Pelješac tourism boom: Smaller coastal towns now see rising demand

Klek (Photo: MaGa/CC BY 3.0)

Tourism is increasingly spreading beyond the better-known destinations of the Pelješac peninsula and southern Croatian coast, with smaller towns recording growing demand for accommodation and new investment.

In the municipality of Slivno, which includes coastal destinations such as Komarna and Klek, more than 110,000 overnight stays have been recorded so far this year.

Komarna, once a small and relatively quiet coastal settlement, is developing into a more significant tourist destination, with new investment following the opening of the Pelješac Bridge.

Since construction of the bridge was completed, around 16 new building permits have been issued in Komarna, Barbara Prović, director of the Slivno Tourist Board, told HRT.

Neighbouring Klek remains one of the area’s strongest performers. Last year, it recorded almost 89,000 overnight stays, helped by its location and easy access to other destinations along the Croatian coast.

Tourists are also discovering Drače on Pelješac, where new accommodation is being developed to meet increasing demand. Bianca Jasprica, director of the Janjina Tourist Board, said accommodation in the municipality is currently fully occupied, with regular enquiries from visitors looking for additional apartments.

In Orebić, visitor numbers have remained broadly similar to last season. The town continues to attract visitors from Poland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovenia, Germany and Croatia, while interest from the Czech Republic and the UK is also returning.

The area is seeing growth in property prices and infrastructure. Average property prices are now around €3,500 per square metre, while visitors interviewed by Croatian media noted that everyday costs remain lower than on some of the islands.

The Pelješac Bridge has significantly improved access to southern Croatia by providing a direct road connection between mainland Croatia and the Pelješac peninsula, allowing traffic to bypass the short stretch of Bosnian territory around Neum. Opened in July 2022, the 2.4-kilometre bridge has made travel to destinations such as Orebić, Korčula and Dubrovnik more convenient and has strengthened connections between communities on the peninsula and the rest of Croatia.

Pelješac Bridge (Photo credit: Maureliusz/CC BY-SA 4.0)

The bridge has made it easier for visitors travelling by car to reach Pelješac without having to cross the Bosnia and Herzegovina border, helping smaller coastal destinations benefit from increased accessibility and investment.

Further development is expected, with the Orebić bypass road and a new ferry port among the projects planned for the peninsula.