March the 30th, 2026 – Younger visitors are altering old traditions by bringing new trends to Croatian tourism, particularly outside of the main summer season.
As Novi list/Alenka Juricic Bukarica writes, when it comes to the age of its guests, Croatia has an ideal distribution by age group. 49% of guests recorded as staying in the country last year were over 40, and 51% were younger than the “magical” 40.
The Croatian Tourist Board’s eVisitor data shows that last year 15% of tourists were actually under 12, meaning they were children. The smallest share was made up of guests between 13 and 18 years old, around 8%. Guests between 19 and 30 years old last year accounted for 13% of overnight stays realised, and those between 31 and 40 years old accounted for 15%.
The largest share of overnight stays, at 18%, is still being made up of guests between 41 and 50 years old, while in 2025 the share of those between 51 and 60 years old accounted for 15%, with those over 60 making up 16%. This means that the age structure is fairly even, with guests between 41 and 50 slightly dominating, and they have actually held the top spot for years now.
This share of 18% has not changed since the pre-pandemic year of 2019, and not even during the pandemic itself. During the pandemic-dominated years, the number of those over 60 was expected to decline slightly, while the share of guests between 31 and 40 increased, but by 2023 this share had stabilised at 15%.
Apart from that, there have actually been no major fluctuations, and the share of young travellers under 30 is slightly lower. That refers to those who have completed their education and started building an independent life and career.
Younger visitors and their higher numbers are actually changing trends in Croatian tourism. These tourists often seek out active content, festival and sports programmes, which Croatia offers through music festivals and sports events, cultural and food/wine experiences, and they are increasingly attracted to outdoor activities such as sailing, diving or even cycling.
Younger tourists are also more aware of environmental protection and travel sustainability, which is an important factor for them when choosing a destination and their travel behaviour. That means that they also seek out authentic experiences and the beauty of nature in national parks, lesser-known cities and islands. More
