EU tourism ministers meet in Croatia to advance development, innovation and partnerships

Innovation, partnerships and management of the growing number of tourists have been the priorities of the 64th meeting of the Regional Commission for Europe's World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), which It is being held in Zagreb, Croatia this week (27-30 May).

Croatia was unanimously chosen to host the annual meeting of tourism ministers of UNWTO member states in Europe.

The country is one of the tourist destinations in the region and has welcomed 20 million international arrivals in 2018, an increase of 6.7% over the previous year. As a strong UNWTO partner, the country is home to the Zagreb Sustainable Tourism Observatory, which is part of the UNWTO Global Network of Sustainable Tourism Observatories.

Representatives from more than 40 Member States attended the meeting, representing a record level of high level participation for the Regional Commission for Europe. UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili met with Prime Minister Andrej Plenković to thank him for Croatia's commitment to sustainable tourism. Mr. Pololikashvili also met with Ms. Marija Pejcinovic Buric, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, and the Croatian Minister of Tourism, Gari Capelli, for high-level discussions on destination management and sustainability.

"It is so encouraging to see not only so many ministers joining us here in Zagreb, but also to witness the sincere enthusiasm of our European Member States for managing tourism and its exploitation as a driver of sustainable development", said Pololikashvili. Regional and international cooperation is essential to address the challenges related to the number of tourists, especially in urban areas. This week's meeting in Zagreb proves the desire to make tourism a strength for good. "

Croatian Minister of Tourism Gari Capelli added: "Croatia is extremely proud and honored to host this meeting. Tourism is a driving force for many innovation and development processes, a force for creating new jobs and a tool for protecting natural and cultural heritage. This is an excellent opportunity to jointly guide trends and policies in the right direction. I am confident that together we will continue to find the right answers to all the outstanding questions and to consolidate the path of responsible, sustainable and ethical tourism. "

As part of the ministerial meeting, the public and private sectors gathered for a special workshop on growth, innovation and partnerships. UNWTO affiliates, including Amadeus, ICCA, Niantic and Google, presented products aimed at improving the management and sustainability of tourism.

In addition, UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili met with Davor Suker, President of the Croatian Football Federation, to discuss the opportunities offered by the growing sports tourism market.