2001 TOURIST SEASON BETTER THAN IN 2000

ZAGREB, Oct 26 (Hina) - According to data on the number of overnight stays in the first nine months of 2001, the overall Croatian tourist season was better than in 2000. The season was prolonged and capacities were better filled than in 2000. Upon such results, it is realistic to expect that the tourism turnover would, in year 2001, reach nearly US$4 billion, Tourism Minister Pave Zupan Ruskovic said at a session of the Croatian Tourism Association Friday. Reporting on this year's tourist season results, Zupan Ruskovic said that in relation to 1990, the hotel occupancy increased by 11 percent. She also pointed to a better occupancy of camp-grounds and an increase in the number of beds as against 2000. The minister reported on survey results conducted in some 70 tourist companies which show the companies suffered a financial loss of 113 million kuna in year 2000, while this year's profit amounted to 425 million kuna . Zupan Ruskovic also commented on frequently criticised tourists' consumption, which, according to the Croatian National Bank (HNB) and the Tourism Institute, increased by 23 to 24 percent in relation to 2000. Such statistics, including an agreement on the privatisation of the biggest tourist companies to be signed with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in the near future, show Croatia's tourism is improving and that one could expect an increase of 5 percent in the number of tourists and 20 percent in the financial turnover in 2002. (hina) np sb