2024 - half-baked assessment, almost 18 months after the changeover to the euro

The Eastern European country promises to break new records in the number of tourists again this summer. According to the government, this large influx is mainly due to the introduction of the euro. But for locals, prices have increased, as this French woman living in Croatia explains.

Published on 02/06/2024 08:51

Reading time: 2 min

The Cathedral of Saint James in Šibenik, listed as a UNESCO heritage site since 1963, on the Dalmatian coast. Built between 1431 and 1535, the monument is witness to important collaborations in the 15th and 16th centuries, in the field of monumental art between northern Italy, Dalmatia and Tuscany. (Emilie Triolo)

Émilie Triolo has lived for around twenty years in Šibenik, on the Adriatic coast. Born in Savoie, after a career in marketing and communication, the Frenchwoman now advises, via an Internet platform, French people wishing to settle in Croatia, as tourism professionals by purchasing campsites or nautical bases. It also details the mistakes to avoid.

The Kornati Islands, an archipelago made up of 150 islands including 89 islands protected as a national park. It is located in North Dalmatia, between Zadar and Šibenik. Here, there are rocks and the transparent sea as far as the eye can see. (Photo Emilie Triolo)

“Croats are truly aware of the jewel they hold in their hands, she notes. Croatia is truly a little pearl of beauty, I think. And it’s true that we Westerners cannot come and say to ourselves: we’re going to buy this, we’re going to buy that, it won’t be expensive. Indeed, they defend what they have in their hands, and often at a fairly expensive price all the same!”

St. James Cathedral in Šibenik is a masterpiece of Christian art. The monument is famous not only as a tourist site in Croatia but also as an important work of European architecture. The cathedral is built entirely of stone, designed and constructed as a three-aisled basilica with a dome. (Photo Emilie Triolo)

Tourism is an essential sector for Croatia’s economy. It represents a fifth of the country’s GDP.

St. James Cathedral in Šibenik, Croatia. (Photo Emilie Triolo)

“There are thousands of kilometers of coastline, testifies the Frenchwoman, with the Adriatic Sea. Croatia still has more than 1,200 islands and islets. It is a real little paradise which is starting to make itself known, and which is becoming more and more talked about. We can have fun on the islands, without going to the ends of the earth, since now Croatia is the CETA zone, it is Europe, and it has been the euro since the 1^er January 2023.”

“Croatia has thousands of kilometers of coastline along the Adriatic Sea. It’s a real little paradise that is starting to make itself known and is becoming more and more talked about.” (Photo Emilie Triolo)

According to the latest figures, more than 9 million travelers visited the small Balkan country last year, representing an increase of 12% year-on-year. The Zagreb authorities attribute this record increase to two factors: the absence of borders now, and the adoption of the euro almost a year and a half ago. The transition to the single currency has made life easier for travelers, who no longer need to look for exchange offices or check exchange rates.

“It encourages the arrival of French tourists, recognizes Émilie Triolo, because before, it was the kuna, it could complicate those who were a little cold. We really feel this openness and this desire of the French to go and discover Croatia, its islands and the rest of its beauties which can be cultural, architectural and gastronomic too.”

On the other hand, for Croats, this change led to a period of adaptation to the new prices, which have increased significantly since the euro.

“There are many sectors, observes the Frenchwoman, where prices have increased. Real estate is part of this, as is tourist accommodation. People have already gotten richer with tourism, and even more with inflation. We clearly saw prices increase between two and three times in fact.”

Even though inflation has appeared in many European countries, especially after the Covid-19 crisis, some Croatians consider the euro to be responsible for this rise in prices. Although, according to official figures, no link has been established between the introduction of the single currency and increasing inflation.

Despite locals’ apprehensions about the consequences of the euro, the outlook for the tourism sector remains positive in Croatia. Several European low-cost airlines have recently launched new flights to the southern Adriatic, increasing Croatia’s accessibility for travelers.

Find this column on the site, the app and in the international mobility magazine “Français à l’enseignement.fr”