In the first two months, an increase in tourist arrivals and overnight stays, 15 percent more foreign tourists

In Croatia, 443 thousand tourists stayed in the first two months of this year, achieving 1.2 million overnight stays, which are increases of 12 and 11 percent compared to the same period last year, reported the Main Office of the Croatian Tourist Board (HTZ) based on data from the eVisitor and eCrew systems.

These are data that ‘summarize’ traffic in commercial and non-commercial facilities as well as in nautical charters.

The majority of arrivals and overnight stays in the first two months were made by foreign tourists, of whom 267 thousand arrived, or 15 percent more, and they achieved an increase with 755 thousand overnight stays. Increases were also recorded among domestic tourists, who were 7 percent more, and their overnight stays were 5 percent higher than in the first two months of 2017.

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By destinations and regions, the most overnight stays in January and February of this year, 245 thousand, were in Zagreb, followed by Istria with 233 thousand overnight stays and Kvarner with 165 thousand overnight stays. In the Split-Dalmatia County, there were 132 thousand overnight stays, in the Dubrovnik-Neretva County 98 thousand, in Zadar County 54 thousand, in Šibenik-Knin County 30 thousand, and in Lika-Senj County 18 thousand.

The continental part of the country, excluding Zagreb, was visited by a total of 95 thousand tourists in the first two months, or 10 percent more than in the same months of 2017, while a total of 224 thousand overnight stays recorded an increase of 15 percent.

Among foreign tourists, the most overnight stays in the first two months were achieved by tourists from Bosnia and Herzegovina, followed by those from Slovenia, Austria, Italy, and Germany, while by types of accommodation, the most overnight stays were in hotels and in household facilities.

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In February alone this year, according to HTZ data, there were 225 thousand tourists and 584 thousand overnight stays in Croatia, marking a 5 percent annual increase in both arrivals and overnight stays.

Tourism Minister Gari Cappelli emphasizes that it is exceptionally pleasing that last year’s positive results in tourist traffic continue in the first months of this year.

– I believe that the double-digit increase in the number of overnight stays and tourist arrivals in the first two months of this year will be a good incentive for everyone in tourism to continue and prepare more qualitatively for the rest of the year. With the planned activities of the Ministry of Tourism and HTZ aimed at increasing the quality of the offer and traffic connectivity, as well as strengthening recognition and visibility in numerous markets, I am confident that tourism will make a positive leap again this year, commented Minister Cappelli, as conveyed in the statement.

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The director of the Main Office of HTZ, Kristjan Staničić, is also satisfied with the traffic in the first two months and emphasizes that an intensive presentation of the Croatian tourist offer is underway at global fairs. Thus, this week at the ITB fair in Berlin, HTZ will premiere a new visual concept of the stand that will be used until 2022, and in mid-March, there will be appearances at the MITT fair in Moscow and MAP in Paris.

– We are pleased with the first sales program for Croatia, which shows that, depending on the market and type of program, the demand for Croatia is on average 5 to 10 percent higher than at the same time last year, Staničić stated.