Unofficial data for July shows nearly identical numbers of arrivals and overnight stays by German guests as last year, with optimism also fueled by forecasts for August due to the later start of school holidays in all German federal states.
After three consecutive years of continuous decline, the trend of decreasing German tourist numbers in Croatia has finally been halted. According to currently unofficial data from the eVisitor system, as reported by Slobodna Dalmacija, guests from Germany achieved nearly identical numbers of arrivals and overnight stays in July 2026 as in the same month last year.
Although the figures remain significantly lower than in the pre-pandemic year of 2019, industry professionals on the ground emphasize that the stabilization of demand from the most important source market is highly desirable. "This year, many things were delayed, including school holidays in Germany. The real picture will, of course, be seen in August and September," Boris Žgomba, representative of Uniline, told Slobodna Dalmacija.
Žgomba stresses that 2026 is an extreme "last-minute" year across all segments of the tourism offering. "People literally waited until the last moment this year and got on everyone's nerves. We see this in the car rental industry, which is directly tied to tourism; we get about seventy out of a hundred daily reservations for the same day or for tomorrow," he explained.
This pattern of behavior has led major hoteliers to advertise discounts of up to 30 percent for August and September until recently, but such situations no longer cause panic because the last-minute rush is already anticipated. Unofficial eVisitor data shows that hotels recorded a slight increase in July compared to last year, while campsites remained at roughly the same level. Private accommodation saw a decline of 1 to 2 percent, which is less dramatic than expected, especially considering that the short-term rental supply has decreased somewhat this year.
Optimism for the continuation of the season is further fueled by the fact that, since last Friday, school holidays have begun in all 16 German federal states, which will be on holiday simultaneously for nine days. Bavaria is particularly important, as it is the region from which the most German guests traditionally come, and its students start their six-week summer break last. Classes in Bavaria do not begin until September 14, 2026, which opens up space for increased demand in Croatia in the first half of September as well.
Meanwhile, students in Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate, and Saarland return to school as early as August 10, as their holidays began at the end of June. Žgomba notes that the results, given the delay in holidays and the overall situation in Germany, are "surprisingly good."
Dnevnik.hr reports that in Dubrovnik, spending and turnover in accommodation facilities are rising, but at the same time, guest complaints about high prices are intensifying. As reported by HRT, the director of ACI Marina Dubrovnik, Hrvoje Puh, is satisfied with the results and highlights the marina's safety: "Capacities range from the smallest jet skis to boats of 45 meters; that is the gold standard in nautical tourism, and this marina is one of the safest in that regard."
On the other hand, Keith Harvey, representative of charter company Sunsail, shared specific guest grievances with HRT: "Our biggest complaints are about expensive restaurants and moorings, especially when they compare Croatia and Greece. They don't complain about the boat rental but about buying food and visiting restaurants. The overall cost of the vacation isn't much higher, but it matters a lot to guests."
Despite complaints about prices, many sailors at ACI Marina have found their summer home. Romanian Nicoleta Luciu told HRT: "We've been coming for 10 years, staying for a month at a time. We love ACI Marina and everything Croatian-the food, the sea. Even your air isn't as hot as in other countries. After a vacation in Dubrovnik, I return home 10 years younger."
Andrej Šali from the USA shares a similar experience: "Over the years, we've changed boats, from smaller ones to the current 20-meter one. We've always been very satisfied with the service; we have a positive experience and words of praise."
