Croatians Hoping for Tourism Increase
 

AFP

Nov. 28, 2003 — Croatia's picturesque Dalmatian coast is enjoying a strong revival in the tourism industry after the 1991-95 war, and voters here hope it will stay that way after Sunday's general election.

One of a series of Croatian medieval fortress towns which line the country's Adriatic coast, Split was for decades a playground for German and Italian tourists who flocked to its shores every summer.

But this thriving business, one of the mainstays of the Croatian economy, went bust during the 1991-95 Serbo-Croat war and it's only just showing signs of recovery, with last summer's season the best in more than a decade.

Voters here said that no matter who wins the election — the centre-left alliance under Prime Minister Ivica Racan or the nationalist Croatian Democratic Union — the continued growth of tourism was vital.

"I would like the new rulers to continue with the incumbent government's policy in tourism, providing also that they make investments more available by cutting interest rates and taxes," Mare Miosic, the owner of Mala Mare restaurant near Split, told AFP.

But she said controls on investment were important to protect the rustic charm of the region, with its rocky inlets and headlands dotted by stunning fortress walls and white beaches.

"Of course foreign investments are welcome, but some control should be ensured in order to preserve Dalmatia's authenticity," Miosic said.

"And most importantly, the future government must have efficient control over construction because otherwise the coast could become overbuilt."

Images of the 1991 Serb shelling of the World Heritage-listed town of Dubrovnik left a lingering impression on potential visitors.

But the damage was quickly repaired and the town's historic treasures survived. Visitors today would not even know there had been a war, unless they looked hard at some of the shrapnel marks on the walls.

After last season Croatia now hopes its war-battered tourism industry will make up nearly one third of the country's gross domestic product by the end of the decade.

The government hopes that receipts from the leisure industry will reach 7.5 billion dollars by 2010, putting it back on Europe's tourist map alongside southern France, the Greek islands, Italy and Spain.

Tourism currently makes up 22 percent of the Croatian GDP, a vital contribution to an economy that is struggling with the transition from communism, nationalist autocracy and inter-ethnic bloodshed.

Last year was the best for the local tourism industry since 1990, despite the general slump in worldwide travel due to terrorism and security fears.

A total of 8.9 million tourists visited Croatia during the first nine months, while overnight stays reached 45 million. Most travelers came from Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Italy and Slovenia.

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