Croatia records 3 million tourist overnight stays in first quarter as arrivals rise 9%

Zagreb

Croatia’s tourism sector has made a strong start to the year, with more than 1.1 million tourist arrivals and 3 million overnight stays recorded between January and the end of March, according to the eVisitor system.

The figures represent a 9% increase in arrivals and an 8% rise in overnight stays compared with the same period last year. Data from eVisitor includes tourism traffic from commercial and non-commercial accommodation as well as nautical charter activity recorded through the eCrew system.

The Adriatic coast generated the majority of overnight stays, recording 2.1 million, which is 12% more than in the first quarter of last year.

Meanwhile, Croatia’s continental destinations saw 890,000 overnight stays, representing a 3% increase year-on-year.

Croatia’s Minister of Tourism and Sport, Tonči Glavina, said the tourism year was unfolding under challenging global circumstances, making forecasts difficult.

However, he stressed that Croatia’s strategic advantages – safety and proximity to key European markets – remain important strengths.

“Price competitiveness will remain a crucial factor when travellers choose their destinations. If everyone in the tourism value chain acts responsibly, we can create the conditions for a strong continuation of the tourist year and solid foundations for the next one,” Glavina said.

Most popular regions and destinations

Looking at regional results, the most overnight stays in the first quarter were recorded in:

• Istria – 700,000 overnight stays

• Kvarner – 513,000 overnight stays

• Split-Dalmatia County – 326,000 overnight stays

Among individual destinations, the most popular were Zagreb, Rovinj, Split, Dubrovnik, Opatija, Poreč and Zadar.

Domestic tourists generated the highest number of overnight stays during the first three months of the year, with more than 1 million nights recorded.

They were followed by visitors from several key regional and European markets:

• Slovenia – over 314,000 overnight stays

• Austria – 220,000

• Germany – more than 209,000

• Bosnia and Herzegovina – 186,000

Kristjan Staničić, director of the Croatian National Tourist Board, said the results confirm positive tourism trends, supported by promotional campaigns focused on the pre-season and post-season periods.

He added that marketing messages have been adjusted to emphasise safety, quality and the diversity of Croatia’s tourism offer.

Recent research by the European Travel Commission also indicates strong demand, with 82% of Europeans planning to travel this spring and summer – the highest level recorded since 2020 – provided geopolitical conditions remain stable.

However, Staničić noted that price will play an increasingly important role, with travellers expected to choose destinations that offer the best value for money.

Busy Easter weekend

The extended Easter weekend from 3 to 6 April also delivered strong results for Croatian tourism.

During the four-day period, Croatia recorded 144,364 tourist arrivals and 501,014 overnight stays.

Most visitors came from Germany, Croatia, Italy, Slovenia, Austria and Slovakia.

The most visited destinations during the holiday weekend were Dubrovnik, Poreč, Rovinj, Zagreb and Split, highlighting strong early-season demand across both coastal and urban destinations.