South Africans were the second biggest non-European source market for Croatia in 2023, according to statistics on visa applications.
Croatia joined the Schengen area on January 1, 2023 and received 38 500 Schengen visa applications in its first year, of which South Africans accounted for 4 141, second only to Chinese applicants, who submitted 4 447 applications. This is according to data from Schengen Visa Statistics.
Croatia experienced a particularly busy year for tourism last year, welcoming over 20,6 million visitors with 108 million overnight stays, surpassing 2019 levels.
Croatia is a popular tourist destination for its cruise tourism, Adriatic beaches and historic cities.
