Berth rentals were the most significant contribution to Croatian growth

Croatia’s 1,777km of Adriatic coast saw a 12% surge in nautical tourism revenue during 2023, according to the country’s Bureau of Statistics (CBS), totaling €161m ex-VAT, with berth rentals making the most significant contribution to the growth.

Revenue was up universally across all coastal counties with Dubrovnik-Neretva leading the way with a 19.6% increase and an equally impressive 15.6% at Zadar County. All of this despite a 4.3% decline in the number of vessels in transit during the year, indicating potential challenges in vessel traffic management and infrastructure utilisation, according to the Dubrovnik Times.

Berthing continues as the primary revenue source for nautical ports, at almost 72% or €115m, which is up 14.6% from 2022. Vessels in transit totaled 224,000, with fully 50% under the Croatian flag followed by Germany, Italy, Austria and Slovenia. Austria was a standout in 2023 at the only flagged vessels to increase the number of transits from the previous year. Nearly 60% of those transits were made by sailing yachts followed by motoryachts at 32%. Vessels in the 12m-15m class represented some 37% of the total.

The Croatian government says the positive revenue growth underscores the country’s appeal as a premier nautical tourism destination. Despite challenges posed by fluctuating vessel traffic, the sector remains resilient, poised for further growth and development in the years to come.