The traditional annual meeting of workers from the Croatian tourist sector began in the coastal city of Sibenik on Wednesday evening, with Tourism Minister Damir Bajs saying in his opening speech that a plan with measures for the next tourist season was sent to the government for discussions. Bajs expects the government to consider next week the plan which he said should facilitate the improvement of results in 2012 after this most successful year in terms of tourism.
The minister said that in the last four years, EUR 6 billion had been invested in the Croatian tourist trade, with three billion having been invested by hoteliers.
Marcio Favilla L. de Paula of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) praised Croatia as a success story when it came to tourism and as one of the most desirable European and global destinations. With a 12-percent rise in the arrivals of foreign guests in the first half of 2011, Croatia is far above the European average of 6.6-percent increase, and it fared even more better than the world with a 4-percent increase in foreign guests arrivals in H1, he said.
The Croatian Festival Days event, which will run until 21 October, has brought together more than 2,000 participants from Croatia and abroad. (Hina)