The Big Thursday has almost become the traditional name for the first day of the Austrian Boat Show in Tulln, which opens its doors every year on the first Thursday in March. This year’s show started last Thursday, March 2nd at 10 AM, and the visitors have swarmed the halls as soon as the door opened.
“At 10:05 it seemed as there were a hundred people in front of ACI’s booth.” – says Slavica Skočić, front desk manager in ACI marina Vodice and here member of the crew at ACI’s booth.
From that moment, for Slavica, Ivica Škec (manager of ACI marina Opatija as well as member of the booth’s crew) and Silvana Stiglić (Head of the booth), there was no time for a break: meetings, greetings, smiles, cordial welcomes, it seemed like a reunion of a large family… They needed to answer many questions of those who would like to become members of this family for the first time – questions about marinas, moorings, cruises… Tulln is the right place for entering the magical world of sailing.
One of the visitors was Gari Cappelli, Croatian Minister of Tourism who has visited the show along with the Director of Representation of the Croatian National Tourist Board, Ranko Vlatković. At the show, Mr. Cappelli has met with the director of ACI, Kristijan Pavić. The further development of nautical tourism in Croatia has been discussed, as well as the new investments in ACI marinas, especially the reconstruction of ACI marina Rovinj, the reconstruction of the pontoons in ACI marina Vodice, the investments in ACI marina Dubrovnik and the renovation of the Sorkočević summer mansion.
The Minister of Tourism, Gari Cappelli said: “I’m glad that I have visited Tulln, one of the biggest boat shows in Europe, and gave my support to the Croatian nautical sector that is an active member of this show. Nautics is a very important part of our tourist offer and we wish to help the promotion of nautics, especially given the strong interest of the European market. Last year in Croatia boaters have made over 3 million overnight stays, which is an annual growth of about 20 percent. Nautical tourism is definitely one of the Croatian image products that highlights the best Croatia has to offer. A great contribution to the development of this tourism product is definitely given by the ACI company, which operates with 22 marinas along the coast and continuously invests in the quality of services and offers.”
A day after the closing of the Boat Show, we had positive impressions from our representatives:
“When ACI’s guests come to the booth they feel like being at home, in their marine, on their boat that is berthed there. Here, they arrange to meet with their neighbors from the marina, some of them bring friends who don’t yet have a berth, so they can see what is offered from Istria to Korčula and Dubrovnik. They always ask about Rovinj. Most of them know that the reconstruction is starting in the marina in Rovinj, but they are already interested for booking in 2018, when the opening of the new modern marine is planned. It is important to do book it on time. Austrians are mostly interested in marinas that are near and easy to reach, like the marinas in Istria and Opatija, as well as the marinas near Šibenik – Jezera, Vodice and Skradin. There were many inquiries about boat rental and cruise routes for charter companies, 27 of which are based in ACI marinas and for which a 20% discount is offered for transit berthing in ACI marinas. According to the information and inquiries we have gathered, our new marina in Slano will be well visited already this season.” – says Silvana Stiglić, Head of the ACI booth in Tulln.
To conclude, we would like to thank all of our boater guests that have visited ACI’s booth in Tulln!
See you soon at the sea!
ACI crew
