August 7, 2019 - Ferragosto is known as the summer holiday period for Italians. This year, not unlike the past, Croatia remains one of their top destinations.
Italy represents one of the most important markets for the Croatian tourism sector, which has achieved 579,000 arrivals and 2.3 million overnight stays so far, representing a 1.3 percent increase in arrivals and a 2.4 percent increase in overnight stays compared to last year, reports Dalmacija Danas.
Positive results were also achieved in July, during which Italian tourists generated 209,000 arrivals and 1.1 million overnight stays, which represents a growth of 1.5 percent in arrivals and 3 percent in overnight stays compared to July last year.
Croatian National Tourist Board Director Kristjan Staničić points out that the above results are excellent indicators for Ferragosto, the period when the largest number of Italian tourists visit Croatian destinations.
"Most of the tourist traffic from the Italian market is follows the announcements for August and the first half of September, which key partners, tour operators and agencies confirm.
This is the result of a continuous and proactive promotional strategy that includes numerous marketing and PR campaigns, as well as excellent cooperation with Italian partners,” said Staničić, adding that the increasing transport links between Italy and Croatia are a driving factor for the further growth of tourist traffic from this market.
Italians mostly travel by car (almost 60 percent), followed by airplane (20 percent), train, bus and boat. When it comes to booking travel, about 56 percent of Italians book their trips directly, 37 percent do not book at all, while about 7 percent book their trips through an agency. When looking at accommodation in Croatia, Italians prefer household facilities and hotels, while in the tourist offer, they value top gastronomy, natural beauty, nautical tourism, and especially in the post-season, health tourism.
"We have done key promotional activities in the Italian market, which is evident from the results achieved, but also from numerous positive announcements that certainly contribute to creating a positive image and recognition of Croatia in this important market. Traditionally, Italians travel the most in August, with their favorite foreign destinations being Greece, Spain, and Croatia, where they most often travel to Istria, Kvarner, and Dalmatia, but increasingly discover the continental part of our country, especially Zagreb,” said Viviana Vukelić, Director of the Croatian National Tourist Board representation in Italy.
The popularity of Croatia among Italians is evidenced by several publications in the Italian media. Just before the tourist season, most were written about the Croatian islands and the coast, summer festivals, locations where the popular series ‘Game of Thrones’ was filmed, national parks, beautiful beaches, and detailed reports on trips with motorcycles and campers were published. The specialized magazine ‘Caravan e Camper’ dedicated its cover to Korčula, calling it timeless, while the cover of the popular ‘Dove’ magazine featured Vrbnik on the island of Krk. Furthermore, the Hvar lavender fields and the Makarska Riviera adorn the cover of 'Bell'Europa'.
The June issue of the specialized sailing magazine "Il giornale della Vela" published a detailed report on sailing in Croatia, providing a series of information on where to sail in Croatia, which bays to rest in, and what destinations on the islands and the coast to visit, all of which are illustrated by attractive photographs. The Kornati is featured on the cover.
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