ZAGREB, Nov 6 (Hina) - Tourism in Croatia in 2010 will employ some 380,000 people, and its direct and indirect effects are estimated to be some US$12.6 billion. This means that tourism will account for some 29 percent of the country's
GDP, government members said at a session on Thursday, at which they adopted a draft tourism development strategy for the period until 2010.
ZAGREB, Nov 6 (Hina) - Tourism in Croatia in 2010 will employ some
380,000 people, and its direct and indirect effects are estimated
to be some US$12.6 billion. This means that tourism will account for
some 29 percent of the country's GDP, government members said at a
session on Thursday, at which they adopted a draft tourism
development strategy for the period until 2010. #L#
Direct income from tourist spending in 2010 should total 7.5
billion dollars.
Tourism Minister Pave Zupan Ruskovic said that the strategy was
primarily aimed at defining ownership relations and finalising the
process of privatisation, as well as enabling the arrival of
international hotel brands at the Croatian market.
The minister spoke about the importance of developing an integral
tourist offer, improving the quality of accommodation, training
tourism workers, and adopting a physical plan for tourism
development, which would promote the construction of small
hotels.
Prime Minister Ivica Racan backed proposals to prevent the
devastation of tourist areas. More systematic measures of fighting
devastation will be one of the priorities of the new government, he
said.
Government members also endorsed draft strategies on the
development of culture, winter and mountain tourism, as well as a
project of historical roads. This project should help exploit the
tourist potential of roads which will be sidelined with the
construction of new highways.
The government also okayed measures for a more efficient
implementation of a golf development project.
It endorsed preparations for the tourist season 2004, which are
aimed at accomplishing a growth of 3-5 percent and securing a 15
percent increase in tourism revenue.
The government is satisfied with this year's tourism results. In
the first nine months, 8.9 million tourists visited Croatia, making
45 million overnights. In October alone, the number of tourists and
overnight stays increased by 10 and 11 percent compared to the same
month last year, Zupan Ruskovic said.
The tourism results prove that Croatia is considered a successful,
stable and safe country, Racan said.
(hina) rml