CROATIA EXPECTS GOOD TOURIST SEASON - TOURISM MINISTER

ZAGREB, May 10 (Hina) - Croatian Tourism Minister Niko Bulic held a press conference in Zagreb on Friday on the forthcoming tourist season. The conference was held at the Hotel Esplanade and was attended by 73 journalists from 18 countries. Bulic said that this year's tourist season was expected to surpass that of 1994, which has been the most successful since Croatia gained independence. About 2.3 million foreign visitors were expected to spend their holidays in Croatia this year and, together with domestic tourists, about 22 million overnight stays were expected. Overall tourist spending could reach USD 2 billion, he added. Bulic cited the beauty of untouched nature as one of the greatest advantages of Croatian tourism. "The preserved environment is our greatest asset," he said. Among tourist attractions that may be interesting to foreign tourist he mentioned international tennis tournaments, regattas and many cultural events. Bulic stressed that tourists coming to Croatia need not be worried about their safety. (hina) vm jn 101618 MET may 96