US TOUR OPERATORS GIVE POSITIVE ASSESSMENT OF CROATIA

( Editorial: --> 0741 ) ZAGREB, June 12 (Hina) - American tour operators visiting Croatia consider Croatia as an attractive destination for US tourists. About 10 representatives of the United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA), who are visiting Croatia from June 10-16, have so far visited the Adriatic towns of Dubrovnik and Split and the islands of Korcula, Hvar and Mljet. By the end of the visit, they will have visited Zagreb, parts of the Croatian Zagorje region (north-west of Zagreb) and the town Samobor near Zagreb. On Monday, a workshop will be held in the Zagreb City Hall, with representatives of the Croatian Tourism Ministry, Croatian Tourism Association (HTZ), county and town tourism associations and Croatian tourist agencies attending. The assessment by the US tour operators could mean a higher number of American tourist arrivals, said deputy director in the HTZ head office, Nikola Racic. USTOA is the largest association of US tour operators, used by 65 million tourists each year. Its annual turnover amounts to US$37 million. (hina) jn rml/bag 121627 MET jun 98