According to the latest data from the Croatian Tourist Board, several records have been set in tourist traffic in the first 9 months of 2023. Hungarians have spent nearly 3.5 million guest nights in Croatia so far, surpassing the entire year of 2019, which was the previous record-breaking year. Hungarian tourists have also set a record in Croatia by spending more than 1 million guest nights in the Kvarner region.
The Croatian Tourist Board presented the data for the first 9 months of the year at a press conference, revealing that by the end of September, a total of 18.7 million tourists had arrived in Croatia, spending 102 million guest nights in the coastal country. The number of tourist arrivals increased by 8.5% compared to the previous year, while guest nights increased by 2%.
Hungary is now the 7th largest source market for tourism in Croatia.
This year’s figures confirm that Hungary remains a favorite holiday destination for Croatians. Furthermore, it is evident that Hungarian visits are no longer limited to the summer season, as more and more people are traveling in April, May, and September. We believe that both the introduction of the euro and joining the Schengen zone have contributed to this successful year. Our future plans include showcasing to the Hungarian travelers that Croatia is an excellent choice not only in the summer but also in the autumn, winter, and early spring, offering numerous culinary and active program options, including truffle hunting, hiking, cycling, as well as culinary and cultural city tours.
– said Ivana Herceg, Director of the Croatian Tourist Board, during the official press conference.
Here is the ranking of the source markets in terms of guest nights for the first three quarters of the year:
- Germany (22.6 million)
- Slovenia (10.2 million)
- Austria (7.9 million)
Hungary (3.5 million) is in the seventh position on the list. It’s worth noting that Austrians spent more than twice as many nights in Croatia as Hungarians, despite having a smaller population. This phenomenon can be explained by a higher number of Austrian tourists and longer durations of their holidays, resulting in more guest nights. – Editor’s note.
Regarding the most visited destinations in 2023, Rovinj, Dubrovnik, and Poreč topped the list.
Hungarian tourists have traditionally been among the most significant groups of tourists in Croatia, and this is reflected in the numbers. In the first 9 months of 2023, 695,500 Hungarians visited Croatia, which is a 20% increase compared to 2022, and they registered 3.5 million guest nights, a 17% increase from the previous year. Compared to the record-breaking year of 2019, there has been a 12% increase in the number of visitors and a 9% increase in guest nights.
Hungarians have set a new record in Croatia by spending more than 1 million guest nights in the Kvarner region.
The most popular regions and destinations for Hungarian tourists in 2023, compared to 2022, are as follows:
- Kvarner – 1 million guest nights (+21%)
- Istria – 708,000 guest nights (+19%)
- Zadar region – 598,000 guest nights (+14%)
- Split region – 590,000 guest nights (+12%)
- Šibenik region – 286,000 guest nights (+10%)
- Crikvenica – 208,500 guest nights (+25.5%)
- Vir – 206,000 guest nights (+24%)
- Rovinj – 125,000 guest nights (+21%)
- Poreč – 100,000 guest nights (+20%)
- Medulin – 99,500 guest nights (+17%)
Among these, the Kvarner region was particularly popular among Hungarian tourists, with 218,000 tourists visiting in 2023, marking a 23.5% increase compared to 2022. The number of guest nights also saw an impressive growth, reaching 1 million, a 31% increase compared to 2022. Popular destinations in this region include Crikvenica, Opatija, Rab, and Krk. Private accommodations, hotels, and campsites were the most preferred types of accommodations for Hungarian tourists.
Most Hungarian tourists visited Croatia in July and August, but the largest growth was observed in April, May, and September. Interestingly, about 25% of trips to Croatia were organized by travel agencies, while the rest were independently planned journeys.
