The president of the Istria and Kvarner Trade Union, Bruno Bulic, told reporters in Rijeka on Monday that according to figures from key hotel companies in Istria County, June was "extremely bad or almost disastrous" in terms of tourism, the key reason being the markedly fewer Russian and Ukrainian arrivals because of the unpreparedness of the visa system.
Russians and Ukrainians are the best daily consumers, spending up to 100 euros daily and staying up to 40 per cent longer than other tourists, Bulic said, adding that Istrian hotel companies expected up to 50 per cent fewer Russian and Ukrainian arrivals this summer.
He blamed the tourism and foreign ministries, saying they had done nothing to cushion the blow of visa requirements for Russians and Ukrainians.
