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After the first ten months of the year, Croatia’s tourism sector has posted impressive results. The figures reveal clear favorites along the Adriatic coast—and some notable shifts among the mid-tier destinations.
An Overview of the 10 Most Popular Destinations
The top spot is firmly in Istrian hands. Rovinj leads the pack unchallenged, closely followed by the South Dalmatian gem, Dubrovnik. Noteworthy is the strong seventh-place finish by the island of Vir, which managed to outrank the urban center of Zadar.
| Rank | Destination | Overnight stays (Jan. – Oct. 2026) |
| 1. | Rovinj | 4.426.341 |
| 2. | Dubrovnik | 4.194.847 |
| 3. | Poreč | 3.588.843 |
| 4. | Split | 3.110.376 |
| 5. | Umag | 2.916.332 |
| 6. | Medulin | 2.796.467 |
| 7. | Island of Vir | 2,633,207 |
| 8. | Zadar | 2.442.623 |
| 9. | Zagreb | 2.330.372 |
| 10. | Mali Lošinj | 2.238.693 |
Focus on Vir Island: On Track for the Second-Best Year in History
In 2026, the island of Vir is emerging as a true heavyweight in the tourism industry. With a 5.81 percent increase in overnight stays and a 5.79 percent increase in arrivals compared to the previous year, Vir is on track to reach approximately 2.7 million overnight stays by the end of the year. While it is expected to fall just short of the all-time record set in 2023 (2,715,592 overnight stays), 2026 will still go down in the island’s history as its second-best year for tourism.
The guest profile on Vir is extremely balanced:
- Domestic vs. International: Croatian guests account for 50.6 percent of overnight stays, while international vacationers account for 49.4 percent. However, when looking at arrivals alone, foreign visitors clearly dominate, accounting for 74.8 percent.
- Top Source Markets: Slovenia leads with 332,882 overnight stays (+8.21%), followed by Germany (233,966, +2.70%), Hungary (203,209, +1.44%), the Czech Republic (139,989, +11.1%) and Slovakia (136,677, virtually unchanged).
- Growth Leaders: Czech vacationers are the only foreign group to post high double-digit growth in both arrivals (+13.5%) and overnight stays (+11.1%). The number of domestic arrivals also rose by a remarkable 10.9 percent.
Outlook: The “Advent Effect” in Zagreb
Even though Vir currently holds seventh place, the rankings are expected to shift by the end of 2026. The capital, Zagreb (currently ranked 9th), benefits massively from its popular Advent festival in November and December. Last year, the city generated over 433,000 overnight stays during these two months.
If this trend continues, Zagreb will surpass Zadar and Vir with nearly 2.8 million overnight stays for the year and relegate the island of Vir to eighth place in the final annual rankings.
