A stunning country which is popular with Brits welcomes five times more tourists every year than it has residents.

Croatia, in south central Europe, saw a 4% rise in tourist numbers last year, with over 21.3 million people visiting and 108.7 million overnight stays. In comparison, the country has a relatively small population of just 3.9 million people.

The vast majority of overnight stays were along the country’s Adriatic coast, according to the Ministry of Tourism and Sports.

Inland regions also saw an increase in tourists, with as 5% rise in overnight stays, and the capital Zagreb seeing a 6% to 2.7 million visitors.

“We can be very satisfied with all accomplished tourist results in 2024, including financial indicators, because we have had another record year according to all parameters,” tourism and sports minister Tonči Glavina said.

Glavina said the most significant growth in arrivals was during the pre- and post-summer season periods, which he said shows Croatia is “becoming a whole-year-around tourist destination”.

The Croatian central bank reported that revenues from foreign tourists rose 1.7% to £11 billion in the first nine months of 2024.

When it came to accommodation, hotels performed better than private accommodation both on the coast and inland.

“We achieved a higher average room rate and total revenue per room. However, it’s important to note that inflationary pressures remained high, marking the third consecutive year of declining gross operating profits,” explained Veljko Ostojić, Director of the Croatian Tourism Association.

The strengthening of air traffic also significantly boosted Dubrovnik’s figures.

“That was our primary focus. A lot of effort went into this area, resulting in the most substantial growth during April, May, October, and November,” said Marina Ruso Mileusnić, spokesperson for Dubrovnik Airport.

The new Strategic Marketing and Operational Plan of Croatian Tourism, has set ambitious goals for 2025, the main one being making Croatia recognisable as a sustainable high-value destination by 2027 and beyond.