Two million passengers through the Dubrovnik Airport, a million tickets sold for the Dubrovnik City walls and now news that the region of Zupa has recorded more than half a million overnight stays for the first time since the Homeland War.

“We are extremely satisfied with the results achieved this year, we had planned for 460,000 overnights stays in Zupa this year and we have already reached 495,000,” commented the director of the Zupa Tourist Board Ivo Handabak.

Zupa, located just south of Dubrovnik, is still feeling the effects of the Homeland War with the two largest hotel resorts, Hotel Plat and Kupari, still to this day out of function. However, a massive growth in the number of private villas, apartments and rooms has meant that the region continues to grow and attract more foreign tourists. The indicators for October are also encouraging with a number of congresses due to be held in the Sheraton Dubrovnik Riviera.

“It will be a very pleasing season for Zupa in spite of the fact that Hotel Plat isn’t open and this resort has in the past achieved around 75,000 overnight stays,” added Handabak.

Sheraton Dubrovnik Riviera in Zupa 

The largest number of guests to Zupa, in terms of nationality, have been from Great Britain. In fact, almost a third of all tourists, 31 percent in total in the first nine months of 2017, have been from the UK. This is largely due to the opening of the brand name hotel, Sheraton, in Zupa but also the increase of high quality private accommodation available on platforms such as Airbnb in Zupa.

The Zupa Tourist Board expects around 35,000 overnight stays in October and a further 15,000 in November taking the figure over half a million for the first time in twenty-five years. Sheraton Dubrovnik Riviera will be open throughout the winter months and with the Christmas and New Year celebrations expected to attract even more guests the year could be even more successful. Last year the region achieved 497,000 overnight stays.