Zagreb Advent: A Growing European Christmas Market Boosting Croatia's Year-Round Tourism
Zagreb Advent is a multi-venue Christmas market spanning central Zagreb each December, designed to distribute tourism throughout the city. Since its inception in 2014, now in its 11th year, the event features music stages, craft stalls, Croatian foods, art installations, and an oversized ice rink, spread across multiple locations with unique themes.
Voted Europe's best Christmas market for three consecutive years from 2015 to 2017 by European Best Destinations, Zagreb Advent has significantly boosted December tourism, raising overnight stays from 100,198 in 2014 to 245,352 in 2024. The event contributes about €100 million to the Croatian economy.
Croatia's Tourism Minister Tonci Glavina highlights the country's shift from a summer-only tourism model to a year-round destination, with Zagreb Advent playing a key role in this strategy. The campaign supporting the market includes cross-border promotion through billboards in neighboring countries and advertising in major city transport systems such as London's Tube and Milan buses. Direct rail links from Slovenia and Hungary also facilitate access to the event.
Visitors come from across Europe—including Italy, Spain, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovenia, and the UK—drawn by the market's unique offerings. While other European Christmas markets like Cologne (~4 million visitors; ~€229 million impact), Vienna (~2.8 million visitors), and Strasbourg (~2 million visitors) are larger in scale and economic impact, Zagreb Advent’s growth and potential position it as an increasingly notable European destination.
