April 20, 2020 - Josko Stella, the director of the Split-Dalmatia County Tourist Board, was a guest of N1 television, where he spoke about how tourism is affected by the coronavirus pandemic, and whether prices would be reduced for domestic tourists on the coast this year.
Stella said that they've already been hit hard, but not so much considering it is still the preseason. "That real hit is yet to come," he reckons.
He points out that they expect that a bigger tourist influx could occur in August.
"Of course, there may or may not be a tourist season. Our Government and our Headquarters have made every effort to stop the spread of this virus. I ask everyone to stay home and stay on track and in this situation, our tourism will take precedence over others," said Stella.
"There is really a need to consult epidemiologists who need to define the rules of the game, or how the hoteliers and caterers will have to behave. We have 600 to 700 thousand beds in private accommodation, and almost 200 thousand of those in Split-Dalmatia County, which do not need too much preparation. I think we will be ready the moment things can open. It will be known long before and there will be time to prepare."
Asked about Croatia's advantage as an auto-destination, Stella replied: "It helps us because a lot of countries that are our traditional markets are auto-destinations, although I think airlines will work as well."
"To be clear to all, we now expect between 10 and 25 percent of the tourism we have had in recent years. Surely our tourism is structured primarily for foreign tourists, but it can also be adapted for domestic tourists. From the field, we have a situation that even peak season bookings are coming and there are no cancellations for the peak season. There is no change in prices, though everyone expects it to happen when things open," Stella told N1.
He thinks we must have a part of the season, no matter how small it is because of all the people in the tourism sector.
"It's clear to everyone that we want next season to be a lot better than this one," he points out.
"I think those in private accommodation will adjust the fastest, unlike caterers, hoteliers and others. The sooner we stick to the rules, the sooner this will end," Stella concluded.
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