Boom year for tourism in Croatia

Croatia's tourism minister has declared that 2011 is set to be the strongest year yet for the country, with images of communist drudgery and the more recent war-torn legacy now fading fast.

"If we talk about numbers of visits and overnight stays, this is certainly the most successful year in Croatia's tourism," said Damir Bajs on national TV.

In the first seven months of this year, 6.2 million tourists visited Croatia, marking an eight percent increase on the same period last year.

Almost half of those tourists visited the Adriatic country in July (3 million), representing a 4.8 percent increase on last year.

As always the figured for August are also likely to prove a roaring success, as traditionally, August is a favourite amongst holidaymakers, especially for those in search of beach holidays, for which Croatia can cater for in abundance. According to figures published by AFP, tourism now counts for some 18 percent of the country's gross domestic product (GDP).