Revenues from foreign tourists in the first quarter of 2026 increased by 9.2 per cent
According to data from the eVisitor system, which records tourism traffic generated in commercial and non-commercial facilities as well as nautical charter (eCrew system), 12.4 million arrivals and 59.1 million overnight stays were recorded in Croatia between January and the end of July, representing a 1 per cent growth in both arrivals and overnight stays compared to the same period last year. Of this total, 56.1 million overnight stays were recorded on the Adriatic coast, representing a 0.5 per cent growth compared to last year, while more than 3 million overnight stays were recorded in continental Croatia, including the city of Zagreb, which is 1 per cent higher than last year.
Data from the eVisitor system also shows that 4.7 million arrivals and 29.6 million overnight stays were recorded in Croatia in July this year, representing a 2.5 per cent increase in arrivals and a 1 per cent increase in overnight stays compared to July last year. In the seventh month, the highest number of guests came from the markets of Germany, Slovenia, Croatia, Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria, Hungary, etc. Looking by county, Istria, Split-Dalmatia County and Kvarner counted the highest number of tourists, while considering individual destinations, the most visited were Rovinj, Vir, Poreč, Medulin and Dubrovnik.
"We are pleased with the tourism results achieved in the first seven months of this year, and particularly with the fact that in July we achieved the best result in the last two years. This confirms that Croatian tourism continues to maintain its competitiveness and resilience, and that despite market changes, we are succeeding in maintaining positive trends. We are especially pleased that we are recording good results in financial indicators as well. In July, the value of fiscalised invoices rose by 18 per cent, while the number of issued invoices was 8 per cent higher compared to the same month last year. We are also recording growth in road, air and maritime traffic, and all these results confirm that we have responded well to market circumstances - both through high-quality promotion of Croatia and through the timely adjustment of our offer. I thank the entire tourism sector for their hard work, especially accommodation providers who responded to our appeals and, with their special offers, contributed further to the competitiveness of our offer. A significant part of August still lies ahead, after which we will make a comprehensive review of this main part of the tourism year. Croatian tourism is confirming its strength once again this year, and the results achieved show that we are on the right track and that together we are successfully responding to changes and challenges," stated Tonči Glavina, Minister of Tourism and Sport.
When segmenting Croatia's tourism performance by county, the highest number of overnight stays in the first seven months was recorded in Istria (16.7 million overnight stays), Split-Dalmatia County (11.1 million overnight stays) and Kvarner (9.7 million overnight stays), while in terms of destinations, Dubrovnik, Rovinj, Poreč, Split and Umag led the way.
"The course and results of the tourism year so far show that Croatia continues to hold a very strong position in the global tourism market, despite all demanding circumstances. What we particularly observe from this year's tourism trends is a shift in how guests make decisions about their trips. Last-minute bookings play an important role, and when choosing a destination, the best value for money is increasingly sought, along with safety and easy accessibility. Croatia has a number of advantages in this context; from proximity to our most important source markets and good transport connectivity to a diverse offer that enables different types of holidays. The results achieved therefore give us an extra wind in our sails for the remainder of the tourism year, all the more so because the Ferragosto period is ahead of us, which is traditionally very important for trips by Italian guests. In addition to the main summer months, we are also recording excellent announcements for the post-season, for which promotional activities start in mid-August, particularly in the Polish and UK markets," stated Kristjan Staničić, Director of the Croatian National Tourist Board.
By source market, during the first seven months, the highest number of overnight stays was generated by guests from Germany (10.3 million overnight stays), Croatia (7.6 million overnight stays), Slovenia (6.7 million overnight stays), Austria (4.3 million overnight stays), Poland (3.9 million overnight stays), the Czech Republic (3 million overnight stays), the UK (2.2 million overnight stays), Hungary (2.1 million overnight stays), etc.
