Over the first three months of 2018, the traffic in terms of ships, passengers, and cargo in Croatia's seaports was somewhat lower compared to the same period the year before. Meanwhile, the number of passengers in Croatia's airports rose by 19.7 percent, with cargo traffic also rising by 52.3 percent, the state statistic bureau said on Monday.

Croatia’s seaports received 50,400 ships from January to March, or 3.3 percent down from Q1 2017. They also handled a total of 2.8 million passengers, or 0.5 percent down from the same period.

The busiest seaport in terms of passenger traffic was Split, with 455,600, followed by Zadar with 324,600. The biggest quarter-on-quarter rises in passenger traffic were at seaports on the northern Adriatic islands of Krk – which recorded 123,000 travellers, or up by 10.7 percent – and Cres, with 151,000 passengers handled, or 9 percent up from Q1 2017.

A total of 4.4 million tonnes of cargo was handled in Q1 2018, or 7.5 percent down from the same period in 2017, with ports at Omisalj and Rijeka accounting for 54 percent of the total cargo traffic.

On the other hand, airports continue to post increases compared to last year, with all nine airports tracked recording 824,000 passengers in the first three months of 2018, or up by 19.7 percent.

Some 343,000 – or almost half of the total during the period – passed through airports in March this year, which is 27.4 compared to March 2017, with all airports recording year-on-year increases, except the tiny airport at Mali Losinj.

In March, the busiest airport was Zagreb Airport, with 223,000 passengers, or 16.1 percent up from the year before, followed by Split Airport (51,300 passengers or 61 percent up), and Dubrovnik Airport (47,300 passengers or 40 percent up). The total amount of cargo handled was 2,600 tonnes, or 52.3 percent compared to Q1 2017.

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