According to a recent survey Croatia's major hotel companies expect to welcome 200,000 visitors and see about 600,000 overnight stays during the Christmas holidays, state news platform Hina said on Tuesday, republishing a press release from a trade group.

The association of hotel industry businesses UPUHH conducted the survey. The findings showed that hotel companies expect a 23 percent increase in arrivals and a 32 percent increase in overnight stays in the period from 23 December to 8 January compared to the same holiday period last season.

The head of the Croatian Association of Tourism HUT, Veljko Ostojic, was quoted as saying that “to have the tourist trade as the driver of the economy, it is necessary to prepare well for the forthcoming tourist season in 2023.”

“The new season will be demanding due to external uncertainties, stronger competition in the Mediterranean region, a workforce shortage and other challenges,” he added.