Rijeka among the ten leading tourist destinations in Croatia: a strong start to 2026 confirms the city's growth beyond the summer peak
Rijeka opened the tourism year in the first two months of 2026 with results that place it among the most successful city destinations in Croatia. According to data from the eVisitor system, published by the Rijeka Tourist Board for the period from 1 January to 28 February 2026, 20,887 arrivals and 51,664 overnight stays were recorded in the city area. Compared with the same period last year, this represents a 23 percent increase in arrivals and a 10 percent increase in overnight stays, while Rijeka ranked in a high seventh place among Croatian destinations according to total tourist traffic.
Such an entry into the year is important not only because of the figures themselves, but also because of the message they send. Rijeka has been trying for some time to strengthen its status as a year-round city destination, and the results from the beginning of 2026 show that this process is no longer merely a promotional ambition, but a visible trend. A city that was once mostly associated in tourism terms with transit stays, business travel, and summer transit is now increasingly clearly building a profile as a destination that people travel to deliberately, including in months that are traditionally more sensitive for a large part of Croatian tourism.
The domestic market gave the strongest boost to growth
It is particularly interesting that the greatest growth momentum at the beginning of the year is visible precisely in the domestic market. Out of a total of 20,887 arrivals, domestic guests accounted for 9,508 arrivals, while there were 11,379 foreign tourists. Although foreigners still make up the majority, with a 54 percent share of total arrivals, domestic guests account for a very strong 46 percent, and their growth at this stage of the year was far more pronounced.
Arrivals of domestic guests increased by as much as 33 percent compared with the same period in 2025, while arrivals of foreign tourists rose by 16 percent. This relationship is important for several reasons. First, it shows that Rijeka is acting ever more strongly on the domestic market for short trips, weekend stays, and urban getaways. Second, it confirms that the city is fitting better and better into travel patterns in which what is sought is not necessarily a classic summer holiday, but a combination of events, gastronomy, culture, shopping, the sea, and accessibility. Third, stronger interest from domestic guests usually also means more resilient tourist traffic in periods when international demand fluctuates.
It is precisely this domestic segment that has in recent years become one of the most important stabilisers of Croatian tourism outside the peak season. National data from the Croatian National Tourist Board for January 2026 showed growth in domestic arrivals and overnight stays at the state level, while in February total traffic in Croatia was also higher than a year earlier. In such an environment, Rijeka's results do not deviate from the broader picture, but they are particularly noticeable because of the intensity of growth and the city's position.
Overnight stays confirm that Rijeka is not attracting only passers-by
Total tourist traffic in Rijeka reached 51,664 overnight stays, which is 10 percent more than in the first two months of 2025. Foreign tourists generated 33,802 overnight stays, or 65 percent of all overnight stays, with annual growth of 2 percent. Domestic guests generated 17,861 overnight stays, which is as much as 31 percent more than last year, and they account for 35 percent of total overnight stays.
At first glance, it could be said that Rijeka still mainly depends on the international market when it comes to overnight stays, but a closer look shows something else: domestic guests are not only arriving more often, but are also increasingly willing to stay longer. This is an important signal for all stakeholders in the city, from hotels and private renters to caterers, cultural institutions, and event organisers. Tourist traffic is no longer limited to a day visit or a stopover overnight stay, but increasingly includes a real short stay, bringing the city greater economic benefit and greater visibility on the market.
For visitors planning a shorter or longer stay, especially during events, the carnival period, eno-gastronomic programmes, and weekend trips, the importance of planning the stay in a timely manner and choosing
accommodation in Rijeka is increasing. In a city that is attracting guests ever more strongly even in the winter and pre-spring months, it is precisely the availability and diversity of the accommodation offer that are becoming one of the key factors of further growth.
Younger travellers are increasingly changing the city's tourism profile
One of the most striking pieces of data relates to the age structure of guests. The largest share of overnight stays in Rijeka is generated by tourists in the 19 to 30 age group, who account for 25.84 percent of all overnight stays. This figure says a great deal about the direction in which tourism in Rijeka is developing.
Rijeka is clearly functioning more and more as a destination for younger travellers looking for a flexible, content-rich, and financially reasonably accessible city break. Such guests do not necessarily come because of one attraction, but because of the city's overall impression: the historic core and Korzo, Trsat, the proximity of the sea, cultural programmes, concerts, festivals, gastronomy, nightlife, the specific urban atmosphere of Rijeka, and the possibility of experiencing several different types of content in a short time.
For tourism workers and city stakeholders, this is an important change. Younger travellers choose destinations differently, react more often to current events, travel outside classic seasonal patterns, and are more sensitive to the destination's digital presence, transport accessibility, and the variety of accommodation options. That is why it is not insignificant that a significant share of overnight stays in Rijeka is generated precisely in private accommodation and hostels, forms of accommodation that often better suit the travel patterns of the younger population. Those coming to the city for a weekend break, carnival, a cultural event, or a short exploration of Kvarner are increasingly searching in advance for
accommodation offers in Rijeka that are close to the centre, transport links, and main attractions.
Foreign markets remain diverse, with visible interest from neighbouring countries and distant guests
Among foreign guests in the first two months of 2026, the most numerous were tourists from Italy, Slovenia, Serbia, Austria, the United States of America, Germany, and Hungary. Such a structure is not unexpected, but it is important. On the one hand, it confirms the importance of traditionally close and well-connected markets, especially Italy, Slovenia, and Austria. On the other hand, it shows that Rijeka is managing to retain the interest of guests from more distant markets as well, including American visitors, who most often choose destinations with a recognisable identity and good transport and regional connections.
An increase in arrivals from Asian countries is also being recorded, which is particularly interesting in the context of the gradual return of part of the distant markets to European city destinations. Rijeka does not have the mass international profile that Dubrovnik or Split have, but this can be an advantage for it: for some travellers, it represents a less crowded, more authentic, and content-diverse gateway to the Croatian coastal area. The city is large enough to offer content, and compact enough to be explored in a short time.
For such guests, Rijeka's regional position is also important. It is not only an independent destination, but also an entry point to the wider Kvarner area, which in 2026 holds the title of European Region of Gastronomy. This fact further raises the visibility of the entire area, while giving Rijeka as an urban centre additional weight in attracting guests interested in food, wine, local products, and gastronomy-related events.
Private accommodation and hotels carry the bulk of the traffic
According to the published data, the largest number of overnight stays in Rijeka was generated in private accommodation, which accounts for 43.66 percent of total overnight stays. Hotels account for 39.67 percent of overnight stays, while the remainder falls to non-commercial accommodation, hostels, and lodging houses. Such a distribution shows that tourism in Rijeka relies on several pillars, which is very important for a city destination outside the peak season.
Private accommodation is proving to be an extremely important buffer and generator of growth. In the January–February 2026 period, Rijeka also took an excellent third place among the most visited destinations in Croatia in the family accommodation segment, right behind Zagreb and Split. This is not just a figure for statistical reports, but an indicator that private renters in Rijeka are no longer relying exclusively on summer. On the contrary, a large part of tourist traffic is generated even in months when the decision to travel is made differently: because of events, business obligations, a cultural programme, gastronomic reasons, or a short break.
That is precisely why, in Rijeka's case, private renters have a broader role than simply filling beds. They participate in shaping the impression of the city as a flexible and accessible destination, especially for smaller groups, younger travellers, families, and guests looking for a different rhythm of stay. At the same time, the strong hotel share shows that Rijeka is succeeding in balancing between individual travellers and more organised, more classic forms of accommodation. For visitors, this means a wider range of choice, and for the city greater market resilience. It is not the same whether a destination relies predominantly on only one type of accommodation or distributes traffic across several segments. Rijeka is clearly closer to this second model, which is more stable in the long term.
For periods of increased demand, especially around major events, carnival programmes, congresses, and weekend arrivals, this further emphasises the importance of searching in a timely manner for
accommodation for visitors to Rijeka, because the best-located offers fill up fastest precisely in the periods when the city records above-average interest.
Rijeka is using the advantages of a year-round model
What makes Rijeka's figures particularly interesting is not only the growth, but the moment in which it is happening. January and February are not the months in which coastal cities traditionally achieve their strongest tourism result. When a destination grows at double-digit rates in this period, it is usually a sign that it no longer relies only on the summer wave, but has built additional reasons to visit.
Rijeka is clearly using several comparative advantages here. One is the urban character of the destination: this is a city where tourism does not take place separately from everyday life, but is built on a real urban rhythm. The second is the event and cultural offer, which remains active during the colder part of the year. The third is the transport and geographical position, thanks to which Rijeka is accessible to domestic and regional guests for a shorter stay. The fourth is the growing visibility of Kvarner as a gastronomically and content-wise strong region in 2026.
This year-round tourism model is more important for Rijeka than simply chasing records. Cities that manage to extend the season and generate traffic outside the peak of the summer months usually have more stable revenues, less pronounced seasonal oscillations, and better room for developing more sustainable tourism. In Rijeka's case, this is especially important because the city is not building its identity exclusively on a single tourism product, but on a combination of culture, events, urban atmosphere, the sea, gastronomy, and its position in the heart of Kvarner.
What the results say about the further course of the year
The beginning of the year in itself does not guarantee what the whole season will look like, but it can be a very good indicator of the trend. When a city grows by 23 percent in arrivals and by 10 percent in overnight stays in the first two months, while strongly strengthening in the domestic market and retaining the dominant share of foreign guests, it is clear that it is entering the continuation of the year with a solid foundation.
The further course of 2026 will, of course, depend on several factors: transport accessibility, the calendar of events, general demand in the main source markets, regional competition, and economic trends. But the currently available data indicate that Rijeka has reason to expect a good tourism year. Especially if it continues to combine what works in its favour: urban recognisability, accommodation flexibility, a younger audience, the gastronomic visibility of Kvarner, and a growing reputation as a destination for short but content-rich stays.
It is important at the same time to notice the broader change in perception. Rijeka is increasingly being viewed less as a space between major tourist names, and more as an independent destination with its own reason for visiting. Therein lies the greatest value of the current figures. They do not speak only about how many guests arrived and how many overnight stays were generated, but also about the fact that the city has managed to reshape part of its tourism image. And when at the beginning of March a destination can already speak about such a strong winter and pre-spring result, it is clear that this is not a random jump, but a process that has become visible both on the market and in statistics.
Sources:- Croatian National Tourist Board – information on the course of the tourist year and the methodology of the eVisitor system for monthly tourism indicators (link)- Croatian National Tourist Board – official tourism traffic indicators for January 2026, including movements of domestic and foreign guests at the national level (link)- Croatian National Tourist Board – official tourism traffic indicators for February 2026 at the Croatia-wide level (link)- City of Rijeka – publication on January tourism results confirming the direction of Rijeka's development as a year-round destination (link)- Visit Rijeka – official information from the Rijeka Tourist Board on the eVisitor system and tourism records (link)- Kvarner Tourist Board – official website with information that Kvarner in 2026 holds the title of European Region of Gastronomy (link)
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