Croatia tourism sees growth in air travel and cruise arrivals

Croatia is experiencing a robust tourism season characterized by significant growth in air travel, cruise ship arrivals, and seasonal interest. In July 2026, domestic airports recorded 2.355 million passengers, a 1.7 percent increase compared to the previous year. Split Airport remained the busiest, followed by Dubrovnik and Zagreb. Germany, the United Kingdom, Poland, and France emerged as the primary source markets for air travelers.

Cruise tourism also showed strong performance. In July, foreign cruise trips to the Croatian Adriatic rose by 5 percent compared to last year, contributing to a total of 413 cruises in the first seven months of 2026. This resulted in approximately 587,500 passengers. The Dubrovnik-Neretva and Split-Dalmatia counties saw the highest concentration of these trips, with Dubrovnik being the most visited port.

Additionally, digital interest in Croatian destinations remains high. Data indicates a significant rise in searches for autumn stays, with Umag seeing an 81 percent increase in searches for September and October compared to the previous year. Other cities like Poreč and Trogir also reported substantial growth, suggesting an extension of the traditional tourist season.