CC Real has commenced its extensive €20 million refurbishment of City Center one Split, due for completion by the end of Q2 2024. Key upgrades will include the creation of a first-of-its-kind entertainment and leisure area for Croatia, lighting and interior design improvements, brand-new outdoor spaces, and measures to reduce energy consumption. More than 7,000 sqm of retail units will be reshaped to improve clustering, and more than 10,000 sqm of premises will be renovated.

Construction of one of the largest logistics projects in Croatia is entering its next phase. Development company RC Europe Group from the Czech Republic has started construction work on the RC Zone Samobor project in the Bobovica economic zone. The total land area of 170,000 sqm will feature an 86,000 sqm warehouse facility intended for leasing. In line with the tenants’ requirements, the space in the future logistics park can be used for storage, production, or office operations.

Hungarian property investor and developer Indotek Group has been granted permission from the Croatian authorities to buy the Jelsa Resort, a huge hotel complex on Hvar Island. The complex offers 1,400 rooms but needs to be refurbished, vg.hu reports.

For the first time, Zagreb Property Forum was organised in the Croatian capital, bringing together real estate experts from the local market and beyond. The event confirmed increasing interest by investors and developers for Croatia, especially following the country’s admission to the Eurozone and the Schengen Area. However, given the global macroeconomic climate, uncertainty persists.

2022 saw an almost complete recovery of Croatia’s tourism industry with only 2% fewer overnight stays than in 2019. Hotels were almost at full capacity (98% open). In the summer season, hotels achieved 5% higher revenues than in 2019, primarily through an increase in occupancy of 25% (to 79%) compared to the 2021 season, which means a 9% gap compared to the occupancy of 2019, CBS International, part of Cushman & Wakefield Group reports..

The composition of Croatia’s construction output is changing. While the residential segment may soon experience a slowdown, health-related construction - public and private renovations and new builds alike - is seeing a considerable boom, write Michael Glazer (SEE Regional Advisors) and Tatjana Halapija (Nada Projekt), Croatian members of the EECFA (Eastern European Construction Forecasting Association).

Continuously rising housing prices across Croatia, additionally amplified by the country’s recent entry into Eurozone and the Schengen area, have provoked discussions about affordable housing and models that can be applied in Croatia, based on the experience of other countries in the CEE region. Erste Group Bank, one of the leading financial institutions in CEE, became a potential forerunner in setting up an affordable housing concept in Croatia, however, the project is yet to commence and still strongly depends on cooperation with local governments, which are often lacking flexibility or avoiding a tighter and highly publicized joint ventures with the private sector.

Marriott International has signed an agreement with Riva's Hotels & Resorts to bring Marriott Hotels to Croatia. Located in Icici on the Opatija Riviera, the new-build hotel is anticipated to open in 2024.

Czech real estate fund Investika has decided to take another step in diversifying its real estate portfolio. Its latest acquisitions are luxury properties in Croatia for short-term rentals.

For a long time, the logistics and industrial market in Croatia has been overlooked by real estate developers, despite the country’s strategic geographical position, proximity to major European markets and developed, high-quality road network, as well as direct access to sea routes. Recent project completions and commencements, with a strong pipeline and the arrival of international developers, suggest that winds are changing, and Croatia could become a very attractive logistics market.