Experimental Week to Show Whether Croatia is Ready for Tourists

Croatian Tourism Minister Gari Kapeli has stated that the message goes out to all the neighboring countries that Croatia has started functioning as a tourist destination again, regardless of the measures related to coronavirus.

– It's very clear. You can come to a hotel, a camp, private accommodation, you can eat indoors and outdoors at restaurants. You can rent a boat and go sailing, as marinas are open. From today, Croatia is back to being a tourist country – he said on HRT.

He added that this was an experimental week, meant to show how everything works.

The Association of Hotel Managers of the Croatian Chamber of Commerce estimates that larger hotel companies will open around one or two of the potential ten hotels, whereas the others are waiting for the measures to be lifted.

Before the epidemic, agencies and hotels accepted reservations and payments. The money has been partly spent to prepare the season and now needs to be repaid. The amount is around EUR 200-220 million. The minister says that the money must be returned and that the state will not guarantee for a return of the money from vouchers.

– In Croatia, the amendments to the Law on the Provision of Services in Tourism enabled travel agencies to issue vouchers instead of making repayments, for a period of 180 days – Kapeli said.

Talking about the cancellation of reservations, he says that May is lost for tourism, as is June, for the most part. He points out that July, August and September are the most important, when 63% of the revenues in tourism are realized.

Ministry of Tourism of Croatia

Croatian Chamber of Commerce

Association of Hotel Managers of the Croatian Chamber of Commerce

Gari Kapeli

coronavirus

Covid 19

vouchers

Law on Provision of Services in Tourism

cancellation of reservations