Most Europeans plan to travel for summer holidays this year, and Croatia is among the top 10 most sought-after destinations, a survey by the European Travel Commission (ETC) shows.

The survey was presented at a meeting of the ETC Board of Directors in the Lithuanian city of Kaunas. The meeting was attended by Croatian Tourist Board (HTZ) Director Kristjan Staničić, who is also ETC Vice-President.

“The survey confirms our announcements and positive expectations for tourism in 2024. So far this year the data from the eVisitor system have also shown that Croatia is among the most sought-after European destinations, with more than 3.4 million tourist arrivals and 10.4 million overnight stays, which are increases of 11 and 10 per cent respectively compared with the same time last year,” Staničić said, according to an HTZ press release.

Staničić said that the ETC meeting discussed Europe’s priorities for the period from 2024 to 2029 with an emphasis on sustainability and green transition, competitiveness and digitalisation, as well as current geopolitical and market trends.

He noted that the ETC survey was carried out on 10 European markets, not including countries such as Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary where Croatia is a leading foreign travel destination for summer holidays. He pointed out that if these countries had been included in the survey, the results for Croatia would be even better.

Croatia ranks seventh among most sought-after travel destinations

The ETC survey was conducted in April on a sample of nearly 6,000 adults in 10 countries – Germany, the United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands, Italy, Belgium, Switzerland, Spain, Poland and Austria. 75% of respondents, or 3% more than in 2023, said they plan to travel between May and October 2024.

81% of Europeans aged 55 and over will travel the most, and 60% plan to embark on at least one trip in Europe. 44% said they will travel in July or August, and 36% will opt for sun and beach trips, followed by those citing city breaks, scenic beauty, local cuisine, cultural attractions and landmarks.

Croatia ranks seventh among the top 10 European holiday destinations. Italy and Spain top the list and are followed by France, Greece, Germany and Portugal. Croatia is followed by Austria, the United Kingdom and Turkey.

The ETC predicts that in the spring and summer of 2024 Greece, Portugal and Croatia will host more new visitors than other destinations.