Tourism numbers dip slightly in July and rise slightly in the first half of the year

Among the top destinations in Croatia are Dubrovnik, Rovinj, Poreč, the Island of Hvar, Zadar and Split on the coast, while Zagreb and the Plitvice Lakes National Park dominate tourism inland.

According to the latest data Croatia registered 4.6 million tourist arrivals and more than 29 million overnight stays in July, which is down on an annual basis by two and one percent respectively. Some 12 million arrivals and almost 59 million overnight stays have been registered in the first seven months of the year, both up by two percent when compared to the same period last year.

The national capital, Zagreb, remains a year-round destination, inviting guests with different programs throughout the four seasons. The director of the Zagreb Tourist Board Martina Bienenfeld: "The motives for visiting the capital vary, during the summer months it's the rich offer of different events. July was especially good, in which we registered eight percent more overnight stays than in July of 2024."

However, coastal regions see the bulk of their tourists in the peak summer months and the in the pre and post seasons. To make the most of their shorter season, regions such as Zadar are offering various stimulative measures to businesses, private accommodations and local restaurants to stimulate an even higher quality offer to tourists. The director of the Zadar Tourist Board Iva Bencun: "People need to be rewarded for their good work, because this serves as a stimulus to keep working. So, the idea is to continually develop quality tourism, our mantra is quality not quantity. And this is just one way of stimulating that."

Source: HRT