Croatia at the Peak of Luxury Travel for 2026: Virtuoso Ranks the Country 5th on Global List, Forbes Travel Guide Highlights Dubrovnik and Hvar
In the period between late December 2025 and early January 2026, ahead of major travel decisions for the new season, Croatia received visible international recognition in the high-end travel segment. According to data from
The 2026 Virtuoso Luxe Report, Croatia is ranked 5th on the list of the most popular global destinations for 2026. This result is further emphasized by the selection of destinations published by Forbes Travel Guide, where Croatia is described as a country that combines cultural-historical heritage and natural beauties, specifically as a destination that can offer the architecture of historic cities and a coastline that easily transforms into an experience within the same trip. In such a framework, Croatia is increasingly presenting itself as a premium destination with enough content for more than one "classic" summer vacation.
This ranking brings visibility, but also raises expectations. In luxury tourism, travelers do not just buy accommodation and transport, but the "whole package": experience, logistics, privacy, safety, gastronomy, and the quality of interpretation of local stories. At the same time, the Virtuoso report indicates that travelers with higher purchasing power still plan to travel, but assess the value for money more carefully. Destinations that want to retain a premium position must therefore be consistent in service quality, crowd management, sustainability, and the sense of value for money. Croatia's 5th place, viewed from that angle, is not just a compliment but also a kind of maturity test for the destination in 2026.
What is the Virtuoso Luxe Report and Why the Industry Takes It Seriously
The Virtuoso Luxe Report is an annual survey published by Virtuoso based on the experiences and observations of its travel advisors and member agencies. The 2026 report states that more than 2,400 travel advisors from Virtuoso-affiliated agencies in over 50 countries participated in the survey, and the conclusions rely on actual client inquiries and trends that advisors record in sales. Virtuoso presents itself as a leading global network of travel agencies specialized in luxury and experiential travel, with "by invitation only" membership, a large number of advisors, and a network of preferred partners in hotels, airlines, the cruise industry, and destinations. That is precisely why the report is read in practice as a "thermometer" of the desires of travelers who travel frequently and expect a higher level of personalization.
The report further emphasizes that luxury travelers remain willing to spend more, but are simultaneously more sensitive to rising costs and seek clear value. According to Virtuoso data, almost half of the surveyed advisors expect a slight growth in demand in 2026, while 18% expect significant growth, which points to optimism in a segment that often "leads" recovery and growth after market shocks. When it comes to spending per trip, the majority expects either maintaining a high level or moderate growth, which translates in practice into strong competition among destinations on the topic of service quality. In other words, trips will not necessarily be planned less often, but the choice of whom to entrust money and time to will be stricter. In this context, a high place on the Virtuoso list can stimulate additional demand, but also intensify criticism towards any weak link in the experience.
Where is Croatia on the Global List and Who is It Compared With
In the Virtuoso list of "Top 10 Global Destinations for 2026", Croatia is in 5th place, behind Italy, Japan, Greece, and France, and ahead of Portugal, Spain, South Africa, Australia, and Canada. This involves a combination of traditionally strong European brands and distant markets that have high spending and strong growth in the luxury segment. In practice, this means that Croatia is increasingly entering itineraries as a destination for which travel is planned in advance and with clear expectations, and not just as a "stopover". Such positioning is particularly important because the luxury segment often brings higher spending per guest and greater interest in private tours, specialized experiences, and higher-category accommodation. At the same time, the company in which Croatia finds itself shows that the competition is direct: from Italy and France, which have dominated the premium offer for years, to Japan, which is globally a very strong magnet for guests willing to pay for culture and uniqueness.
- Top 10 Global Destinations for 2026 according to Virtuoso: Italy, Japan, Greece, France, Croatia, Portugal, Spain, South Africa, Australia, Canada.
It is worth noting that Croatia also appears in other Virtuoso categories. In the list of "Top 10 Honeymoon Destinations for 2026", Croatia is ranked 9th, suggesting that the country attracts couples looking for a combination of romantic locations, good service, and safety. In the solo travel category, Croatia is in 10th place, which is an additional indicator of the perception of the destination as logically simple and diverse enough for individual exploration. In the luxury segment, these "secondary" lists are not irrelevant: they point to the breadth of the audience, and a breadth of audience usually means more stable demand throughout the year. For a destination that wants to strengthen year-round tourism, this is an important message.
Forbes Travel Guide: Why Dubrovnik and Hvar Stand Out in the Story
Forbes Travel Guide, in its selection of "20 Top Destinations for 2026", describes Croatia as a country that "has it all" and highlights Dubrovnik and Hvar as illustrative examples. The text emphasizes that Dubrovnik offers well-preserved Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque architecture, while Hvar is described through its sunny coast and Mediterranean atmosphere. These two motifs are strong for the luxury travel market as well because they represent clear, easily recognizable "entry points" for planning: one historic city with global recognition and one island brand associated with vacation, the sea, gastronomy, and lifestyle. In practice, a wider itinerary is built around such "anchors": trips to nearby islands, private tours, wine and gastro stories, experiences at sea and on land. Precisely this possibility of combining content within relatively short distances is often crucial for guests who want more experiences in a limited time.
Forbes Travel Guide also mentions in the same text the trend of strengthening luxury sailing along the Dalmatian coast through the project
Four Seasons Yachts. Four Seasons stated in an official announcement that Captain Kate McCue has been appointed for the inaugural ship
Four Seasons I, which further underlines that the Mediterranean, and thus the Adriatic, is increasingly strongly positioning itself in the niche of ultra-luxury experiences. Such projects do not change the massive picture of tourism overnight, but they have a strong "halo effect": they raise the perception of the destination, attract an audience seeking privacy and a high level of service, and strengthen interest in premium content on land. At the same time, they remind us that luxury tourism is not just a question of hotels, but also of infrastructure, safety, organization, and destination management. When a strong global brand appears in that segment, every weakness in local logistics becomes more visible, but every advantage also comes more to the fore.
Luxury Travel Trends for 2026: Family, Authenticity, Culture, and Experiences
Virtuoso lists the "Top 10 Travel Trends" in its 2026 report, with family travel and multigenerational travel at the top. Active and adventure travel, cultural immersion, expedition cruising, and the search for authenticity rank highly, while beach resort stays and ocean cruising are still among the important trends. Gastro travel, with an emphasis on food, wine, and premium drinks, is also at the top, as well as river cruising, showing that the luxury segment increasingly seeks content, not just a "location". Continuing the report, Virtuoso also lists the most common motives for travel, among which celebrations of important life moments, the excitement of discovering new destinations, time with family, rest, but also wellness and personal enrichment stand out. All this suggests that luxury in 2026 means less "more expensive" and increasingly means "better designed".
- Trends highlighted by Virtuoso for 2026: family travel, multigenerational travel, active/adventure travel, cultural immersion, expedition cruising, authenticity, resort stays, ocean cruising, culinary travel, river cruising.
- Most common travel motives in 2026 according to Virtuoso: celebrating a milestone, excitement of discovering a new destination, spending time with loved ones, rest and relaxation, escaping inclement weather, health and wellness, personal enrichment and education, honeymoons, seeking adventure, "pampering" and special treatments.
In the Croatian case, this can be translated into several concrete directions for development. Multigenerational guests seek accommodation and itineraries adapted to different ages and interests, which opens space for quality family hotels, villas, and programs with reliable transport and safe activities. Cultural immersion requires local guides, heritage interpretation, and experiences that are not generic, from workshops and meetings with local producers to themed tours of cities and regions. The gastro trend opens space for a stronger connection between tourism and local agriculture and small producers, as guests increasingly seek the story of the ingredient, origin, and method of preparation. Active tourism and "outdoor" programs, especially outside the summer peak, can simultaneously help extend the season and relieve the most burdened locations. Precisely this combination – experience, content, and year-round activity – coincides most with the message sent by the Virtuoso ranking.
Sustainability and Crowd Management: Luxury Seeks Peace, Not Overcrowding
The Virtuoso report emphasizes that 45% of travel advisors see climate change causing shifts in their clients' travel habits. The most frequently cited adjustments are traveling in the shoulder season (pre- and post-season), choosing destinations with more moderate weather conditions, and more frequent purchase of travel insurance due to the risk of adverse events. In the section dedicated to sustainability, among the aspects clients support most are avoiding overcrowded destinations, protecting nature, and supporting local communities. In the luxury segment, this is not an abstract topic, but part of the experience: guests expect tidy public spaces, crowd control, good organization, and a feeling that the destination does not suffer due to tourism. If these elements are missing, not even the most expensive accommodation can "save" the experience.
On the European platform that collects examples of sustainable tourism, Dubrovnik is listed as a best practice in managing visitor congestion and preserving the urban "liveliness" of the city. The foundation cited is the "Respect the City" initiative, launched in 2017, which combines regulation, stakeholder cooperation, and technological solutions. Among the measures, the platform highlights the regulation of cruise ship arrivals, limiting certain activities, and the introduction of a "Limited Traffic Zone" around the historic core from 2025, along with smart solutions like visitor counting systems and tools for dynamic arrival management. The key message of such an approach is that the quality of life of residents and the quality of the visitor experience are viewed together, not as opposing needs. This is particularly important for destinations with strong heritage, where reputation is built over decades but can be damaged in one season. In the premium segment, precisely these "quiet" elements – order, flow, control, and a sense of comfort – often decide on a return visit.
A similar framework exists at the national level through the Sustainable Tourism Development Strategy until 2030, published in the Official Gazette (Narodne novine). The strategy emphasizes mitigating seasonality, creating offers of higher added value, more balanced spatial distribution of tourist traffic, and preserving the environment and quality of life of the local population. The document directly recognizes the challenges of temporal and spatial unevenness, pressure on space and the environment, and the need for tourism development to be led more inclusively and sustainably. In the context of the Virtuoso ranking, this is an important reminder: a premium position is not stable if the destination is overloaded or if the local community feels that tourism takes more than it returns. Sustainable management is therefore not an "addition", but a prerequisite for recognition to turn into long-term results.
Tourism Numbers and Context: Record 2024, Signals for 2025, and Expectations for 2026
The Croatian National Tourist Board announced that in 2024, according to eVisitor system data, more than 21.3 million arrivals and over 108.7 million overnight stays were realized, with growth compared to 2023. The same press release emphasizes that growth is particularly pronounced in the pre-season and post-season, which is important for the goal of extending the season and balancing the load on destinations. The CNTB also presents the structure of traffic by counties: the most overnight stays were realized in Istria (around 30 million), then in Split-Dalmatia County (over 20 million), Kvarner, and Zadar County, with a strong contribution from the most famous city and coastal destinations. Such data helps understand why Croatia is simultaneously trying to expand towards year-round activity and towards higher added value. When growth happens outside the peak season, it is easier to maintain service quality and crowd control, which is important precisely for luxury guests.
For 2025, complete official annual results depend on final announcements by competent institutions, but in late December 2025, media reported estimates from a press conference by the Minister of Tourism and Sport Tonči Glavina and CNTB Director Kristjan Staničić that 2025 could be a record year, with more than 21.6 million tourists and about 110 million overnight stays. In the same statements, they emphasized that growth was for the first time more significantly achieved outside the summer months, which fits into the strategic goal of year-round tourism and more balanced development. Such a context is important to connect with the Virtuoso message about "value for money": when prices rise and quality does not follow, the premium position weakens; when quality grows along with control of pressure on destinations, the premium position strengthens. That is precisely why international rankings cannot be read separately from domestic tourism management policies. In 2026, a year in which Virtuoso expects stable or growing demand, this will be one of the key topics for Croatia as well.
What 5th Place Means in Practice: Visibility, but Also an Obligation for Experience to Match Image
Croatia's 5th place on the Virtuoso list of most popular global destinations for 2026 can increase the interest of travelers who generally travel more often, stay longer, and spend more per day of stay. However, in the luxury segment, reputation is built through details: logistical punctuality, service quality, tidiness of public space, peace in the destination, and authenticity of experience. Forbes Travel Guide linked Croatia in its story with Dubrovnik and Hvar, which gives a clear picture of "what you are buying" when choosing Croatia, but simultaneously underlines the need for precisely those strongest points to be managed carefully. At a time when global trends show growing interest in the pre-season and post-season, Croatia has an opportunity to more strongly develop content not linked only to July and August. This includes cultural events, eno-gastro programs, active tourism, wellness, and experiences in smaller places, where authenticity is more natural and crowds are smaller.
In 2026, the key will be balancing visibility and capacity. Luxury travelers, according to Virtuoso trends, seek more authenticity, more culture, and more meaningful experiences, and Croatia has this in abundance if the offer is structured smartly. That is precisely why the ranking should be read as a call to continue investing in quality, sustainability, and year-round tourism, and not as a final confirmation of a "job done". In the tourism industry, recognitions pass quickly, but reputation remains – and is built from season to season. Croatia's 5th place on the list for 2026 shows that interest is real, and the next step is to consolidate that interest through the actual experience of guests. That is a story that in 2026 will not be written only by headlines, but by quality on the ground.
Sources:- Virtuoso – The 2026 Virtuoso Luxe Report (PDF) – destination ranking, trends, and survey methodology- Forbes Travel Guide Stories – Forbes Travel Guide’s 20 Top Destinations For 2026 – description of Croatia, Dubrovnik and Hvar, and selection context- Croatian National Tourist Board (CNTB) – In 2024, a total of 108.7 million overnight stays achieved – official eVisitor data and traffic structure- Official Gazette – Sustainable Tourism Development Strategy until 2030 – sustainability goals, seasonality reduction, and destination management- EU Tourism Platform – Best practice: Dubrovnik – Respect the City initiative and crowd management measures- SEEbiz – Estimates for 2025 and highlights on growth outside summer – statements by the Minister and CNTB Director- Four Seasons (official announcement) – Four Seasons Yachts: appointment of Captain Kate McCue for Four Seasons I – context of ultra-luxury voyages
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Creation time: 05 January, 2026