ZAGREB, 5 Jan (Hina) - In 2024, Croatia welcomed 21.3 million tourists who recorded 108.7 million nights, up 4% and 1%, respectively, on 2023, which was accompanied by increases in revenue from foreign tourists, fiscalised receipts in tourism and hospitality, and passenger traffic, the tourism ministry said.
Based on data from the eVisitor and eCrew systems, the ministry said 103.3 million of the total nights were registered along the Adriatic coast, 1% more than in 2023. The continental part of the country recorded over 2.7 million nights, a 5% increase.
The same number of nights, 2.7 million, was achieved in the City of Zagreb, a 6% rise compared to 2023.
"We can be very satisfied with the achieved tourism results in 2024, including financial indicators, as it was another record-breaking year across all parameters. Particularly encouraging is the pronounced growth during the pre- and post-season, confirming that Croatia is becoming a year-round tourism destination,"Minister Tonči Glavina said.
From 1 January to 31 May, pre-season tourist numbers grew by 11%, with nights rising by 12.5%. In the post-season, from 1 October to 31 December, there were 10.3% more tourists and 9.7% more nights compared to the previous year.
The majority of nights in 2024 were recorded along the Adriatic - Istria County with 30 million, Split-Dalmatia County (20.7m), the Kvarner region (18.2m), Zadar County (15.4m), Dubrovnik-Neretva County (9.1m), Šibenik-Knin County (6.6m), and Lika-Senj County (3.4m).
The top destinations for overnight stays were Dubrovnik, Rovinj, Split, Poreč, and Umag.
"Croatian tourism in 2024 delivered excellent results despite challenging market conditions. This confirms the strength and recognition of Croatia's tourism brand," said Kristjan Staničić, director of the Croatian National Tourist Board.
December figures
In December alone, there were 416,000 arrivals and 992,000 nights, up 4% compared to December 2023.
The Christmas and New Year holidays (24 December to 1 January) saw 169,000 tourists and over 467,000 nights, surpassing the same period in 2023 by 8% and 2%, respectively, Staničić said.
The highest number of holiday nights was recorded in Zagreb, Opatija, Poreč, Dubrovnik, and Split, primarily in hotels and private accommodations.
Financial results
The ministry also highlighted financial results for last year. According to the Croatian National Bank, foreign tourist revenues for the first nine months amounted to nearly €13.2 billion, a 1.7% increase compared to the same period in 2023.
Fiscalised receipts in tourism-related activities totaled approximately €7.3 billion, an 11.5% increase from 2023, with a 5% rise in the number of receipts issued, totaling 431 million.
Passenger traffic
Tourism also contributed to record figures in road, air, and maritime passenger traffic in 2024. Over 76.5 million vehicles passed through Croatia's motorways, generating nearly €497 million in toll revenue, an 8% increase in vehicle numbers and a 13% rise in revenue compared to 2023.
In maritime transport, Jadrolinija carried 12.6 million passengers and 3.7 million vehicles, achieving "record-breaking numbers," the company said.
All airports in 2024 saw passenger traffic growth. Zagreb Airport welcomed its four-millionth passenger on 1 December for the first time in history, while Zadar Airport had matched its total 2023 traffic by the end of August, the ministry said.
