Published on
October 10, 2025
Germany, the UK, and the US are leading the surge in Croatian screen tourism, with tourists flocking to the country to visit iconic filming locations featured in global hits like Game of Thrones and Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again. This rising interest has significantly boosted travel demand, benefiting major airlines such as Croatia Airlines and British Airways, which have increased their services to meet the growing influx of visitors. At the same time, luxury hotel chains like Hilton, Marriott, and Four Seasons are expanding their presence in Croatia’s top tourist destinations, offering world-class accommodations to meet the needs of this growing traveler demographic. As Croatia continues to gain prominence as a cinematic hotspot, the tourism industry, alongside airlines and hospitality giants, is seeing a direct impact, with more travelers exploring the country’s rich cultural and natural heritage.
Croatia and Screen Tourism
In Croatia, screen tourism has resulted in an influx of visitors over the past few years. Croatia has now become one of the preferred filming destinations for tourists. Tourism in the country has increased significantly due to screen tourism, especially from Germany, the UK, and the US. Tourists travel to Croatia to see the filming locations from the well-known series Game of Thrones and the movie Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again. These locations are now among the most popular places to visit in the country.
Tourists who come to the travel are greeted with a mix of beautiful landscapes, cultural richness, and history. All these elements combine to create a profound experience, attracting even a wider range of visitors, including movie buffs. This has helped Croatia become one of the most popular countries for screen tourism, particularly for tourists from Germany, the UK, and the US.
Screen Tourism in Croatia: Now More Popular Than Ever In Germany, the UK, And US
Tourists from Germany, the UK, and the US are beginning to love Croatia, and its film locations are to blame. German tourists went on over four million tourist stays in Croatia just in 2025, making them the largest tourist demographic. The UK and US tourists are increasing even faster, boasting over 15% growth in 2025 compared to previous years.
Germany enjoys the warm weather, the rich history and the close distance to Croatia. The Dalmatian Coast, especially, contains UNESCO heritage sites and hints of ancient Roman structures making it a beautiful and historical destination. UK and US travellers enjoy the films “Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again” and the TV series “Game of Thrones” which are set in Croatia.
Thank to the abundance of filming locations in Croatia, these three markets are increasing their travel plans to Croatia. Because of this, Croatia has has a steady rise in tourists, increasing the growth of the airline and hospitality industry.
Croatia Airlines and British Airways Respond to Growing Demand
Thanks to Croatian tourism growth, domestic and international airlines are expanding their service to meet demand. Croatia Airlines and the rest of the AerCap fleet saw new business in 2025 and Croatia Airlines expanded its network of routes and Croatian tourism from London, Frankfurt, and Munich. All new Croatia Airlines routes are outfitting strong tourist Croatia filming location traffic.
For tourists flying from the UK, British Airways offers direct flights to Croatia’s capital, Zagreb, and the coastal city of Dubrovnik. The Route saw record summer demand to the point of exceeding bookings.
American tourists looking to visit Croatia have a variety of flight options, including non-stop routes from New York to Dubrovnik with American Airlines. Those flights have been booked solid from the late spring to summer. The growth of tourist traffic to Croatia, especially key filming location destinations, reflects changing traveler demand, and responds to traveler seeking new filming locations of popular movies.
More Tourists Increase Benefits to Larger Hotel Chains
Like the increase in airline visitors, Croatia’s hotels are also seeing unprecedented gains. Bigger, international hotels like Hilton, Marriott and Four Seasons, are taking advantage of the expanding tourist market. These hotels are located in cities and areas that previously did not have hotels, adding a generous portion of luxury and convenience that any traveler would appreciate.
For example, Hilton just opened a new hotel in Dubrovnik, where Game of Thrones filmed the scenes that captured King’s Landing. Tourists wanting to capture the magic of the show appreciate the hotel’s proximity to the Old Town. In the same manner, Marriott has also extended his hotels in Split, a coastal city that scenes in cover blockbuster films also were filmed. Tourists can also expect to see world-class amenities and services in hotels aimed at accommodating the growing hospitality industry.
Also, The Four Seasons opened a luxurious resort in Hvar, one of the filming locations for Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again. The presence of Four Seasons hotels in Croatia helps position the country as a high-end destination, increasing the volume of screen tourists as well as high-end tourists looking for exclusive experiences.
The Economic Impact of Screen Tourism on Croatia
The figures for the economic impact of screen tourism in Croatia are impressive. The Croatian National Tourist Board states that the tourism sector generated €865.5 million in revenue from foreign visitors for the first quarter of 2025, a 6.65% increase from the previous year. Most of this increase is a result of screen tourism, as visitors travel to famed filming locations from popular movies and series.
Beyond the cash spent on flights and accommodations, screen tourism also spurs expenditures on experiences, meals, and guided tours in the filming locations. When tourists travel to film locations, it is normal for them to take guided tours, eat in local restaurants, and enjoy other cultural activities that energize the local economy.
Infrastructure improvements have been made to respond to the growing demand to sustain the tourism boom. Increased investments on roads, new hotels, and higher airport service levels have been made to respond to the expanding tourism industry. Croatia’s tourism success not only proves the success of tourism on screens, but also the economic growth that follows.
Travel Tips for Screen Tourists in Croatia
Here are some travel tips to make the most out of your cinematic vacation to Croatia.
Book Early: With the increase in tourism, especially in Dubrovnik and Split, make sure to book your flight and accommodations early to get the best rates.Plan Your Tour of the Filming Locations: Popular filming locations in Croatia have guided tours. For your best experience, consider a tour that includes several filming locations, like the Game of Thrones walking tour in Dubrovnik, to really get the full experience.Visit During the Shoulder Seasons: Summer is the most popular season for tourism, but spring and fall are the shoulder seasons. Those seasons are less crowded and will provide a more relaxed experience.Go Further than the Cities: While Dubrovnik and Split are the top locations to visit, treasures in Croatia’s other towns, such as Trogir and Pula, also provide gorgeous filming spots and have less visitor traffic.Take Public Transport: Croatia is easy to navigate, as there is a reliable bus system and ferries. There’s also a nice coastal road to visit many filming locations. You can catch a ferry to the islands of Hvar, where Mamma Mia! was filmed.
Germany, the UK, and the US are driving a surge in Croatian screen tourism, attracted by iconic filming locations from Game of Thrones and Mamma Mia!. This influx is boosting airlines like Croatia Airlines and British Airways, alongside major hotel chains such as Hilton and Marriott.
Wrapping Up
Screen tourism to Croatia is primarily to visit its filming locations. Tourists visiting from Germany, the UK, and the US has helped many airlines and hotels expand to Croatia, like Hilton, Marriott, Four Seasons, and even Croatia Airlines. The tourism sector has shown problem-free growth due to the boosted economy from the visitors.
For those who wish to feel the wonder of their favorite films for real, Croatia has just the right combination of recorded history, contemporary conveniences, beautiful scenery, and more modern history of art. Whether you’re on a scenic walk of Dubrovnik’s old quarter or relaxing on the warm shores of Hvar, Croatia’s vast heritage of movies gives more than just a shot to remember.
