Dubrovnik has already announced that there will be no winter break this year, with around 40 direct flights connecting the city to European destinations during the colder months. Similarly, Split, which reached historic records in July and August, is also set to maintain strong flight connections through the winter season.
Despite an unusually cold September, beaches along the Dalmatian coast have remained busy. Split alone has recorded 3 million overnight stays, and local tourism authorities expect the positive trends to continue into the off-season. Lijana Vukšić, director of the Split Tourist Board, highlighted numerous events planned for the autumn to keep tourists coming, including adrenaline sports, cultural, educational, and gastronomic events, all leading up to the Advent season.
Split’s airport has already broken historical records, and autumn is expected to be just as successful. Assistant director of Split’s St. Jerome Airport, Pero Bilas, noted that the post-season is likely to extend into the winter flight schedule, with airlines like Austrian, EasyJet, Eurowings, and Volotea operating until mid-November. However, the airport faced challenges this summer, including cyberattacks and frequent flight cancellations, leaving some passengers stranded. Bilas emphasised that it’s the responsibility of airlines to find solutions for their passengers in such situations.
While Split airport saw significant growth, the lack of hotel accommodation in the nearby town of Kaštela, where the airport is located, was highlighted as a concern, particularly during peak season when flight cancellations left passengers without a place to stay. Nada Maršić, director of the Kaštela Tourist Board, pointed out that the area lacks large, high-quality hotels, which remains a long-standing issue due to legal property disputes surrounding nearby tourist resorts.
