Southeast Europe tourism shows mixed seasonal trends

Tourism performance across Southeast Europe shows mixed results for the 2026 summer season. In Croatia, the industry experienced a slowdown in June with a 6.6% drop in arrivals and a 6.1% decrease in overnight stays, largely driven by a 28% plunge in the German market. However, domestic tourism saw growth, and July figures showed a recovery with a 2.5% increase in arrivals.

North Macedonia is seeing accelerated growth, with foreign tourists increasing by 23.6% and overnight stays by 18.7% in the first five months of the year. Turkey remains the leading source market for Macedonian visitors. In Slovenia, the city of Koper reported a 6% increase in guests and a 9% increase in overnight stays compared to last year.

In Montenegro, Budva reported a 3% increase in tourists for the first half of the year, with Serbia and the UK being key markets. Meanwhile, the Plužina region in Montenegro saw a 30% increase in visits compared to the previous year. In Serbia, hospitality prices rose by an average of 5.6%, with the highest increases seen in the Vojvodina region.