Croatia’s airports see stronger passenger numbers as Zagreb and Dubrovnik extend international connections
<a href="https://zagreb.today/thunderstorms-to-bring-relief-from-summer-heat-cross-croatia/” title=”Thunderstorms to bring relief from summer heat cross Croatia “>Croatia’s airports recorded stronger passenger numbers in the first half of 2026, although June brought a slight year-on-year decline as demand varied across key international markets.
According to the Croatian Bureau of Statistics, around 5.5 million passengers travelled through Croatian airports in the first six months of the year, an increase of about 3% compared with the same period last year.
In June, however, passenger numbers fell by around 3% year on year, with growth recorded from only three of Croatia’s ten leading
Zagreb Airport remained the country’s leading asaid passenger numbers were rising despite fewer flight operations, with airlines increasingly using larger aircraft and achieving higher load factors
The Croatian capital is also preparing for a new long-haul connection with Air China, which is expected to strengthen Zagreb’s links with the Chinese market and contribute to passenger growth, HRT reported
Dubrovnik Airport is also seeing stronger international demand and a longer flying season. British and German visitors remain among its largest markets, while the number of American travellers has increased. Airlines are starting services earlier and continuing flights into November, supporting efforts to extend tourism beyond the traditional summer season.
June statistics showed 342,410 passengers travelling from Germany, down 2.5% year on year, while the UK market recorded 333,854 passengers, an increase of 5.4%.
The strongest growth came from Poland, with 162,932 passengers, up 22.9%, and Spain, with 91,697 passengers, up 34.4%.
Tourism experts said the fluctuations reflect a combination of airline capacity, market conditions and other factors, rather than a clear shift in Croatia’s overall tourism performance.
Air travel accounts for an estimated 10–15% of tourist arrivals to Croatia, with a much larger share of visitors arriving by road.
Source: www.croatiaweek.com
