Zagreb Advent Drives Croatia's Year-Round Tourism Ambitions
Zagreb Advent is a multi-venue Christmas market held across central Zagreb, presented as Croatia's flagship effort to establish itself as a year-round sustainable tourism destination. Since its inception in 2014, the event has grown significantly, hosting its 11th edition by 2025. It has been recognized as Europe’s best Christmas market for three consecutive years from 2015 to 2017 by European Best Destinations.
This festive market is spread across multiple venues featuring music stages, craft stalls, Croatian cuisine, art installations, and an ice rink, effectively turning the entire city into a holiday destination throughout December. The event has successfully boosted December overnight stays from approximately 100,198 in 2014 to 245,352 in 2024, generating an estimated €100 million economic impact.
Croatia's campaign to attract visitors includes cross-border marketing targeting neighboring countries and expansions to cities like London and Milan, alongside special train services from Slovenia and Hungary. While Zagreb Advent faces competition from some of Europe’s largest Christmas markets—such as Cologne, which draws around four million visitors and has a €229 million economic impact, Vienna with approximately 2.8 million visitors, and Strasbourg with about two million—Zagreb maintains a smaller scale but growing significance.
Official figures indicate that arrivals in July and August 2025 were slightly down compared to 2024. However, overall trends for Croatia remain positive, with approximately 5% more arrivals in June and September and a 10% year-on-year increase during the first week of December, positioning the country on track for a record tourist year.
