Croatia’s tourism industry has capped off a historic year, breaking all previous records with more than 110 million overnight stays in 2025, confirming the country’s position as one of
Europe’s most resilient and attractive destinations.
Data from the national eVisitor system shows that Croatia welcomed over 21.8 million visitors last year, who collectively generated 110.1 million overnight stays. This represents year-on-year growth of 2 percent in arrivals and 1 percent in overnight stays compared with 2024.
Adriatic coast leads, continental tourism grows steadily
As expected, the Adriatic coast remained the engine of Croatian tourism. Coastal destinations accounted for 104.6 million overnight stays, an increase of 1 percent from the previous year, underlining the enduring appeal of Croatia’s seaside resorts.
At the same time, continental Croatia continued to build momentum. Zagreb and other inland destinations recorded 5.6 million overnight stays, up 2 percent, reflecting steady progress in positioning Croatia as a year-round destination beyond the summer season.
Record results across the entire season
Tourism Minister Tonči Glavina described 2025 as a milestone year for the sector, noting that records were achieved across all parts of the tourism calendar.
“We are extremely satisfied with the results, which were record-breaking in every segment. The pre-season and post-season were the strongest ever, and December marked a major step forward with more than one million overnight stays,” Glavina said.
“For the first time in history, Croatia has exceeded 110 million overnight stays. Alongside record revenues, we have also successfully implemented one of the most demanding reforms in tourism – the reform of accommodation capacities,” he added.
However, the minister cautioned that 2026 will bring new challenges, including geopolitical uncertainty, economic pressures in key European markets and changing travel habits.
“Price competitiveness will be crucial. We must carefully listen to signals from our markets. With responsible and coordinated action, we can repeat these outstanding results,” Glavina stressed.
Istria tops the regions, Dubrovnik leads destinations
By county, Istria once again claimed the top spot with 30.3 million overnight stays. It was followed by Split-Dalmatia County with 20.9 million, Kvarner with 18.5 million, Zadar County with 15.5 million, Dubrovnik-Neretva County with 9.3 million, Šibenik-Knin County with 6.6 million, and Lika-Senj County with 3.5 million.
Among individual destinations, Dubrovnik, Rovinj, Split, Poreč and Umag emerged as the strongest performers in 2025, reaffirming their role as Croatia’s tourism heavyweights.
German tourists remain the backbone of demand
Germany continued to be Croatia’s most important foreign market, with German visitors generating 22.3 million overnight stays. Domestic tourists ranked second with 13.8 million, followed by Slovenia (11.1 million), Austria (8.2 million), Poland (7.3 million), the Czech Republic (4.9 million) and the United Kingdom (4.1 million).
Focus on quality, sustainability and value in 2026
Kristjan Staničić, Director of the Croatian National Tourist Board (HTZ), highlighted that the record results were achieved despite inflation, climate challenges and economic uncertainty.
“These results give us strong motivation for 2026. Our focus will remain on premium and sustainable tourism, closer cooperation with airlines, tour operators and booking platforms, and targeted digital campaigns,” Staničić said.
HTZ will also continue promoting specific tourism products and strengthening early booking initiatives, including the ‘Local Host’ project aimed at markets with strong demand for private accommodation.
“Our key objective is to deliver high quality and genuine value for money,” he added.
Strong finish to the year and festive-season surge
Croatia ended 2025 on a high. December alone saw 450,000 arrivals and 1.1 million overnight stays, a 7 percent increase compared with December 2024. The strongest results were recorded on Kvarner, in Istria and in Split-Dalmatia, with Zagreb, Opatija, Split, Dubrovnik and Rovinj leading among destinations.
The Christmas and New Year period delivered an additional boost. Between 24 December and 1 January, Croatia recorded more than 188,000 arrivals and 541,000 overnight stays, up 8 percent year on year.
Hotels accounted for 279,000 overnight stays during the festive period, while private accommodation generated 128,000, highlighting the continued importance of both sectors in Croatia’s tourism success story. Photo by Bracodbk, Wikimedia commons.