Hvar was one of the destinations featured on a familiarisation trip organised for representatives of the British travel sector, giving participants the opportunity to experience first-hand the diversity of the tourism offer in the Split-Dalmatia County.
The Croatian National Tourist Board’s Representative Office in the United Kingdom and the Split-Dalmatia County Tourist Board, in cooperation with local tourist boards, organised the trip for travel agents from Travel Counsellors, one of the largest networks of travel professionals in the UK, as well as representatives of Silver Travel and Travel Bulletin, a leading platform for travel agents.
Experiencing Hvar First-Hand
The itinerary focused on cultural and historical heritage, authentic gastronomy and local wines, and the region’s natural beauty. During the multi-day tour, participants visited Split, Trogir, Klis, Sinj, Vrgorac, the Red and Blue Lakes, and the town of Hvar.
Their stay in Hvar gave them an opportunity to experience the destination from the perspective of future visitors and discover first-hand what makes Hvar special: its rich history and cultural heritage, Mediterranean lifestyle, gastronomy, natural beauty and hospitality.
These first-hand experiences are particularly valuable for destination promotion, as they enable travel professionals to recommend Hvar to their clients based on their own personal experience.
The Importance of the UK Market
Bisera Fabrio, Director of the Croatian National Tourist Board’s Representative Office in the United Kingdom, highlighted the importance of familiarisation trips such as this one for the continued promotion of Croatia in the UK market. She also emphasised the importance of extending the tourism season and maintaining seasonal air connections between the United Kingdom and Croatia.
Rachel Wilcox, Travel Counsellors group leader, also shared her positive impressions following the trip, noting that Croatia had exceeded her expectations, particularly with its diversity and the warmth and hospitality of the people the group met along the way.
Familiarisation trips such as this provide an important opportunity to present Hvar to international travel professionals and partners and further strengthen its visibility in one of Croatia’s important source markets.
Read more about the familiarisation trip in the original article published by the Croatian National Tourist Board.
