Croatia is mounting a major COVID-19 vaccination campaign this month in a bid to salvage its tourist industry, Jutarnji List newspaper said on Saturday.

The vaccination of about 70,000 tourism workers, both full-time and seasonal, starts on 15 April, and vaccination points will be set up in sports halls in major towns as well as in large hotels. The campaign will be led by county public health institutes.

The vaccine manufactured by Johnson&Johnson, which is administered in a single dose, will also be used to ensure that all tourism workers are inoculated before the start of the summer season.

After the tourism workers, the vaccination campaign will focus on about 90,000 private accommodation providers.

The government has decided to cover 50 percent of the cost of rapid antigen testing. All testing locations will be available on the Safe Stay in Croatia website and tourists will be able to sign up by email for an antigen or PCR test. With a certificate from the e-visitor system, they will be able to take a rapid antigen test at the subsidised price, Jutarnji List said.