The guest of the central HRT News was Izidora Marković Vukadin from the Institute for Tourism, where she commented on the current state of the preseason and expectations in the context of changing energy and geopolitical circumstances.
Despite unstable global conditions, she emphasized that Croatia can be very satisfied with its preseason results. According to data for the first three months and the Easter weekend, nearly half a million more overnight stays were recorded, representing an increase of about 15 percent. The preseason is developing very well so far, with Easter results surpassing those from the comparable period last year.
This development is part of a broader trend toward year-round tourism. While the peak summer season is stagnating, the preseason and postseason show potential for further growth. According to her, this is expected in the long term, given the limitations in capacity and infrastructure during the high season. She also noted that changes in tourist behavior are linked to climate change and that tourism policy aims to achieve a more balanced distribution of arrivals throughout the year.
In certain destinations, such as Šibenik and Vodice, positive trends have already been recorded, particularly in hotel accommodation, supporting optimistic expectations for the rest of the year. Despite the energy crisis, stable demand is expected.
Regarding geopolitical tensions, Marković Vukadin believes that Croatia could have an advantage over some competing destinations, such as Turkey, primarily due to its proximity to key source markets in Western and Central Europe.
She also addressed the impact of inflation, rising fuel prices, and the economic situation in Germany, noting that travel is increasingly seen as a necessity rather than a luxury. However, tourists are expected to favor closer and safer destinations, which works in Croatia’s favor due to its reputation for safety.
When it comes to pricing, she warned that further increases should remain moderate and aligned with inflation. Prices have already risen significantly over the past three years, and Croatia is increasingly perceived as an expensive destination. She stressed the importance of maintaining competitiveness through quality, while also being cautious about further price increases, especially given the rising travel costs for guests who predominantly arrive by car.
She also pointed out that there have been no cancellations so far and that there is no need for sharp price increases.
Speaking about accommodation structure, she emphasized that private accommodation plays an important role and brings numerous socioeconomic benefits to local communities, although it also presents challenges such as rising real estate prices. She highlighted the importance of strengthening other types of accommodation, particularly hotels, which are essential for developing year-round tourism. In this preseason, as much as 60 percent of overnight stays were recorded in hotels.
She particularly noted the growth of family farms (OPGs), which saw an 84 percent increase in the first three months. She emphasized the need to encourage forms of private accommodation that offer authentic experiences, including interaction with hosts and local gastronomy.
In conclusion, she warned about the issue of underutilized accommodation that remains empty for most of the year while still requiring infrastructure, describing it as untapped potential in Croatian tourism.