Dalibor Cvitkovic, director of the tourism community of the island of Losinj, gave an exclusive interview to Votpusk.ru.
Tell us a little about the organization you represent
- The Mali Lošinj Tourism Community is an organization whose main goal is to develop, conduct and popularize tourism activities, as well as to improve the quality of tourism services. We conduct and co-finance press tours, help the tourism industry to attract more tourists.
Tell us a little about the island, it is not so well known to Russian tourists
- Losinj is one of the most picturesque islands in Croatia, decorated with a necklace of small islets and the unique waters of the Adriatic Sea.
Numerous rocky coves of the island attract sailors and are simply pleasing to the eye.
The population of the island is 7000 people, most of it lives in the towns of Mali and Veli Losinj. Mali Lošinj is a large active resort town with many attractions for guests. For example, an observatory was built in it due to the unique transparency of the sky and visibility. Veli Lošinj is smaller, more suitable for a quiet family holiday.
The beach season lasts from May to October. There are no strong winds on the island. The climate is mild. In winter, the average temperature is about +12 degrees.
What type of recreation prevails on the island of Lošinj?
- The island promotes itself as a health tourism resort - it is organic food, sports, fitness and various outdoor activities.
In addition, Lošinj is known as a health resort for the treatment of diseases of the upper respiratory tract, asthma. Health tourism on the island of Lošinj has a long tradition. The towns of Veli and Mali Lošinj received the status of sanatorium and health resorts as early as 1892.
Today we are demonstrating a trend towards integrated services, in which tourism and modern healthcare are complementary.
The main industry on the island is tourism, which employs 87% of the population. Residents have been engaged in tourism for 130 years, they have broad views on life, so tourists feel comfortable there.
What are some of the significant landmarks of the island?
- First of all, these are natural attractions: wonderful beaches, picturesque bays and bays, unique colonies of dolphins live in the coastal waters. From architecture, these are buildings of the Renaissance - churches, monasteries and basilicas.
In 1996, an antique bronze statue of the Greek athlete Apoxyomenos was found at a depth of 40 m south of the island of Losinj. The statue was restored and is now in the Museum of Mali Lošinj.
Dolphin Day has become not only a traditional holiday in Veli Lošinj, but also a central element of the educational program of the Blue World Institute. The Institute conducts research work on the wildlife of the Adriatic Sea and has led several national and international initiatives to protect the marine environment in order to reduce the negative impact of waste on the marine environment. The basis of the activity of the Blue World Institute is the long-term scientific research of bottlenose dolphins in the Adriatic Sea. Our dolphin watching excursions focus on providing an educational experience regarding dolphins and the marine environment in which they live. For several years now, the opportunity to "adopt" a dolphin has been in great demand, to become a personal sponsor of one of the bottlenose dolphins and to visit him every year.
Are there Russian-speaking representatives of the tourism industry on the island of Losinj?
- There will be no problems with this! Many Croats understand Russian, as Russian and Croatian languages are very close. There is also a Russian-speaking staff, as the number of Russian tourists increases, so will the number of Russian-speaking staff.
How to get to the island of Losinj?
Oh, this is very easy, there are many options. Ferries from the city of Zadar and a high-speed catamaran from the city of Rijeka go to the island of Losinj. Also, the island of Losinj is connected with the island of Cres by a bridge, and in turn, the island of Cres has a good ferry connection with the mainland and other islands of the archipelago.
What would you like to wish Russian tourists?
- I invite you to relax and have an unforgettable experience on the wonderful island of Losinj!
