Overview

• Ljubo Jurčić, a former economy minister, said “We have destroyed Croatian tourism,” castigating three decades of policy and warning that many locals can no longer afford domestic holidays.
• Official data underline cost pressures, with July consumer prices up 4.1% year on year and overall prices rising roughly 70% since 2015, while an analysis shows average hotel rates up about 4.6% versus last year.
• German arrivals peaked at about 3.5 million in 2022 and have eased since, which the Croatian National Tourist Board links to returning competition and tighter travel budgets, while forecasting a strong autumn 2025.
• Tourism leaders highlight a long-term shift from hotels to private rentals, note fewer than 200,000 hotel beds, and stress renovation-led projects and higher service standards over new coastal construction.
• To manage crowding and diversify travel, Dubrovnik is capping cruise ship calls at three per day and national efforts are directing visitors to inland regions such as Međimurje that promote sustainable tourism.