January 14 (SeeNews) - Total tourist visits to Croatia increased to 20.7 million in 2019, up 4.9% compared to a year earlier, the tourism ministry said on Tuesday.
The total number of overnights spent by tourists in Croatia grew 2.4% year-on-year in 2019, reaching 108.6 million, the ministry said in a statement.
Foreign tourist arrivals to Croatia increased to 18.3 million in 2019, up 4% compared to 2018, while the number of overnights spent by foreign tourists in the Adriatic country rose 2% to 94.8 million.
Visits by domestic tourists and overnights spent by them added 9% and 8%, respectively, the ministry said without providing numbers.
The average daily consumption of a tourist staying in Croatia grew by 20% compared to 2017, reaching 97 euro ($107.9)," tourism minister Gari Capelli said, citing preliminary figures.
In 2019, the highest number of overnights, 28.7 million, was recorded on the Istria peninsula, followed by the Split-Dalmatia county with 20.5 million overnights, while the Kvarner Gulf took the third place with 19.3 million overnights.
German nationals accounted for 21.2 million overnights (20%) spent by tourists in Croatia last year, followed by residents of Slovenia with 10.9 million (10%), Austria with 7.8 million (7%) and Poland with 6.1 million (6%).
Dubrovnik was the most visited tourist destination in 2019, accountable for 4.4 million overnights, followed by Rovinj and Porec with 4 million and 3.5 million overnights, respectively.
Tourism is a key driver for the economy of the Adriatic state of some 4.1 million people, contributing some 20% of Croatia's GDP.
($ = 0.898884 euro)