Croatia among top 10 destinations for Germans as tourism showcased at ITB Berlin

(Photo credit: HTZ)

Croatia is presenting its full tourism offer at the world’s leading travel trade fair, ITB Berlin, as it looks to strengthen its position in one of its most important tourism markets – Germany.

The Croatian National Tourist Board (HTZ) is taking part in the event, which runs until 5 March, alongside a national tourism delegation led by Tourism and Sports Minister Tonči Glavina, HTZ Director Kristjan Staničić and Romeo Draghicchio, Director of the HTZ office in Berlin. Croatia’s stand was also visited by Croatian Ambassador to Germany Gordan Bakota.

Croatia is represented at the fair together with 28 co-exhibitors, showcasing the country’s diverse tourism offer to the global travel industry.

Strong German interest in Croatia

Germany remains Croatia’s most important tourism market. According to the latest Reiseanalyse research, Croatia is once again among the top 10 most desired destinations for Germans.

In 2024, Croatia ranked sixth among foreign destinations chosen by Germans for longer trips, while approximately 6.6 million German travellers visited Croatia over the past three years.

Interest is expected to remain strong, with almost 20% of Germans indicating they plan to travel to Croatia within the next three years.

Minister Tonči Glavina said maintaining the country’s competitiveness will depend on balancing price and quality.

“Croatia has confirmed a strong presence on our most important emitting market. To maintain and strengthen our position, responsible price management combined with continuous improvements in quality will be key. The balance between value for money and quality guarantees further growth in interest for Croatia,” Glavina said.

Meetings with major travel partners

During ITB Berlin, the Croatian delegation is holding meetings with key tourism partners including tour operators, airlines and agencies such as TUI, Jet2.com, Eurowings, Dertour, Flynas and Discover Airlines.

The discussions focus on strengthening cooperation and improving air connectivity, particularly in the pre-season and post-season, with the aim of extending Croatia’s tourism season.

Travel remains a priority for Germans

Research into German travel plans for the 2025–2026 season indicates that travel remains high on the list of priorities, although travellers are increasingly seeking destinations that offer good value for money.

HTZ Director Kristjan Staničić noted that Croatia has strengthened its position in the German market, particularly for spring and summer travel intentions, where it also ranks among the top ten destinations.

Around 40% of Germans plan to spend their summer holiday within Germany, while the remainder intend to travel abroad, with the Mediterranean remaining the most popular region.

“This is a clear signal for tourism stakeholders in Croatia to focus on the balance between price and quality when creating tourism offers,” Staničić said.

(Photo credit: HTZ)

Germans remain Croatia’s biggest visitors

German tourists continue to be the largest group of foreign visitors to Croatia, accounting for more than 20% of all tourist overnight stays in the country.

In 2024, German guests recorded 22.3 million overnight stays.

The majority were recorded in:

• Istria – over 10 million overnight stays

• Kvarner – more than 4 million

• Zadar County and Split-Dalmatia County – more than 2.2 million each

At destination level, the most overnight stays by German visitors were recorded in Rovinj, Poreč and Medulin.

Promoting sustainable tourism

At ITB Berlin, Croatia is highlighting not only the quality of its tourism offer but also its commitment to sustainable tourism development.

The 60th anniversary edition of the fair focuses heavily on technology, digitalisation and innovation in tourism, reflecting the evolving ways travellers discover and plan trips.

Ahead of the fair, Minister Glavina also participated in the UN Tourism Ministers’ Summit titled “Empowering New Destinations: From Potential to Success.”

Croatia’s tourism policies were highlighted as a positive example of responsible destination management, while research by the European Travel Commission (ETC) ranks Croatia among the top five European destinations for sustainable travel sentiment.

Alongside tourism promotion, visitors to the Croatian stand in Berlin were also able to experience presentations and tastings of premium Croatian wines and cheeses, organised in cooperation with the Croatian Chamber of Economy.

As the peak summer travel season approaches, Croatia is using the global stage in Berlin to reinforce its appeal as a destination that combines quality experiences, sustainability and value for money.