April the 17th, 2026 – Dalmatia has cemented its status as a leading nautical destination at the recently held Dalmatia Boat Show.
As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, sunshine, the sea, and over 200 vessels, including the most luxurious yachts of all. All of the above solidly confirms that central Dalmatia has become an indispensable point on the nautical tourism map of Europe and indeed the world. The third edition of the popular Dalmatia Boat Show, an international nautical fair, was recently opened in Marina Baotić in Seget Donji.
At first glance, it’s perfectly clear that the fair has established itself as a serious regional event. An impressive fleet of yachts and ships and a rich accompanying programme will unfold until Sunday, April the 19th. It will succeed in attracting all kinds of visitors, from respected industry professionals to sea lovers.
concrete growth over three years
“Indoor winter fairs across Europe are stagnating, while those by the sea and the sun are growing, because boats belong to the sea, not to halls. The Dalmatia Boat Show is in the right place and at the right time, as confirmed by the growth from 120 to 180 exhibitors in a mere three years. Today, this fair is one of the key gathering places of the nautical industry and a project with a clear future.
This isn’t just another exhibition, but a meeting of all those who make their living from the sea: from manufacturers and service providers to charterers and buyers. Fairs are still very much needed, and this concept has a future because it combines business and experience. We come together to face the challenge of further growth and access the opportunity for our nautical fair to become an even more important reference point for nautical tourism on the Adriatic,” said Marina Baotić at the third edition of the Dalmatia Boat Show.
dalmatia: a leading nautical destination
“Croatia is at the top of the world when it comes to nautical tourism, with a fleet of 4,850 boats, 86,500 charter bookings, around 590 thousand sailors and 3.8 million overnight stays realised per year. This sector also strengthens the economy – 1,080 companies operate in it, of which 181 new ones were opened last year alone. The interest of foreign guests is also continuously growing, which is confirmed by the more than 51 thousand foreign vessels that sailed into Croatian marinas last year,” stated Tomislav Mihotić, State Secretary at the Ministry of Maritime Affairs, Transport and Infrastructure.
“This fair brings us back to Croatia’s very foundations – the sea as the key to economic and tourist development – and has shown great value for the entire county since its first year. In addition to business results, its greatest strength is in connecting people, knowledge and institutions, which we will continue to strongly support,” said Stipe Čogelja, Deputy Prefect of Split-Dalmatia County.
Nautical tourism as a generator of economic development
The representative of the Croatian National Tourist Board (HTZ), product manager for nautical tourism, Kruna Šolić Sutlović, emphasised that it is extremely important that the Dalmatia Boat Show is continuously organised in Split-Dalmatia County. This is because the highest number of arrivals and overnight stays realised in charter is constantly recorded precisely in this county.
It’s also important that the fair is organised in the Baotić Marina, since this is one of the busiest marinas, both in the county and in Croatia as a whole. It is a highly categorised marina with four anchors. Boaters are one of the first guests to open the pre-season and one of the last to close the post-season, and that’s why we can say that nautical tourism is one of the main generators of economic development in this region,” stated Šolić Sutlović.
dalmatia is a leading nautical destination, and another demanding season is afoot
The Dalmatia Boat Show plays a very important role in the county’s overall tourism offer, especially in the pre-season. This was emphasised by Nikola Petričević, a representative of the Split-Dalmatia County Tourist Board. He revealed that another demanding (and now rapidly approaching) season awaits Croatia, but through cooperation and the exchange of experiences, the primary goal is to maintain high quality and competitiveness.
“The Dalmatia Boat Show gives a strong mark on the promotion and development of the Municipality of Seget and opens up new opportunities for cooperation and growth. A nautical centre like this brings a new dimension to our overall tourism offer, which we’ve strongly supported from the very beginning and will continue to develop. Our goal is to raise standards and overall quality, making Seget continue to grow as a modern and desirable destination,” concluded the Mayor of the Seget Municipality, Ivo Sorić.
