February 26 marked the final day and official closing of the international tourism fair “F.r.e.e.” in Bavaria, held in Munich.
The Bol Tourist Board exhibited at the fair, represented by Director Ante Trutanić and tourism officer Tonči Lalić. Together with the Tourist Board of the Split–Dalmatia County, represented by Director Ivana Vladović and tourism officer Jurana Batovanja, we presented the island of Brač and other attractions of our region.
On the very first day of the fair, in cooperation with Croatia Airlines, we participated in the promotion of a new air route Munich – Brač (both directions), scheduled to launch on May 27, 2023. The presentation was attended not only by representatives of Croatia Airlines and colleagues from Osijek–Baranja County (as the Munich – Osijek route is also set to begin), but also by representatives of some 50 German media outlets. Our Tonči was tasked with presenting the Brač cluster, and his excellent presentation in fluent German drew applause and ovations from the audience, especially when the image of Zlatni Rat appeared on screen.
The joint presentation of the Brač cluster as part of a collaborative branding strategy proved to be highly valuable for all stakeholders and could yield excellent marketing results in the future. Such an approach should become the rule rather than the exception. The conclusion is clear: joint appearances must be pursued going forward, and inter-municipal cooperation must be strengthened to foster development, cohesion, and competitiveness of the island of Brač. While Bol is home to Zlatni Rat, the “Brač mainland” offers broader opportunities to promote diverse forms of tourism across a longer season, not limited only to beach tourism at its peak.
During the second day of the fair, several meetings were held with the participation of the Bol Tourist Board as well as representatives of the Ministry of the Sea and Tourism, including a brief meeting with Minister Nikolina Brnjac, who pledged her support for the celebration of the magnificent 100th anniversary of tourism in Bol. Meetings were also held with representatives of one of the region’s largest tour operators, ID Riva Tours, who expressed strong interest in leasing a larger number of private accommodation units in Bol. On this occasion, we invite all interested hosts to contact us so that we may connect them with ID Riva’s representative for our county, Mr. Petar Razović.
At the Munich fair, Croatia set new records in visitor attendance. The Croatian stand recorded the highest number of visitors at the entire fair – more than 168,000 – the largest figure among all participating countries. Germans, our traditionally loyal guests, continue to choose Croatia as their favorite destination, and we can expect them in large numbers again this year. As stated by Mr. Selimir Ognjenović, owner of ID Riva Tours: “I am certain that we have never had a better environment here in Bavaria, and that we have all the conditions to achieve the best season in history this year. Schengen is a huge step forward, giving us the strongest confirmation yet that we are a safe country.”
Finally, it is worth noting that the promotion and presentation of Brač as part of the Munich – Brač flight launch has already borne fruit: the very first flight, scheduled for May 27, 2023, is sold out! This level of interest from the German market is both a great honor and a great responsibility. It is up to us not to disappoint our guests and to justify the trust they have shown us by choosing to come. Welcome!
Ante Trutanić, Director, Bol Tourist Board
