He was speaking to the press in Split on Friday, where he attended an international conference on small hotels.
Lorencin said small and family hotels were very important for the diversity of the offer and that they would be important in applying for European Union structural funds.
Under the government's tourism strategy, some 200 family and small hotels and about 100 boatels are expected to be opened in Croatia by 2020.
Commenting on the National Tourist Board's figures, Lorencin said the first five months of the year saw 1.93 million arrivals and 6.75 million nights, up seven and 11 per cent on the year respectively.
Nights from Germany were up 17 per cent, from Russia 14, Austria six and Great Britain 27 per cent, while those from Italy fell ten per cent because of the crisis there.
Lorencin recalled his visit to Russia and Ukraine earlier this week, saying 17,000 visas for Croatia had been issued in Russia and that 19 visa centres would be opened in that country.
He said he assured Russian and Ukrainian tour operators that the introduction of visas had not been Croatia's wish or choice but an obligation under EU regulations.
He added that efforts were being made to cushion the impact of visas on tourism results.
The minister expects about 200,000 Russian tourists to vacation in Croatia this year, as in 2012.