Sport and yachting fair: EUR 700 million income from nautical tourism in 2007

During the year 2007, nautical tourism generated an income of over EUR 700 million, which creates a 10 percent share of the total income from tourism in Croatia. Over 800 thousand nautical tourists visit over 96 Croatian nautical ports and the growth of nautical tourism is normally twice as high as the growth of stationary tourism, said the State Secretary for the Sea Branko Bačić at today's opening of the 17th International Fair 'Sport and Yachting' at the Zagreb Trade Fair Centre.

The average spending of a nautical tourist per day totals EUR 72, which is twice as much as the spending of tourists in stationary tourism. The average stay of a nautical tourist lasts for almost 16 days, underlined Bačić adding that all that was reason enough to improve the offer of nautical tourism in Croatia.

Bačić further pointed out that Croatia's characteristics include a well-indented coast with 1244 larger and smaller islands as well as the clearest water of the Mediterranean.

Talking about the future perspective of nautical tourism in Croatia, Bačić explained that the country is currently counting 21.160 berths of which 16 thousand are located in the sea.

He also announced that the Ministry of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure had prepared a Strategy for the development of nautical tourism which foresees the construction of additional 15 thousand berths throughout the upcoming ten years. In order to broaden the offer, he said, three new nautical centers are being prepared for concession (Ližnjan, Novi Vinodolski, Tisno) with a total of 761 berths.

In order to protect the environment, it is the country's intention, not to build the new nautical centers and berths in intact bays and national parks – but in already existing communal ports and the construction of marinas for mega yachts is planned to occur at locations close to airports.

Talking about the beginnings of nautical tourism in Croatia, Bačić especially emphasized that the alterations within the Maritime Code by the end of the year 2004 brought order into nautical tourism and that these new measures had put an end to illegal charter activities. The result was that during the last three years the number of charter companies increased up to six times, so that in the year of 2007 Croatia counted a total of 928 registered companies for the charter of yachts.

Bačić congratulated also the Croatian nautical manufacturers which produced around 2.000 vessels in 2007.

This year’s yachting exhibition, covering an area of 25 thousand square meters features around 500 exhibitors and more than 200 vessels.

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