During this year's first eight months, Croatian nautical ports registered 3% less guests and 1% less night stays, as compared to the same period in 2004. These figures are supported by results achieved only in August, 2005.
This is also the first time, after few years of continuous growth, for Croatian nautical ports to record a decrease in visits and night stays.
According to the Central Bureau of Statistics, in this year's first eight months, nautical ports hosted over 616 000 tourists and achieved 900 600 night stays.
Although foreign nautical tourists realised 94% of the total arrivals and 95% of the total night stays, compared to the same period during the previous year, their number went down by 4% (total of 579 000), while the number of their night stays went down by 2% (total of 853 800).
The same ports registered a 14% increase of domestic tourist arrivals (total of 37 100), followed by a 20% increase of domestic night stays (total of 46 700).
Only in August, those port were visited by 199 500 tourists (down by 11% over 2004). This caused also a 12% decrease in the number of night stays (total of 311 700).
This year, three out of six Adriatic counties registered a decline in the number of visits to their nautical ports during the first eight months (Primorje-Gorski Kotar, Istria, Dubrovnik-Neretva), while the rest registered somewhat better results (Zadar, Šibenik-Knin, Split – Dalmatia).
The nautical ports in the County of Šibenik- Knin registered the best growth with a 2% increase in arrivals (total of 190 200) and a 10% increase in night stays (total of 266 500), as compared to 2004.
Next in line are the nautical ports in the County of Zadar, reporting a 1% decrease in arrivals (total of 123 800) but a 5% increase in night stays (total of 155 800), as compared to 2004.
The nautical ports in the County of Split – Dalmatia counted the same number of arrivals (total of 114 300) and a 3% increase in night stays (total of 138 800).
The Istrian nautical ports noted a 7% decrease in tourist arrivals (total of 86 200) and an 8% decrease in night stays (total of 154 500), as compared to 2004.
Nautical ports in the County of Primorje – Gorski Kotar were visited by 12% less tourists (total of 56 000) and an even higher loss was noted with the 22% decrease in nights (total of 108 800).
The County of Dubrovnik – Neretva and its nautical ports also noted an 11% decrease of nautical tourists (total of 45 300) which caused a 5% decrease of night stays (total of 76 000). (Hina)