November the 29th, 2025 – Advent Zagreb 2025 officially begins today as we get into the festive spirit across the city. How much will the Croatian capital earn this festive season? A look at some predictions and figures.
As Ana Roksandic/Poslovni Dnevnik writes, Advent Zagreb always attracts a huge number of visitors every year, and it will officially begin today. The Zagreb Tourist Board has stated that as a tourist destination, Zagreb doesn’t suffer the same pronounced seasonal fluctuations as the coast and the islands do, but the data still shows that the vast majority of guests in December cite Advent Zagreb as their main reason for coming. It’s more than apparent that the multiple award winning festive event that engulfs the capital in Christmas cheer has a very strong multiplier effect on the local economy.
The above has also been firmly proven by the fact that December is one of the strongest tourist months for Zagreb year after year, with high occupancy rates, an increase in the number of overnight stays and strong spending across the hospitality, retail and cultural sectors.
zagreb advent is a huge boost for the local economy
“Advent Zagreb also generates added value for craftsmen, creatives, artists and smaller producers, making it an important support for local entrepreneurship,” said Martina Bienenfeld, director of the Zagreb Tourist Board.
According to research conducted by the Zagreb Tourist Board in cooperation with the Institute for Tourism, the economic impact of Advent Zagreb back during 2016/2017 was the equivalent of around 52 million euros, while for the 2024/2025 season, a conservative estimate stands at an impressive 96.3 million euros.
“This is new spending that is a result of the overall offer at Advent Zagreb, or spending that wouldn’t have occurred without this specific event. It refers to the total spending of visitors on accommodation, food and drink, shopping, culture, entertainment, local transport and all sorts of other services,” explained Bienenfeld.
Zagreb residents spent an average of 16 euros per day, while single-day visitors from elsewhere across Croatia and abroad spent an average of around 70 euros per day. The highest spending has been recorded among guests staying in private or hotel accommodation, and it ranges between 125 euros and 152 euros per day. When it comes to spending, the city’s wide food offer certainly plays a very large part. Krešimir Tomić, secretary of the Zagreb Association of Caterers, stated that since the first edition of Advent Zagreb until today, the city’s varied food and drinks offer has undergone enormous development.
“Restaurants grew alongside the Advent Zagreb event, they followed what their guests were seeking, they adapted to new tastes and trends, and at the same time they set trends themselves. That’s why today, we’ve got stalls that offer authentic and creative concepts, from modern street food variants to traditional dishes in a new guise,” said Tomić. Advent Zagreb directly generates significant income for restaurateurs, while also indirectly stimulating the growth of income in related sectors such as accommodation, trade and transport, which creates a strong multiplier effect for the entire local economy.
zagreb advent 2025 has become known for its authenticity
“Compared to other European Advents, Zagreb Advent was given the opportunity to show off its authenticity. We’re not a destination like Vienna or Budapest that has been living off tourism for decades, but Advent Zagreb helped us position the city and make guests want to come again, even out of season. The atmosphere, local food and drinks offer and accessibility make our festive celebrations somewhat different, and the cooperation between the City of Zagreb, other organisers and restaurateurs is particularly important. It’s precisely this synergy that maintains a high level of organisation, while still preserving Zagreb’s special character and warmth,” Tomić emphasised.
However, he noted that this is also the most operationally demanding period of the year for Zagreb’s caterers. As in everyday business, the biggest challenge remains the workforce. It has become very difficult to find qualified employees, costs are high, and the work is long and involves significant pressure. Another major challenge and specificity of Advent Zagreb is logistics. “Supplying the centre, deliveries, waste, storage, energy, all of this is significantly more complex than doing the same thing under regular conditions, especially in the little cottages serving food and drink that don’t have the standard infrastructure. These operating costs are high and are often ignored when talking about the results of Advent Zagreb each year,” warned Tomić.
there is never immunity from criticism (or, in true croatian style – controversy)
In addition to attracting a large number of tourists from across Croatia and from abroad, Advent Zagreb has been the subject of various criticisms and controversies. Back during Milan Bandić’s mandate, accusations of the non-transparent allocation and rental of Advent cottages emerged. These accusations also included claims that the cottages were being allocated without any sort of public tender and that certain companies were allegedly being favoured, which raised questions about fair distribution and financial benefits for the city itself. Under Mayor Tomislav Tomašević, Zagreb introduced a public tender for these little Advent cottages, as well as formal rental procedures. This also attracted criticism because the new Advent cottages for 2025 were, according to comments by some politicians, allegedly installed without respecting the conditions of the tender.
the competition is strong
Zagreb Advent 2025 is once again competing for visitors with numerous other European cities, and the Zagreb Tourist Board has recognised that visitor expectations are growing year after year. “We must continue to invest in authenticity, the quality of the offer and spatial relief, as well as in sustainable solutions that reduce the impact of the event on the city’s space and infrastructure,” concluded Martina Bienenfeld.
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