Croatia has had a successful first day at the World Travel Market 2011 exhibition which will be held from 7th to 11th November in London, UK. The Croatian Tourist Board held the press conference and announced the results from 2011 tourist season and plans for the next year.
Croatian tourism can expect record results for the 2011 tourist season, particularly from foreign markets including the UK, Niko Bulic Managing Director of the Croatian Tourist Board said at the press conference. Taking into account good cooperation with tour operators from the UK, as well as new seasonal flights, Croatia can expect steady tourist trade from the UK for next year as well, added Bulic.
Presenting the Croatian tourist offer for next year Bulic said that apart from good tourist programmes for the Adriatic coast, more tourist programs and facilities will be offered in the continental part of the country.
By the end of this year, Croatia can expect an increase of 8 per cent in tourist arrivals, and 7 per cent in number of nights, comparing with 2011 results. This will be a good start for 2012 season, which will be more demanding, said Zeljko Lenart, the Secretary of State for Tourism. Lenart presented country’s tourist boards’ results for the first ten months of 2011 from which indicate that 11 million tourists visited Croatia in 2011 and more than 64 million nights were recorded.
260,000 tourists from the UK visited Croatia, and the country recorded 1.35 million nights from UK visitors, which is an increase of 5 and 5.3 per cent respectively, said Lenart, expressing his hopes that good trends from the UK market will continue.
Held annually in London, World Travel Market is the premier global business-to-business event for the travel industry. Presenting a diverse range of destinations and industry sectors, the event gives an opportunity to UK and international travel professionals to meet, network, negotiate and conduct business under one roof.
More than five thousand exhibitors from 189 countries, 100 thousand travel trade professionals and about three thousand journalists will attend this year's 32nd World Travel Market exhibition. World Travel Market’s Director Fiona Jefrey expects the exhibition to exceed last year's one by value of deals, which last year were estimated at around £ 1.4 billion.
Photo: Croatia Tourist Board