The City of Dubrovnik expects for flights from Seoul to launch next summer season, following talks with South Korean authorities. The development comes as the number of Korean visitors to Croatia continues to grow. The head of the Dubrovnik-Neretva County, Nikola Dobroslavić, held talks with the Vice Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea, Park Ju-seon, concerning the potential flights. "I am delighted that a large number of Korean tourists visit our country each year and this is precisely the reason we are trying to improve connectivity between the two with nonstop flights", Mr Dobroslavić said. Dubrovnik Mayor, Mato Franković, added, "More than 30.000 Korean guests have visited our city so far this year and we expect for the figure to surpass the 50.000 visitors from 2016. It is very important for us to improve connectivity with Korea. It is a big market and we could attract even more tourists".
Dubrovnik Airport has identified South Korea as a market which could sustain services to the coastal city. Speaking to EX-YU Aviation News, Dubrovnik Airport's Deputy Director General, Frano Luetić, recently said, "This far-away market is the most important for Dubrovnik. Korean tourists are most plentiful during the winter months". Assembly Vice Speaker Park noted, "We would like to see a greater number of Croats visiting our country. The Air Transport Agreement between Croatia and Korea has been signed, which will surely contribute to stronger air links between our two countries". The Bilateral Air Service Agreement between Croatia and South Korea allows for Korean Air to run up to seven weekly flights to Croatia and offers the potential for more codeshares between airlines operating out of both countries. "By concluding this agreement, the primary assumption is that regular nonstop flights between our two countries will be established”, the Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs said late last year.
The President of Korean Air, Won-Tae Cho, recently noted the company is looking into expanding its presence in Croatia in the coming years as it continues to take delivery of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft. Last year, 377.779 Korean holidaymakers visited Croatia, which has become increasingly popular in the country after several reality shows were filmed in places such as Dubrovnik. A spokesman for Korea’s top travel agency, Hana Tour, said that Croatia is emerging as one of the most promising travel destinations for South Koreans who visit Europe. Korean Air is operating ten charter flights to Zagreb this summer season (between May and October) with its Airbus A330 aircraft, making it the most served destination in its European summer charter programme.
I'm quite dissapointed that Dubrovnik still can't attract a single seasonal long haul service. There are a few markets which could surely work. So what's the problem?
ReplyDeleteDidn't Dubrovnik have JAL charters from Japan?
DeleteIt did. They even used the B747.
DeleteThat was a long time ago. Why no more?
DeleteIt still does. 773 by ANA
Delete2 flights all year (both in August). Not even symbolic.
DeleteDBV is 100% leisure market destination. Airline heavily relies on tour operator, but DBV hotel capacity is not enough.
DeletePosto ih samo 10% poseti Dubrovnik znaci da nema puno veze sa Game of trones. Samo prazna prica.
ReplyDeleteTko je spomenuo GoT? Korejski reality šouovi su se snimali po Hrvatskoj, zato posjeta raste.
DeleteWould be nice to see one of their Dreamliners in DBV.
ReplyDeleteIt would be nice but I think the only thing we will see is Korean upgrade the A330 to the B787 on its Zagreb charters
DeleteUnless Korean Air has extra planes to deploy to Dubrovnik, this can hardly materialize since they already have charter flights to Zagreb.
ReplyDeleteI still think it is good that the local government is trying to get these flights. Maybe it would be better to approach Asiana.
DeleteWhy doesen't Korean start to fly charters to Dubrovnik first?
ReplyDeleteWell these talks they are having are leading in the right direction.
DeleteNorwegian Long haul can base 1 aircraft at DBV and launch LAX, NYC or TYO
ReplyDeleteWould be nice but I doubt it.
DeleteThere is a rumour that they will open a base in Zagreb.
DeleteThere were many rumors over the years and not many have come true. Also, given DY's economic situation I doubt they should be taking such a big risk.
DeleteThe thing is that these connections are starting to make more and more sense.
DeleteLast year there were 337.000 arrivals to Croatia from the US and 378.000 from Korea.
As of the end of august, this year the growth is 35% for the US and 20% for Korea. So basically it will be around 450.000 for each. With direct flights it would be even higher
Those government statistics are misleading, most of those Americans visiting are actually of Croatian heritage.
DeleteAlso, no American goes to Europe to exclusively visit Zagreb. They visit several places and BUD and VIE are ideal for that, that is for their entry point to Europe.
First, bull. All of it.
DeleteEven if the most of these so-called-Americans are of Croaian heritage, what does that make any difference if they are US passport holders?
Also, there ARE Americans that fly to Zagreb and/or other croatian airports and they don't always use other close by airports to get to Croatia.
Because those are not your typical tourists who are looking for a holiday destination and then choose Croatia, they will go there no matter what.
DeleteI think a vast majority do use airports around as it's usually cheaper and there are more options.
The only exception is maybe DBV whish is remotely located, away from any real airport.
Of course, most of Croatian heritage.
Delete10 million Americans have a Polish heritage yet only about 250.000 visit Poland annually. And barely anyone of Serb heritage ever seems to go to Serbia
The expansion of long-haul flights from BUD and VIE slashing its charges comes as REALLY bad news for ZAG which overcharges its customers.
DeleteAnonymousSeptember 24, 2017 at 10:53 AM
DeleteYet both BEG and WAW have direct flights to the US. Go figure.
Croatia doesn't have direct flights to the US but it has thousands of daily connections and options, something BEG doesn't have.
DeleteDon't turn this discussion into pissing contest.
DeleteIsn't that what you also did earlier?
DeleteWhere exactly I did that?
DeleteI replied to the nonsense that most of the American visitors are of croatian heritage and that all come from other near by airports.
Again, where is there "a pissing contest"?
Becaue you implied that none of them are Croats and that all tourists flying into the region arrive through ZAG.
DeleteNo, I did not.
DeleteRead carefully. Maybe I should write it po naški da ti bude lakše?
I've wrote that it's not true what the previous poster wrote.
Again: where is the pissing contest there? Or you're not familiar with the term...?
Yeah but then you opened the door for the other one to viciously attack Serbs and Poles. Just because you ddn't do it directly doesn't mean you didn't want to achieve thta goal indirectly.
DeleteDude, what is your problem??
DeleteWhere "I've opened the door for the other one to viciously attack Serbs and Poles"??
What is wrong with you.
Anyway, I'm done with you. Go annoy your mom.
Every single city can have direct flights to the US if its government s willing top pay for it and cover the loses.
DeleteThe clever thing to do is to have some airline fly it because it makes commercial sense and a viable market exists without any cost to the taxpayers.
DBV has what it has to offer to US and the whole world. Opening a base sounds realistic also less competition compared to ZAG.
DeleteIn the end none of this will happen, just like it hasn't so far. The only reason why Canada happeend is because there is a glorified charter airline that's willing to fly the route.
DeleteWhat are those 'thousands' of connections that ZAG have that Belgrade doesn't?
DeleteWe're still waiting for your nebulous answer.
DeleteIf this happens then it will be really bad news for ZAG since DBV can offer a better price and more attractions 'close to home.'
ReplyDeleteActually Koreans visit Zagreb more than Dubrovnik. Koreans were number 1 in foreign arrivals in Zagreb last year. More than double the number of Koreans visit Zagreb than Dubrovnik.
DeleteThe reverse is true for Americans, they visit Dubrovnik more than Zagreb. Although the difference with them is smaller..both cities have a presence on those two markets and you could argue for flights from Dubrovnik to Seul and Zagreb to New York.
Yeah but for KE it will be cheaper to fly into DBV so they will just reorganize the tourists especially since one can visit the coast many times while once is enough for Zagreb.
Delete98.000 Koreans in Zagreb
Delete33.000 Koreans in Dubrovnik
so it is 3 times more.
More Americans in Zagreb than in Dubrovnik too.
Gee that’s a lot of Korean tourists. I’m surprised there aren’t already all year flights. Koreans are also cashed up and are nice tourists to attract. Well done Croatia. A solid opportunity
ReplyDeleteI hope it materializes.
ReplyDeleteThis would be good for Croatian tourism. More direct lines are needed to attract people from long distance destinations.
ReplyDeleteBravo Hrvatska!
ReplyDeleteMakes more sense than Zagreb.
ReplyDeleteZAG is not Croatia. Never underestimate DBV please, thank you.
DeleteLol, missed some classes in primary school? That's what i just said.
DeleteWhat would have more chance of succsess - Dubrovnik-New York or Dubrovnik-Seoul?
ReplyDeleteI know Korean flights worked quite nicely for Czechia, so why not Hrvatsko? It has beautiful beaches, delicious food and nightlife. If DBV doesn't act fast it will loose this opportunity forever.
ReplyDeleteKoreans are not interested in beaches or nightlife. It is well known fact that asians dont like sea or swimming. They are more into scenery and history and ZAG and continental Croatia has a lot to offer there, plus with a few hours of bus drive you can cover much more than from DBV
DeleteCekaj samo da im Purger ponudi njegove rave.
DeleteGood to see Croatia being proactive in securing some more long haul flights.
ReplyDeleteIn the end, Dubrovnik must be the little Barcelona yet to be served all year around. Enough with these seasonality routes!!
ReplyDeleteSeoul, Dubai, Doha, why not Singapore, Air Asia to Kuala Lumpur, Toronto. In Europe with Poland, Romania.
Winter weather could be this bad: hurricane winds, temperature from +2 to +7, waves topping the walls:
Deletehttp://novasloboda.ba/dubrovnik-olujna-bura-prekinula-i-vazdusni-saobracaj/
OT
ReplyDeleteQR upgraded ZAG. 6pw A321, 8pw A320 from next month