Analysis: Croatian Tourism 2025

The latest Eurostat data for the June–September 2025 period show that Croatian tourism continues to grow, but at a slower pace than some Mediterranean competitors. The main weakness is increasingly clear: private accommodation, which dominates the Croatian tourism model, is stagnating at a time when capacity continues to expand.

Summer Season Nights: Croatia in the Middle of the Mediterranean Pack

Year-on-year growth in total overnight stays during the main summer season (June–September 2025 compared to 2024) shows the following picture:

• Italy: +4.0%

• Spain: +2.1%

• Croatia: +2.4%

• Greece: +1.9%

• Portugal: +1.6%

Croatia sits firmly in the middle of the Mediterranean ranking. While it outperforms Greece and Portugal in growth, it lags behind Italy and only marginally exceeds Spain. In absolute terms, Croatia remains far smaller than Italy and Spain, but it continues to be one of Europe’s most seasonally concentrated destinations.

Year-on-year growth in overnight stays by month (June–September 2025) across selected Mediterranean destinations. Data Source: Eurostat

Growth Is Shifting Away from Peak Summer Months

The structure of growth reveals an important trend in Croatia:

• strong increases in June and September

• a decline in July and August

This indicates growing sensitivity in peak-season demand, particularly in segments driven by price and individual travel decisions. By contrast, Italy and Spain have managed to maintain positive growth even during the busiest summer months.

Hotels Are Growing, but Cannot Stabilise the Market

In hotels and similar accommodation, Croatia recorded +4.1% growth in overnight stays:

• higher than Greece and Spain

• broadly comparable with Portugal

However, hotels account for only around 22% of total overnight stays in Croatia, significantly limiting their ability to stabilise overall performance. Competing destinations typically generate between 56% and 72% of overnight stays in hotels, giving them a more resilient seasonal structure.

Year-on-year growth in hotel and similar accommodation overnight stays by month (June–September 2025). Data Source: Eurostat

Distribution of overnight stays by accommodation type across selected Mediterranean destinations, June–September 2025. Data Source: Eurostat

Private Accommodation: The Core Weakness of the Croatian Model

The most significant challenge for Croatia is clearly visible in holiday and other short-stay accommodation:

• Croatia: +0.7%

• Italy: +13.1%

• Spain: +3.9%

• Greece: +3.8%

• Portugal: -3.3%

This segment represents more than half of all overnight stays in Croatia, yet growth in 2025 is close to zero. At the same time, the number of apartments and holiday homes continues to increase.

Capacity Growth Outpacing Demand

Croatian tourism is entering a phase where:

• private accommodation supply is growing faster than demand

• average occupancy rates are declining

• price pressure is intensifying in July and August

This helps explain why Croatia recorded weaker results during peak summer months despite positive overall growth.

Albania: Still Small, but Worth Watching

At the end of the comparison, Albania deserves a brief mention. While it still records significantly fewer overnight stays than all the countries above, its growth dynamics are striking.

In June–September 2025, Albania:

• increased total overnight stays by +31.5%

• recorded strong growth in both hotels and private accommodation

Although Albania is not yet a volume competitor to Croatia, its rapid expansion highlights how new, price-competitive destinations are beginning to absorb part of Mediterranean tourism growth.

Year-on-year growth in overnight stays by month (June–September 2025) across selected Mediterranean destinations. While established markets show modest and uneven growth, Albania stands out with exceptionally strong increases throughout the summer, highlighting its rapid expansion from a low base. Data Source: Eurostat

Conclusion

Eurostat data for the 2025 summer season confirm that Croatian tourism is still growing, but is facing the challenges of a mature destination. The key pressure point is private accommodation, where capacity expansion is no longer matched by demand growth. Meanwhile, competitors with stronger hotel bases, and emerging destinations with lower prices, are reshaping the Mediterranean market.

For Croatia, future growth will depend less on adding new beds and more on improving accommodation structure, managing capacity growth, and extending demand beyond peak summer months.

Data Source: Eurostat