Number of guests nearly identical to last year, but overnight stays down three percent. Some hospitality workers describe a drastic drop in spending, while others say the season is on par with last year.
The tourist season in Pula up to August 9, 2026, brought 302,679 visitors, which is practically the same as in the same period last year, but 1,281,298 overnight stays were recorded, three percent fewer. The data was released by the Pula Tourist Board, and hospitality workers on the ground simultaneously describe a noticeable change in how guests spend their money.
Sanja Cinkopan Korotaj, director of the Pula Tourist Board, states that the 2026 tourist season is somewhat weaker than the previous one due to several factors, including the shifting of holidays, the global economic and political situation, and the deregistration of capacities in family accommodation, where there are 652 fewer beds compared to last year.
Hotels have maintained last year's level of overnight stays, while campsites fell by four percent, family accommodation by seven percent, and tourist resorts and apartments by three percent. In contrast, hostels saw a 22 percent increase, apartments owned by companies and trades were up one percent, and overnight stays by weekenders and guests staying with residents rose by three percent.
Although final data on spending is not yet available, Cinkopan Korotaj estimates that it could also be somewhat weaker than in previous years. "Tourist spending itself may be somewhat lower, which can be inferred from conversations with hospitality workers. This is certainly influenced by the economic and political situation in the world and the uncertainty prevailing among people, which affects savings and reduces extravagance," she stated.
One hospitality worker from Medulin, who wished to remain anonymous, rates the season very modestly. "If I had to rate the situation on a scale of one to ten, I would give it a three. There were very few tourists in June, and even now, in the heart of the season, their numbers are not at the level we are used to," he said. He adds that guest spending has been reduced to a minimum: "They obviously came with a smaller budget and spontaneously collectively decided to eat at Lidl, bakeries, or fast food, i.e., to choose cheaper options."
In his experience, foreign guests strictly adhere to a pre-set budget. "Guests are very careful about what and how much they will spend. Unlike domestic guests, who sometimes spend more than planned during their vacation, foreign guests mostly have a clearly defined budget and stick to it. I am even sure that many of them do not spend it all by the end of their vacation," he said.
A different picture is given by Pero Tadić, owner of the pizzeria "Jupiter." He believes the season is roughly the same as last year, with slightly weaker traffic. "This year's summer season is approximately the same as last year. I think traffic is about five percent worse than last year. Guests spend the same as in previous years, only this year there are fewer guests," said Tadić.
Denis Bimbašić from the café "Uliks" is also satisfied with the result, given the circumstances, but he notices an unusual distribution of the season. "Given the circumstances, we are satisfied with this season. Traffic is somewhere at last year's level, but it's a very strange season. For example, July should have been the peak from the middle of the month, but that peak never happened. A similar number of people are here now, in this period, as in mid-July, when there should have been better clientele and better spending," described Bimbašić.
The attendance of Pula is significantly influenced by numerous events during the season. Cinkopan Korotaj emphasizes that every major event, whether cultural, sports, or business, contributes to a higher number of guests, and big concerts in the Arena further promote the city worldwide. "Every major event, whether cultural (concerts in the Arena, festivals, etc.), sports (Pula Marathon, national and international competitions, etc.), or business (various congresses), contributes to an increase in the number of guests and arrivals. Big concerts in the Arena, besides attracting guests to Pula, also promote the city itself because their promotion is aimed at the whole world, which also adds to Pula's recognizability," she stated.
Traffic remains one of the bigger problems, especially on cloudy and rainy days when guests from all over Istria pour into Pula. "Traffic is one of the bigger challenges in the city, especially when it is cloudy and rainy, when guests from all over Istria pour into Pula as a city rich in historical heritage," said Cinkopan Korotaj. The City of Pula and Pula Parking are continuously working on this issue, and progress is expected next year as well.
As for the prices of accommodation, food, and other services, the Tourist Board director believes that the market will regulate them, depending on the relationship between supply and demand. "If demand starts to fall, supply will have to adapt, both in accommodation and in hospitality, as well as in other services and products," she said. The final results of the season will only be known after all data is tallied, especially since a large number of last-minute bookings were recorded this year.
