The Ferien-Messe tourist fair, the largest international tourist fair for business and the general public in Austria, was opened yesterday in Vienna, where this year's partner country is Croatia. The fair will be open until March 19, around 160,000 visitors are expected, and in addition to the Croatian Tourist Board (CNB) as the main exhibitor, 21 Croatian co-exhibitors, including hoteliers, agencies, transport companies, and tourist boards, will present their offer as part of the Croatian stand.

"We started negotiations for the appearance of Croatia as a partner country at the Ferien-Messe fair in Vienna back in 2019, and we are extremely happy that this partnership was realized in the first year after the corona pandemic, when numerous fairs throughout Europe and the world are again held live and without any restrictions. This performance and the presentation of Croatia as a partner country comes at the right moment, because the interest in traveling in Austria is at a very high level, and our country is among the favorite foreign destinations of Austrians. The above is confirmed by the excellent response of Croatian co-exhibitors who will present their offer to numerous business partners, as well as to the general public who will visit the fair in Vienna in the coming days", said Kristjan Staničić, director of the Croatian Tourist Board, stressing that Croatia's entry into Schengen It has become an even closer and more attractive destination for Austrians, especially for shorter weekend trips, which we expect in greater numbers from the Easter holidays.

Nikolina Brnjac, Minister of Tourism and Sports of the Republic of Croatia, Branimir Tončinić, Director of the CNB Representation in Austria, Michael Duscher, Manager of the Tourist Board of Lower Austria, Phillies Ramberger, President of the Austrian Tourism Association and Martin Winkler, president of the tourist concern "Austrian Tourist Office", while the fair was opened by Robert Seeber, president of the Section for Tourism and Leisure at the Austrian Chamber of Commerce and Susanne Kraus-Winkler, State Secretary for Tourism of Austria.

"We are very pleased that, after Munich, Croatia is also a partner country at the largest fair in Austria - Ferien-Messe. Although Croatia is in the top three most popular tourist destinations on this market, our goal is to upgrade the current position, especially in the context of shorter trips by Austrians throughout the year, which is certainly supported by the fact that Croatia is now a member of the Eurozone and the Schengen area. In Vienna, we present Croatia as a destination with quality accommodation and facilities, ideal for family trips, which Austrians prefer the most, as well as for active vacations and shorter trips outside the summer season. We really have a lot to offer in these segments, as shown by the data on the continuation of investments in sustainable growth and business, which are clear signals of recovery from the crisis. All these excellent results did not happen by chance, but with the clear support of the Government of the Republic of Croatia, which, in times more challenging than ever for tourism, stood firmly by the tourism sector and continuously pursued a policy of open dialogue and assistance", said Minister of Tourism and Sports Nikolina Brnjac and added that at the meeting with the Austrian State Secretary for Tourism Susanne Kraus Winkler, she discussed all the strategic activities we undertake, as well as Austrian experiences in sustainable tourism.

"I am happy that Croatia is a partner of the fair, especially because Austria is one of the top destinations for Croatian guests. Austria is very popular in the winter and summer seasons. Last summer we welcomed 63% more guests from Croatia than in 2019. Croatia is among the top destinations for Austrians. A recently published survey by the Austrian State Tourist Office claims that 22% of Austrian tourists want to visit Croatia in the spring and summer of 2023. This fair with many visitors clearly shows that the desire to travel is unbreakable," said the State Secretary for Tourism in Austria, Susanne Kraus-Winkler.

The program of the opening of the fair was enriched with an attractive performance by the LADO Ensemble, members of the Association of Rab Crossbowmen also made a special appearance, while Stanislav Briškoski presented Istrian delicacies with an emphasis on spittoons, asparagus, truffles and prawns through a cooking show.