The government has adopted two decrees enabling tourism boards to absorb funds from two tourism funds, one for underdeveloped and continental areas, and the fund for associated tourism boards with the aim of supporting them amid a fall in revenue resulting from the coronavirus pandemic.

Tourism and Sports Minister Nikolina Brnjac explained that the decrees would enable support to be paid out this year already.

She added that the law on tourism fees and membership fees in tourism boards prescribed the establishment of a fund for support to tourism boards in areas with an underdeveloped tourism sector and continental areas to develop tourism products.

Brnjac said that the fund currently has HRK 24 million available and that the money could be distributed to about 170 local and 14 regional tourism boards.

The second decree refers to the fund for amalgamated tourism boards whose funding will be made available to associated tourism boards and boards that sign an agreement on project cooperation before 31 December 2020.

“There are currently 19 registered amalgamated boards and another six that have signed project agreements. The fund currently has HRK 8.8 million,” she said, adding that the funds can be used only for tasks envisaged by their annual work programmes or project agreements and that no more than 50% can be used for administrative costs.