A majority of Europeans plan to travel for vacation this year, with Croatia ranking among the top ten most sought-after destinations, particularly for the summer season. This finding comes from a new study by the European Travel Commission (ETC), presented at their meeting in Lithuania, as reported by the Croatian National Tourist Board (HTZ) on Wednesday.
Kristjan Staničić, director of the HTZ and vice-president of the ETC, attended the ETC board meeting in Kaunas, Lithuania. He emphasized that the new ETC research, along with market forecasts, confirms Croatia’s strong position in tourism.
“The research aligns with our predictions and positive outlook for tourism in 2024. Current data from the eVisitor system shows that Croatia is among the most sought-after European destinations, with over 3.4 million tourist arrivals and 10.4 million overnight stays so far this year, representing an 11 percent increase in arrivals and a 10 percent increase in overnight stays compared to the same period last year,” stated Staničić.
The ETC directors’ meeting also addressed Europe’s priorities for 2024 to 2029, focusing on sustainability and green transition, competitiveness, digitalization, and current geopolitical and market trends.
The ETC research, conducted in ten European markets excluding countries like Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary—where Croatia is a leading foreign destination—would likely have shown even better results for Croatia if these countries had been included, according to Staničić.
Croatia Ranked 7th Among Most Sought-After Destinations
This study, the 18th ETC survey on European travel intentions, was conducted in April 2024 with nearly 6,000 adults from ten countries: Germany, the United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands, Italy, Belgium, Switzerland, Spain, Poland, and Austria. It revealed that 75 percent of respondents plan to travel between May and October 2024, a 3 percent increase from 2023.
The survey indicates that the most frequent travelers will be those aged around 55, with 81 percent planning to travel. Most Europeans, 60 percent, plan at least one trip within Europe, with July and August being the most popular months for travel among 44 percent of respondents. Approximately 36 percent of travelers seek relaxation in the sun and on beaches, as well as short city breaks, with other popular motives including scenic landscapes, local cuisine, and attractions.
In this research, Croatia ranks 7th among preferred holiday destinations in Europe. Italy and Spain hold the top two spots, followed by France, Greece, Germany, and Portugal. After Croatia, the top ten list includes Austria, the United Kingdom, and Turkey.
The ETC noted that Spain typically attracts the most regular visitors, followed by Greece, Italy, and France. For spring and summer 2024, Greece, Portugal, and Croatia are expected to welcome more new visitors than other destinations. Among the ten markets surveyed, tourists from Italy, Spain, Poland, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands show the highest intention to travel within the next six months.
Source link : https://www.thedubrovniktimes.com/times-travel/item/16360-croatia-ranks-among-top-ten-summer-destinations-in-europe-new-study-reveals
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Publish date : 2024-05-23 07:00:00
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