The July eVisitor statistics are in, and while the headlines may call them “mixed”, the reality is far more positive than the mainstream coverage suggests. The same conclusion as last time applies – Context matters, and Croatian tourism is evolving, not faltering.

In July, foreign tourist arrivals totaled 4.17 million, down 2% YoY, with foreign tourist nights reaching 25.95 million, a 1% decline. Domestic tourist arrivals came in at 429 thousand, and domestic nights stood at 3.27 million, both down 1% YoY. This brings total arrivals to 4.6 million, down 2% YoY, and total nights to 29.22 million, down 1% YoY. Consequently, the average stay per person rose 0.7% YoY to 6.36 days. However, looking at YTD statistics, the story is different – arrivals increased 2% YoY, reaching 12.21 million, while nights totaled 58.71 million, also increasing 2% YoY.

Total tourist arrivals and nights in Croatia (January 2019 – May 2025)

Source: HTZ, InterCapital Research

Most media reports focus on the July drop in arrivals and nights, presenting it as a cause for concern. But is the decline in these figures inherently negative? Not necessarily.

From one perspective, fewer arrivals in peak season may signal a slowdown in overcrowding and mass tourism – a shift toward more sustainable, balanced visitor numbers (something we wrote numerous times before). This benefits not only the environment, but also local communities and the overall quality and attractiveness of Croatian tourism. A narrower gap between peak and off-season demand can also ease price pressures, helping price rise more steadily and naturally rather than spiking in summer.

Also, the number of tourists is only part of the story. More important is how much they spend. A smaller number of higher-spending visitors is far better for Croatia’s limited hospitality, retail, and restaurant capacities than chasing ever-higher headcounts.

With that in mind, Tax Administration data for July shows revenue from accommodation and food service sectors (hotels, private accommodation, restaurants, etc.) rose 7.7% YoY. Wholesale and retail trade, as well as motor vehicle sales and repairs, posted a 4.5% YoY increase – with retail being the most relevant component, of course.

As for the concerns about “overpriced” Adriatic holidays for Croatian residents, they are not supported by the data. YTD domestic tourist arrivals are up 8.4% YoY, while domestic nights are up 5.2% YoY. While there is always room for improvement in governance, the data clearly shows Croatians are, on aggregate, wealthier and living better than ever – and tourism numbers are just one of many confirming that.

Moving on, an ongoing challenge for sustainability is the ratio between hotels/camps and private accommodation. July showed a slight improvement – hotel nights accounted for 17% of total accommodation (up from 16% last year), while private accommodation still dominated at 42% (down from 43% last year). YTD, hotel nights grew 2.8%, while private accommodation nights increased more modestly by 1.5%. This suggests the rapid expansion of private rentals is slowing – a trend likely to continue as demand stabilizes and occupancy rates decline.

Although July company data is not yet available, H1 results from Valamar Riviera, Arena Hospitality Group, and Maistra (part of Adris grupa) point to another strong season. These companies reported rising revenues, higher profitability, increased capital expenditures driven by strong future demand expectations, and improved off-season occupancy. This aligns with the broader trend of Croatia positioning itself as a year-round destination, rather than relying solely on July and August.

All in all, these developments paint a positive picture for Croatian tourism, tourist companies, and the broader economy. Media articles’ primary objective (including this one) is to be clicked on, but primary objective of the readers should be to stay objective and approach them with a critical eye (including this one). Until next time, when we once again challenge tourism myths, I’ll leave you with a link to an interesting article about an Austrian portal’s coverage on Croatian prices, and even more interesting comments underneath it.