Despite epidemiological measures and travel restrictions in Croatia and around the world aimed at preventing the spread of the infection, the population of the Republic of Croatia travelled more in 2021 than in 2020.
A total of 2.1 million or 60.6% of the population of the Republic of Croatia aged 15 and over did not go on private trips with overnight stays in 2021. The most common reason for not going on private trips with overnight stays was safety, that is, due to the COVID-19 pandemic (46.8%).
In 2021, there were 1.4 million persons, or 39.4% of the population of the Republic of Croatia aged 15 and over, who went on at least one private trip with overnight stays, which was an increase of 4.3% compared to 2020. However, compared to 2019, it was still 27.8% less population of the Republic of Croatia aged 15 and over who went to at least one private trip with overnight stays.
In the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic, there were 127.6% more private trips with overnight stays than in 2020. A total of 6.3 million private trips with overnight stays was realised. Compared to 2019, the number of private trips with overnight stays in Croatia grew by 62.5%, but the number of private trips with overnight stays abroad fell by 46.3%. Of the total realised private trips with overnight stays, 5.4 million (84.5%) were realised in the Republic of Croatia and 981 thousand (15.5%) were realised abroad. The most common international destinations were Bosnia and Herzegovina (38.2%), Germany (11.8%), Slovenia (10.3%), Italy (5.5%), Austria (5.3%) and Serbia (4.9%).
The most common reasons for going on a private trip with overnight stays in 2020 were seaside vacation (2.6 million trips) and visiting relatives and friends (1.9 million trips).
Croatian population aged 15 and over realised a total of 42.4 million nights on private trips with overnight stays in 2021. Compared to 2020, they spent 126.7% more nights in Croatia and 134.1% more nights abroad. However, compared to 2019, they realised 76.5% more nights in Croatia, but 4.5% less nights abroad on private trips with overnight stays.
The total expenditures on private trips with overnight stays in 2021 amounted to 12.2 billion kuna, of which 9.3 billion kuna (76.1%) were spent in Croatia and 2.9 billion kuna (23.9%) abroad. Average travel expenditures per private trip in Croatia amounted to 1 731 kuna and per private trip abroad to 2 966 kuna. The total expenditures on private trips with overnight stays increased by 162.1% in 2021 compared to 2020 and by 31.2% compared to 2019.
A total of 635 thousand business/professional trips with overnight stays were recorded, of which 70% were realised in Croatia. In 2021, there were 188.6% more business/professional trips in the Republic of Croatia and 205.6% more business/professional trips abroad than in 2020. In relation to 2019, it was an increase of 8.6% in business/professional trips with overnight stays in Croatia and a decrease of 55.4% of business/professional trips with overnight stays abroad.
In 2021, the population of the Republic of Croatia aged 15 and over realised 7.0 million same-day visits, of which 6.4 million visits (92.1%) were private and 553 thousand (7.9%) were business/professional visits. Compared to 2020, there were 80.8% more same-day visits, but there were 12.6% less same-day visits than in 2019.
Additional information:
Tourist activity of the population of the Republic of Croatia, 2021