Croatia is heading into the 2025 summer season with impressive tourism growth and a focus on sustainable tourism. In 2024, the popular Mediterranean country recorded over 21.3 million tourist arrivals and 108.7 million overnight stays, according to the Croatian Ministry of Tourism and Sports. This represents a 4 percent increase in arrivals and 1 percent in overnight stays compared to the previous year. 

The most popular regions among tourists in the first half of 2024 were Istria (8.4 million overnight stays), Split-Dalmatia County (5 million) and Kvarner (4.4 million). Dubrovnik, Rovinj, Zagreb and Split continue to be the most popular destinations.  

The majority of overnight stays in the first half of 2024 were made by travelers from Germany (5.7 million) and domestic guests (3.7 million overnight stays), followed by the markets of Slovenia (2.7 million overnight stays), Austria (2.6 million overnight stays), Poland (1.8 million overnight stays) and the United Kingdom (1.3 million overnight stays). 

Sweden also stands out as one of the fastest growing international markets, with an 8 percent increase in Swedish tourists from 2023 to 2024. Swedes are attracted not only by the sun and sea, but also by Croatia's ambitious initiative to extend the tourist season. 

– ”I am very happy that a large part of the increase [in tourists] is happening before and after the high season, rather than just during July and August,” says Vedran Sušić at the Croatian National Tourist Board. 

More direct flights from Sweden are contributing to the increasing interest in Croatia, but the country was also named "Best Destination" in the "Affordable Week" category at the Travel News Market in Stockholm 2024, based on a survey of 1,500 Swedes. 

Sustainability and year-round tourism as a success factor 

The strong growth in tourists reflects not only Croatia's popularity as a travel destination, but also the country's ambition to balance success with sustainability. Croatia has created a sustainable development plan that strives to create tourism that not only attracts visitors today, but also preserves the country's beauty for future generations. 

In line with the development plan, Croatia has introduced strong measures to reduce overtourism. 

Among the initiatives are: 

• Reduced load on popular destinations during peak season by promoting year-round tourism and special trips such as wellness tourism. 
• Limiting the number of cruise ships allowed to dock in Dubrovnik to a maximum of two per day, to improve the experience for both visitors and locals. 
• Major investments in infrastructure, such as the expansion of airports and highways. 

The new law gives local governments the ability to regulate the number of visitors and the opening of new facilities based on the needs of the area and reception capacity calculations. These calculations, carried out by local tourism organizations, show how many tourists a destination can accommodate without damaging the environment or impairing the visitor experience.

According to the press release.