Tourism turnover in the first two months of 2023 exceeds by 5% the turnover in the first two months of 2019, with close to 514,000 arrivals and 1.46 million overnight stays, an increase of 16%, show data from the eVisitor system.

The number of arrivals and overnight stays in the first two months of this year is also higher compared to the first two months of 2022, by 24% and 17% respectively, Croatian Tourism Board (HTZ) officials have told Hina.

The coastal region accounted for more than a half of the total turnover, with 283,700 tourists staying in Adriatic counties, mostly in the regions of Istria, Kvarner and in Split-Dalmatia County, generating slightly more than 961,300 overnight stays.

Zagreb was the leading destination with close to 255,000 overnight stays, followed by Rovinj, with close to 86,000 overnights, and Split, with 85,100 overnights. They were followed by Opatija, Dubrovnik, Rijeka, Porec and Zadar.

Broken down by type of accommodation, hotels accounted for the largest number of overnight stays, 780,600, a 23% increase from 2022 and a 9% increase from 2019.

The largest number of overnight stays was made by domestic tourists, with 557,300 overnights, 6% more than in 2022 and as much as 19% more than in the first two months of 2019. The first two months are rare if not the only months in the year when there are more domestic than foreign overnight stays.

Slovenians were the second most numerous visitors, having made 132,400 overnight stays, 14% more than in 2022 and 18% more than in 2019, while tourists from Bosnia and Herzegovina were third, with slightly more than 105,000 overnights, 18% more than in 2022 and around 9% less than in 2019.