Source: Ministry of Tourism and Sports
According to data from the eVisitor system, which includes tourist traffic generated in commercial and non-commercial facilities and nautical charter (eCrew system), Croatia recorded 4.5 million arrivals and over 14 million overnight stays in the period from January to the end of May, which represents a 5 percent increase in arrivals and 7 percent in overnight stays compared to the same period last year. Of the total number of overnight stays, 12.2 million overnight stays were recorded in the Adriatic, which is 8 percent more than last year, while the rest were recorded on the continent, which recorded a 3 percent increase in overnight stays.
“The 5% growth in tourist arrivals and 7% in overnight stays in the first five months of this year confirms that the measures and policies we are implementing are yielding concrete results, especially in strengthening the pre- and post-season and developing year-round tourism. The data for the first part of June is also encouraging, as it also records very good trends,” said Tonči Glavina, Minister of Tourism and Sports.
He also added: – Given the circumstances of the new crisis in the Middle East, we have also reacted quickly when it comes to promotion. We have redirected existing marketing campaigns in our most important source markets to highlight our competitive advantages, such as proximity to key markets and the country’s security, which in these circumstances, along with a good price-quality ratio, are high on the list of priorities and preferences of tourists. However, we are facing the most intense part of the tourist year, July and August, when we also achieve the largest share of tourist traffic. According to previous research and trends in key source markets, demand is somewhat more restrained than in previous years, which is why it is important to continue to pursue a responsible and competitive pricing policy. Through quality package arrangements and an offer that meets guests’ expectations, we must further strengthen Croatia’s position as a destination that offers an excellent price-quality ratio.
Most overnight stays in Istria
When we segment Croatia’s tourism results by county, during the first five months the highest number of overnight stays was recorded in Istria (4.1 million overnight stays), Split-Dalmatia County (2.2 million overnight stays) and Kvarner (2.1 million overnight stays), and when viewed by destination, in Dubrovnik, Zagreb, Rovinj, Split, Poreč and Zadar.
“The positive results confirm that Croatia continues to have a good position in the international tourism market, and that interest in our country is stable despite the challenging circumstances facing the global travel sector. According to the latest European research, demand for travel to the Mediterranean remains very strong, and the safety of the destination, the quality of the offer and a good value for money ratio, as well as the proximity of destinations are among the key factors when choosing a vacation. These are precisely the main communication messages in our marketing campaigns with which Croatia is trying to further attract guests,” said Kristjan Staničić, director of the Croatian Tourist Board, adding that the pre- and post-season periods play an increasingly important role in our country’s overall tourism results.
Most guests are from Germany, followed by domestic guests
Looking at the markets, during the first five months, the most overnight stays were achieved by guests from Germany (2.7 million overnight stays), domestic guests (2.5 million overnight stays), and guests from the Slovenian market (1.3 million overnight stays), Austria (1.1 million overnight stays), the UK (over 670 thousand overnight stays) and the USA (over 540 thousand overnight stays).
When looking at the results achieved by type of accommodation in the commercial segment, hotels, which account for 15 percent of the capacity, accounted for 43 percent of total overnight stays, campsites, which account for 20 percent of the capacity, accounted for 16 percent of total overnight stays, while household facilities, which account for 52 percent of the capacity, accounted for 23 percent of total overnight stays.
Let us add that the eVisitor system data also shows that during the extended weekend for the Corpus Christi holiday, i.e. in the period from June 4 to 7, Croatia recorded 378 thousand arrivals and 1.7 million overnight stays. During the extended weekend, the most guests were from the markets of Germany, Austria, Croatia, Poland, Slovenia, the UK, the USA, etc. Looking at the counties, the most overnight stays during the extended weekend were recorded in Istria, Split-Dalmatia County and Kvarner, and looking at the destinations in Rovinj, Dubrovnik, Poreč, Split and Medulin.
