CROATIA RETURNS TO EUROPEAN TOURIST MARKET

ZAGREB, Aug 30 (Hina) - About 4.7 million foreign tourists visited Croatia by August 20, generating 28 million bed nights, which is 35 per cent more than last year, the Tourist Association said in a statement. Croatia has finally returned to the European tourist market. Of about 300 million tourists travelling round Europe, about 20 per cent visit France, 12 per cent Spain and nine per cent Italy. Before the war, Croatia was visited by 3.2 per cent of European tourists, but that percentage dropped to 0.2 per cent during the war. This year it recovered to 1.43 per cent. Croatia has prepared a document aimed at attracting a million more tourists and generating six million more bed nights and two billion kuna more in expenditure. It also aims to extend the tourist season. Croatian tourism is expected to return to the 1990 level in the year 2,000. Croatia suffered DM32 billion in damage caused by the war. (hina) vm jn 301549 MET aug 97