According to the data of the eVisitor system, which contains the tourist traffic in commercial and non-commercial facilities and nautical charter (the eCrew system), in Croatia in the period from January to the end of February 443,000 arrivals (+12%) and 1.2 million overnight stays (+11%) were registered. Of this, 267,000 arrivals (+15%) were made by foreign tourists and 755,000 overnight stays (+15%), whilst there were also increases in domestic tourist arrivals by 7% and overnight stays by 5%.
“I am extremely pleased that the positive results in tourist traffic are continuing even at the beginning of 2018 when we are seeing a double-figure growth in the number of overnight stays. I believe that it will be a good incentive to everyone in tourism for the continuation and the even better preparation for the rest of the year. Alongside the planned activities of the Ministry of Tourism and the Croatian National Tourism Board aimed at the improvement of the quality of the offer, traffic connectivity, and the strengthening of recognisability and visibility at a number of global markets, I am sure that Croatian tourism this year too will make a positive step forward”, said Gari Cappelli Minister of Tourism.
The Director of the Croatian National Tourism Board Head Office Kristjan Staničić also emphasised how the Croatian tourist offer is being intensively represented at fairs throughout the world. “This week we will be at the great ITB fair in Berlin where we will premiere the new visual concept of our stand which CNTB will use until 2022. In mid-March we will be present at the MITT fair in Moscow and at MAP in Paris. We are pleased with the sale of “first minute” programmes for Croatia which point to, depending on the market and type of programmes, as well as the total sales volumes of individual travel organisers, the fact that demand for Croatia averages out to a 5 to 10 percent increase in relation to the same period of the previous year, although in individual cases the travel organisers also note a significantly higher rate of growth”, Director Staničić remarked.
During the first two months the greatest number of overnight stays was made in Zagreb (245,000), Istria (233,000) and in Kvarner (165,000). Following were Split-Dalmatia County with 132,000, Dubrovnik-Neretva County with 98,000 overnight stays, Zadar with 54,000 overnight stays, Šibenik-Knin County with 30,000 and Lika-Senj County with 18,000 overnight stays. In the continental region, excluding Zagreb, there were 95,000 arrivals (+10%) and 224,000 overnight stays (+15%), whilst looking by counties most overnight stays were made in Krapina-Zagorje (55,000), Međimurje (27,000 overnight stays), Varaždin (24,000) and Osijek-Baranja County (22,000).
In the mentioned period most of the overnight stays were made by tourists from the markets of Bosnia and Herzegovina (114,000 overnight stays), Slovenia (98,000 overnight stays), Austria (64,000 overnight stays), Italy (59,000 overnight stays) and Germany (58,000 overnight stays), whilst looking by the structure of the accommodation most of the overnights were in hotels (711,000 overnight stays) and in private accommodation (247,000 overnight stays).
In February there was a 5% increase in arrivals and overnight stays
In February in Croatia there were 225,000 arrivals and 584,000 overnight stays which in comparison with February 2017 represents an increase of 5% in arrivals and overnight stays. In February the most overnight stays were made in Istria (127,000 overnight stays), Zagreb (102,00 overnight stays) and in Kvarner (84,000 overnight stays), whilst in the continental region in February there were 44,000 arrivals and 100,000 overnight stays, of which most of the overnight stays were made in Krapina-Zagorje, Međimurje and Osijek-Baranja counties.