Record number of American tourists visit Croatia

(Photo: Lukas Kosc/Pexels)

12 percent more nights spent by Americans in Croatia than the 2019 record.

The Croatian Tourist Board (HTZ) and the Slovenian Tourist Organization (STO) are conducting a joint campaign this year in the US market titled “Naturally Yours – taste, feel, Love,” with the aim of further positioning Croatia and Slovenia as attractive year-round destinations.

The campaign, funded by the European Commission, includes specialized workshops for Croatian, Slovenian, and American partners in the luxury tourism domain, held in New York, which brought together nearly 40 Croatian and Slovenian tourism entities and over 40 representatives of American partners, specifically tour operators and agencies with a special focus on the luxury segment.

(Photo credit: Marijana Marinovic)

“The US represents a significant market from which we derive the highest tourist traffic, and a market where we aim to build Croatia’s future position in the niche between Standard and Premium. That’s why we are directing our communication activities to highlight the high-value Croatian tourist offerings, targeting tourists from the premium demand group. We believe in the excellent promotional effects of the campaign, as well as the workshop itself, as we have a strong collaboration with our colleagues from the Slovenian Tourist Board, as confirmed by the successful joint promotions we have carried out in distant markets such as the US, China, and Australia. We will use this activity to further promote Croatia and as an excellent opportunity for additional connections between Croatian, Slovenian, and American partners,” stated Kristjan Staničić, Director of the Croatian Tourist Board, adding that Americans favor Croatian destinations such as Dubrovnik, Split, Zagreb, Hvar, and Rovinj.

(Photo credit: Marijana Marinovic)

The workshop specifically focused on tourism products in the luxury and premium segments, such as nature and natural heritage, active tourism, food and wine, cultural tourism, and lifestyle. The campaign itself includes a dedicated subpage on the official European Travel Commission website, digital advertising activities in renowned American media such as Conde Nast Traveler and Wanderlust, and a separate YouTube campaign featuring a joint promotional video.

“Tourists from distant countries often wish to explore more than one country during their travels, which is why it is important to join forces with neighboring countries, especially when promoting destinations in distant markets. After successful collaborations with HTZ in Asia and Australia, we have embarked on joint promotion in the US, and I thank my Croatian colleagues for their effective collaboration. We all look forward to even more visits by American tourists to our destinations,” said Maja Pak, Director of the Slovenian Tourist Organization.

(Photo credit: Marijana Marinovic)

In addition to the Croatian Tourist Board and its Representation in New York, the workshop was attended by the tourist boards of the Istrian, Split-Dalmatian, and Lika-Senj counties, as well as the cities of Split and Zagreb. Other tourism entities from the hotel industry and agencies were also present. The event was also welcomed by the Ambassadors of the Republic of Croatia and the Republic of Slovenia in the US.

According to the eVisitor system data, the US market has accounted for 685,000 arrivals and approximately 2 million nights in Croatia in the current part of the year. Compared to the previous year, this represents an increase of 33 percent in arrivals and 23 percent in nights, while compared to 2019, these figures indicate an increase of 9 percent in arrivals and 12 percent in nights.

On the other hand, Americans have achieved 101,000 arrivals and 228,000 nights in Slovenia until August 2023, representing a growth of 32 percent in arrivals and 30 percent in nights compared to the same period last year. Better results than those from 2019 are expected by the end of the year, when nearly 149,000 arrivals and over 323,000 nights were recorded for American tourists.

(Photo credit: Marijana Marinovic)

Furthermore, a special gastronomic presentation of Zadar will be held today for American partners, media, tour operators, and agents, organized by the Zadar Tourist Board with the support of the Croatian Tourist Board.