Croatian tourism in 2025 was marked by new record indicators
Croatia has confirmed its status as one of the most sought-after European destinations in 2025.. According to eVisitor system data, more than 21.8 million arrivals and 110.1 million overnight stays were recorded, surpassing the results from 2024. The growth is moderate but stable – arrivals are up by 2 percent and overnight stays by 1 percent, which is an important signal for tourism professionals in the context of destination maturity and changing demand.
The Adriatic continues to carry the bulk of the traffic with 104.6 million overnight stays, while the continental part, including Zagreb, records 5.6 million overnight stays and further strengthens the role of year-round offerings. The pre-season and post-season are particularly noteworthy, with a visible leap in December when one million overnight stays were exceeded for the first time.
Minister of Tourism and Sport Tonči Glavina He rated 2025 as extremely successful, emphasising that record results were achieved in parallel with the implementation of a demanding reform of accommodation capacities. The focus for 2026 will be on price competitiveness, adaptation to new tourism trends, and stronger promotional activities in key source markets.
At the regional level, Istria achieved the highest number of overnight stays with 30.3 million, followed by the Split-Dalmatia County, Kvarner and Zadar County. Leading destinations include Dubrovnik, Rovinj, Split, Poreč and Umag, which continuously combine strong demand, developed local attractions and a diverse range of accommodation.
Director Croatian National Tourist Board, Kristjan Staničić, highlights that the results were achieved despite inflationary pressures, climate challenges, and a complex global environment. In 2026, the focus will be on developing premium and sustainable tourism, strengthening cooperation with airlines and tour operators, digital campaigns, and encouraging early bookings. Special attention will also be paid to promoting domestic accommodation through the „local host“ concept, which is increasingly attracting guests seeking an authentic destination experience.
Looking at the markets, the most overnight stays were achieved by guests from Germany, followed by domestic tourists, Slovenians, Austrians, Poles, Czechs, and guests from the United Kingdom. This structure confirms the importance of traditional source markets, but also the need for further diversification of demand.
Positive trends continued at the end of the year. In December, 1.1 million overnight stays were recorded, while the Christmas and New Year holidays brought an 8 percent increase compared to the same period last year. The most sought-after destinations were Zagreb, Dubrovnik, Opatija, Poreč, and Split, and hotels and private accommodation facilities confirmed their key role in winter tourism traffic.
Croatia remains a strong and competitive destination, but future growth will depend on the quality of the offering, value for money, and the ability to adapt to new market expectations.
