Minister Brnjac on a working visit to the City of Buzet

Today, the Minister of Tourism and Sports Nikolina Brnjac visited the town of Buzet in the Istria County, where she held a meeting with the Mayor of Buzet Damir Kajin. Among other things, the meeting discussed the importance of uniting tourist communities and the development and potential of year-round tourism with an emphasis on digital nomads, who are increasingly recognizing the interior of Istria as an ideal destination for their stay.

"Our special focus today was on the importance of uniting tourist communities, which Istria quickly recognized as important. Tourist unions have the opportunity to use funds more efficiently, but also better manage tourist destinations. In this way we contribute not only to stronger visibility and creating a system of sustainable and resilient tourism, which is important to all of us ", said Minister Brnjac, adding that in the last two years the association of tourist boards has reduced their number at the level of cities and municipalities and that in 2022 more than 12 million kuna is available from the Fund for United Tourist Boards for projects of joint tourist boards.

Let us remind you that back in 1997 the tourist boards of the City of Pazin, the municipalities of Sveti Lovreč, Cerovlje, Gračišće, Karojba, Lupoglav, Sveti Petar u Šumi, Pićan and Tinjan formally united under the name "Central Istria" and under the name "Authentic Istria". They have recently been joined by the tourist boards of Buzet, Barban, Žminj, Svetvinčenat and Kanfanar, all with the aim of jointly implementing one or more activities aimed at developing a tourist product and promoting destinations in the segment of enogastronomy, active tourism and cultural, historical and natural attractions. 

The Minister also referred to digital nomadism as an interesting niche for Croatian tourism, as future nomads are not seasonal, but year-round guests, and their interests are diverse and not necessarily related to the sea and the sun. 

At today's meeting, they also discussed the importance of developing sustainable, year-round tourism, the new Strategy for the Development of Sustainable Tourism until 2030 and the possibilities of co-financing projects from the mechanisms of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan. 

In the County of Istria so far in 2022, 115% more arrivals and 71% more overnight stays than in the same period in 2021, and compared to the same period in 2019, 5% more arrivals and 13% more overnight stays, while in Buzet so far 115% more arrivals and 71% more overnight stays than in the same period in 2021, and 5% more arrivals and 13% more overnight stays than in the same period in 2019.

Source and photo: MINTS