The number of overnight stays and tourist visits are increasing in Split each year. It is no surprise then that the trend continued for this year's ULTRA Europe music festival.
Despite the worry that thousands of beds would remain empty, in the days preceding the festival, 21,000 beds were occupied and a good 7,000 were still free. The results now show that there were more tourists in Split than accommodation capacities, reports Index.hr on July 26, 2017.
In fact, during the three days of the music festival, there were 94,161 overnight stays, which is, on average, more than 30,000 per day. This means, quite simply, that there were more visitors than the number of beds reported. That's 6% more than last year!
This, however, does not mean that all the renters managed to attract guests. There were many accommodation facilities that remained empty during the festival, primarily because they were asking too much. The recommended increase in price for accommodation facilities was up 30%, and some even tried to ask twice as much as their regular price.
Instead of picking apart their pockets, guests this year were looking for cheaper accommodation in the very heart of Split or in the immediate vicinity. The market was quiet only for those that significantly raised their prices.
Many tourists in Split complained that the atmosphere before Ultra was not like it was in the previous years, but in the end, catastrophe was avoided. Some said that the festival was full for three days, and some claimed that the festival was significantly worse than in previous years. Especially on Friday, the first night of the Ultra.
“The waiters were worked up, we were all ready and waiting, and then nothing. There were no other guests because they didn’t want to come because of Ultra. Only the partiers remained, and even they did not visit us,” said the owner of a restaurant in the center of Split.
Alijana Vukšić, director of the Split Tourist Board, said that this year's Ultra established several things.
"This year, due to the specific situation surrounding the festival's confirmation, the complete list of performers was released sometime later than in previous years, which also influenced later bookings. The capacity of hotel accommodations was filled first, followed by private accommodations, and a large number of guests were also located in non-commercial accommodations. The festival's visitors showed great interest in the natural and cultural attractions of the County and Croatia, which proves that although their main motive for coming is the festival, the tourist offer is recognized," Vukšić said.
"This has been the best Ultra yet, and we will announce concrete numbers from the festival on Monday,” Joe Bašić, this year’s Ultra organizer, told reporters. He concluded by saying that the festival will remain in Split for the next five years.
During Ultra, most tourists were from the United Kingdom, Australia, Poland, USA and Germany.
