Dubrovnik’s tourism board shines in Asia, expanding its reach to key Asian markets

The Dubrovnik Tourist Board has successfully participated in the Balkan Roadshow 2024 in Asia, organized with the support of Miki Reps, one of the most important tour operators from the Far East. This roadshow is part of a series that initially covered Japan, Korea and Hong Kong, markets that were leading markets to Croatia and Dubrovnik before the COVID-19 pandemic. However, with the exception of Korea, these markets are the slowest to recover, partly due to the still limited number of flights to Europe compared to the pre-pandemic period.

From April 22 to 26, the roadshow brought together key stakeholders and tourism industry professionals in Tokyo, Seoul and Hong Kong. In collaboration with partners such as Intours, the Plitvice Lakes National Park, the Tourist Boards of Zagreb, Ljubljana and Čakovec, Miroslav Drašković, the director of the Tourist Board of Dubrovnik, presented Dubrovnik’s diverse tourist offer. “This event provided an exceptional platform to connect with key professionals in the tourism sector in the Asian region, especially interesting because of the large markets that still prefer package holidays through tour operators. Although the stays are not long, they are the longest in Dubrovnik. It is important for us to guarantee arrivals in Dubrovnik all year round, including the autumn and winter months. Participation in this roadshow is considered crucial, and we plan to continue this involvement in the future put,” said Miroslav Drašković.

During the presentations, approximately 90 participants gained insight into a wide range of tourism offerings, including UNESCO World Heritage sites, adventure travel options, diverse accommodation options, gastronomic experiences and cultural charms. The event highlighted the growing interest in Balkan tourism in Asian markets. After each presentation in the three cities, three stays were allocated in the Dubrovnik Palace Hotel, Rixos Premium Hotel and Lero Hotel.

The series of presentations will continue in the autumn in the markets of Indonesia, Taiwan, the Philippines and Malaysia. All these markets are open all year round and the promotion of Dubrovnik’s tourist offer will mainly focus on traveling from November 1 to May 1. In addition, direct flights from Korea to Zagreb will start in June, further boosting tourism activities from that area.