Plenković at the opening of the expanded passenger terminal at Zadar Airport

“Transport infrastructure projects create the prerequisites for the development of Zadar and the county,” said Prime Minister Andrej Plenković on Friday, during the opening of the new passenger terminal at Zadar Airport, which will double the current capacity of Zadar Airport to a total of up to three million passengers per year.

“This is a big step forward, not only for Zadar Airport, but also for Zadar, Zadar County, its tourism and economy. This investment, financed by a loan from the Airport itself, is part of a wider investment cycle worth around 35 million euros, in which funds from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan were also used,” said Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, adding that Zadar Airport is the first green airport in Croatia.

By increasing the terminal capacity, the prerequisites are created for the growth of the number of passengers, the opening of new airline routes, expansion into new markets and the development of year-round connectivity.

The Prime Minister pointed out that connections to more than 60 European destinations through more than 15 airlines indicate the importance of Zadar Airport for the growth of domestic tourism. “The planned runway expansion project,” he emphasized, “is important for both the military and civilian parts of the airport and will further strengthen the strategic importance of Zadar and the Zadar County.”

“Zadar County is pulsating, which is evident in the number of employees, the small number of unemployed and exceptionally high-quality transport connections. Road, motorway, rail and air transport create all the infrastructure prerequisites for the strong development of Zadar and Zadar County,” concluded the Prime Minister.

Speaking about the tourist season, the Prime Minister recalled that the government warned before the start of the season that prices must correspond to the quality of service.

“We are not the only tourist destination in the Mediterranean. Everyone is fighting for tourists, conducting special campaigns and promotions, and more than half of tourists today decide on a destination via the Internet. They have all possible offers available and choose what is most convenient for them at that moment,” he said.

He added that due to economic circumstances, residents of Western countries have less disposable income for travel.

“If people have less money, they will choose more favorable destinations, stay shorter and spend less. It doesn't require a lot of math. Quality will certainly find its niche of customers, but the entire tourist offer pyramid is important,” he asserted.

Source: HRT