Croatian Tourism Minister Darko Lorencin said on Wednesday this year would be very tough for Croatia's tourism on the Russian market because of Russia's recent political connotations, the fall of the ruble and the rearrangements on the Russian tourism market, and not just because of the visa regime.
Speaking to Hina over the phone from the MITT travel show in Moscow, he said he had spoken with Russian tour operators and they said that Croatia should nonetheless insist on promotion on the Russian market, notably in May and June.
Lorencin said TUI Russia director general Alexey Drobotov told him that 200 agents and 40 journalists and bloggers would tour Croatia this year.
Lorencin also spoke with many Russian journalists. He said Croatia's embassy and consular office had approved nearly 900 visas for Russians this year. He said the visas for Croatia had been extended from 90 to 180 days and that all Russians who had visited Croatia last year would get a one-year visa if they applied for it this year.
(Hina)