CROATIAN TOURIST AGENCIES SEEK FINANCIAL HELP FROM GOVERNMENT

ZAGREB, April 28 (Hina) - The Association of Croatian Travel Agencies (UHPA) has asked the Government to grant it financial assistance for damage the association will face this year due to the NATO operation in neighbouring Yugoslavia. The agencies will register damage according to one of the three parameters - tourism income, the number of overnight stays, and paid Value Added Tax. If NATO strikes continue until late May, the UHPA believes Croatian tourist agencies will suffer damage amounting to more than US$60 million. The association believes the current stalemate in bookings for the main tourist season will result in 50 per cent less tourist business than planned. About 20 per cent of the planned tourist business will be realised in the area of Dubrovnik, between 40 and 50 per cent in Dalmatia, and 70 per cent in Istria, UHPA president and head of the Dubrovnik Travel Agency, Pave Zupan-Ruskovic, told Tourism Minister Ivan Herak. New cancellations of the already booked holidays by Belgian and Dutch tourists have been registered recently in Opatija, northern Adriatic. The Dutch and Belgians are traditional Croatian guests and had visited Croatia during the Homeland War. (hina) jn rml.