Who are the Biggest Earners in Croatian Tourism?

Croatia’s Minister of Tourism recently revealed that revenues generated from tourism in the first six months of 2014 totalled 2.12 billion euros, which was 2.2% more than the same period last year, so who in the industry are rubbing their hands together the most?…

Once again it is those renting out private accommodation who were the biggest earners from tourism so far this year. The ‘zimmer frei’ or ‘soba’ proprietors turned over more than 9 billion kuna (1.17 billion euros), according to a report from the Croatian Chamber of Commerce.

Dario Ivanković, who rents out 8 rooms at his apartments, told Nova TV that despite the summer ending, he still has business.

“Till now we were around 90% full, now it has dropped to around 80-70%,” said Ivanković, who is one of many cashing in on renting private accommodation.

There are more ‘beds’ in the private accommodation sector, than in any other form of accommodation in Croatian tourism with around 500,000 beds in 60,000 apartments available.

“That is around one-third of all tourist traffic in Croatia,” the Chamber’s Nedjeljko Pinezić explained, adding that profits do go back into the local economy.

“It is the driver of the economy at the micro level. In maintenance of family accommodation alone around 90 million euros annually is invested, “says Pinezić.