Face-to-face: Martina Bienenfeld, CEO of Zagreb Tourist Board
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How is Zagreb performing in terms of UK visitor numbers? What are the projections for 2015?
In 2014 and 2013, arrivals from the UK into Zagreb remained consistent. The city had 32,000 arrivals and 65,000 room nights sold in both years. For 2015 we expect similar results as United Kingdom remains among the top five markets for Zagreb.
What factors are driving demand?
Since the Croatia accession to the European Union, Zagreb has become the youngest EU capital and as a result, it is now definitely gaining more attention by British visitors, especially as a destination for a short city break holiday or as a starting point for the journey through Croatia. Zagreb is just a two hour flight from London, with direct flights by British Airways and Croatia Airlines and it has an impressive cultural scene on offer, such as music festivals like INmusic to important globally recognised art exhibitions.
The Zagreb Tourist Board is promoting summer travel, particularly weekend breaks with the Zagreb Summer Tour 2015 campaign and winter travel with the Advent in Zagreb campaign. Our focus on the UK market is on online promotion and image advertorials. We are also collaborating with Time Out magazine to produce the Time Out Zagreb edition which will launch this June and will surely be a great source of information about the contemporary Zagreb.
What’s unique about Zagreb?
The city lends itself perfectly for a weekend break due to its mixture of Central European and Mediterranean culture. Split over two levels the city offers a mixture of the historic atmosphere in Upper Town to the young modern vibe of Lower Town.
Upper Town is where you will find cobbled streets that are still lit by gas lamps, which weave amongst the old buildings, churches (such as St Mark’s Church which is easily the most photographed building in Zagreb) and cathedrals. It is a haven for art lovers with its boutique galleries and the Mestrovic Studio, which is the celebrated artist’s old home and studio. It is also the permanent home of the famous Museum of Broke Relationships, which houses relics from relationships that are now over, along with the associated stories. Over the weekend, food lovers can head to the famous Dolac Market, which has been the city’s central trading square since 1926.
In contrast, Lower Town is the younger side of town. It is a magnet for anyone who loves coffee, and the café culture would definitely rival that of Vienna. In Lower Town you will find a plethora of green spaces, museums, theatres, restaurants and nightclubs. It is the beating heart of the city.
What type of customers and niche markets does it suit?
Zagreb is suitable for all walks of life. We actively promote the destination as a city break holiday for families, DINKs, SKIs, culture enthusiasts and younger travellers. It offers great historical and cultural sites, numerous museums, many events and musical performances, exciting nightlife, a wide range of accommodation possibilities, restaurants with excellent food and wines, great shopping and sports facilities, beautiful parks, diverse excursion possibilities.
How can Zagreb be paired with other destinations in Croatia?
Zagreb is situated in the heart of Europe. It has excellent transport links via air, road and train to other parts of the country. I would recommend Zagreb as the starting-point for visitors wanting to spend some time immersing themselves in Croatia’s capital, before travelling to the Adriatic coastline.
What’s your strategy for improving visibility in the UK and therefore, boosting sales?
Zagreb Tourist Board is aware of the great potential of the UK market and therefore in 2015 we started our collaboration with Hills Balfour in order to improve our visibility in UK. We already have a great relationships with the UK travel industry and are present at several tourism fairs and B2B workshops (WTM, City fair, GEM) each year. In order to promote Zagreb as a tourism destination this year we have worked with our partners to host UK agents FAM trips in early 2015 and we are planning more towards the end of the year. We are also working closely with British media and at the moment we are negotiating with an important production company to bring a world known TV show to film an episode in Zagreb. That would surely boost general interest for Zagreb.
What role does the travel trade play in this strategy and what initiatives and incentives do you have planned to get the trade on board?
Travel trade will always be an important partner for Zagreb Tourist Board. This year we have launched a quarterly newsletter to help the travel trade get acquainted with Zagreb, and we are looking at hosting a number of FAM trips throughout the year. We are also supporting the Croatian National Tourist Board’s annual advertising programmes and in the future we will be looking into the creation of trade webinars.
If you could give five top selling points for Zagreb, what would they be?
* Christmas period in Zagreb
* InMusic festival
* One of the oldest European cities and is yet one of Europe’s youngest metropolises
* Croatian capital
* Unique mixture of Central European flavour and Mediterranean lifestyle
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