Zagreb becoming more popular

Croatian TV reported a few days that Zagreb has been achieving a healthy increase in visitor numbers for this year. This July, there were 17% more tourists and a 29% increase in the number of nights stayed, compared to the same month in 2009. (Does this much larger number for the increase in overnight stays mean that more of Zagreb’s visitors are staying for longer? I think so.) Of the number of visitors, 88% were foreign – which accounted for 60,000 people.

The rooftops of Zagreb, with the cathedral in the distance

Perhaps somewhat surprisingly, the highest number of foreign visitors during July came from Spain, of which there was a 16% increase in July this year to last. Other nationalities that were in abundance in Zagreb during July were Germans, French, Americans, Polish, British, Japanese, Italians, Dutch and Russians – with the latter rising in number by quite a staggering 130% from the same period last year.

The increase in visitor numbers can be said to be in part attributed to a number of interesting events and exhibitions taking place in the capital last month, both traditional and modern – including a concert by Leonard Cohen. Good visitor numbers for the rest of the year are also hoped with more big concerts lined up (Guns ‘n’ Roses, Lady Gaga and Prince are all lined up to play the Zagreb Arena) as well as business conferences and similar.

Low-cost airlines’ new routes to Zagreb are also helping to bring in more travellers. Easyjet have announced two new routes to Zagreb – from Paris, starting November 2009 and from London Gatwick in February 2010 – which will surely make it even easier for people to visit Croatia’s capital.