We recently wrote about the Croatian tourism industry lacking in the luxury tourism segment. There's a manifestation going on in Rovinj this weekend that shows there's great potential for Croatian destinations to attract high-profile visitors: the 2nd Rovinj Beach Polo Cup.
This remarkable event is one of the rare manifestations of its kind when it comes to this elite sport, as the game is played on the beach and not on a regular polo field. The sand terrain slows down the game a bit and the audience is sat much closer to the field than usual, making the event a unique experiencefor the viewers. The Porton Biondi Beach where the tournament is taking place overlooks the gorgeous panorama of the Old town Rovinj.
Six international polo teams arrived in Rovinj yesterday, 19 May, accompanied by around 60 Argentinian horses. The tournament is expected to attract up to 6000 visitors, headed by a VIP clientele coming from Germany and joined by multiple German TV station crews. The fact that the Beach Polo Cup is sponsored by leading global brands such as Bentley, D1 Milano and Veuve Clicquot points to the potential of Rovinj to mark its place on the world tourism map.
(Gala dinner, PR photo)
The tournament is organised by the hotel company Maistra that implemented other attractive projects in Rovinj in the past, aiming to position this Istrian gem as a prestigious tourist destination. "Superior tourism implies developing high-quality accommodation units into which we have invested almost three billion kuna so far, and will invest two more billion before 2020. We aim to get 95% of our hotel capacities to the level of four or five stars." said marketing director of Maistra David Flam.
Apart from the sports tournament, the audience will enjoy the rich entertainment programme organised by the Eilika Habsburg Foundation and culminating with a music show by Tony Hadley, the former frontman of the legendary British band Spandau Ballet. The winning team will be announced on Sunday, 21 May, during a ceremony followed by a performance by the Croatian cellist Ana Rucner.
