In the Split area today, 18,646 beds in household accommodations have been registered, which is 20% more than this time last year.
We know it seems like we’re beating you over the head with the tourism numbers this year, but it’s true, Split has become so popular that it is a magnet for guests from the Makarska Riviera to Trogir, and it is the ultimate "must-see" destination for anyone visiting Central Dalmatia.
Because of Split's success, many apartment renters in Split have left their former places of work and are entirely devoted to tourism. Hell, they’re earning better money and are more successful each year.
Tourist Board Director of Split, Alijana Vukšić, comments on the great growth in private accommodation facilities and where she sees the city heading next, reports Slobodna Dalmacija on July 26, 2017.
“To limit the uncontrolled number of accommodation capacities in households, many changes and restrictions would have to be made to amend the law, as well as the strategy for the development of tourism in the city of Split. That is why we have, in cooperation with the Faculty of Economics in Split, made a strategic marketing plan for the development of Split as a destination, which provides guidelines for the development of the tourism development strategy in the city of Split," said Alijana Vukšić.
“The development of tourist facilities has made Split one of the most recognizable and most attractive tourist destinations. Today, the average stay of guests in Split is three days, which is an excellent result for a destination that was a transit city just a few years ago. In June, there were 93,045 arrivals and 259,255 overnight stays, which is an increase of 33% in arrivals and a 30% increase in overnight stays when compared to the same time last year.
These indicators of tourist traffic are the result of many years of hard work by all tourist workers and are an indicator of the continued trend of tourism growth in Split. Excellent occupancy was recorded in June in hotel accommodations and household accommodations of a high category, and traditionally, the weakest was recorded in household accommodation facilities of the middle and lower categories.
This data confirms that tourism is a complex activity where meticulously controlled development and continued quality service is essential. According to the previous indicators for July, and when looking at the city squares filled with tourists today, it is clear that a significant number of accommodation capacities will be filled,” Vukšić added.
The system eVisitor further proves that these results don’t lie. In the first six months of 2017, there were 235,991 arrivals and 603,482 overnight stays, which is an increase of 31% in arrivals and an increase of 30% in overnights.
But regardless of the fact that the number of beds in private accommodations has indeed reached its tipping point, at least as far as lower and middle categories are concerned, there is still room for new hotels.
“Following the strategic marketing plan that will soon be available on our website, one of the main ways we can further develop Split as a tourist destination is to utilize our capacity better and to create year-round tourism. By continuing to reduce seasonality and achieving year-round tourism, we will, among other things, be able to develop sustainable tourism products further all year, such as business tourism.
Prerequisites for such development are additional hotel capacities and the categorization of existing facilities in households - and an excellent example is our connection to diffused hotels. The largest number of overnight stays per room available is in hotel facilities, which is also a prerequisite to developing business tourism further. The great interest from hotel chains, tour operators and congress organizers further confirms the need to increase hotel capacities,” concluded Vukšić.
