February the 24th, 2025 – A staggering 21.3 million people flocked to Croatia in 2024, and we now get an insight into their favourite destinations up and down the country.

Croatia’s incredible popularity is not waning, despite constant headlines of spiralling prices, the highest inflation levels in the Eurozone and overtourism. Croatia attracted 21.3 million visitors in 2024, and it seems that we’ve got a promising 2025 summer season ahead of us, as well.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, France remains the most visited country in the entire world, with a new record of 100 million international visitors in 2024. This historic achievement highlights the enduring appeal of this large and diverse country. 2024’s numbers have only reaffirmed France’s status as a top global tourist destination, reports Travel and Tour World.

Several factors have contributed to France’s incredibly large tourist influx. One such factor has definitely been a phenomenon known as the “Olympic effect”. That was of course the international anticipation of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, which drew the hordes to Paris. Another reason is the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral after the devastating fire back in 2019, and the third is the celebration of the 80th anniversary of Normandy, which attracted many history buffs and veterans’ families. However, the appeal of France’s various iconic landmarks, vibrant cities, excellent cuisine and rich cultural heritage should certainly not be overlooked.

21.3 million visited croatia in 2024

The aforementioned travel portal states that last year’s data shows that Croatia’s tourism industry is absolutely booming. That isn’t new information for most, but it seems that efforts to extend the tourist season and give more of a spotlight to other areas of the country are gradually bearing fruit. Hosting a massive 21.3 million visitors in 2024, Croatia enjoyed a fantastic year. The amazing Dalmatian coast, Dubrovnik and Croatia’s oldest national park, Plitvice Lakes, remain the top domestic attractions for European and international tourists.

Naturally, being crowned the best country to visit in 2025 is also an incredible achievement.

croatia’s mediterranean competition

Spain broke its own record with 94 million visitors last year, moving closer and closer to neighbouring France. Spain’s success has historically been driven by a variety of attractions (from the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona to the Prado Museum in Madrid), beautiful coastlines (coastal regions such as the Costa del Sol, the Canary Islands and the Balearic Islands continue to be major tourist attractions), as well as rich gastronomy and culture.

A key metric in which Spain leads is tourism spending. The country earned an enormous 80 billion euros from tourism alone last year, while France earned 71 billion euros.

Among Croatia’s other competitors, neighbouring Italy and nearby Greece should certainly be singled out. Italy recorded a historic increase in tourism, hosting 65.8 million visitors throughout 2024. The most popular destinations were the cities of Rome, Florence and Venice. The islands of Sicily and Sardinia also attracted plenty of attention, and the stunning Amalfi Coast remained a popular tourist destination throughout the year.

However, much like here in Croatia, valid concerns about overtourism are growing in Italy. Many local officials from across the country have been discussing possible visitor restrictions to balance economic benefits with sustainable tourism.

Nearby Greece welcomed 35 million visitors in 2024, marking 10% increase compared to 2022. Portugal also set a record with over 30 million international tourists, making it one of Europe’s fastest-growing tourist destinations last year.

2024 was a historic year for tourism across the continent as well as further afield, with France, Spain, Italy, Greece, Japan, Morocco and Brazil all achieving record numbers. With strong investments in tourism infrastructure, cultural attractions and sustainable travel initiatives, global tourism is set to continue growing in the coming years, as stated by N1.
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