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Travel and tourism in Croatia - statistics & facts

Croatia is a popular vacation destination in Europe and the most visited tourist market in the CEE region. Croatia's travel and tourism industries contribute a higher share of GDP than any other EU member state, making the sector economically significant. Tourism in Croatia boomed in the years before the coronavirus outbreak, with international tourist arrivals peaking at 17.3 million. Although the pandemic disrupted growth, the tourism sector was expected to contribute 22.6 billion U.S. dollars to the Croatian economy in 2025.

Destination Croatia

With a warm Mediterranean climate, Croatia is a leading summer vacation destination in Southeast Europe. It attracts tourists from all over Europe; however, it remains most popular with travelers from Germany and Austria. Nearby Italy and Slovenia are also important markets. Most visitors stay in the country's numerous coastal towns on the Adriatic Sea. Cruise and nautical tourism also play a prominent role, with ships often calling at Croatian ports and marinas. Dubrovnik is one of the most visited towns in Croatia. Due to its popularity as a cruise port of call and interest in the city as a filming location for the television series Game of Thrones, the old town of Dubrovnik had to deal with overcrowding, including attempts to control the number of tourists entering at peak times.

Impact of COVID-19

As the coronavirus (COVID-19) broke out across Europe in 2020, Croatia closed its borders to international tourists. Overnight tourist arrivals fell by 99 percent in April 2020 compared to the same period a year earlier. Croatia re-opened to tourists in the summer, although visitors were far fewer than usual. However, the number of arrivals in accommodation establishments in August 2021 grew by 65 percent year-over-year, even though the pandemic was still ongoing. According to Statista forecasts, international tourism will return to pre-pandemic growth levels by 2024.
This text provides general information. Statista assumes no liability for the information given being complete or correct. Due to varying update cycles, statistics can display more up-to-date data than referenced in the text.
Published by Statista Research Department, Nov 7, 2022

Key insights

Travel and tourism market revenue forecast
424.7m EUR
Tourism share of GDP
12%
Most visited destination in Croatia by overnight tourists
Zagreb
Get more insights

Editor’s Picks Current statistics on this topic

Number of overnight tourist arrivals in Dubrovnik, Croatia from 2011 to 2021* (in 1,000s)

Destinations

Number of tourist arrivals in Dubrovnik 2011-2021

Number of international tourist arrivals in Croatia in 2020 and 2021, by country of origin (in 1,000)

Leisure Travel

Leading inbound travel markets in Croatia 2020-2021

Towns and municipalities with highest number of overnight tourist arrivals in Croatia in 2020 and 2021 (in 1,000s)

Destinations

Most visited towns by tourists in Croatia 2020-2021

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Overview

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International tourism

Tourism activity of Croatian population

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Tourism activity of Croatian population

Accommodation

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Accommodation

Destinations

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Destinations

Outlook

4

Outlook

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