Specialist operators lead way back to old favourites

Specialist operators lead way back to old favourites

UK TOUR operators are slowly beginning to return to Croatia but it is the specialist sector that is showing more faith in the market.

Sussex-based Holiday Options is featuring the destination for the third successive year in summer 2001, adding four more resorts and over 30 additional hotels.

Chairman Jonathan Oakes is enthusiastic about the future potential. “The country is recovering from the problems of the past. It is a fantastic destination from the point of view of value, weather and the people, and the Adriatic is one of the cleanest seas in the world,” he said.

“The majority of Britons returning to Croatia are going to the Dalmatian and Istrian coasts, which were very popular in the ’80s when Yugotours had a huge market to the former Yugoslavia.”

However, he said Croatia is not a familiar name to young agency sales staff, so there is a lot of work to do in familiarising both trade and public alike on what it offers and where it is.

“Many people think it’s somewhere in Eastern Europe but it is more in central southern Europe,” said Oakes. “It faces Italy to the west, Slovenia and Austria to the north, and Greece to the south.

“We have encouraged the Croatian ministry of tourism to invest in marketing the destination very vigorously to the British market in order to overcome this problem of perception.”

Holiday Options said the major market to Croatia are couples aged 45 upwards, who are looking for a mix of culture and good weather.

However, Oakes said it is also excellent for families, with lots of activities and water sports, and gently sloping beaches.

He added: “We will be promoting the family market very hard for next summer.”

Clear water: coastal resorts such as Primosten on the Dalmation Coast benefit from some of the cleanest seas in the world