Charter almost record-breaking, with guests craving expensive ties and restaurants.

The first weekend of June in the area of Biograd na Moru saw nearly record-breaking occupancy rates in charter boat tourism. Guests expressed satisfaction with accommodation on vessels, service quality and pricing, though they found restaurants, food, connections and transfers excessively expensive. According to data for the first six months of the year, there was a one percent decline in charters compared to last year, with June showing a drop of three to four percent. July brought positive results, and high occupancy levels along with trends in bookings for August and September have sparked optimism. Luka Šangulin, a member of the Charter Boat Council, noted that the market has been shrinking over the past two years, yet he expressed satisfaction with the numbers, although he admitted that declining markets are not ideal. He explained that the fleet has grown over the years, leading to an imbalance between supply and demand. This has meant that some guests this year had to wait until the last moment to find their preferred vessel, unlike previous years. This situation gives hope that next year could see improvement, potentially leading to more stable or rising rental prices. At the same time, operating costs are increasing, including the cost of connections, cleaning, services and staff. Šangulin warned that clients often consider the rental of the boat as the cheapest part of their holiday, while connections, transit transfers, boats, restaurants and purchasing groceries significantly increase overall expenses. He pointed out that supermarkets are much more expensive than stores of similar branded goods in countries from which tourists come. This increases entry costs for restaurants, and Croatia should long-term address this issue. In comparison with Greece, Croatia has a larger charter fleet but fewer vessels with crews. On the Greek market, neither occupancy nor prices have declined, with them remaining stable or slightly increasing. Šangulin expects that in Croatia, the proportion of vessels with crews will rise relative to those rented and managed by guests themselves, which could make the market more sustainable. Guests who waited until the last minute to secure their preferred vessel were unable to find it consistently, unlike previous years. This situation gives charter operators hope that next year might bring improvements, possibly resulting in more stable or higher rental prices. Operating costs continue to rise, affecting everything from connections and cleaning to staffing. Customers tend to view the rental of the boat as the most affordable part of their trip, while additional expenses such as connections, transfers, boats, restaurants and grocery shopping significantly add to the total cost. Supermarkets are notably more expensive than stores offering similar branded products in the countries from which tourists originate, further increasing restaurant entry costs. Croatia must address these issues in the long term. Comparing Croatia's situation with Greece, the country has a larger charter fleet but fewer vessels with crews. In Greece, neither occupancy nor prices have decreased, with both remaining stable or gradually increasing. Šangulin anticipates that Croatia will likely see an increase in the number of chartered vessels with crews compared to those managed directly by guests, which could help create a more sustainable market.