Holidays in Croatia Comes at a Higher Price for Czech Travelers

Croatia, the top foreign tourist spot for Czech travelers, is proving to be a more expensive holiday destination this year compared to the previous one.

The average expenses for an average Czech family have soared by several thousand Czech crowns. Nevertheless, estimations indicate that around one million Czech tourists intend to visit Croatia this summer, surpassing last year’s figure of nearly 850,000.

Tour packages have witnessed a substantial price surge of approximately fifteen percent, surpassing the usual single-digit increases seen in most other destinations.

Jan Papež, spokesperson for the Association of Travel Agencies, stated, “The accommodation costs provided directly by providers or through booking systems have slightly risen. However, the robust Czech crown helps mitigate a part of the increase.”

Since the introduction of the euro, food and accommodation prices have notably escalated, experiencing an increase of around twelve to fourteen percent, as confirmed by Jan Bezděk, spokesperson for the NEV-DAMA travel agency.

Grocery and service prices in Croatia have primarily risen by approximately twenty percent since January. This surge can be attributed in part to inflation exceeding 13 percent and the transition to the euro, leading merchants to round prices upward.

The cost of coffee has witnessed the most significant increase, with an average price hike of 6.44 crowns per cup. Beer and baked goods have also become pricier, while other beverages and food items have risen to a lesser but still noticeable extent.

Accommodation has also become more expensive, with hotel prices rising by around twenty percent. The same trend applies to private family apartments. Denisa, a Czech apartment operator on the island of Vir in Dalmatia, who preferred to remain anonymous, stated, “Last year, a typical apartment was usually rented for around 80 euros per night, whereas now it’s typically around 100 euros. We are maintaining last year’s prices, but we are an exception.”

Flight tickets have surged by approximately twenty percent compared to the previous year. However, the price increase for flights to Croatia is not as substantial. It varies depending on the date, destination, and airline carrier.

For example, flights from Prague to Split with Smartwings can still be found for just over 3,000 CZK. The connection to Zadar with the low-cost airline Ryanair is also popular, although the growing demand is making its impact felt.