Record 2025 in Krapina-Zagorje County: growth in arrivals and overnight stays, investments in spa resorts, and expansion of the offer beyond weekend getaways
Krapina-Zagorje County has had another record tourist year, immediately after the already record 2024. The data for 2025 were presented on Friday, 9 January 2026, at a press conference held at Hotel Well in Terme Tuhelj, where the management of the county tourist board, representatives of destination boards, and county leaders spoke about the results, guest structure, and investments that accompanied the growth.
According to the data of the Tourist Board of Krapina-Zagorje County, during 2025 there were 214,210 tourist arrivals recorded, which is 5.63% more than in 2024, and 468,202 overnight stays, i.e. 9.25% more than the year before. Such a result points to a more stable, year-round trend: not only is the number of visits growing, but also the level of the offer that encourages longer stays. For a continental destination that relies on the proximity of Zagreb, thermal resources and an increasingly diverse excursion offer, the ratio of arrivals to overnight stays is one of the most important indicators of real change.
What the numbers say: stronger growth in overnight stays than arrivals
At the conference it was highlighted that overnight stays growth of 9.25% exceeds arrivals growth of 5.63%, which indicates that some guests stay longer or that the share of accommodation segments that naturally extend the stay is increasing, such as hotel packages in spas and holiday homes. The Director of the Tourist Board of Krapina-Zagorje County, Sanja Škrinjar, emphasized that the ratio of domestic and foreign guests is almost equal and that this is visible both in arrivals and in overnight stays.
The share of foreign guests in total arrivals was 49.63%, while the share of foreign guests in total overnight stays was 50.86%. Such a structure in practice means that the destination does not depend on a single market or a single type of travel. Domestic guests often fill short slots, weekends and holidays, while foreign markets can bring additional spending and an extension of the season, especially when it comes to thermal and wellness facilities that are not tied to the weather.
Where guests come from: the region remains key, but interest from more northerly markets is growing
Among foreign guests, countries from the immediate vicinity and traditionally important outbound markets still dominate. The most tourists in 2025 came from Slovenia, Germany, Poland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Czech Republic, Italy and Austria. Interesting is also the fact singled out by county tourism workers: more and more guests in holiday homes are coming from more northerly countries, such as the Netherlands, Belgium and Denmark, which is often linked to demand for privacy, nature, authentic gastronomy and higher-standard accommodation.
For domestic guests, the picture is clear: most come from the City of Zagreb, and then from Split-Dalmatia, Primorje-Gorski Kotar, Osijek-Baranja and Istria counties. This confirms that Zagorje, along with recognizable spas, shrines and museum content, increasingly also functions as a destination for a short break from everyday life, whether it is about family visits, wellness weekends or trips that continue with an overnight stay.
- Total in 2025: 214,210 arrivals and 468,202 overnight stays
- Growth compared to 2024: +5.63% arrivals and +9.25% overnight stays
- Share of foreign guests: 49.63% arrivals and 50.86% overnight stays
- Most common foreign markets: Slovenia, Germany, Poland, BiH, Czech Republic, Italy, Austria
Accommodation: hotels account for almost 70% of overnight stays, and the number of beds is also increasing
The accommodation structure reveals why Zagorje manages to maintain traffic even outside the main seasonal peaks. According to the presented data, 326,826 overnight stays were realized in hotels, i.e. 69.81% of the total number. Campsites recorded 33,494 overnight stays, while 107,882 overnight stays were recorded in other accommodation facilities. Such a distribution shows that the hotel segment, primarily linked to thermal spas and larger complexes, still forms the backbone of overnight stays, but also that private accommodation and other categories play a significant role, especially in the growth of the holiday home offer.
In the eVisitor system, 4,404 beds were registered, which is an increase of 3.97% compared to 2024. The most beds are in hotels (1,319), then in holiday homes (1,153) and in household accommodation (1,042). It is a combination that gives the destination flexibility: hotels carry stable year-round demand, while holiday homes and household accommodation often attract families and smaller groups seeking privacy, their own pace and amenities such as a yard, a pool or proximity to excursion points.
Where the most traffic is generated: destination boards that connect several municipalities and towns
By the number of arrivals and overnight stays, among the most prominent areas are the tourist boards of the Biser Zagorja area, Gupčev kraj and Srce Zagorja, and then destinations such as Stubičke Toplice, Oroslavje and Krapina. This very structure speaks of a change that has become increasingly visible in recent years: the guest does not come only for one attraction, but for a package of experiences assembled over several days, from spas and wellness, through museums and viewpoints, to gastronomy and rural households.
Terme Tuhelj achieved the highest number of overnight stays in the county, and thus also in the area of the Tourist Board Biser Zagorja, which includes the municipality of Tuhelj, the town of Klanjec and the municipality of Veliko Trgovišće. The Director of that board, Tatjana Petranović Capar, stated that in 2025 they achieved 86,040 arrivals and 217,087 overnight stays. Different figures are mentioned in public about the share of Biser Zagorja in total traffic, primarily due to different definitions of “traffic” and coverage, but the message from the presentation was clear: it is an area that carries the largest part of accommodation results and that in parallel must develop infrastructure and content to maintain the standard and pace of growth.
More than classic tourism: spas, Marija Bistrica and museums in a broader sum exceed two million visits
In addition to the numbers on arrivals and overnight stays, speakers emphasized a broader picture of visitation that is not visible in accommodation statistics. The County Prefect and President of the county Tourist Board, Željko Kolar, recalled that results today are multiple times higher than at the beginning of his first term in 2013, when 161,446 overnight stays and 71,805 arrivals were recorded. He pointed out that almost every third overnight stay in the cluster of northwestern Croatia is realized precisely in Krapina-Zagorje County, and then he also listed the visitation of the most important attractions: 795,000 pilgrims in Marija Bistrica, 785,748 visitors to water parks and about 280,000 visitors to museums. When these segments are added up, one arrives at an overall picture that exceeds two million visits, without additional excursion arrivals to family farms, restaurants and events.
In the water parks segment, 322,770 visitors were recorded in Tuhelj Spa, 204,118 in Donja Stubica, 152,378 in Krapinske Toplice and 106,482 in Stubičke Toplice. It is significant for the county also that water parks in 2025 were at the level of 2024, which indicates stable demand. The Shrine of Our Lady of Bistrica in 2025 was visited by 795,000 people, which represents growth of 3.25% compared to 2024, and this data further confirms the importance of religious tourism in the overall identity of the destination.
- Water parks: 785,748 visitors in 2025
- Marija Bistrica: 795,000 visitors in 2025, with growth of 3.25% compared to 2024
- Museums: about 280,000 visitors according to the data presented at the conference
Investment in Terme Tuhelj: 27 million euros and record business results
The presentation also focused on the investment cycle in Terme Tuhelj. County Prefect Kolar especially highlighted an investment worth 27 million euros with which, as stated, a new family hotel was built and the offer of pools, wellness and spa facilities was further improved. The message was that the competitiveness of continental destinations is built through investments in infrastructure and content, because only in this way can regular guests be retained and new ones attracted.
The Director of Terme Tuhelj, Vasja Čretnik, stated that in 2025 they achieved 17.8 million euros in revenue, which is about four million more than in 2024. He also emphasized that for the first time they exceeded 200,000 overnight stays in the hotel and campsite. The biggest increase, according to his words, was achieved on the Slovenian market: more than 40%, i.e. about 16,000 overnight stays more than the year before. The Slovenian market thus accounts for about 30% share in total traffic of Terme Tuhelj, while domestic guests are still in first place, with a significant share of guests from Germany, Bosnia and Herzegovina and other countries. As an illustration of the intensity of traffic, Čretnik noted that at the time of the conference there were more than 700 guests in the hotel, while some December days also brought over 880 overnight stays.
Tourism and investments in local infrastructure: sidewalks, lighting, roads and events
The growth in visitation does not remain without consequences for local communities, and in Tuhelj the link between tourism investments and municipal projects was particularly emphasized. The Mayor of the Municipality of Tuhelj, Mladen Hercigonja, stated that in 2025 the municipality invested about 1.2 million euros in municipal infrastructure, mentioning the construction of sidewalks, public lighting and roads. These are investments that, as he emphasized, directly raise the quality of life of the local population, but at the same time raise the standard of the destination and facilitate the movement of guests. In this context he particularly singled out the Summer Fest Tuhelj event, stating that it was successfully held and exceptionally well attended, and concluded that synergy and cooperation are key so that tourists feel welcome and residents are ensured better living conditions.
New tourism products: quality standards, active tourism, eno-gastro and promotion
Alongside the numerical results, activities that accompanied the tourist year were also presented. Among the most significant are the family accommodation quality labeling program
True Zagorje Home, the active tourism product
Zagorje Outdoor, the project
Vineyards with a view and the gastronomy standard
Tastes of Croatian tradition – Tastes of Zagorje. In 2025, online and offline advertising activities, appearances at fairs and presentations, and study trips were continued, with the aim of presenting the destination as a year-round choice, and not only a weekend trip.
In the Biser Zagorja area, Director Petranović Capar emphasized that through funds of the Croatian National Tourist Board they achieved more than 40% of the total budget, for the second year in a row, and that part of that investment is visible in concrete projects. Among them were listed the Traditional Toys Park, the Labyrinth Park and the Oči Zagorja viewpoints, of which there are seven in total. The Forest Bathing trail was also arranged, and for 2026 a health trail, a cycling and walking route and an organized daily tour of Oči Zagorja were announced, in which visitors would, by visiting all points and collecting stamps, receive a symbolic reward. A new Night Hike to Cesargrad was also announced, further expanding the offer of experiences that combine nature, recreation and local heritage.
Destination management plan: growth that requires coordination and sustainability
In the context of future steps, the importance of the Destination Management Plan of Krapina-Zagorje County for the period 2025–2029 was emphasized, as a document that should guide coordinated development, promotion and management of the destination with an emphasis on sustainability. Such plans are increasingly important at a time when the growth of visitation raises questions of capacity, traffic, preservation of space and alignment of the interests of residents and the tourism sector. If 2025 was a year of confirming the trend, the next challenge will be, according to available information, to steer that growth so that it brings higher quality, longer stays, a wider distribution of visitors across the county and stronger inclusion of local producers, restaurateurs and family farms.
Sources:- Krapina-Zagorje County – official announcement about tourism results 2025 and the conference in Terme Tuhelj (link)
- Radio Hrvatsko zagorje Krapina (RHZK) – report from the presentation of tourism results 2025 (link)
- Zagorje.com – additional details about the results of Terme Tuhelj and revenue growth in 2025 (link)
- Croatian Radiotelevision (HRT) – news about the 27 million euro investment in Terme Tuhelj (link)
- Croatian National Tourist Board – family accommodation quality labeling program True Zagorje Home (link)
- Tourist Board of Krapina-Zagorje County (Visit Zagorje) – draft Destination Management Plan 2025–2029 (link)
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