Croatian tourism still in the black – weaker November, but a good year
According to the latest data, November brought a slight cooling of tourism indicators, but not a reversal of the trend. Croatia continues to record growth throughout the year. In November, around 424 thousand arrivals were recorded. This is approximately 7 percent less than in November last year, while the number of overnight stays fell by around 4 percent. The most pronounced decline was recorded among foreign guests. Their arrivals were around 10 percent less, and overnight stays around 6 percent less. The domestic market remains more stable and mitigates the overall deficit.
Although the figures in the post-season signal caution, from the perspective of the whole year the picture is much more favorable. The tourism sector, after a series of very strong seasons, is now clearly going through a phase of mild cooling. But without dramatic cuts in results. The profession emphasizes the importance of a further shift towards quality and higher spending per guest, especially outside the peak season.
Eleven months in the plus
Cumulative data from January to the end of November confirm that 2025 is still going in a positive direction for Croatian tourism. In the first 11 months, around 21.4 million tourists visited Croatia. This represents an increase of approximately 2 percent compared to the same period in 2024. Foreign guests make up the backbone of traffic with around 18.3 million arrivals and 95.6 million overnight stays. Domestic guests, with around 3.1 million arrivals, are recording even more pronounced growth. Around 7 percent more arrivals and 3 percent more overnight stays, to approximately 13.4 million.
This structure shows that the domestic market is gradually becoming an important pillar, especially in the quieter part of the year. In addition to the traditionally strong summer months, there is increasing work to spread traffic throughout most of the year, and the growth of domestic guests, weekend stays and shorter trips within the country is supporting this goal. At the same time, the key challenge remains to increase value – to maintain or slightly increase the number of arrivals, but to earn more per guest through a better quality offer and longer stays.
What the numbers say about accommodation
The data for November illustrates well what the late postseason looks like in terms of accommodation structure. Commercial facilities still account for about 90 percent of all overnight stays, with hotels remaining the most important pillar, but with a drop of about 4 percent compared to the same month last year. On the other hand, non-commercial accommodation, above all cottages and private facilities used by guests outside the traditional market, recorded an increase in overnight stays of as much as 21 percent, which suggests that some guests are increasingly choosing more flexible and informal forms of stay.
Unlike the summer peak, nautical charter in the late post-season is noticeably weaker: in November, slightly more than 8,700 overnight stays were recorded, which is a decrease of about 21 percent. Such a result confirms how sensitive this segment is to weather conditions and the length of the season, but also raises the question of additional content and travel motives that could attract sailors outside of the classic summer terms. Ultimately, the accommodation structure and trends by segment clearly indicate the need for further adjustment of the offer, from hotels and campsites to private and nautical tourism, in order to maintain the existing positive trend at the annual level in the coming seasons.
