Tourist arrivals and overnight stays, March 2024

More foreign and fewer domestic tourists than a year ago

Domestic tourists generated 36% of all overnight stays this March. There were 109,000 arrivals, 3% fewer than in the same month last year, and 304,000 overnight stays, 2% fewer. They spent the largest number of nights in municipality Piran, followed by municipalities Podčetrtek and Brežice.

Foreign tourists generated 228,000 arrivals, 38% more than last March, and almost 538,000 overnight stays, 33% more. They spent the largest number of nights in municipality Ljubljana, followed by municipalities Piran and Bled.



The largest share of overnight stays by tourists from Italy

Tourists from Italy generated 75,200 overnight stays (14% of all foreign overnight stays), the most in municipality Ljubljana. Compared to last March, they generated 40% more overnight stays. Tourists from Austria also generated 14% of all foreign overnight stays or 74,000 overnight stays, which was 38% more than a year ago, the most in Piran. They were followed by tourists from Germany, Croatia, Hungary and Czechia.

Compared to the year before, the number of overnight stays increased for tourists from all mentioned countries, the most (by 77%) for tourists from Czechia.



More male than female tourists

In March, 53% of overnight stays were generated by male tourists and 47% by female tourists. The largest share of overnight stays by female tourists was generated in the age group 65+ years and by male tourists in the age group 35–44 years.

There were also more men than women among foreign tourists; men generated 54% of all foreign arrivals and overnight stays. The most represented age group for both sexes was 35–44 years.

Among domestic tourists, there were slightly more female tourists (1% more overnight stays and slightly more arrivals). The most overnight stays was generated in the age group 65+ years with almost a quarter of all domestic overnight stays. The average lenght of stay was the longest in this age group, namely 4.9 nights. 



Health (spa) resorts the most visited

As regards the types of municipalities, the largest share of tourist overnight stays was recorded in health (spa) resorts, 29% of all overnight stays or 240,400, the most in municipality Moravske Toplice. They were followed by mountain and seaside resorts (19% each type) and Ljubljana (18%).

Compared to the previous March, the number of tourist overnight stays went up in all types of tourist municipalities, the most, by 36%, in seaside resorts.

The average length of stay was the longest in health (spa) resorts, namely 3.2 nights. Among the mentioned types of municipalities, it was the shortest in Ljubljana, 2.0 nights.

The majority of overnight stays in hotels

Tourists generated most overnight stays in hotels (485,600 or 58% of all overnight stays), followed by private accommodations – rented rooms and dwellings (18%).

Permanent bedplaces in hotels were on average occupied the most, namely 40%. The average length of stay in hotels was 2.4 nights.

In first quarter the largest number of tourists from Croatia

This year tourist generated 909,000 arrivals and more than 2.4 million overnight stays. Foreign tourists generated 60% of all overnight stays. The largest number was generated by tourists from Croatia, followed by tourists from Italy and Austria.

Domestic tourists generated almost 959,000 overnight stays, 2% fewer than in the same period last year, and foreign tourists 1.5 million, which was 11% more.

Tables with the latest data, also on tourist arrivals and overnight stays by sex and age groups, are available in the SiStat Database. Additionally, every Thursday (or the following work day in the case of holidays) experimental daily data for all days of the previous week will be published in it.