Mayor of Dubrovnik Andro Vlahusic met with Sandeep Kumar, the Ambassador of India in Croatia yesterday.

Ambassador Kumar informed the mayor about a significant increase in the number of Indian tourists in the first half of 2016, since there was 72 percent more Indian tourists than last year. Bollywood hit movie "Fan" with famous Indian actor Shah Rukh Khan, that was filmed in Dubrovnik, is partly responsible for growing numbers.

The Ambassador stressed the need for liberalization of visa regime in Croatia for Indian tourists, which he said to be unnecessarily bureaucratic. Mayor Vlahusic said he fully supports the initiative.

They also talked about potential cooperation in the areas of gastronomy, culture and film, and Ambassador Kumar is particularly interested in the involvement of Indian musicians at the Dubrovnik Summer Festival, and celebrity chefs at Good Food Festival. Establishment of the direct lines between Istanbul and Dubrovnik by the Turkish Airlines will be helpful to Indian tourists coming to Dubrovnik as "it’s offering fast and reliable connection at affordable prices," he said.

In conclusion, the Indian ambassador presented the initiative of fraternization of Dubrovnik with the capital of the state of Goa. Panaji, the capital of the smallest state in India and the former Portuguese colonies, has 40 thousand inhabitants in the narrow urban area, while the number in the administrative district rises to 140 thousand. Ambassador announced that an initiative will be launched through official channels.