This year's tourist season is at the level of the pre-pandemic, record-breaking 2019, Croatia recorded 12.5 million arrivals and 63 million overnight stays, Minister of Tourism and Sports Nikolina Brnjac said on Sunday.

“The numbers are at the level of 2019, we have about 12.5 million arrivals and 63 million overnights,” the minister told the RTL broadcaster.

She emphasised that compared to last year, Croatia has over 50,000 new beds in non-commercial and commercial accommodation.

Compared to 2017, the number of new beds increased by as much as 300,000, which is why a new law on tourism will come into force at the beginning of next year, which will take into account the capacities of tourist destinations, she stated.

There are 14% more domestic tourists than four years ago, and they are in second place according to the number of arrivals.

On the other hand, Italians are bypassing the eastern coast of the Adriatic this year, and one of the reasons is a campaign by the local authorities to encourage citizens to stay in Italy over the summer. Despite that, there are also 14% more Italians compared to last year, said Brnjac.

The minister told private renters that the price of accommodation must follow the quality, otherwise tourists will know how to punish it.