Croatia is the 8th most-visited country in Europe. Official data shows that the country is ranked 8th out of all European destinations when judged on overnight stays. Only Spain, France, Italy, Germany, Austria, Greece and the Netherlands have more visitors based on overnight stays.
However, informed by analysis from the Regional Aspect of Tourist Seasonality, made by the Croatian Chamber of Economy, Croatia has the largest disparity in Europe between visitors who come during the season and those who visit off-season. July and August have the largest number of stays with a huge 60% of all overnight visitors coming in this period. In other European Mediterranean countries, on average, these months account for only 34.6% of all overnight stays.
Croatia's off-season potential is slowly being unlocked. Capital city Zagreb has attained international recognition for its Advent programme and the city-wide Christmas markets. Zagreb county, northern Croatia and the Kvarner region are also recognised internationally as leaders in health, wellness and medical tourism. However, major cities and regions in Croatia, both coastal and continental, lie largely dormant in terms of tourism in the off-season. Although many hold great events, activities and natural assets, the viability of Croatia as an off-season destination does not seem to be reaching an international audience.