As Croats continue to pack up and leave in search of better living conditions in countries whose governments aren’t falling apart, the tourism industry is seeing an ever-increasing number of visitors.
The tourism industry in Croatia is experiencing continued growth: in the last ten years, the total number of tourists grew from 10 million (2006) to 15.5 million (2016) annually, consolidating Croatia’s status of one of world’s top travel destinations.
According to howmuch.net, Croatia currently ranks second on the list of countries most reliant on tourism. The data collected from The Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report 2017 shows the tourism industry in Croatia accounts for 10.1% of overall GDP, high above the bar of 5% required to get a place on the Most Reliant list. The annual tourism revenue currently amounts to $4.9 billion, and the country ranks 32rd on the global Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Index 2017 with a score of 4.4.
Top Five Countries Most Reliant on Tourism (GDP)
1. Malta – 15%
2. Croatia – 10.1%
3. Thailand – 9.3%
4. Jamaica – 8.9%
5. Iceland – 8.2%
Countries that rely on tourism the most are seen to be either poor or having a small economy that results from an equally small population size. It’s no surprise Croatia is nowhere to be seen on the list of countries with the largest tourism industries, the first six on the list representing the largest economies in the world that aren’t particularly depending on tourism revenue.
Countries with the Largest Tourism Industries (GDP)
1. United States ($488 billion)
2. China ($224 billion)
3. Germany ($130.8 billion)
4. Japan ($106.7 billion)
5. United Kingdom ($103.7 billion)
6. France ($89.2 billion)
Countries that are least reliant on tourism are those whose tourism industry revenue accounts for less than 2% of overall GDP, with no particular parameter defining the relation between their economy, population and T&T competitiveness. The list includes Ukraine (1.4%), Russian Federation (1.5%), Poland (1.7%), Canada (1.8%), and the Republic of Korea (1.8%).
The image below shows a visual comparison of T&T economies in selected countries, their annual tourism revenue specified in US dollars. The countries most reliant on tourism are marked red, while the least reliant are marked blue. You can find a high-resolution version here.
