Croatia has drafted a new tourism development strategy which aims to significantly reduce the highly seasonal nature of the country’s air connectivity. The plan is to achieve this goal through greater cooperation between tourism bodies, airports and airlines. Some of the proposed measures include incentives for year-round operations, which are already offered by airports, as well as joint promotional activities. According to aviation analytics company Centre for Aviation, “Croatia is one of Europe's most seasonally skewed markets and highlights the strong dependence of its aviation market on summer leisure routes, with only low demand during the winter season. This sees activity peak in July and August, with June and September acting as shoulder months”.
Croatia’s Minister for Tourism and Sports, Nikolina Brnjac, said, “Our goal is to increase the number of flights available to Croatia throughout the entire year, which contributes not only to air connectivity, but also to the development of a year-round tourism product. This has been specifically highlighted in the new [tourism] strategy, with the focus of improving both domestic and international air connectivity”. She added, “By collaborating with airlines, tour operators and travel agencies in the field of marketing, the strategy promotes the introduction of year-round flights from major emitting markets. We’re happy because Croatia Airlines connects Croatia with a number of important tourist destinations throughout the entire year. Croatia’s flag carrier is an important segment of our national brand”.
Croatia Airlines itself has also struggled with high levels of seasonality. This winter, the carrier plans to maintain thirteen international routes from its hub in Zagreb, although one of them will only run until late January of next year. It will operate a further four domestic destinations, which are funded through a Public Service Obligation mechanism. As part of its three-year post-Covid strategy, Croatia Airlines has highlighted the reduction of seasonality as one of its highest priorities. “In addition to increasing efficiency and competitiveness, the company faces key operational and structural challenges that includes the year-round flight network”, the company said.
Dubrovnik Airport has said it will put a greater focus on reducing seasonality and increasing flights during the winter months. The airport’s General Manager, Viktor Šober, noted, “Winter connectivity will be one of our priorities, however, in order to be more efficient, we will definitely need to improve synergies with the Tourist Board of Dubrovnik and the City of Dubrovnik in our negotiations with airlines. During the 2022/23 winter season, Dubrovnik Airport should be linked to four international destinations - Athens with Aegean Airlines, Istanbul with Turkish Airlines, Barcelona with Vueling and London with British Airways”. Mr Šober added, “Further negotiations are still ongoing with airlines. It is important to highlight that Freebird Airlines Europe will again operate charter flights from Dubrovnik to Central and Western Europe from late September until early December of this year, and again from February 2023”.
Split Airport has echoed calls for greater cooperation between all relevant stakeholders to reduce seasonality. “Almost half of our annual traffic is achieved during July and August. During the four summer months we have the most passenger traffic in the country. We are extremely seasonal in character. We need attractions which are not only of interest to locals but must be competitive with European metropolises because we need to measure up to them. This is not easy or cheap and it requires time, energy and vision. There are some good developments, but we must work on creating an appealing offer for tourists to come outside of the peak season and then we will have more aircraft arriving in the winter”, the airport recently noted. It added, “Carriers say they don't want to fly to a destination where they register fantastic results between April and October, which then have to cover losses generated over the winter. They want certainty and that is why there are so many airlines in Split in summer and few in winter”.
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The key to reducing seasonality is Croatia Airlines. Unfortunately they have fine very little about it.
ReplyDelete*done not fine
DeleteIt doesn't help that all the new routes they launched in the past 5 years (most have now been suspended anyway) were seasonal. Only Barcelona and Dublin were served a bit longer, till January.
DeleteTrue. The extended flights from Split to Zurich and from Pula to Zurich are also going to be operated just until January.
DeleteOsijek-Munich is year round :)
DeleteOnly because they are being paid for it.
DeletePaying for flights is not sustainable in the long run.
DeleteYou can have year round flights on all destinations, but doesn't mean people will fly in winter.
Delete+1
DeleteI see certain improvements. Ryanair's flights to Zagreb are all mostly year round. This year KLM is going year round to Split too. So there are some steps in the right direction.
ReplyDeleteAnd the Freebird charters in Dubrovnik.
DeleteBut even the Freebird charters are not for the entire winter.
DeleteFrom which cities does Freebird operate charters?
DeleteDubrovnik
DeleteI know from Dubrovnik but I meant from which European cities to Dubrovnik.
DeleteMostly German cities.
DeleteIt is tragic that Croatia Airlines isn't operating these routes but a Turkish company.
Delete“Croatia is one of Europe's most seasonally skewed markets". Interesting. Would love to see which are the top most seasonal markets in Europe.
ReplyDeleteI'm assuming Montenegro is high up on the list.
DeleteThe most seasonal airports in Europe according to ACI are:
Delete1. Burgas
2. Zakynthos
3. Kerkyra
4. Kos
5. Varna
6. Split
7. Rhodes
8. Heraklion
9. Olbia
10. Dubrovnik
Thanks for the list. Makes sense.
DeleteSome 80% of the airports in the top 30 most seasonal airports are located in the Mediterranean region.
DeleteNot a surprise
DeleteI don't think there is much airlines can actually do. It really depends on the country's tourism strategy. Marketing yourself as a winter destination as well.
ReplyDeleteThere is a lot airlines can do, particularly Croatia Airlines. Start by extending some of your numerous seasonal flights into winter ops. Do your homework and way to promote these routes so you can fill planes in winter, start operating charters etc. Sitting and doing nothing as usual results in record losses as can be seen.
DeleteSo more subsidies for OU?
ReplyDeleteIndeed. Especially since the minister mentions "Croatia's flag carrier is a part of our national brand". It means OU is here to stay for many many years.
DeleteTo be paid to stay for many years.
DeleteExactly.
DeleteOnly tourism is not enough. Only diaspora is not enough. Only transfer traffic is not enough. Combined, they could have made, or maybe even they (still) can make miracle. In order for that to happen, OU must grow, must significantly increase its domestic, regional and european network and must go long-haul. Only afterwards, cooperation with tourist entities, marketing activities and everything else minister Brnjac spoke about could result in reducing seasonality in Croatia. Not sure she is aware of it.
ReplyDeleteWhat do you suggest they do pozdrav?
Deleteanything besides yearly begging for money from the state and moaning how everything is against them.
DeleteAnonymous 09:21, why don't you, from OU management, simply order business study from pozdrav iz Rijeke
DeleteSeasonality is an issue the entire region has to deal with, although it is most apparent in CRO.
ReplyDeleteApparently everyone repeats the same phrase, but no one comes with a concrete plan. Let me give you an advice Croatia, start with attracting congress tourism at your capital city by building a congress center first, as well as few more 5-star hotels. Once you start hosting international conferences and congresses, expand it to secondary cities such as Split & Dubrovnik in off-season.
ReplyDeleteCooperating with tourist boards more bla bla.. All you know is to ask for more money from the tourist boards and ultimately from the tourists.
+1
DeleteI think there have been some steps in the right direction lately. People have recognized seasonality as an issue and are working on it.
ReplyDeleteA lot more work needs to be done.
DeleteOnly 13 routes out of Zagreb in winter is crazy, especially with such fleet.
ReplyDeleteAnd they even have a back up aircraft which they, for some reason, decided to lease from September when there is already little need for it. Hasn't been used once.
DeleteCompletely crazy. Shows complete lack of leadership and direction at the airline.
DeleteThat's the issue. You can't build a hub with 13 international routes. And it's not even 13 it's 12 year-round routes since Dublin will be operated only until January.
DeleteThey have 13 international routes because vast majority of routes are going to be operated by Q400s. And they only have 6 of those. The Airbuses are too big on most routes during the winter.
DeleteTheir winter schedule from ZAG could be operated by 3 planes IMO
DeleteI would love to see their winter network from the say 90s to see if they have actually improved things or gone backwards.
DeleteOne plane for each route, very efficient :)))
DeleteSurprising more airlines don't do it :D
DeleteDon't forget that they have international flights from Split, Pula and Osijek this winter as well as domestic flights.
DeleteSeasonality is a huge drain on Croatia Airlines' finances.
ReplyDeleteGreat photo!
ReplyDeleteOU in deep sleep!
Haha yes, the perfect illustration.
DeleteIf they want to deal with seasonality in aviation, first deal with seasonality at Croatia Airlines. Help the airline extend routes to year-round levels, get professionals to work in their marketing and sales departments. Only after you do that, provide assistance to foreign airlines.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure Croatia could enjoy a healthy number of tourists even in winter. It just needs to tap into the appropriate markets of those who wish to visit in winter.
ReplyDeletePenguins from south pole?
DeleteAnonymous 12:05 haha, yes, these guys are delusional. I mean, Croatia could attract a number of tourists in winter, if it would develop it's ski resorts, which isn't hapening. I don't see many tourists flocking to windy, rainy and depressive Adriatic during winter. Maybe people from Norilsk and places like that.
DeleteThey are coming, don't worry darling,
DeleteWeren't people writing here how for example Koreans prefer visiting in autumn and winter rather than summer. Why not use that and launch flights to Seoul or try to find an airline that is willing to fly the route.
ReplyDeleteOU wake up and start year-round ZAG-ATH flights, Aegean is literally expanding fast in the region.
ReplyDeleteOne of the key issues is OU.
ReplyDeleteLet people rest from mass tourism at least in winter!
ReplyDeleteSeasonality can be reduced by other means, not just tourism. Focus on business travel. MICE, getting local population to travel more etc.
DeleteHow exactly do you get local people to travel more?
Delete^ Ryanair has done a good job of that in Zagreb.
DeleteZQG numbers didn't improve with Ryanair arrival, I don't see they did anything to increase the demand, they just took over from others, mainly Croatia Airlines, exactly what to hey said it's not why they came to ZAG.
DeleteI'm not so sure we would see these numbers if Ryanair didn't come.
DeleteCroatia Airlines used to have several year round routes from Dubrovnik. Now almost nothing.
ReplyDeleteTrue. They even stopped Dubrovnik-Rome during the winter.
DeleteBravo Hrvatska!
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile, Valamar is closing all their resorts/hotels early this year as they already hit their revenue goals. I scuba dive year around and Croatian cost is depressing postSeptember, everything is closed.
ReplyDeleteSo much for all stakeholders working together.
DeleteCoast not cost
DeleteReducing seasonality means extending the tourism season bit by bit. In Greece, the season now runs until the end of September in smaller places and end of October in bigger towns and cities.
ReplyDeleteGood point i think if they started by extending the season by 1 month to November and start the season 1 month earier
DeleteThey will do nothing. The ministry recycles the same stories every few years.
ReplyDeleteThey have given no concrete solution to reducing seasonality. I highly doubt ministry will sit down with OU and try to find a solution.
ReplyDeleteWhat can airports realistically do other than offer incentive for year-round operations?
ReplyDeleteTry to actually attract airlines to launch flights in winter.
DeleteCan we read this strategy somewhere?
ReplyDeleteYou have it on the government website. But it says exactly what this article mentions. In two sentences that this will be achieved through cooperation and joint advertising.
DeleteReading articles about OU these days is like listening to Leonid Brezhnev's speeches. The article photo sums it up perfectly.
ReplyDelete+100
DeleteHow about making some campaign or promotion to boost domestic tourism over winter. Vouchers for Croatia Airlines domestic flights or something like that.
ReplyDeleteIt really is no strategy if you look at it. It is just same old same old terms and words being put on paper with little implementation or a way how to implement or finance them.
ReplyDeleteTo me it smells that this strategy for CA is done with only one objective: How to take monies from numerous tourist boards that we have in Croatia now that their budgets are again on pre-pandemic levels? CA is a dying patient and needs money to continue living! This is the only truth behind!
ReplyDeleteTrue.
DeleteSlovenia and Croatia should make SAS-like airline, to both split the loses and to keep the connectivity
ReplyDeleteThat won't happen
DeleteHow is Ryanair performing on the Zagreb - Sofia route?
ReplyDeleteThey have many convenient offers on a short notice. It's so strange.
Anyone knows the load factor?
Will Ryanair still fly to Sofia in November or they will cancel it?
I have heard that the flights are not terribly full. I think this route needs a bit more time to mature a bit as both Croatia and Bulgaria were not that really linked by air in the past. LJU-SOF with JP was quite successful and so is BEG-SOF for almost 8 years non-stop and they were usually operated by smaller aircraft. Also, ZAD-SOF was a new addition as well. I have seen news of Croatians in Plovdiv and Bulgarians visiting Zagreb for the first time. If it "survives" this winter, then the route is likely to remain.
DeleteThank you for the answer.
DeleteCroatia Airlines financial results are getting worse, all numbers are down compared to 2019. Except losses, they are up. One more number is up, average fleet age.
ReplyDeleteMost Airlines numbers are down on 2019!
DeleteJU520 BEGLAX
ReplyDeleteU need attractions or events for tourists to come. Istria is probably the one who has the best offer, as wine/olive oil tasting, gourmet dining and tartufi is done also during Winter months.
DeleteFor DBV I suggest gourmet dining, wellness and plastic surgery
For SPU fairs, concerts, green tourism with olive harvest, plastic surgery, outdoor activities such as bike/hike as well as wellness and the Cro government should certainly make sure, that the business environment is as attractive as possible, so companies are investing also along the coast.
I just visited Dalmatia in Brač and Sibenik area. There could be much more done to attract bikers with seperate bike roads. There are hundreds of square kilometers of green steppe, unused. Why not building bike roads?
One advantage HR used to have, however is gone and thats the cost of living. The prices in stores like Plodine, Studenac, Konzum etc have reached Europe levels, some articles even higher. I really feel sorry for the locals who are all complaining. One thing is to hve tourist prices for excursions or tourist restaurants, but to hve European prize levels in daily grocery stores without having locals european salary levels is an un acceptable situation. And exactly these high prizes are also unatractive to European pensioners, who in the past, maybe enjoyed some weeks during the winter seasons on the coast.
Seeing the current energy crisis with much higher costs per family, I think the extra flights this winter season, will not get the needed and expected support.
Just wait that our dear neighbours get euros. Prices will sky rocket. Nothing good awaits for middle class croatian family.
DeleteIt already happens as all the prices are tagged in Kuna and EUR and last years, you were not always calculating prizes fm Kuna to EUR CHF, you bought. Now u think twice when u see the EUR price. And the situation with the high living costs for the locals: Locals in Sibenik and Brac confirmed me, 50% of their salary is spent for daily grocery articles. So how on earth shall there be a consuming friendly environment, if 80% of the population survives from one salary to the next one? I mentioned fairs or concerts could be good for Split in Winter. For this u need a base market from the locals. But how, if 80% survives fm one salary to the next one?
DeleteCroatias coast has become like a Disneyland, the problem just, that hundred thousands of Croats have to live in this Disneyland.
After this article there is more sense why Pragusa.one acquired small stake in OU. Long-haul direct connections to DBV mixed with OU network. LH will go mad
ReplyDeleteRaison d'être of Croatia Airlines is itself and bunch of parasites attached to it. Every normal, sane and honest person knows this fact. They always make up some "projects" as a smoke screen to hide this obvious fact.
ReplyDeleteHistory repeats itself, first as a tragedy, second as a farce.
Couldn't agree more.
DeleteWow, you must be from Cacak and hate everything croatian! 😃
DeleteCan't believe that someone is getting paid to put this crap out into the media. Words wordsand coffee. Nothing will change until you have a complete change in the grass roots mentality of private rental owners. Until they choose not to only work 4 months of the year there's absolutely no point in bringing tourists. This is a culture problem and all the flights in the world won't change that......
ReplyDelete