While Croatia’s camping sector continues to show strong growth in arrivals, overnight stays, and revenue, extending the season beyond summer remains a strategic challenge.
This message was underscored by Assistant Professor Josipa Cvelić Bonifačić of the Faculty of Management in Tourism and Hospitality (FMTU) in Opatija during her presentation, “Camping Season Overview: The Mediterranean and Selected European Countries” at the 19th Congress of Croatian Camping in Šibenik.
Cvelić Bonifačić opened her session by highlighting that since 2019, Croatian camping arrivals have increased by 17.3 percent, while overnight stays rose by 12.5 percent. The 2025 data, based on estimates through September, continues this upward trend.
“We are also pleased to note that seasonality is gradually decreasing,” she said, noting a rise in overnight stays from January to June and again in September and December.
Premium Segment Outpaces Broader Market
The growth has been especially strong in higher-end facilities. Overnight stays in four- and five-star camps have risen by 17.4 percent since 2019, compared to just 3 percent in other categories.
“Similarly, the number of overnight stays in four- and five-star camps in 2025 has increased by 68.8%,” she added.
European Competition and Market Positioning
When compared with other Mediterranean destinations, Cvelić Bonifačić noted that Croatia and Italy show stable growth, though France and Spain are expanding faster.
Since 2019, Spanish camps have seen a 20.8 percent increase in overnight stays, and French camps 15.8 percent. Despite this, Croatia remains competitive, particularly in terms of quality and capacity utilization.
According to an analysis, Croatia ranks second in Europe for overall camp quality—behind only the Netherlands—and first in average pricing at €67.40 per night for two adults in peak season.
Seasonality: The Ongoing Opportunity
While Croatia boasts the highest annual capacity utilization in the Mediterranean—16.7 percent, compared with 14.5 percent in France and 13.4 percent in Italy—Cvelić Bonifačić said that utilization outside the core summer months still lags.
“France, Spain, and Italy achieve a higher number of overnight stays outside the season, and this is our window for improvement,” she noted. Croatia records 86 percent of its overnight stays between June and September, compared to 63 percent in Spain.
Revenue Growth Outpaces Inflation
A benchmarking study conducted by her faculty found that, compared with 2019, average revenue per mobile home has increased by 58.9 percent, and revenue per plot by 42.6 percent.
“We were very successful in sales,” she said, noting that these increases far exceeded the 27 percent inflation rate over the same period.
Concluding her presentation, Cvelić Bonifačić reminded attendees that the data reflects the collective effort of the industry:
“Behind all these numbers are actually your smiles, your creativity, your knowledge, your innovation, your ability to make every guest… have an unforgettable experience.”
As the 19th Congress of Croatian Camping continues at Amadria Park Hotel Ivan in Šibenik, today’s agenda features sessions focused on European market comparisons, sustainability, and innovation in camp management.
Modern Campground is on-site and will share insights from these discussions for industry readers.