Fewer holiday homes in Croatia for first time since 1971

Croatian coast

For the first time in 50 years, the number of holiday homes in Croatia has decreased, according to a study by sociologists from the Ivo Pilar Institute.

As daily Večernji list reports, data from the most recent census reveals a 7% drop in holiday homes compared to the previous census in 2011.

Since 1971, every census recorded a rise in holiday homes, but in 2021, the total fell by 17,755 to 231,488.

At the same time, there was a significant increase in vacant properties, particularly in the Adriatic region.

Rise of Empty Properties

Croatia now has nearly 2.4 million housing units. Of these, around 1.4 million are occupied, while nearly 600,000 are vacant. The remaining properties include business-use spaces and seasonal housing.

The study found that across all three main regions—Adriatic, Pannonian, and Northern Croatia—the number of holiday homes dropped, while the number of empty properties rose. The Adriatic region saw the biggest shift.

What’s Happening in the Adriatic Region?

The Adriatic region, which includes seven coastal counties, has the largest housing stock in Croatia, with nearly 700,000 properties.

Between 2011 and 2021, the total number of homes there increased by 90,000 (15%). However, most of this growth came from vacant homes, which jumped by 75% to over 193,000.

At the same time, the number of occupied homes in the region fell by around 7,000 (3%), and holiday homes decreased by about 14,000 (8%), bringing the total to 149,409 in 2021.

What’s Behind the Trend?

The study, conducted by sociologists Geran-Marko Miletić, Krešimir Peračković, and Mateo Žanić, explores why holiday homes are declining.

One theory is that interest in holiday homes has dropped, despite their popularity during the pandemic. Another possibility is that many holiday homes have been reclassified as vacant properties, particularly as short-term rentals and tourism-related accommodations grow.

Meanwhile, properties used for business purposes surged by 50% in the Adriatic region, reaching 83,732 units.

Trends in Pannonian and Northern Croatia

While the Adriatic region saw the biggest changes, the Pannonian and Northern Croatian regions also experienced a decline in holiday homes.

The Pannonian region, which spans eight counties – Bjelovar-Bilogora, Brod-Posavina, Karlovac, Osijek-Baranja, Požega-Slavonia, Sisak-Moslavina, Virovitica-Podravina and Vukovar-Srijem – – has around 346,000 homes, while Northern Croatia has the smallest housing stock, with about 266,000 homes.

The Future of Holiday Homes in Croatia

The decline in holiday homes marks a shift in Croatia’s housing trends. With an increasing number of vacant properties and a growing real estate market, it remains to be seen how these changes will impact tourism and homeownership in the coming years.