Domestic tourists played a key role in the stability and growth of Croatian tourism this year. In the first eight months of 2025, there were 2,364,848 arrivals and 11,188,579 overnight stays from the domestic market — representing an increase of 7.6% in arrivals and 3.4% in overnight stays compared to the same period last year.

Such data indicate that the Croatian tourism sector does not depend exclusively on foreign guests: domestic tourists are showing increasing value and potential, especially in the pre-season and post-season periods, when foreign traffic is weaker. This is precisely why the Croatian National Tourist Board (CNTB) has launched a new phase of the “Visit me” campaign, which aims to present lesser-known, but authentic destinations in the country's interior to the domestic traveler through carefully designed channels.

Statistics and trends: domestic tourists are increasingly significant

When we look at the total figures according to the latest data from the eVisitor system, in the period from January to August 2025 compared to the same period in 2024, a total of 17,194,067 arrivals and 89,946,546 overnight stays were recorded — a growth of 1.8% in arrivals and 0.6% in overnight stays. Of this, domestic tourists accounted for 12.44% of arrivals and 12.44% of overnight stays, which is a slight increase in share compared to last year (10.10%).

As for August 2025, in that month there were 500,000 domestic arrivals (index 104 compared to August 2024) and 3.91 million overnight stays by domestic tourists (index 100) — an indicator that the domestic market is maintaining stability in the peak month. Foreign tourists, on the other hand, recorded 4.46 million arrivals (index 100) and 27.25 million overnight stays (index 98). In total, 4.96 million arrivals and 31.16 million overnight stays were achieved in August (index 98) compared to 2024.

The data shows that domestic tourists are "keeping pace" in August — their overnight stays have not fallen compared to last year, despite a slightly weaker result from the foreign segment. This makes domestic traffic an important "backup" driver, especially in critical months. In addition, in the first eight months of 2025, domestic tourists achieved 11,188,579 overnight stays, which marks a growth of 3.4% compared to the same period last year. In arrivals, the growth was more significant — 7.6%. (Keep in mind that the final complete data for September, October 2025 have not yet been published.)

The “Visit me” campaign – a new wave of boosting domestic tourism demand

The campaign is designed to encourage domestic travelers to get to know Croatian regions off the beaten path — the emphasis is on local stories, indigenous customs, the natural beauty of continental regions, and less-exposed destinations. The first wave of the campaign covered Dugi otok, Šibenik, Slavonia, Gorski kotar, Zagorje, and Međimurje, and the outcome was very good — positive feedback and interest from the domestic audience.

The second wave of the campaign, which runs until the end of October 2025, has been expanded to destinations such as Korčula, the Zadar hinterland, Podravina, and Lika. With this expansion, the campaign aims to combine the sea, Mediterranean beauties, and continental specificities, providing domestic tourists with diverse options for travel and discovering their own country in periods when foreign traffic weakens.

Communication channels include a combination of online and offline activities: native articles, advertising on social networks (Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube), print ads, digital out-of-home advertising (OOH), and video materials.

The CNTB has already published the first promotional video for Korčula on its platform croatia.hr, and all campaign activities can be followed on the same web address. Videos, photos, and blogs aim to bring local stories, customs, and authentic content closer to the target domestic audience — not through a generic tourist offer, but through the real experiences that each region can offer.

CNTB's strategy and plans for 2025

In 2025, the Tourist Council of the CNTB adopted an annual work program with planned revenues of 55.3 million euros. Within this plan, several key priorities were highlighted: (1) sustainable tourism, (2) a communication concept that includes digital tools and innovative formats, (3) an even distribution of tourist flows throughout the year and area, (4) an increase in spending per tourist, and (5) strengthening continental destinations. The CNTB wants to position Croatia not only as a summer destination but also as a "year-round" one.

One of the campaigns carried out so far was called “TAKE IT EASY” — conducted in July and August on social media (Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube), with the aim of increasing engagement and promoting the idea of slow travel. In these campaigns, the CNTB often collaborates with platforms like Skyscanner and Wanderlust for additional international and local audience reach.

In statements from the CNTB leadership, it is often stated that the season is not lost, despite uncertain forecasts: director Kristjan Staničić has repeatedly called for prudence in pricing policy, balanced growth, and preservation of service quality. He has stressed in the media that "the tourist year lasts 12 months," emphasizing the importance of the pre-season and post-season.

Challenges and opportunities in Croatian tourism in 2025

Although the figures are generally trending in a positive direction, tourism in Croatia faces some challenges:

• Reliance on the foreign market: a large part of the revenue and arrivals still comes from abroad, which makes the sector vulnerable to changes in the global economy, crises, and currency exchange rate fluctuations.


• the main impact of arrivals and overnight stays still falls in the summer months, while the spring and autumn months are weaker — therefore, the importance of activities in the pre- and post-season is high.

Dispersion of tourist flows: high interest in the Adriatic leads to overcrowding in coastal areas, while continental and rural destinations remain underrated.Balance of price and quality: if prices do not match the quality of service, there is a risk of losing competitiveness.Sustainability and resource preservation: increasing attention needs to be paid to environmental protection, infrastructure, and responsible destination management.

However, it is precisely these challenges and opportunities that provide a chance for the affirmation of domestic travel. The “Visit me” campaign strategically seeks to address some of them — by encouraging travel to less-exposed areas, emphasizing local stories and content, and strengthening tourism in continental regions.

Ultimately, the domestic tourist must not remain a "reserve." They must become a full-fledged participant in Croatia's tourism strategy — one who explores, spends, and spreads the word about the country's beauties, even outside the peak season. The “Visit me” campaign is an attempt at just that — connecting the domestic audience with the hidden corners of Croatia, which often have the most authentic and touching stories.