The successful tourist season is increasing the fiscal capacity for possible government interventions in the autumn, Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said on Thursday.

Plenkovic and his aides were in the central coastal town of Petrcane for a meeting with representatives of the tourism sector, the heads of the coastal counties and business executives.

They discussed the tourist results achieved so far this year and described them as very good.

Plenkovic said that the good tourist results would “strengthen the fiscal capacity for various interventions in the autumn and the crisis that awaits us.”

“So far this year Croatia has recorded 10.7 million tourist arrivals and 56.6 million overnight stays. That is 10 per cent fewer arrivals and four per cent fewer overnight stays than in the record-breaking 2019. What gives us a particular reason for joy is that the value of fiscalised receipts so far this year has reached HRK 20.581 billion (€2.7bn), which is an increase of 33 per cent compared with 2019,” the prime minister said.

Plenkovic said that the government measures put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic had preserved a large number of jobs in the tourism sector.

He pointed out that forthcoming accession to the euro area and the Schengen area, the opening of Peljesac Bridge and the upgrade of Croatia’s credit rating to investment grade were of paramount importance for the country’s tourism industry.

Citing a report by the Croatian Central Bank, the prime minister said that this year Croatia had the most successful first quarter in its history in terms of revenues from foreign visitors. He added that Croatia should aspire to become a year-round tourist destination.

Tourism and Sport Minister Nikolina Brnjac said that the strategic goal was to achieve year-round, sustainable and competitive tourism.