A weaker June due to German holidays was offset by an excellent July, and August has started on a positive note. Rovinj welcomes 38,000 guests, and the return of Italians provides an additional boost.
More than 1.1 million tourists are currently staying in Croatia, with over 300,000 of them vacationing in Istria alone. After June underperformed due to the unfavorable timing of school holidays in German states, July brought a complete turnaround and shattered records, according to on-the-ground data.
Rovinj, Croatia's most visited town, has recorded a two percent increase in overnight stays from the beginning of the year to date compared to the same period last year. Currently, 38,000 registered guests are staying in the town. "The town hosts 38,000 registered guests, with Germans and Austrians being the most numerous, followed by many Dutch visitors, especially in camps, and Italians are returning in large numbers," Iva Damuggia from the Rovinj Tourist Board told HRT.
The return of Italian tourists is particularly pronounced in Pula and across Istria. In the first seven months of this year, their numbers exceeded last year's by eight percent, and the traditional Italian summer holiday, Ferragosto, has just begun. This bodes well for the rest of the season.
Dolores Dragun, director of the Stoja campsite in Pula, confirmed excellent results. "July was a few percent better than last year, which further confirms a successful season and has made up for part of the shortfall from June," Dragun told HRT.
City hotels are not lagging behind either. Denis Zembo, owner of a family-run hotel in Pula, shared specific financial figures. "July this year has seen a five percent increase in revenue, with three percent coming from higher prices and two percent from an increase in overnight stays," Zembo stated. He added that higher-category hotels and those in the city center are experiencing the best occupancy rates, as they are particularly sought after this season due to a record number of concerts by world-renowned stars in Pula.
The beginning of August is also showing positive results so far. If this pace continues, revenues, which are growing faster than overnight stays due to higher prices, could reach record levels. After initial concerns over a weaker June, it now seems that the key part of the tourist season in Istria is more than successful.
