Almost 600,000 overnight stays recorded in Croatia during Christmas and New Year holidays

(Photo credit: Julien Duval/Zagreb TZ)

Excellent results and tourist trends from last year have continued. In Croatia during the Christmas and New Year holidays. 

From December 23, 2022 to January 8, 2023, there were more than 214,000 arrivals and 594,000 overnight stays in Croatia, which compared to the 2021/2022 holidays. represents a growth of 28 percent in arrivals and 19 percent in overnight stays.

“With this result, we concluded the previous year very successfully and entered 2023 in a positive tone and atmosphere. That this is so is confirmed by the more than 260,000 overnight stays realised so far in January, which represents a nine percent increase compared to January last year. With the aim of maintaining these positive trends, we are preparing a series of promotional activities, campaigns, presentations, as well as fair performances. Thus, in addition to informational activities and campaigns related to the introduction of the euro and our country’s entry into Schengen, we will present Croatia at fairs in Madrid, New York, Stuttgart, Düsseldorf and Utrecht in January,” said Kristjan Staničić, director of the Croatian Tourist Board, praising the high-quality and the rich tourist offer of numerous destinations that attracted numerous foreign guests to Croatia during the holidays.

During the Christmas and New Year holidays, the most overnight stays were realised in Istria (133 thousand), in Kvarner (123 thousand) and in Zagreb (97 thousand). 

About 60 thousand overnight stays were realised in Split-Dalmatia County, more than 40 thousand in Dubrovnik-Neretva County, more than 32 thousand overnight stays in Zadar County, while more than 17 thousand overnight stays were realised in Šibenik-Knin County. In continental Croatia, Krapina-Zagorje County recorded more than 19,000 overnight stays, followed by Međimurje County with around 12,000 and Karlovac County with around 10,000 overnight stays.

Zadar (Photo credit: Marin Gospić)

“We entered 2023 with better results than at the beginning of 2019. At the moment, we are recording 32 percent more overnight stays, which includes a 10 percent increase in the continental part, and this is an excellent indicator of continued growth in demand for Croatia and our further positioning as a year-round destination with a diversified, high-value offer. According to the latest research by the European Travel Commission, Croatia is one of the most sought-after travel destinations in this part of the year, and we want to maintain that status. In our development and promotional activities, we emphasise the offers available throughout the year and the fact that Croatia, by entering the Schengen area and the Eurozone, is an even closer and safer destination”, said Nikolina Brnjac, Minister of Tourism and Sports.

Looking at the destinations, during the period of Christmas and New Year’s holidays, Zagreb records the most overnight stays with the mentioned 97 thousand overnight stays, Opatija with over 42 thousand and Split with almost 36 thousand overnight stays. Then follows Dubrovnik with almost 35 thousand overnight stays, Rovinj with over 31 thousand and Poreč with almost 28 thousand overnight stays. More than 24,000 overnight stays were made in Zadar, more than 19,000 in Mali Lošinj, almost 14,000 in Rijeka, while more than 11,000 overnight stays were made in Medulin.

In addition to domestic guests who spent the most overnight stays in the mentioned period, more than 190 thousand, among foreign tourists the most overnight stays were Austrians, more than 77 thousand, while Slovenians recorded about 62 thousand, Germans more than 55 thousand, and Italians more than 37 thousand. overnight stays.