Central Bureau of Statistics: Growth in Tourist Arrivals and Night Stays

In November 2006, Croatian tourism registered outstanding results in tourist arrivals as compared to the same month in 2005 – arrivals went up by 22% and the number of overnight stays by 21%.

According to official sources, commercial objects during November 2006, hosted over 187 thousand of tourists and over 446 thousand of night stays.

During the first eleven months in 2006, Croatia was visited by 10.22 million tourists (plus by 4% over 2005) who spent 52.6 million nights (plus by 3% over 2005).

In the period of January –November, Croatia counted 8.58 million foreign tourists (plus by 2%), while domestic tourist arrivals went up by 13% (total of 1.6 million).

Considering overnight stays, foreign tourists spent in Croatia 46.8 million nights during the first eleven months, while domestic night stays went up by 10% reaching the number of 5.8 million.

Foreign tourists still cover a larger part in tourist nights, up to 89%, but this year’s growth in domestic night stays was quite impressive.

Looking at the structure of foreign tourists, most of the tourist nights are assigned to tourists from Germany (23.4%), Italy (11.6%), Slovenia (11.2%), Austria (8.7%), Czech Republic (8.4%), Hungary (4.7%) and the Netherlands (4.1%).

With a total number of 62.9 thousand visits, Japanese tourists achieved the highest growth in tourist arrivals (plus by 100% over 2005). During those first eleven months those tourist spent in Croatia 96.9 thousand nights (plus by 87% over 2005). At the same time, tourists from Japan tend to stay in Croatia for only 1.5 nights/per visit. 

On the other hand, tourists from Russia do stay the longest, i.e. average of 8.7 nights/per visit.