Despite ongoing global conflicts and growing geopolitical uncertainty, early tourism bookings for Croatia are proving to be unexpectedly strong, offering cautious optimism for the upcoming season.
More than 200 tourism professionals gathered in the coastal town of Vodice this week for the traditional meeting of Croatian travel agencies, where the key challenges facing the sector were discussed, including the impact of wars, current booking trends and expectations for the 2026 tourism season.
While instability in parts of the world continues to create uncertainty across the travel industry, Croatian agencies say reservations are holding up better than expected, HRT said.
Strong demand for domestic holidays and short trips
Travel agencies report a slight increase in interest for domestic holidays this year, particularly for summer vacations within Croatia.
At the same time, demand is strong for shorter breaks, including Easter and May Day trips.
Weekend travel remains especially popular, with bus tours and short European flights leading the way. Industry professionals also note a growing trend towards last-minute bookings.
“People are increasingly waiting until the last moment, especially when it comes to traditional holiday travel, which is currently our main focus,” said Ivana Stankić Jakić, a director at a Croatian travel agency.
Hotels report a positive start to 2026
Early indicators from the hotel sector are also encouraging.
Some hoteliers have reported a significant increase in overnight stays during the first months of the year. One hotel in Vodice recorded a nearly 20% rise in overnight stays in the first three months of 2026 compared with the same period last year.
Bookings for the peak summer months of June, July and August are also showing improvement.
“We are very satisfied with the start of this business year. Bookings for the main summer months are stronger,” said hotel director Darko Bastić.
According to Kristijan Staničić, director of the Croatian National Tourist Board, booking levels across the sector currently remain stable following discussions with major hotel groups.
Global tensions still pose challenges
Despite the positive outlook, the tourism industry remains cautious.
Travel agencies and tourism stakeholders say the global situation, including the war in the Middle East, continues to create uncertainty that could influence travel behaviour.
However, the conflict has not yet affected cruise arrivals to Dubrovnik, one of Croatia’s key tourism hubs.
Industry leaders stress the importance of maintaining reasonable pricing despite global tensions.
Tomislav Fain, president of the Association of Croatian Travel Agencies (UHPA), warned tourism businesses not to increase prices unnecessarily in response to geopolitical developments. More
by croatiaweek
