Croatia 'makes €6bn from tourism'

Croatia attracted €6 billion (£4.14 billion) worth of revenue from its tourism industry last year, according to new figures.

The Center for Macroeconomic Analyses at the Croatian Industrial Association claims that tourism revenues soared by nine per cent last year compared with 2004.

Center director Jasna Belosevic–Matic told Croatian newspaper Vijesnik that the tourism indices for the first months of 2006 are considerably stronger than the same period of 2005.

The Balkan state has a rich natural and cultural heritage, a warm climate and a delightful Adriatic coastline. It has been gradually developing its tourism industry since breaking away from the former Yugoslavia and the sector is flourishing.

Austrian economy and labour minister, Martin Bartenstein, recently highlighted Croatia's many attractions at a conference on European tourism in Vienna last month.

Both Mr Bartenstein and EU enterprise and industry commissioner, Guenther Verheugen, predicted a major boost for the country's tourism industry when it joins the European Union, according to the Southeast European Times.

Croatia attracts an estimated 48 million visitors a year, largely from neighbouring EU countries and the sector contributes around 20 per cent towards the nation's GDP.

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