Croatia's Tourism Sector Sees Growth in 2026, Driven by Domestic Visitors Amidst Overtourism Concerns
Croatia's tourism sector recorded 21.3 million tourist arrivals and nearly 109 million overnight stays in the first ten months of 2026. This represents a 1.6% increase in arrivals and a 1% rise in overnight stays compared to the same period in 2025, according to data from the Croatian National Tourist Board (HTZ). A significant factor in this growth has been the increase in domestic tourism, with Croatian visitors' overnight stays rising by 4.7% year-on-year. While foreign visitors still account for the majority (87.5%) of overnight stays, their growth was more modest at 0.4%. October 2026 data further highlighted this trend, showing a 9% increase in domestic arrivals and an 8.5% increase in domestic overnight stays, contrasting with a slight decline in foreign arrivals and overnight stays for the month. Germany remained the leading foreign market, despite an 8.7% decrease in overnight stays, while Slovenian and Austrian visitors showed increases.
