which services are provided, he said.
Glavina thinks next year's season will be very challenging, as additional methods must be found to improve tourism results. "Weather conditions affect post-season tourism, like camping, and it's not reasonable to expect excellent results. If all of Europe is facing major problems and cities are flooded, people won’t travel. In this context, we are seeing a slight decline, but we believe this will soon balance out."
Prefect Boris Miletić said Istria County is a "champion of tourism," but it needs to focus more on sustainability, preserving space, and ensuring the satisfaction of local residents.
"Space is one of the most valuable resources, and to remain competitive, we need to think long-term. Tourism accounts for more than 20% of Croatia’s GDP, and since Istria accounts for over 30% of the country's tourism turnover, it means that Istrian tourism contributes over 7% to Croatia's GDP."
Only by preserving its space can Istria remain sustainable and attractive in the long run, he added.
Kristijan Staničić, director of the Croatian National Tourist Board, thinks 2025 will be a demanding and challenging year for Croatian tourism, especially after this year's fluctuations in turnover from certain markets.
(Hina)
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