Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković stated on Friday that this year’s tourism season delivered outstanding results in both the pre-season and post-season, but stressed that the entire sector must take pricing policy seriously to ensure Croatia remains competitive. He made the comments during the Days of Croatian Tourism event, held this year in Dubrovnik.
Plenković addressed the media following a session of the Council for Tourism Development, which is meeting for the third time as part of the annual industry gathering. He thanked ministers, sector representatives, and council members for their work and said the event is an opportunity to send “important messages — from the lessons learned this season to preparations for the next one.”
According to the Prime Minister, Croatia has so far recorded 21 million tourist arrivals and approximately 109 million overnight stays, numbers that are expected to rise to over 21 million arrivals and nearly 110 million overnights by the end of the year.
“The results in both pre-season and post-season have been excellent, and it is important to think carefully about pricing policy,” Plenković said.
Tourism Driving Economic Growth
He highlighted that tourism and related sectors are major contributors to Croatia’s economic performance. The country’s GDP is expected to grow 3.2 percent in 2025, while government projections for 2026 forecast 2.7 percent growth — nearly double the projected average for the eurozone and the European Union.
“This continuous effort by the Croatian government and the private sector is aimed at helping Croatia catch up as quickly as possible with EU member states that joined before us, and we intend to achieve this within our third mandate,” he added.
Plenković also emphasised the importance of ongoing promotional efforts in both Europe and worldwide, noting that major investments are being made not only along the coast but also in continental tourism.
Dubrovnik: The Flagship of Croatian Tourism
The Prime Minister said he was pleased that the event is being held in Dubrovnik, calling the city “the flagship of Croatian, Adriatic, and even Mediterranean tourism.”
He noted that tourists today choose destinations increasingly based on price and warned that Croatia must take into account the situation in major emitting markets. Italy, for example, has been promoting domestic holidays to its citizens for years, while Germany is experiencing reduced consumer spending due to higher living costs.
“If we are not seeing strong growth from those markets, it’s a sign that travellers have less disposable income and are choosing destinations where prices are slightly lower,” Plenković said. “This context must be incorporated into our pricing strategy. That is key, because Croatia already has everything else — from infrastructure to natural advantages.”
Council Discusses Key Legislative Changes
Plenković revealed that the Council addressed several important topics affecting the tourism sector, including:
The new Construction Act, which entered its first parliamentary reading today
Amendments to the Spatial Planning Act, which he described as crucial for investors and tourism professionals
Regulations on maritime property
The Foreigners Act
Sustainability initiatives
An overview of results from the 2025 season
He concluded that strong cooperation between government institutions and the private sector will be essential for maintaining Croatia’s competitiveness in the years ahead.
@graddubrovnik Od 19. do 21. studenog, Dubrovnik je domaćin Dana hrvatskog turizma ????????, manifestacije koja okuplja stručnjake, poduzetnike i ljubitelje turizma iz cijele Hrvatske. ???? DHT svake godine okuplja više od 1500 sudionika, a u sklopu manifestacije organizira se i tradicionalni susret turističkih djelatnika. ???? Ove godine posebna pažnja je posvećena održivom turizmu, uključujući projekte koji će pokazati kako zaštiti kulturnu baštinu grada dok se turistička ponuda razvija. @Mato Frankovic #dubrovnik #turizamhr #hrvatska #tourismcroatia #graddubrovnik ♬ original sound – Grad Dubrovnik