ZAGREB, Aug 8 (Hina) - The Croatian travel agencies association (UHPA) described this year's tourist season as problematic with insufficient preparations.
ZAGREB, Aug 8 (Hina) - The Croatian travel agencies association
(UHPA) described this year's tourist season as problematic with
insufficient preparations. #L#
However, the agencies hope they will succeed in accomplishing their
aims by the end of this year, i.e. a rise between five and ten
percent in the volume of business.
The accomplishment of this goal will depend on the business results
after the peak of season in September and October, said the UHPA
director, Maja Stanic on Thursday.
According to Stanic, not so good results this season in comparison
to last summer are a consequence of lower occupancy rates in hotels
in June and July. The occupancy rate, however, can be improved this
month thanks to a great number of Italians vacationing on the
Adriatic coast.
Stanic pointed to the unreasonable and unjustified increase in
prices which some hoteliers had done recently. Such a price rise led
to "holes" in the hotel occupancy and a fall in the booking.
The situation is partly affected by the last year's terrorist
attacks in New York as well. Many European guests, particularly
Germans, seem more willing to opt for spending their holidays in
their countries, or they make a last-minute decision on going on
holidays abroad.
Stanic criticised Croatian tourist resorts for poor possibilities
to be offered to guests for extra spending.
The UHPA association has 189 full members, that are mainly Croatian
travel agencies, and 28 associate members such as Croatian
Airlines, 15 hotel companies, several rent a car agencies and the
shipping company Jadrolinija.
(hina) ms