IKEA Croatia announced on Monday that it achieved revenues of €165.7 million in fiscal year 2024, marking a 10.4% increase year-on-year. The company highlighted this as one of the largest growth rates among IKEA units worldwide.

The fiscal year covered the period from September 1, 2023, to August 31, 2024, and included revenues from online sales, planning studios, delivery centers, and the IKEA Zagreb store.

Impressive Visitor Numbers and Sales

The IKEA store in Zagreb welcomed more than 1.78 million visitors during the fiscal year, a 3.4% increase compared to the previous year. Online, IKEA Croatia recorded 20.2 million visits, resulting in 274,828 purchases. In total, 15 million IKEA products were sold, representing a 15.5% year-on-year growth.

IKEA Croatia also invested €12.8 million during the year to reduce prices for more than half of its product range, making its offerings even more accessible to customers.

Ingka Group Revenue and Sustainability Efforts

Globally, Ingka Group—the largest operator of IKEA stores—reported revenues of €41.8 billion for fiscal year 2024, a 5.5% decline compared to the previous year. Net profits stood at €0.8 billion, down from €1.5 billion in the previous year.

The company invested €2.1 billion globally to reduce prices, contributing to a 3.3% increase in visits to stores and a 28% rise in online visits. The number of online orders grew by 9%.

"This was a year of bold investment in the future, ensuring IKEA becomes more affordable, accessible, and sustainable," said Juvencio Maeztu, Deputy CEO and Chief Sustainability Officer of Ingka Group.

Sustainability at the Core

Ingka Group reinvests 85% of its net profits back into the business, with the remaining 15% paid as dividends to its sole owner, the Stichting INGKA Foundation. This foundation also funds the IKEA Foundation, which has allocated €2 billion to combat child poverty and climate change as of December 2023.

The group has committed to reducing its climate footprint by 85% in its own operations by 2030 and achieving net-zero emissions across its value chain by 2050.

As part of these efforts, €1.5 billion has been invested in transitioning to renewable energy technologies. This includes retrofitting existing stores with renewable heating and cooling systems and ensuring all new units are built with these technologies. In 2024 alone, 11 retail locations in seven countries underwent upgrades.

IKEA continues to set the standard for sustainability while striving to remain a global leader in home furnishing innovation.

The Dubrovnik Tourist Board is once again organizing its traditional charity event, the "Cake Party," as part of the Dubrovnik Winter Festival. This year’s event will take place on Saturday, December 7, 2024, on Stradun, starting at 11 am. The sale of vouchers and the exhibition of cakes from more than 30 participants will begin at 10:30 am.

The musical program will feature the popular Croatian singer Luka Nižetić, who will entertain the audience with his hits, delighting visitors of all ages, especially the youngest.

Vouchers for participation cost three euros, and all proceeds will go to the charity initiative "Smile for a Smile," organized by the Sorriso association.

To encourage tourism during the winter season, the Dubrovnik Tourist Board is continuing its beloved tradition of "Saturday Winter Mornings in the City," which began on November 9 and will run until March 29, 2025. The program includes a folklore performance in front of St. Blaise’s Church every Saturday.

The thematic city tours start at 9:30 am in English (from TIC Pile) and at 12:30 pm in Croatian. At 11:30 am, visitors can enjoy a folklore performance in front of St. Blaise’s Church, courtesy of the Dubrovnik Tourist Board. Please note that the performance will be canceled in case of bad weather.

Special December Themes

In December, the city tours will explore the theme "Cosmopolitan Dubrovnik." These tours will delve into the evolution of major European religions, their origins, and their spread across the continent, as well as the religious communities that settled in Dubrovnik over the centuries.

On the last two Saturdays of December (December 21 and 28), free themed tours will focus on "Dubrovnik’s Kolenda." Visitors will have the chance to learn about the centuries-old kolenda caroling tradition, which has been a part of Dubrovnik’s culture for over 800 years.

January, February, and March Highlights

From January to March 2025, "Saturday Winter Mornings" will feature performances by FA Linđo alongside thematic tours on various topics, including:

• "Cosmopolitan Dubrovnik"
• "St. Blaise – In Honor of Our Patron"
• "Tracing the Footsteps of Ancient Love"

How to Join

The Dubrovnik Tourist Board will announce dates for individual thematic tours on its Facebook page.

Participation in the tours is limited, so advance registration is required by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or calling +385 20 312 011 no later than 5 pm on Fridays.

Dubrovnik’s 2024 tourism season has shattered records, with the city attracting an impressive 1.35 million visitors and over 4.2 million overnight stays since January. According to the eVisitor system, this marks a 9% increase in arrivals and a 10% jump in overnight stays compared to the same period in 2023.

The city’s undeniable allure continues to captivate international travelers, with the majority of visitors hailing from the United Kingdom, the United States, France, Germany, and even Croatia itself. Domestic tourists accounted for 67,467 arrivals and 170,408 overnight stays, while foreign guests overwhelmingly dominated the figures with 1.27 million arrivals and nearly 3.7 million overnight stays.

November alone saw 35,421 arrivals and 78,121 overnight stays—a 16% increase in overnight bookings compared to last year, although arrivals dipped slightly by 2%. Despite the late-season chill, Dubrovnik attracted over 1,500 weekend tourists, mainly from Croatia, Albania, France, the USA, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, cementing its reputation as a year-round destination.

But the real buzz? Dubrovnik Airport, named after famed scientist Ruđer Bošković, has unveiled an ambitious flight schedule for December. Boasting new connections to major European hubs like Frankfurt, Warsaw, London, Brussels, Vienna, and Barcelona, the airport anticipates a passenger surge of at least 25% compared to December 2023.

Average net and gross salaries across all Croatian counties increased in the third quarter of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, according to the Croatian Bureau of Statistics (DZS).

Net Salary Highlights

The highest net salary growth occurred in Požega-Slavonia and Šibenik-Knin Counties, where wages rose by 17%, reaching €1,211 and €1,260, respectively. Istria County recorded the smallest increase, with a 12.6% rise to €1,236.

The City of Zagreb had the highest average net salary at €1,525, a 13.6% increase year-on-year, while Virovitica-Podravina County reported the lowest, at €1,169, up 16%.

Gross Salary Trends

Gross salaries also rose across the board. Lika-Senj County led with a 17.3% increase to €1,672, while Istria County saw the smallest rise of 12.3%, reaching €1,690. The City of Zagreb recorded the highest gross salary at €2,206, while Virovitica-Podravina County had the lowest at €1,560.

National Averages

Nationally, the average net salary reached €1,320, a 14.5% rise from Q3 2023, while the average gross salary grew by the same percentage to €1,829.

This steady wage growth reflects Croatia’s improving economic conditions, with regional variations highlighting diverse local dynamics.

Big changes are on the horizon for football fans in Zagreb. The City of Zagreb has announced a €44 million investment to modernize Kranjčevićeva Stadium, which will serve as Dinamo Zagreb’s temporary home starting in 2026. This move paves the way for the demolition and reconstruction of the iconic Maksimir Stadium, with a state-of-the-art replacement expected by 2028.

A UEFA-Standard Stadium in the Heart of Zagreb

Mayor Tomislav Tomašević revealed that construction on Kranjčevićeva Stadium will kick off in early 2025, with completion targeted for September 2026. The renovated stadium will expand its seating capacity from 5,350 to 11,163, meeting UEFA Category 4 requirements. This upgrade ensures the stadium will be capable of hosting top-tier matches, including Champions League games up to the semi-final stage.

“We’re thrilled to bring this project to life after overcoming numerous challenges,” said Mayor Tomašević. “With the building permit secured and procurement underway, we’re ready to transform Kranjčevićeva into a modern football venue.”

Features of the New Kranjčevićeva Stadium

The redesigned stadium will offer cutting-edge facilities to meet the needs of players, staff, and fans. Key upgrades include:

• Fully covered seating for all spectators
• A hybrid, heated playing surface
• Modern LED floodlighting to replace outdated systems
• Advanced infrastructure for teams, technical staff, and media

The total investment of €44 million includes €35 million for construction and additional costs for VAT, with the full budget covered by the City of Zagreb.

What This Means for Dinamo Zagreb and Croatian Football

Once completed, Kranjčevićeva Stadium will become the temporary home for Dinamo Zagreb and could also host Croatian national team matches. This ensures both teams have a top-quality venue while Maksimir Stadium undergoes its much-needed reconstruction.

The demolition of Maksimir Stadium will mark the beginning of a new chapter for Croatian football, with the new Dinamo stadium expected to open in 2028. The project promises to elevate Zagreb’s football infrastructure, securing its position as a hub for both domestic and international competitions.

Is this the dawn of winter tourism in Dubrovnik, or another false dawn?

I have been banging on about the need for winter tourism for as long as I can remember. At first I thought it was a case of bad organisation, of the left hand not knowing what the right hand was doing. The problem was that the left was doing nothing and the right hand even less!

And then basically I came to the conclusion that we didn’t really want it. For if indeed we did want it and couldn’t succeed then that would make us incompetent.

But, and it is a big but, there could be some green shots of change.

I am not getting carried away just yet but there could appear to be some daylight through the fog. T

he first step is thanks to Ireland, well a certain low-cost airline from the emerald isle. Connecting Vienna, London and Brussels seems to be paying dividends. Tourists numbers through November have crept up, with a large proportion coming from the UK and Belgium. So offer flights and people will come.

I am living proof of this as soon I will travel on two of these routes. Stage two seems to have floated above the stormy winter seas this week. Starting in November 2025, Dubrovnik’s hospitality sector will be legally required to remain open for at least one month during the winter—December, January, or February.

So, is this the moment Dubrovnik finally transforms into a year-round destination? Or are we just heading toward another false start? The barricade to stop it happening this year was amongst other things the winter stands on Stradun.

Let’s face it the Stradun isn’t really a stage for these winter houses anyway. The whole concept lacks class and elegance, if indeed there is a concept at all. Sausages bought in Lidl doesn’t really scream Christmas to me!

Stradun should be a celebration of the best of the best all year round.

Zagreb on the other hand has absolutely nailed it and is rightly high on the lists of best Christmas markets in Europe. I’ve long been puzzled by the fact that this city has never fully embraced the concept of a winter season. In cities across Europe, winter tourism has long been a reality, but Dubrovnik has stubbornly remained a summer-only affair.

Will this new regulation change that? Or will it be yet another attempt that falls short?

I am keeping an open mind for now but with some quiet optimism.

The proposed “exclusive business zone” on Stradun, open 365 days a year, will keep the city’s heart beating throughout the year.

When Stradun is vibrant, the whole city feels vibrant.

It’s fair to say that Dubrovnik won’t become a “traditional” winter destination in the same way that some northern European cities have. There won’t be snow, skiing, or apres-ski. But we don’t have to compete in that way. And it doesn’t take a lot to change things.

Stage three will be to hope and pray that more hotels don’t hang “closed” signs on their doors. However, stages one and two should in principle lead to stage three. In January this year we had just over 15,000 passengers through the airport, compared to over 415,000 in August. To double those January figures should be the aim, and it isn’t that complicated, although we have for years make it seem ultra-complicated. How many tourists visit Venice in January, answer 100,000, Malta 170,000 and Zagreb 60,000.

Sure, we’re not talking about transforming Dubrovnik into a winter wonderland like Salzburg or Munich. But with a bit of strategic planning, a dash of creativity, and perhaps a sprinkle of festive magic, we can create a version of Dubrovnik that’s as charming in January as it is in July.

This isn’t just about numbers—it’s about changing the narrative. For too long, we’ve allowed the idea of a "winter Dubrovnik" to be dismissed as a pipe dream. Will it live up to the promise of a bustling, year-round destination? Or will it prove to be just another false dawn?

Time will tell—but for now, it’s exciting to think that Dubrovnik might finally become a city that offers something special all year long. As for me, I’m cautiously optimistic — but I’ve learned to be patient. After all, it’s Dubrovnik, and nothing ever moves quite as quickly as we’d like.

Read more Englishman in Dubrovnik…well, if you really want to

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

About the author

Mark Thomas (aka Englez u Dubrovniku) is the editor of The Dubrovnik Times. He was born and educated in the UK and moved to live in Dubrovnik in 1998. He works across a whole range of media, from a daily radio show to TV and in print. Thomas is fluent in Croatian and this column is available in Croatia on the website – Dubrovnik Vjesnik