ZAGREB, March 5 (Hina) - In 2003 Croatia may expect to make 61.5 billion kuna (EUR8.1 bln) in revenue from tourism and travel, which includes revenue generated by domestic tourists, business trips, capital investments, and foreign
tourists -- the latter expected to account for 35.5 billion kuna (EUR4.7 bln).
ZAGREB, March 5 (Hina) - In 2003 Croatia may expect to make 61.5
billion kuna (EUR8.1 bln) in revenue from tourism and travel, which
includes revenue generated by domestic tourists, business trips,
capital investments, and foreign tourists -- the latter expected to
account for 35.5 billion kuna (EUR4.7 bln). #L#
This was said at a news conference on Wednesday at the presentation
of Croatia's tourist satellite balance, which has been compiled by
the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC).
If Croatia's tourism meets certain requirements, it will continue
to record above-average growth rates over the next ten years, WTTC
representatives said. According to estimates, the growth could be
an annual 6.9 percent.
The tourist satellite balance is a standard methodology used to
gauge tourism and its impact on a country's economy. It offers an
opportunity for comparison with 161 states the balance is made
for.
The significance of the balance is that it does not cover tourism
only as a sector but its entire spending.
In the past, Croatia's central bank produced data on revenue
generated by foreign tourists alone, whereas now all tourism
sectors are included -- revenue from travel and domestic tourists,
business trips, state funds spent on tourism, capital investments,
and revenue generated by foreigners who bough a product in Croatia
and took it home, said Pave Zupan-Ruskovic, Croatia's tourism
minister.
This year the tourism and travel sector in Croatia will generate
41.6 billion kuna (EUR5.5 bln) -- 22.4 percent of GDP -- directly
and indirectly as it taps into all sectors of the economy, said WTTC
vice president Ufi Ibrahim. Directly and indirectly tourism
includes 294,000 jobs -- 27.4 percent of all employees.
WTTC president Jean-Claude Baumgarten said Croatia had natural
resources, its preserved environment was a great advantage, and its
possibility of planning sustainable development was fantastic.
Drawing up the balance for Croatia cost some $145,000. In the future
Croatia's Central Bureau of Statistics will do it itself, thanks to
the methodology transferred by the WTTC.
The WTTC is a non-profit organisation with 97 members -- world
tourist organisations -- which is financed through membership
fees.
(hina) ha sb