14 July 2024 – Traditionally, Croats head to the coast every summer – to their own homes by the sea, or to the homes of family and friends. This trend is slowly changing, with more and more Croats choosing to travel abroad.
As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, Croats are increasingly choosing to holiday outside of Croatia, with Spain, Greece, Turkey and Egypt being popular destinations in recent years.
The desire to experience something different
“We’re going to Cordoba, Spain. We have relatives there so we’re going to visit them this year,” Mirella said.
“We are travelling to Malaga, Spain – a small town near Malaga. Last year we went to Cyprus with the kids, so this year we decided to explore somewhere else,” said Vanja, who is from Čakovec.
Other Croats are also exploring destinations abroad rather than flocking exclusively to Croatian shores each summer, and those travelling through travel agencies most often choose other Mediterranean countries.
Croatians living abroad still always choose to travel to Croatia.
For Croats living abroad, where to spend the summer doesn’t seem to be an issue at all.
“If I were to go on summer vacation with my family, I would choose Croatia, my home country,” says Toni, who is from Ireland.
“Why would I choose a foreign country and not beautiful Croatia?” asked Pero from Germany.
“Croats living abroad usually choose destinations such as Vir, Crikvenica, Opatija and Split. In fact, these are the destinations that generally rank at the top of Croatian tourism, obviously because these destinations offer the best offers and content that Croatian guests living abroad are looking for,” said Cristian Staničić, Director General of the Croatian National Tourist Board (HTZ).
But their habits are also slowly changing: Croatians tend to prefer traveling to family accommodation rather than hotels, and when they do indeed go on holiday, they are dedicating more and more time to recreational and outdoor activities.
“I think there is also an attachment to the homeland, which is why many Croats still decide to stay. The figures show that visitor numbers from the domestic market have increased by four percent and overnight stays have also increased by one percent,” Staničić said.
That is very good news, because after all, Croats are the most important customers for Croatian tourism, along with the ever-loyal Germans.
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