CROATIAN DEPUTY TOURISM MINISTER SPEAKS AT TRIESTE FAIR

TRIESTE, June 23 (Hina) - Croatia's tourism is facing a major challenge of assuming a new market position which would secure further harmonious development of the country, Croatian Deputy Tourism Minister Vinka Cetinski said at an international consumer goods fair in Trieste on Tuesday. "Croatia's tourism has never been faced with a greater challenge. This is not only about its recovery and return to the international market but also about the need to assume new market positions in order to achieve harmonious development in the long run", Cetinski said at a press conference at the 51st Fiera campionaria intenazionale di Trieste. The most important task of the Croatian tourism is to distance itself from the model of a cheap destination with poor tourist offer, Cetinski said, stressing the importance of an active environmental policy and the policy of sustainable development. Croatia's most important tourism partners are Austria, Italy, Germany, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia and Poland. Italy is Croatia's third largest emission market, with 751,000 arrivals in 1998. Croatian authorities are to take additional measures to improve the image of the country's tourism and convince foreign guests that Croatia is a safe country for holidays, Cetinski said, adding the Government had set aside about DM20 million for that purpose. (hina) rml