ZAGREB, 9 Feb (Hina) – Commercial accommodation in Croatia hosted 20.7 million tourists in 2025, up 2.2% from 2024, while overnight stays rose 1.2% to 95 million, helped by a strong December that saw arrivals and nights both increase by 7%, data from the national statistics office showed.

The December growth was driven by 440,500 arrivals and 942,000 nights in commercial accommodation, with domestic and foreign visitors posting similar growth rates.

Domestic tourists accounted for 184,000 arrivals in December, generating 332,000 nights, up 7.3% and 4.2% respectively from December 2024.

Foreign arrivals rose 7.4% to 256,000, while nights increased 8.5% to 610,000. The largest numbers came from Slovenia, followed by Austria, Germany, Italy, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Hungary, Serbia and the United States.

Zagreb recorded the highest number of nights in December 2025, at 242,000, up 1% year on year, marking the second consecutive month in which the capital led all Croatian destinations.

It was followed by Primorje-Gorski Kotar County with 164,000 nights, up 8.1%, and Istria County with 162,000, up 8.3%.

Zagreb also logged the most nights by domestic tourists in December, at 77,000, up 0.3%. Split ranked second with 18,000, followed by Opatija with 16,000 and Dubrovnik with 14,000.

Foreign tourists likewise favoured Zagreb, where visitors from Germany, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Italy, Austria, Slovenia, Serbia and the United States generated the most nights.

Hotels accounted for more than half of all nights in December, totaling 547,000, up 6.1% from a year earlier. They were followed by rooms, apartments, studio flats and holiday homes, which recorded 289,000 nights, up 5%.