TOURIST ARRIVALS AND NIGHTS IN COMMERCIAL ACCOMMODATION, 2025

 

The moderate increase in tourist arrivals and nights continues in 2025 compared to 2024

The moderate increase in tourist traffic in commercial accommodation establishments continued in 2025. A total of 20.7 million tourist arrivals and 94.8 million tourist nights were realised, which was a 2.2% increase in tourist arrivals and a 1.2% increase in tourist nights compared to 2024. Tourists realised an average of 4.6 nights per arrival.

Domestic tourists realised 3.1 million arrivals and 9.2 million nights in 2025, which was a 7.6% increase in arrivals and a 5.6% increase in nights compared to 2024. As regards the structure of total tourist arrivals, domestic tourists accounted for 14.9%, while, when it comes to the structure of total tourist nights, they accounted for 9.7%.

Despite the fact that, in 2025, domestic tourists realised 9.7% of the total nights realised in commercial accommodation establishments, they have contributed significantly to their overall growth. The total increase in the number of tourist nights in 2025 compared to 2024 was 1.1 million nights, of which domestic tourists accounted for 489 thousand, i.e., 43.0%.

The year of 2025 was also the fifth year in a row in which the number of domestic tourist nights increased, as well as the year in which domestic tourists realised the largest absolute increase in the number of nights compared to other countries, indicating stability and a rising importance of domestic tourists in Croatian tourism.

Foreign tourists realised 17.6 million arrivals and 85.6 million nights in 2025, which was a 1.4% increase in arrivals and a 0.8% increase in nights as compared to 2024. As regards the structure of total tourist arrivals, they accounted for 85.1%, while, when it comes to the structure of total tourist nights, they accounted for 90.3%.

In 2025, domestic tourists realised an average of 3.0 nights per arrival, while foreign tourists realised 4.9 nights per arrival.

Despite a slight decrease, Germany retains leading position in foreign tourist arrivals and nights

When it comes to the number of foreign tourist arrivals and nights, Germany retained the leading position in 2025. Tourists from Germany realised 3.0 million arrivals and 21.0 million nights, which accounted for 17.3% of the total foreign tourist arrivals and 24.6% of the total foreign tourist nights. German tourists realised an average of 6.9 nights per arrival. As compared to 2024, the number of their arrivals slightly decreased, by 1.0%, and the number of nights by 0.3%.

Those were followed by the nights realised by tourists from Slovenia (9.4% of the total realised foreign tourist nights), Austria (8.8%), Poland (8.2%), the Czech Republic (5.2%), United Kingdom (4.5%), Italy (4.3%), Hungary (4.1%), Slovakia (3.5%) and the Netherlands (3.2%).

Compared to 2024, an increase in tourist nights was realised by tourists from Poland (3.5%), Slovenia (1.1%), and United Kingdom (2.3%), while the number of tourist nights from Austria remained at the same level. On the other hand, the number of tourist nights realised by tourists from other mentioned countries decreased compared to 2024.

An increase of tourist nights in all Croatian regions

The largest number of tourist nights in 2025 were realised in the Adriatic Region, as many as 89.4 million, which accounted for 94.3% of the total tourist nights realised in Croatia. Compared to 2024, the Adriatic Region realised a 1.1% increase in tourist nights. Although the Adriatic Region continues to convincingly dominate in terms of realised tourist nights, regions on the continent have also achieved a positive trend, gradually strengthening their position in Croatian tourism. The City of Zagreb realised 2.7 million nights, representing an increase of 2.8% compared to 2024. It was followed by Pannonian Croatia with 1.4 million nights (an increase of 0.3%) and North Croatia, with 1.3 million nights, and the most pronounced increase among regions of 4.1%.

The County of Istria holds the first place, accounting for almost a third of total tourist nights

As in the previous years, in 2025, the County of Istria again had the largest number of tourist arrivals and nights, as many as 5.0 million arrivals (which accounted for 24.1% of the total realised arrivals) and 28.3 million nights (which accounted for 29.9% of the total realised nights). Compared to 2024, the County of Istria had 2.4% more tourist arrivals and 1.5% more tourist nights.

The County of Split-Dalmatia holds the second place, with 3.9 million arrivals and 18.4 million tourist nights, whereas the County of Primorje-Gorski Kotar is in the third place, with 3.2 million arrivals and 15.5 million nights. Compared to 2024, the County of Split-Dalmatia realised 2.5% more arrivals and 0.9% more nights, whereas the County of Primorje-Gorski Kotar realised 2.5% more arrivals and 0.5% more tourist nights.

In 2025, the most foreign tourist nights in the County of Istria were realised again by tourists from Germany, as many as 10 million, which accounted for 36.9% of the total foreign tourist nights realised in the County of Istria. Those were followed by nights realised by tourists from Austria (13.9%), Slovenia (9.8%), Italy (5.9%), the Netherlands (5.1%) Poland (4.8%) and Czech Republic (4.2%). Of these countries, compared to 2024, more tourist nights were realised by tourists from Italy (0.8%), Germany (0.5%), Poland (6.5%) and Slovenia (2.7%), whereas a decrease in tourist nights was realised by tourists from Austria and Czech Republic (0.2% each), as well as the Netherlands (4.3%).

As regards accommodation groups, the most tourist nights in the County of Istria in 2025 were realised in the group Camping sites and camping grounds, as many as 11.5 million, which accounted for 40.4% of the total tourist nights realised in the County of Istria. Compared to 2024, 3.1% more nights were realised in this accommodation group. These were followed by tourist nights realised in the group Holiday and other short-stay accommodation, with 8.9 million nights, which accounted for 31.6% of the total tourist nights realised in the County of Istria. This group also recorded an increase in the number of tourist nights compared to 2024, of 0.4%. In the group Hotels and similar accommodation, 7.9 million tourist nights were realised, which accounted for 27.9% of the total tourist nights realised in the County of Istria. Compared to 2024, this group also realised an increase in the number of nights, of 0.5%.

Tourist destinations Rovinj – Rovigno and Dubrovnik share first place with the most realised nights in 2025

In 2025, tourist destinations Rovinj – Rovigno and Dubrovnik shared the first place when it comes to the number of realised tourist nights. Both cities are at the top of the list of the most successful tourist destinations in Croatia, with 4.2 million nights realised in each. Compared to 2024, both destinations realised an increase in tourist nights, namely, Rovinj – Rovigno, of 3.9%, and Dubrovnik, of 0.3%.

As regards the number of realised tourist nights, Rovinj – Rovigno and Dubrovnik are followed by Poreč – Parenzo in the third place, with 3.3 million nights. Those were followed by Split, with 3.2 million nights, and the City of Zagreb, with 2.7 million nights. Compared to 2024, those cities realised an increase in tourist nights, namely Poreč – Parenzo, of 2.2%, whereas Split and the City of Zagreb realised an increase of 2.8% each.

The City of Zagreb as the leading destination for domestic tourists, while Dubrovnik and Rovinj – Rovigno are leading among foreign tourists

In 2025, the City of Zagreb was the most popular destination among domestic tourists according to the number of realised tourist nights. Domestic tourists realised a total of 548 thousand nights in the City of Zagreb, making the capital surpass all seaside destinations. It was followed by Crikvenica, with 304 thousand nights, Šibenik, with 286 thousand nights, Zadar, with 284 thousand nights, Mali Lošinj, with 264 thousand nights, and Rovinj – Rovigno, with 253 thousand nights realised by domestic tourists. Domestic tourists in the City of Zagreb realised 7.3% more nights compared to 2024.

When it comes to foreign tourists, Dubrovnik and Rovinj – Rovigno shared the first place with 4.0 million realised nights each. They were followed by Poreč – Parenzo, with 3.1 million nights, Split, with 2.9 million nights, and Medulin and Umag – Umago, with 2.5 million nights each. Foreign tourists in Dubrovnik realised 0.1% more nights, whereas in Rovinj – Rovigno, they realised 3.2% more nights.

The most tourist nights realised in the group Holiday and other short-stay accommodation

The most tourist nights in 2025 were realised in the group Holiday and other short-stay accommodation, as many as 46.7 million, which accounted for 49.2% of the total realised nights. Compared to 2024, the number of nights in this accommodation group remained at the same level.

These were followed by the nights realised in the group Hotels and similar accommodation, with 26.3 million nights, which accounted for 27.7% of the total tourist nights realised in 2025. Compared to 2024, the number of tourist nights increased in the group Hotels and similar accommodation by 2.7%.

A total of 21.9 million nights were realised in the group Camping sites and camping grounds, which accounted for 23.1% of the total realised tourist nights. Compared to 2024, more tourist nights were realised in this accommodation group, by 2.0%.

Decrease in available accommodation capacities following years of growth

In 2025, there were 441 thousand accommodation units (rooms, apartments and camping sites) available to tourists, with a total of 1.2 million permanent beds. As compared to 2024, there were 1.4% fewer accommodation units and 1.6% fewer permanent beds. This interrupted the multi-year trend of growth in tourist capacities.

The group Holiday and other short-stay accommodation had the largest number of available accommodation units, as many as 269 thousand, which accounted for 61.0% of the total available accommodation units. In this group, tourists had 718 thousand permanent beds at their disposal, i.e., 61.9% of the total available permanent beds. Compared to 2024, this group had 5 000 less available accommodation units (1.9%) and 14 thousand less permanent beds (1.9%).

In the group Camping sites and camping grounds, tourists had at their disposal a total of 89 thousand accommodation units, which accounted for 20.1% of the total available accommodation units, with 266 thousand permanent beds (which accounted for 22.9% of the total available permanent beds). Compared to 2024, this group had 2 000 less available accommodation units (2.4%) and 7 000 less permanent beds (2.6%).

Unlike other accommodation groups, the group Hotels and similar accommodation realised a slight increase of capacities. In 2025, tourists had 83 thousand accommodation units at their disposal (18.8% of the total available accommodation units), with 175 thousand permanent beds (15.0% of the total available permanent beds). As compared to 2024, the group Hotels and similar accommodation had 1 000 more accommodation units (1.2%) and 2 000 more permanent beds (1.1%). The average occupancy rate of accommodation units (rooms and suites) in 2025 was 59.9% and of permanent beds 60.6%, whereas in 2024, the average occupancy rate of accommodation units was 58.9% and of permanent beds 59.2%.

Tourists aged up to 14 realise the most nights

In 2025, tourists aged up to 14 realised the most nights, that is, 17.5 million, which accounted for 18.5% of the total realised nights. They were followed by tourists aged 35 to 44, who realised 16.5 million nights, which accounted for 17.4% of the total realised nights.

Notice

Detailed annual data are available on the website of the Croatian Bureau of Statistics under "Databases", where it is possible to browse and print data in various forms.

 

 

NOTES ON METHODOLOGY

The purpose of the statistical survey

The purpose of the statistical survey Tourist Arrivals and Nights is to monitor the tourist activity realised in commercial accommodation establishments and to provide internationally comparable data in accordance with European standards for tourism statistics. The results of this survey provide the basic indicators necessary for the analysis of tourism in the Republic of Croatia. The basic indicators are the following: tourist arrivals and nights by country of residence, types of accommodation establishments, tourists by sex and age groups, mode of arrival as well as the number of rooms and permanent beds.

Legal basis

The survey is conducted on the basis of the Official Statistics Act (NN, Nos 25/20, 155/23 and 124/25 – corr.) and Regulation (EU) No 692/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 6 July 2011 concerning European statistics on tourism.

Observation units

The observation units are all legal entities and natural persons that provide overnight accommodation services, as well as natural persons who provide hospitality services in households and on private family farms.

The Hotel and Restaurant Activity Act (NN, Nos 85/15, 121/16, 99/18, 25/19, 98/19, 32/20, 42/20, 126/21 and 152/24) defines the manner and conditions under which legal entities and natural persons can provide overnight accommodation in an accommodation establishment.

Sources and methods of data collection

The data source for the statistical survey on tourism activity (the number of tourist arrivals and nights) and accommodation establishments is the eVisitor system. The Croatian Bureau of Statistics takes over data from the administrative source, the eVisitor system, from the Croatian National Tourist Board on a monthly basis and further processes them statistically. Monthly data are taken over on the seventh day in a month for the previous month.

All legal entities and natural persons that provide overnight accommodation services in an accommodation establishment, as well as natural persons who provide hospitality services in households and on private family farms, according to the Ordinance on the eVisitor System (NN, No. 43/20), check in and check out tourists via the eVisitor system as the central electronic system for checking in and checking out tourists in the Republic of Croatia.

Coverage and comparability

This statistical survey covers accommodation establishments that are categorised in the groups Hotels, Camping sites and Other accommodation establishments pursuant to the Hotel and Restaurant Activity Act (NN, Nos 85/15, 121/16, 99/18, 25/19, 98/19, 32/20, 42/20, 126/21 and 152/24). The Minister of Tourism prescribes the types of accommodation establishments within these groups in an ordinance.

According to the Ordinance on Classification, Categorisation and Special Standards of Accommodation Establishments in the group Hotels (NN, Nos 56/16 and 120/19), the types of accommodation establishments are the following: hotels, heritage hotels, all-suite hotels, integral hotels, diffuse hotels, special-standard hotels, spa-type accommodation, tourist resorts, tourist apartments, boarding houses and guest houses.

According to the Ordinance on Classification and Categorisation of Accommodation Establishments in the group Camping sites (NN, Nos 75/08, 54/16, 68/19 and 120/19), the types of accommodation establishments are the following: camping sites, glamping, small camps and quickstop camping.

According to the Ordinance on Classification and Categorisation of Accommodation Establishments in the group Other accommodation establishments (NN, Nos 54/16 and 69/17), the types of accommodation establishments are the following: rooms, apartments, studio-type suites, summer houses, overnight accommodations, vacation establishments for children, hostels, mountain lodges, hunting lodges, pupils’ homes or students’ homes or akademis and Robinson-type accommodation establishments.

According to the Ordinance on Classification and Categorisation of Establishments Providing Hospitality Services in Households (NN, Nos 9/16, 54/16, 61/16, 69/17 and 120/19), accommodation establishments in households are the following: rooms, suites, studio-type suites, summer houses, camping sites, quickstop camping and Robinson-type accommodation (quickstop camping – Robinson-type accommodation).

According to the Ordinance on Classification and Categorisation of Establishments Providing Hospitality Services on Private Family Farms (NN, Nos 54/16, 69/17 and 120/19), accommodation establishments on private family farms are the following: rooms, suites, rural summer houses, camping sites, quickstop camping and Robinson-type accommodation (quickstop camping – Robinson-type accommodation).

Pursuant to Article 29 of the Hotel and Restaurant Activity Act (NN, Nos 85/15, 121/16, 99/18, 25/19, 98/19, 32/20, 42/20,126/21 and 152/24), this statistical survey also covers organised off-site camping sites. During sports, scout, cultural/artistic and similar events as well as during organised trips in canoes and similar vessels on sea, rivers and lakes, or by bikes etc., organised off-site camping is allowed on spaces provided for it.

This statistical survey also covers the following establishments providing accommodation services: spas, inns offering accommodation services and uncategorised establishments.

Pursuant to Regulation (EU) No 692/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 6 July 2011 concerning European statistics on tourism, data on tourist arrivals and nights in the Republic of Croatia according to NKD 2007, division 55, groups 55.1 Hotels and similar accommodation, 55.2 Holiday and other short-stay accommodation and 55.3 Camping sites and camping grounds are submitted to Eurostat on a monthly basis. Data submitted on group 55.1 Hotels and similar accommodation also include information on occupancy rates of permanent beds and rooms (net). The mentioned data are published on Eurostat’s website http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat and are comparable to EU Member States data.

Pursuant to the Decision of the Government of the Republic of Croatia on the Introduction of Temporary Protection in the Republic of Croatia for Displaced Persons from Ukraine of 7 March 2022, the citizens of Ukraine are granted temporary protection in accordance with the Act on International and Temporary Protection (NN, Nos 70/15, 127/17, 33/23 and 17/25). Persons from Ukraine who have not requested temporary protection in the Republic of Croatia use the service of accommodation in a short-stay accommodation establishment and pay for the accommodation service. Therefore, they are registered in the eVisitor system and are considered tourists.

The data do not include non-commercial tourist traffic (the stay of owners, their family members and other relatives and friends in villas and summer houses as well as of tourists in other establishments where accommodation service is not charged, e.g., when they are accommodated by citizens of a tourist town/municipality). Non-commercial tourist traffic is covered by a separate statistical survey.

Confidentiality

Aggregate data for which there are reasons for keeping their confidentiality in line with the Official Statistics Act (NN, Nos 25/20, 155/23 and 124/25 – corr.) and Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 2009 on European statistics are treated as confidential and are not published.

Definitions

Tourism means the activity of visitors taking a trip to or staying in a main destination outside their usual environment for less than a year, for the purposes of leisure, business or other personal purposes other than to be employed by a resident entity in the place visited.

eVisitor is the central electronic system for checking in and checking out tourists that serves to link all tourist boards in the Republic of Croatia. It is available via internet with no need for any additional software installations.

The tourist registry in the eVisitor system is kept separately for every legal entity and natural person offering accommodation services as part of the hotel and restaurant activity (boarding houses, hotels, hostels, etc.), or on a sea vessel as part of the nautical tourism (charter, cruising), as well as accommodation services in households and rural households.

Checking in and checking out of the tourists who are entered into the eVisitor system is authorised on the basis of a secure access to the eVisitor authentication protocol that ensures the conditions for a safe and correct electronic check-in and check-out.

Establishing and running the eVisitor system is the responsibility of the Croatian National Tourist Board (CNTB).

CNTB is a national tourist organisation founded in order to create and promote the identity and reputation of Croatian tourism, to plan and implement a common strategy and concept of its promotion, to propose and perform the promotional activities of mutual interest for all entities in tourism in the country and abroad, as well as to raise the overall quality of the entire tourist offer in the Republic of Croatia. The head office of the CNTB is situated in Zagreb. The duties of the President of the Croatian National Tourist Board are undertaken by the Minister of Tourism and Sport.

Tourist is any person who, outside his/her place of usual residence, spends at least one night in a hotel or some other accommodation establishment for reasons of rest, recreation, health, study, sport, religion, family, business, public missions or meetings. Excluded are persons residing at a place for longer than 12 consecutive months, persons whose main reason for visiting is an activity that is financed from the place of visit, persons who travel to their work place or an education institution on a daily or weekly basis, persons coming into or going out of the country as migrants, frontier workers, diplomats, consular representatives and military force members on their regular duties, displaced persons, nomads and persons in transit.

Domestic tourist is any person permanently residing in the Republic of Croatia who spends at least one night in a hotel or some other accommodation establishment outside his/ her place of permanent residence.

Foreign tourist is any person permanently residing outside the Republic of Croatia who temporarily resides in the Republic of Croatia and who spends at least one night in a hotel or some other accommodation establishment.

Tourist arrival is the number of persons (tourists) who were registered and stayed overnight in an accommodation establishment. Consequently, in case tourists change the accommodation establishment they stay in, they are re-registered, which results in data ambiguity. Statistics thus register the number of tourist arrivals and not the number of tourists.

Tourist nights refer to every registered overnight stay of a person (tourist) in an accommodation establishment.

Residence is the place where a person settles with the intention of a permanent stay.

Age group of tourists is presented according to the years of age at the time of a stay in a tourist accommodation establishment.

Accommodation capacities are presented as the number of rooms, apartments and camping sites, and the number of permanent beds. The application of Regulation (EU) No 692/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 6 July 2011 concerning European statistics on tourism means that the capacity of an accommodation establishment presented is taken over from the month when it reached its maximum.

Permanent beds are those that are regularly available to guests.

Occupancy rate of permanent beds (net) in the reference period is obtained by dividing the total number of nights realised in the reference period by the number of beds on offer and the number of days when the beds were actually available for use during the reference period. The data are expressed as a percentage.

Occupancy rate of bedrooms (net) in the reference period is obtained by dividing the total number of bedrooms used during the reference period by the number of bedrooms available for use during the reference period. The data are expressed as a percentage.

Occupancy rate of permanent beds (gross) in the reference period is obtained by dividing the total number of realised nights by the number of beds and the number of days in a month. The data are expressed as a percentage.

Division 55 of the NKD 2007 includes the provision of short-stay accommodation services to tourists. Particular units may only provide accommodation services, while others may combine the services of accommodation, catering and/or recreation equipment. Tourist accommodation establishments listed in this division are broken down into four groups.

Group 55.1 Hotels and similar accommodation includes the following types of accommodation establishments: hotels, heritage hotels, all-suite hotels, integral hotels, diffuse hotels, spa-type accommodation, special standard hotels, tourist resorts, tourist apartments, boarding houses and guest houses.

Group 55.2 Holiday and other short-stay accommodation includes rooms, apartments, studio-type suites, summer houses, rural summer houses, hostels, spas, overnight accommodation, vacation establishments for children, inns offering accommodation services, mountain lodges, hunting lodges, pupils’ homes or students’ homes and Robinson-type accommodation establishment.

Group 55.3 Camping sites and camping grounds include camping sites, glamping, small camps, quickstop camping, quickstop camping in households ‒ Robinson-type accommodation, quickstop camping on private family farms – Robinson-type accommodation, and organised off-site camping sites.

Group 55.9 Other accommodation includes uncategorised establishments.

Territorial constitution

Data by counties, cities and municipalities are given by the territorial constitution according to the Act on the Territories of Counties, Towns and Municipalities in the Republic of Croatia (NN, Nos 86/06, 125/06, 16/07, 95/08, 46/10, 145/10, 37/13, 44/13, 45/13 and 110/15).

 

Abbreviations
EU	European Union
Eurostat	Statistical Office of the European Union
NKD 2007	National Classification of Activities, 2007 version
NN	Narodne novine, official gazette of the Republic of Croatia
USA	United States of America

 

Symbols
-	no occurrence

 

Published by the Croatian Bureau of Statistics, Zagreb, Ilica 3, P. O. B. 80
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