Although foreign arrivals dipped slightly, a strong surge in domestic visits and overnight stays marked July in Zadar. Online reputation analysis shows high satisfaction, particularly with gastronomy and attractions, but also room for improvement in private accommodation.
The Zadar Tourist Board has released detailed tourism figures for July 2026, revealing an interesting trend: the season was significantly bolstered by domestic guests, alongside the traditionally strong share of international visitors. According to the eVisitor system, the Zadar Tourist Board area recorded 121,541 arrivals, a 0.57 percent decrease compared to July last year. However, overnight stays rose by 1.61 percent, reaching 576,482.
The key driver behind the positive trend in overnight stays was domestic tourism. The number of domestic arrivals increased by 6.26 percent, and overnight stays by 6.35 percent. On the other hand, foreign guests saw a 1.22 percent drop in arrivals and a 1.05 percent decline in overnight stays. In the overall guest structure, international visitors dominate with a 90.63 percent share, while domestic tourists account for 9.37 percent. The majority of guests, 86.34 percent, arrived in Zadar on independent travel arrangements, while agency bookings accounted for 13.66 percent, and the average length of stay was 4.74 days.
Looking at the breakdown of overnight stays by market, guests from Germany top the list with a 13 percent share. They are followed by Poland (12 percent) and Croatia (11 percent), then Slovenia (7 percent) and Austria (6 percent). Tourists from Slovakia and Hungary each accounted for 5 percent of overnight stays, while the Czech Republic, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom each contributed 4 percent. In terms of accommodation, the largest share of overnight stays, 53.68 percent, was in private accommodation. Hotels ranked second with 22.97 percent, while other hospitality establishments (9.17 percent), non-commercial accommodation (7.68 percent), and campsites (6.50 percent) rounded out the offerings.
Alongside the statistical data, an online reputation analysis conducted by IQM Destination for the Zadar Tourist Board was also released. The analysis is based on 12,951 online reviews left by visitors across more than 150 platforms, including Google Maps, Booking.com, Expedia, and TripAdvisor. Zadar's overall satisfaction score for July stands at a high 89 out of 100. Compared to other cities, Zadar ranks second in the number of reviews collected and shares the same overall satisfaction index as Rovinj, although the total number of reviews fell by eight percent compared to last year.
Guests are particularly satisfied with service (84/100) and food quality (82/100), with both segments seeing growth of three and two percent, respectively. Restaurants scored 92/100, while travel agencies and local attractions received the highest rating of 94/100. Beaches were rated 87/100, up one percent. Hotels hold a rating of 86/100 and stand out for their communication, responding to as many as 50 percent of received online reviews. On the other hand, private accommodation saw a five percent drop in quality compared to last year, with a score of 83/100, and the number of reviews for this type of accommodation decreased by 25 percent. A similar trend is visible for marinas, which were rated 86/100, with a six percent lower quality score and 28 percent fewer reviews.
Despite the peak seasonal load, public infrastructure maintained a score of 81/100 with a slight increase in satisfaction. Cafés also scored 81/100 but saw a three percent decline in online ratings. The Tourist Board notes that across the entire destination, only 19 percent of online reviews receive responses, indicating significant room for more active engagement with guests, particularly in responding to praise and addressing any complaints.
