- by croatiaweek
- August 2, 2026
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in
News
Dubrovnik
ZAGREB, 2 August 2026 – Croatia’s tourism industry regained momentum in July after a weaker-than-expected June, easing concerns across parts of the sector and providing fresh optimism for the remainder of the summer season.
Croatian National Tourist Board (HTZ) director Kristjan Staničić told RTL Danas, preliminary data indicate that both tourist arrivals and overnight stays increased by around 1% compared with July last year.
Final figures are still being processed through the eVisitor system and are expected to be available later this week. However, Staničić said Croatia is currently hosting around 1.08 million visitors each day.
While he stopped short of saying that July had fully compensated for June’s weaker performance, he said the month had significantly improved the overall picture.
“I believe we can be satisfied. July showed that we did a good job and achieved higher tourism traffic than last year,” he said, adding that data from the Tax Administration also point to increased visitor spending.
Despite the improved results, prices remain one of the most closely watched issues this summer.
Staničić acknowledged that price competitiveness continues to play a major role in travellers’ decisions, particularly as more visitors are making last-minute holiday bookings.
He said the tourism industry had responded to repeated calls for moderation, with prices in some parts of the sector being adjusted.
“We must remain price competitive, while ensuring that quality matches the price,” he said.
He added that although Croatia cannot be described as either a particularly cheap or expensive destination overall, some areas of the tourism offer remain more competitive than others.
Among the country’s busiest destinations so far this summer are Rovinj, Poreč, Umag, Medulin, Dubrovnik, Split and Zadar, reflecting the popularity of Croatia’s largest coastal resorts with the greatest accommodation capacity.
Looking ahead, HTZ expects August to continue the positive trend.
Staničić noted that school holidays are beginning in Germany, Croatia’s most important international tourism market, which is expected to bring an additional wave of German visitors during the month.
With August still to come and early forecasts pointing to a strong post-season, tourism officials remain optimistic that Croatia can finish 2026’s summer season on a positive note.
