Biograd Boat show attracted more than 300 exhibitors and 300 vessels on display

The 24th was officially opened in Biograd today. Biograd Boat show, organized by Ilirija dd

The largest nautical fair in Central Europe, also a gold member of the International Association of Nautical Fair Organizers, is of exceptional importance for Croatian nautical and tourism.

This year, the fair will gather a record number of more than 300 exhibitors and 300 vessels on display with accompanying fair events; 6. Nautical Days of the Croatian Chamber of Commerce with numerous meetings of industry associations, business presentations and networking social events, and Croatia Charter Expo, a 'business-to-business' event intended for international professionals and stakeholders of the yacht charter industry.

This year's fair presents more than 40 new vessels up to 22 meters in length, including the new Monachus 70 Fly, the largest serial yacht in the history of Croatian shipbuilding.

Opening the fair, Josip Bilaver the State Secretary for the Sea and EU Funds in the Ministry of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure emphasized that nautical is one of the leading sectors in the overall tourism result of the Republic of Croatia, as shown by this year's excellent figures, according to which more than 53 thousand foreign yachts and boats stayed in the Adriatic . "The nautical offer is accompanied by the appropriate infrastructure in our ports and nautical centers, in which the Ministry of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure continuously invests. I believe that the investments we are making today in the port infrastructure, which are worth around HRK 2 billion, have made and will make their contribution to strengthening Croatia's position on the world nautical map." Bilaver stated.

Nautical tourists spend 40% more than the average Croatian tourist

Dragan Kovačević, At the opening, the vice-president of the HGK for Agriculture and Tourism emphasized that a top fair event like the Biograd Boat Show with more than a hundred foreign exhibitors is a strong contribution to the branding of Croatia as a nautical destination. Croatia is a nautical superpower, and nautical tourism strongly contributes to the diversification and specialization of the tourist offer, the extension of the tourist season, but also to higher tourist consumption.

"We should not forget that nautical tourists spend 40% more than the average Croatian tourist. To strengthen the nautical offer, it is necessary to raise the quality of the offer and invest in infrastructure, equipment, digitization, because water, electricity and mooring are no longer enough. We believe  that the soon-to-be-announced adoption of the Law on Maritime Property and Sea Ports will be a strong incentive for investments and the development of nautical tourism in general." concluded Kovačević.

Nautical tourism is one of the most propulsive segments of our tourist offer, as the numbers show this year as well.

In the first 9 months of this year, about 500 arrivals and about 3,3 million overnight stays were recorded in nautical charter, which is a 20 percent better result than in the same period of 2021.

Boaters are demanding that the new Law on Maritime Property and Sea Ports be passed as soon as possible

As part of the fair, the Croatian Chamber of Commerce traditionally gathers all stakeholders of the public and private nautical sector in a congress program through HGK Nautical Days, the focus of which this year is on strategic documents and plans that will determine the long-term position of nautical tourism in Croatia.

It is about the new Law on Maritime Property and Sea Ports, the Sustainable Tourism Development Strategy until 2030, and the Strategic Marketing and Operational Plan of the Croatian Tourist Board. 

Sustainability in nautical tourism with the new Law on maritime property and seaports was the focus of the panel discussion of the Association of Nautical Tourism HGK, where special emphasis was placed on the need for urgent adoption of the new Law as a prerequisite for further serious investments in marinas in order to maintain and raise the quality of service which is currently stagnating due to uncertainty after the concession periods expire.

"Without a clear, fair and developmental law that, among other things, regulates "What happens at the end of the ballad?", investments in marinas whose concessions are nearing their end will lose their luster that has graced us for years." said Sean Lisjak, president of the HGK Marina Association.

"Nautical tourism has shown its tenacity through the last crisis years and remained the "cherry on the top" of Croatian tourism, and in order to continue to invest, primarily in the quality of service, it is necessary to urgently include activities in nautical tourism among the acceptable applicants for tenders from the NPOO , adoption of the Law on Maritime Property and finding additional solutions for the problem of temporary employment for charter activity. The perspective should be in quality service, satisfied guests, satisfied employees and preserved primary resource - the Adriatic Sea and a satisfied local community." he concluded Paško Klisović, president of the Nautical Tourism Association and the charter group at HGK.

Female representatives also took part in the panel The Association for Nature, Environment and Sustainable Development of the Sun, the Green Sail initiative and the "Blue World" Institute - the Lošinj educational center about the sea related to cooperation with the nautical tourism association HGK on projects of sea conservation and sustainability of nautical tourism. 

Photo: Ilirija dd