by Mia Taylor
Last updated: 9:05 PM ET, Tue January 28, 2025
Croatia broke its own tourism industry records in 2024, welcoming more than 21.3 million visitors and recording 108.7 million overnight stays.
In 2023 and 2022, by comparison, the country recorded about 19.5 million arrivals and 17.8 million arrivals respectively, according to Statista.
What’s more, the southeastern European country’s tourism industry growth is no longer confined to summer months, according to information released by Croatia's tourism officials. Between January and May 2024, arrivals to the country surged by 11 percent, and overnight stays increased by 12.5 percent.
Similarly, the October to December 2024 period experienced double-digit growth, with arrivals up by 10.3 percent and overnight stays rising by 9.7 percent.
U.S. travelers are contributing significantly to Croatia’s tourism industry growth, with 776,304 arrivals and 2.17 million overnight stays in 2024, which amounts to year-over-year increases of 9 percent and 8 percent, respectively.
Meanwhile, officials in the country are busy focusing on 2025, with goals of building on the success of recent years and they’re hoping to do so by focusing on year-round travel, sustainability, and promoting inland destinations.
Sustainability and Regional Expansion
While Dubrovnik, Rovinj, and Split, remained Croatia’s most-visited destinations, the country’s tourism leaders are working to expand visitation to the country’s lesser-known inland regions.
Travel brands like the Impresia Hotels Collection are helping to spearhead this shift, according to a statement issued by Croatia tourism officials. The newly branded group of 17 boutique properties operates across the country, from Pula to Zagreb and Zadar to Dubrovnik. Impresia Hotels are known for offering immersive cultural experiences designed highlight Croatia’s heritage, while also promoting sustainable tourism practices.
Between encouraging travelers to visit more of the country and efforts to showcase the country’s year-round appeal and calendar of events, tourism leaders hope to foster more sustainable travel to the country.
In other developments, improved air connectivity is making Croatia more accessible for North American travelers.
United Airlines has recently announced the expansion of its direct flights between Newark/New York and Dubrovnik, extending service through late October and offering increased convenience for U.S.-based visitors.
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