The number of cinema visitors in 2020 fell by 70 percent, with the exception of Karlovac County

Croatian cinemas recorded a 48 percent decrease in the number of screenings in the pandemic year of 2020 compared to the previous year, a 70 percent decrease in visitors, and a similarly reduced total gross income, according to data from the Croatian Bureau of Statistics.

Due to the closure of all cultural and educational institutions due to the pandemic, the majority of cinemas, as many as 51 percent, operated for seven to ten months.

The number of screenings was 99,106, and the number of visitors was 1,503,306. At the level of all counties, a significant decline in the number of screenings and visitors is evident, except in Karlovac County, where the number of screenings and visitors increased compared to 2019, it was announced. 

In summer cinemas, of which there are six in Croatia, a contrary trend was observed – they had 108 percent more screenings and 53 percent more visitors compared to 2019.

Summer and traveling cinemas also had the smallest decline in revenue, by 11 percent. 

– It is evident that many more visitors, in these circumstances due to epidemiological measures, opted to watch films outdoors – it is noted.

Exceptionally this year, five cinema operators with a permanent hall had, in addition to their standard screenings in the closed hall, also guest outdoor screenings.

The share of screenings and visitors of domestic films in 2020 was two percent.

In 2019, the gross income from regular cinematic content was 160,365,123, and from alternative content 1,351,524, while in 2020, the first was 47,474,883, and the second 252,302 kuna.

The decline in revenue inevitably caused a decline in employment in cinemas, by 14 percent. The data is the result of processing annual reports submitted by cinemas.

Last year, 75 cinemas operated in Croatia, of which 46 had one hall or screen, and 22 had more than one hall. There were a total of 174 halls/screens and 34,303 seats.

There were 18 independent cinemas, and within other business entities, there were 57 cinemas, including 11 within film screening companies, 34 within cultural and educational institutions, and 12 within other institutions/companies.

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