Croatian Spending Surges 23.6 Percent
Tax Authority data for July shows strong growth in the value of fiscalized receipts, while economic analyst Damir Novotny emphasizes the need to pivot toward industrial and agricultural production.
Tax Authority data for July shows strong growth in the value of fiscalized receipts, while economic analyst Damir Novotny emphasizes the need to pivot toward industrial and agricultural production.
Amid the tourist season, residents and visitors in Croatia did not hold back on spending, according to the latest data from the Tax Administration for July 2026. The total value of fiscalized receipts reached six billion and 800 million euros, which is 23.6 percent more compared to the same period last year, when five and a half billion euros were recorded, as reported by Danas.net.hr.
The number of issued receipts also increased. In July this year, 285 million receipts were issued, while last July that number was 279 million, representing a growth of 4.4 percent. These figures suggest that the rise in consumption, driven by the tourist season, is significant.
Significantly more was also spent in cafes and restaurants. The number of receipts in this sector increased by 7.3 percent, from 55 million to 59 million. At the same time, the value of those receipts jumped from 807 million to over 900 million euros, an increase of 11.6 percent.
Retail stores recorded a similar trend. They issued 262 million receipts, which is 3.6 percent more compared to last year's 253 million. The value of receipts in stores increased by 9.5 percent, from four billion and 200 million to four billion and 600 million euros.
Economic analyst Damir Novotny commented on these figures for RTL, highlighting consumers' willingness to spend despite high prices. "This means that both domestic consumers and especially tourists are inclined to spend - they want to spend despite high prices. This year will be pivotal in that context. We'll see what it looks like next year, but tourists still want to spend and pay the offered price - until a new balance between supply and demand is established. In other words, until consumers say - we will no longer spend as much, especially not at these prices," Novotny said.
When asked if this is the right path, Novotny says that the only good path is for us as a society to stop asking ourselves how much consumption was, how many tourists came, and to stop counting tourists. He believes that Croatia should turn to more important issues for economic development rather than focusing solely on the number of tourists and consumption. "How will we increase industrial production? How will we increase agricultural production? And not for Croatia to be the only Mediterranean country that imports food into Montenegro. So, these are more important questions than the number of tourists," the analyst concluded.
In the context of tourism results, the company Imperial Riviera published its financial data for the first half of 2026. According to Poslovni dnevnik, consolidated revenues reached 40.4 million euros, which is 4.2 percent more than in the same period last year. Sales revenues increased by 4.4 percent, to 39.8 million euros.
Interestingly, the revenue growth was achieved despite a decline in physical indicators. The number of overnight stays decreased by 2.7 percent (to 463,060), and the number of sold accommodation units fell by 3.6 percent (to 206,205). The decline was offset by an increase in the average selling price per accommodation unit of 9.8 percent, from 142 to 156 euros. The highest revenue growth was recorded in Poreč (14.2 percent), followed by Rab (5.4 percent), Makarska (1 percent), and Dubrovnik (0.7 percent).
On the other hand, expenses also rose. Consolidated operating expenses increased by 7.6 percent, to 51.1 million euros, with personnel costs rising 9.8 percent, to 12.7 million euros. The company approved 17.4 million euros in capital investments for 2026, with the largest project being the continued development of Arba Resort on Rab, expected to be completed during 2027.
