PRESS INVITATION

Croatia on   “Matka 2006”

        success doesn’t happen overnight
several reasons for such     unprecedented growth in Croatia’s popularity

On Thursday the 19 ^th  of January  , Dario Matosevic, manager for the Croatian tourist office in the Nordic countries, will inform on how to travel to Croatia and what country has to offer.

       W E L C O M E!
            to Croatia´s show case nr. 6m40

     Over the past 10 years Croatia has been rebuilding its infrastructure on very healthy foundations and image along the lines of destination’s slogan “Croatia-Mediterranean as it once was”, quality rather than volume, eco clean environment, preserved balance of local slow pace of life and volume of tourists, non-commercialised and not overbuilt coast and islands, charming old towns and villages, history, culture all blended in perfect harmony.
During    2005, 9, 434 402 guests visited Croatia.  The number of foreign tourists, totalling  7, 606 086    marks as  8 % increase over last year. Croatia’s trend in popularity growth from Finland    has continued with 16.923 Finland    visitors in 11  months, an enviable  33 % increase on same period last year.
 Crucial factor in the success was media (likewise in other countries), who recognised Croatia as… a gem of old… “non-hamburgerised” Mediterranean… just  about 3  hours flight away from Helsinki. Consumer demand for Croatia is naturally followed by tour operators and airlines. Other scandinavian  markets  inkl. Finland have had similar high increases to Croatia: Sweden+66%,Denmark+45%, Norway +85 %
Overall increase from all markets +8% over 12 months of 2004.
¨      Government and local authorities investment into improving infrastructure over past 10 years has been huge: new motorways connecting Zagreb and the coast, local roads improvements, water and sewage systems update, clean harbours and environmental projects, most of the hotel stocks have gone through refurbishment and upgrading process. International chains include Sheraton, Hilton, Regent Hotels, Sol Melia, Iberostar, RIU, Wren’s Hotel Group, Luksic Group, and Le Meridien is building 5* a resort and convention complex near Split due to open in August 2006.
¨      In view of increased clients demand for small hotels, government project of support to local people in favourable loans has seen many old stone houses, manors and  farmhouses restored in traditional local character. Over 30 family run small 3-5* hotels have opened up in 2004 alone and Association of Small and Family Hotels, www.omh.hr, established in Split with aim to train their staff to maintain high standards, co-ordinate their marketing activities as since their first special catalogue “Small and family-run hotels of Croatia” with 72 hotels was published, the number has grown to almost 200 members.
For more information visit www.visitcroatia.nu or contact:

Dario Matosevic, manager, Croatian tourist Office in Scandinavia, Phone: + 46 8 53 48 20 80, E-mail: dario.matosevic@visitcroatia.nu or croinfo@telia.com