Poles still fill the Adriatic, but they are changing the rules of the game: how the way of traveling to Croatia changed in 2025
Croatia has for years been among the most important summer destinations for Polish guests, but the latest figures and messages from the tourism sector point to a change in habits. In 2025, Poland retained its status as one of the key foreign markets, while at the same time a shift from “one big summer holiday” toward more flexible, more varied, and better-planned trips is becoming increasingly clear.
According to data from the eVisitor system, in 2025 around 1.24 million tourists from Poland arrived in Croatia, and they generated approximately 7.32 million overnights. This kept Poland as the fourth most important source market for Croatian tourism, behind Germany, Slovenia, and Austria. In the same period, Croatia recorded more than 21.8 million tourist arrivals and 110.1 million overnights in total, which the relevant institutions cite as yet another record year in a row.
Behind the record: from “sun and sea” toward a mix of experiences
The numbers alone do not explain the change, but it is visible in the structure of interest. Beaches and swimming remain the main motive for arrival, but trips are increasingly enriched with content that previously was not in the foreground: tours of historic towns, local gastronomy, events, and outdoor activities. In the tourism industry, such a shift is recognized as the growth of “experiential” travel — from sailing and island excursions to cycling, hiking, and shorter urban breaks.
Representatives of the Croatian National Tourist Board and the Polish office of the Croatian National Tourist Board (CNTB) say that Polish tourists are increasingly consciously combining proven Adriatic destinations with different types of holidays. The director of the representative office in Poland, Małgorzata Kowalska, emphasized in a statement to Polish media that, alongside the classic seaside holiday, active offerings, city visits, and travel outside the peak season are being chosen more and more often.
The season is expanding: growing interest before and after July and August
July and August remain the strongest months, but tourism is gradually “spreading” into spring and autumn. For many travelers from Poland, that means lower crowds, more pleasant temperatures, and easier planning of activities — from sightseeing to outdoor offerings. The Croatian tourism sector links this trend to two parallel changes: more flexible working arrangements (remote work and shorter breaks) and the growth in the supply of events and content that are not tied exclusively to summer.
National data for 2025 also highlight that the continental part of the country, including Zagreb, is recording growth in overnights. Although the Adriatic regions remain dominant, Zagreb and the interior are increasingly entering guests’ plans as city break destinations or as an addition to a stay on the coast.
Where Polish guests most often stay
When looking at the distribution of overnights, Polish guests traditionally concentrate on the Adriatic, especially in Dalmatia and Istria. In 2025, the most sought-after counties mentioned include Split-Dalmatia and Istria, followed by Zadar, Primorje-Gorski Kotar, and Dubrovnik-Neretva. In practice, this means that, alongside classic destinations such as Zadar, the Makarska Riviera, and the area around Omiš, a significant share of interest also goes toward the Kvarner islands as well as the Pelješac and Dubrovnik area.
This distribution also reflects travel logistics from Poland: road travel still prevails, which favors destinations with good road connections and a large selection of private accommodation. At the same time, the strengthening of air routes opens room for faster weekend breaks and for travel in the pre- and post-season, when travelers more easily decide on a shorter stay.
Accommodation: private apartments remain the backbone, but demand for higher quality is growing
Private accommodation and family apartments remain the “backbone” of Polish arrivals, but the sector is recording growing interest in campsites and hotel accommodation. Industry releases particularly highlight faster growth in demand for higher-category hotels, which fits into a broader trend: some guests no longer seek only an affordable price, but also a higher standard, additional amenities, and reliable service.
This shift is also visible in the way trips are planned: more attention is paid to location, nearby amenities, the availability of activities, and the quality of the offer. In the tourism sector, this is interpreted as the growth of “value for money” — not necessarily the most expensive, but justified relative to expectations.
Who travels and why they return
Polish guests often perceive Croatia as a family destination, and after that as a destination for couples. At the same time, tourism-sector communications often emphasize high loyalty — a large share of guests return multiple times, and recommendations from family and friends remain one of the key triggers for a new trip. Social networks and booking platforms, of course, also play a role, but personal experience and a “trusted” destination remain a strong factor.
For Croatia, such loyalty is important for another reason: repeat guests more easily decide to explore new places and content. They are precisely the ones who more often “deviate” from the well-trodden route, for example toward smaller islands, the Dalmatian hinterland, or gastronomic and wine excursions in Istria and Kvarner. Such patterns encourage the spread of spending beyond the narrowest coastal strip and beyond the most burdened weeks in July and August.
The car as part of the experience, but air-growth changes the dynamics
Road travel remains the dominant choice for travelers from Poland. For many, the drive through Central Europe and Slovenia is part of the holiday, and the car provides flexibility for visiting multiple locations. However, the growing number of available flights, especially to coastal airports and Zagreb, is gradually changing the dynamics: it makes shorter and more spontaneous trips easier, reduces the “time cost,” and makes off-season city breaks simpler.
Combined with the fact that Croatia is in the Schengen Area and uses the euro, travel is further simplified in practice — from crossing the border to paying on the spot. Tourism institutions often point out that easier logistics is precisely what stimulates the growth of short stays and multiple trips throughout the year.
Prices, value, and a “new realism” in holiday planning
Growing demand does not mean that the cost question has disappeared from the equation. On the contrary, Polish media that convey data from tourism institutions often emphasize that travelers are comparing offers more carefully and calculating total costs — from tolls and fuel to accommodation and meals. In practice, earlier booking, travel in the pre- and post-season, or accommodation that allows greater independence is chosen more often, for example apartments with a kitchen, while part of spending is redirected to experiences: excursions, local taverns, museums, festivals, and activities at sea.
For Croatia, which at the same time wants to maintain the figures and raise quality, this opens space for clearer “packaging” of value: better crowd management, more transparent information on prices and content, and an offer that goes beyond the classic summer-holiday pattern. That is precisely why the development of premium segments is being mentioned more and more often, as well as more sustainable forms of tourism that give guests a reason to return — and to choose Croatia even when they are not looking exclusively for the sea and the beach.
The bigger picture: tourism as an economic lever and the challenges of 2026
The record results of 2025 fit into the broader context of the Croatian economy in which tourism remains one of the key export activities. But the sector is simultaneously entering 2026 with clear challenges: price competitiveness in the region, pressure on infrastructure at the peak of the season, the need for labor, and the increasingly pronounced impact of climate extremes on summer demand.
In that sense, trends coming from the Polish market — season expansion, growing interest in quality, and diversification of content — align well with the goals that Croatian tourism institutions have been highlighting in recent years: less reliance on two summer months, more evenly distributed traffic throughout the year, and stronger positioning of the continent and cities.
For Polish travelers, this practically means a broader range of choices: from a classic seaside holiday to shorter thematic trips, for example for gastronomy, cultural events, or active отдых. And for Croatia, besides confirming popularity, it is also a signal that the market is changing — and that success will increasingly be measured not only by the number of arrivals, but also by the quality of the experience guests take home.
Sources:- Croatian National Tourist Board (HTZ) – official press release on the results of Croatian tourism in 2025 according to the eVisitor system link
- PolskieRadio24 (PR24) – article on the record number of Polish tourists in Croatia in 2025 and eVisitor data link
- WP Turystyka – article with Małgorzata Kowalska’s statement on changes in travelers’ habits and eVisitor data link
- All Inclusive (Poland) – overview of 2025 results and Poland’s market position in Croatian tourism (citing eVisitor) link
- Croatian Bureau of Statistics (DZS) – methodological note on taking data from the eVisitor system and monthly tourism statistics link
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