Staničić: Tourist traffic in the first half of July at last year's level

Croatia's tourism sector has maintained performance levels comparable to last year during the first half of July, according to Kristjan Staničić, director of the Croatian Tourism Board (HTZ). This follows a slightly better May and a weaker June compared to the previous year, with the overall trend showing resilience despite seasonal fluctuations. The announcement came after a coordination meeting with representatives of the Kvarner Tourist Board and tourist boards of cities and municipalities in the Primorsko-Goranska County. Staničić noted that each tourism season is unique and that lower visitor numbers in June were influenced by holidays and school breaks in key emitting markets. He emphasized that this year’s early season was record-breaking, similar to last year, which justifies satisfaction with current results. He added that Croatia's tourism industry is not in a state of stagnation, pointing to growth in the pre-season months and efforts to reduce seasonality through new attractions, accommodation capacities, and alternative forms of tourism such as health and conference tourism. The HTZ has allocated 30 percent more funds for strategic partners, including airlines and tour operators, to strengthen air connectivity to Croatia, particularly to the Kvarner region. Staničić urged these partners to commit more significantly for the upcoming year, emphasizing the need to secure sufficient flight capacity for visitors and coordinate marketing efforts with specific airlines targeting certain markets. One of the biggest challenges facing domestic tourism is the structure of accommodation, which heavily influences seasonality. Staničić highlighted the need to make changes in the accommodation structure to reduce seasonality, noting that even during peak season, some beds remain empty in private accommodations. The government has introduced measures this year aimed at improving occupancy rates, and the HTZ has launched the "Your Host" project for private accommodation providers. These hosts have shown a 5.7 percent higher occupancy rate compared to others and greater visibility due to ongoing marketing campaigns. The government plans to address issues related to unregistered guests through legal amendments to the Hospitality Business Act, introducing registration numbers and increasing oversight and control. This will involve collaboration with the State Inspectorate and other relevant bodies to ensure compliance and reduce the impact of the gray market. As of mid-July, the number of arrivals and overnight stays has reached over 294,000, a figure Staničić described as satisfactory given Croatia's leading position in Europe for early-year tourism statistics. He pointed out that Germany remains the most important market, with numbers roughly matching those of last year. However, he cautioned against drawing conclusions based solely on June figures, citing differences in holiday schedules affecting guest numbers. Staničić acknowledged that maintaining constant growth in tourism is challenging and emphasized the strategic goal of sustaining current levels of approximately 21 to 22 million arrivals and around 110 million overnight stays annually. His focus is on strengthening the pre-season and off-season periods to alleviate pressure on destinations, infrastructure, and local communities during peak times. He highlighted the imbalance in accommodation structures, noting that only 14 percent of capacity comes from hotels, around 20 percent from camps, and over 50 percent from private accommodations. Hotels generally achieve higher occupancy rates and better pricing, creating a multiplicative effect on destination areas. Recognizing that supply has exceeded demand, especially in private accommodations, the government has introduced new legislation to regulate the structure of accommodation capacities and improve outcomes for private rental providers. The government is currently working on amending the Hospitality Business Act to influence the regulation of accommodation structures and align supply with demand to achieve better results for private accommodation providers.