Croatia Plans to Invest up to 173 Mln Kuna (24.1 Mln Euro) in Tourism Promotion in 2009 - Media

Private companies operating in the sector could contribute on their own around 50 million kuna, Banka Magazine quoted Tourism Minister Damir Bajs as saying.  

Tourism is a key industry for the Adriatic country, contributing 18% of its gross domestic product in 2007. Last year tourist numbers in Croatia rose by 7.0% to 11.2 million, and overnights increased by 6.0% to 56 million.

Croatia's Tourism Ministry and the Croatian Tourist Board (HTZ) in 2008 will invest some 88 million kuna for tourism promotion, Banka Magazine added.

Croatia's Tourism Ministry expects 3.0% to 5.0% growth of tourism revenue and up to three percent rise in the number of tourists in 2008.

(1 euro = 7.188 Croatian kuna)