The Croatian National Tourist Board has released July data revealing a significant recovery from the Czech and Hungarian markets, while the Dubrovnik-Neretva County records a slight drop in overnight stays.
The Croatian National Tourist Board (HTZ) released its first tourism figures for July on August 4, 2026, painting a mixed picture. While some traditional markets are seeing a strong comeback, the country's southernmost county is facing a slight decline compared to last year's record-breaking performance.
According to data from the eVisitor system, as reported by HTZ, the most notable positive shifts in July came from guests from the Czech Republic and Hungary. The number of Czech tourist arrivals rose by 12%, with overnight stays up 7% compared to July 2025. Cumulatively, over the first seven months of 2026, the Czech market has seen growth of 5% in both arrivals and overnight stays. This recovery is particularly significant after several years of declining tourism from that country.
Czech guests recorded the highest number of overnight stays in Istria, Split-Dalmatia, and Zadar counties, with their preferred destinations being Umag, Poreč, and Medulin.
A similar trend is evident from the Hungarian market. July saw an 8% increase in arrivals and a 7% rise in overnight stays, while over the first seven months, growth of 7% was achieved in both categories. The largest number of Hungarian guests during this period stayed in Kvarner, Istria, and Zadar County.
A positive trend is also noticeable from the Italian market, which had stagnated in previous years. In the first seven months of 2026, arrivals and overnight stays grew by 2%, while in July alone, Italian guest arrivals increased by 1%. HTZ highlights that Italians increasingly chose Croatia for short weekend trips during the pre-season, with destinations in Istria and Kvarner proving particularly popular. This trend is expected to strengthen further in August, during the traditional Ferragosto holiday.
While national data shows a recovery in certain markets, the situation in Dubrovnik-Neretva County is somewhat different. According to eVisitor data, July 2026 saw 423,755 arrivals and 2,003,701 overnight stays in the region. This represents a decline of 0.5% in arrivals and 2% in overnight stays compared to the same month last year.
The highest number of overnight stays in July in this county came from guests from the United Kingdom (255,704), Poland (184,073), Slovenia (163,729), Bosnia and Herzegovina (155,334), and Croatia (143,281).
By accommodation type, private accommodation dominates with 978,979 overnight stays, accounting for 49% of the total. Hotels follow with 596,099 overnight stays, representing a 30% share.
From the start of the year to the end of July, Dubrovnik-Neretva County recorded a total of 1,241,164 arrivals and 4,816,631 overnight stays. Compared to the same period in 2025, the number of overnight stays is down 1%, while arrivals remained at roughly the same level.
In the first seven months, the most overnight stays were from guests from the United Kingdom (773,050), the United States (446,351), Poland (373,032), Croatia (342,041), and Bosnia and Herzegovina (303,449).
According to the latest information, approximately 71,000 guests are currently staying in Dubrovnik-Neretva County.
