| Revision as of 22:11, 25 May 2006 editEurowikiJ (talk | contribs)767 editsm rv← Previous edit | Revision as of 15:11, 26 May 2006 edit undoMostssa (talk | contribs)363 editsNo edit summaryNext edit → | ||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
| '''Tourism in Croatia''' is a well-developed industry as ] is an attractive ] destination, particularly because of its extensive coastline and well-preserved coastal Renaissance towns. In ] ] had 10 million tourist visitors. | '''Tourism in Croatia''' is a well-developed industry as ] is an attractive ] destination, particularly because of its extensive coastline and well-preserved coastal Renaissance towns. In ] ] had 10 million tourist visitors. | ||
| ] from the south]] | ] from the south]] | ||
| Line 15: | Line 15: | ||
| * the ]; and | * the ]; and | ||
| * the town of ] (former capital of Croatia) | * the town of ] (former capital of Croatia) | ||
| * the ] monument, a pilgrim site and a shrine of particular interest for Serbian visitors | |||
| ==UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Croatia== | ==UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Croatia== | ||
| Line 27: | Line 28: | ||
| * The Cathedral of St James in ] | * The Cathedral of St James in ] | ||
| ==Unexploded land mines== | |||
| ==Safety issues== | |||
| The ] has posed a serious image problem for the tourism industry in Croatia, even though no foreign tourists have fallen victims to mines in the country. Most tourist guidebooks to Croatia include warnings of the danger of mines and cite areas of particular concern, such as in eastern Slavonia. The presence of mines in high-profile tourist areas such as the ] has caused significant damage to local tourism and such areas have been made a high priority for demining operations. | |||
| The unexploded land mines are the most serious safety issue. | |||
| The problem of dealing with landmines has led to some tension between the tourism industry and the deminers. ], Croatia's minister of tourism, has vowed to remove mine warning billboards currently placed even in places where there are no mines, like ports, before the 2006 summer tourist season. Such billboards are often displayed far from actual minefields as a means of raising public awareness of the problem. However, Mičić said that, despite the humanitarian nature of the campagn, it is counterproductive for the tourist industry and that billboards should be removed. | |||
| Quote from the travel advice issued by the British embassy in Zagreb: | |||
| ==Attacks on tourists from former Yugoslavia== | |||
| :''Unexploded land mines are still a danger. Highly populated areas and major routes are now clear of mines and are safe to visit. However, isolated areas in the mountains and countryside have not all been cleared. You should therefore be careful not to stray from roads and paved areas without an experienced guide.'' | |||
| There have been instances of hooligans in Croatia attacking cars and tourist visitors, particularly from ] and | |||
| Quote from the ''Lonely Planet'' guide to Croatia (1999): | |||
| ]. Train passengers were targeted while busses have been attacked by mobs. , Near the border crossings from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia and Montenegro there are billboards carrying message: "This is homeland of ]". Some tourists from former Yugoslavia find such display an overt provocation. The reputation of Croatia as a safe tourist destination for people from former Yugoslavia was further damaged by a beating of Serbian sport journalists by hooligans in a narrow street in the centre of ] before a sports match in early ]. , | |||
| == See also == | |||
| :''Land mines left over from the recent war in Croatia pose no threat to the average visitor but it's important to be aware that certain areas of the country are still dangerous. Although the government moved with lightning speed to remove mines from any area even remotely interesting to tourists, the former confrontation line between Croat and federal forces is still undergoing de-mining operations which will not be complete for many years.'' | |||
| * ] | |||
| * ] | |||
| More details and links to maps of the areas with mine risks can be found in the article ]. However, ever since the end of the war in Croatia in 1995 there have been no reports of injured tourists. | |||
| {{Europe in topic|Tourism in}} | {{Europe in topic|Tourism in}} | ||
| ] | ] | ||
| ==External links== | |||
| * | |||
| * | |||
| * | |||
| * | |||
| * | |||
| ] | |||
Revision as of 15:11, 26 May 2006
Tourism in Croatia is a well-developed industry as Croatia is an attractive tourist destination, particularly because of its extensive coastline and well-preserved coastal Renaissance towns. In 2005 Croatia had 10 million tourist visitors.
,_Croatia.jpg){kind=link}
The interior of the country, with the exception of the capital Zagreb, the erstwhile Baroque capital Varaždin and a plethora of medieval castles, has fewer tourist attractions. Eight areas in the country have been designated national parks, and the landscape in these areas is afforded extra protection from development.
Several companies run flotillas of yachts along different stretches of the coastline, which is also popular with divers.
Some of the tourist attractions in Croatia include:
- Zagreb;
- the Kornati National Park;
- the fortified city of Dubrovnik;
- the Krka waterfalls, part of the Krka National Park;
- the Plitvice Lakes; and
- the town of Varaždin (former capital of Croatia)
- the Jasenovac monument, a pilgrim site and a shrine of particular interest for Serbian visitors
UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Croatia
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has included the following Croatian sites on its World Heritage List:
- Historical Complex of Split with the Palace of Diocletian
- Old City of Dubrovnik
- Plitvice Lakes National Park
- Episcopal Complex of the Euphrasian Basilica in the Historic Centre of Poreč
- Historic City of Trogir
- The Cathedral of St James in Šibenik
Unexploded land mines
The minefields issue has posed a serious image problem for the tourism industry in Croatia, even though no foreign tourists have fallen victims to mines in the country. Most tourist guidebooks to Croatia include warnings of the danger of mines and cite areas of particular concern, such as in eastern Slavonia. The presence of mines in high-profile tourist areas such as the Plitvice Lakes municipality has caused significant damage to local tourism and such areas have been made a high priority for demining operations.
The problem of dealing with landmines has led to some tension between the tourism industry and the deminers. Zdenko Mičić, Croatia's minister of tourism, has vowed to remove mine warning billboards currently placed even in places where there are no mines, like ports, before the 2006 summer tourist season. Such billboards are often displayed far from actual minefields as a means of raising public awareness of the problem. However, Mičić said that, despite the humanitarian nature of the campagn, it is counterproductive for the tourist industry and that billboards should be removed.
Attacks on tourists from former Yugoslavia
There have been instances of hooligans in Croatia attacking cars and tourist visitors, particularly from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia and Montenegro. Train passengers were targeted while busses have been attacked by mobs. , Near the border crossings from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia and Montenegro there are billboards carrying message: "This is homeland of Ante Gotovina". Some tourists from former Yugoslavia find such display an overt provocation. The reputation of Croatia as a safe tourist destination for people from former Yugoslavia was further damaged by a beating of Serbian sport journalists by hooligans in a narrow street in the centre of Dubrovnik before a sports match in early 2006. ,
See also
| Tourism in Europe | |
|---|---|
| Sovereign states |
|
| States with limited recognition | |
| Dependencies and other entities | |