Croatia leads surge in short boat trips as experience travel booms

European boat tourism growth is being driven by the experience economy, with Croatia leading UK demand, according to Click&Boat data.

The yacht rental platform reports that 93% of UK bookings are for trips lasting less than a day, underlining the rise in flexible, experience-led travel formats. This trend is reinforced by wider consumer behaviour, with 63% of UK consumers preferring to talk about experiences rather than purchases, alongside growing social media interest in boating, including 112,800 posts under #boattrip on TikTok.

For travel insurers, the shift towards short-duration, high-activity leisure travel is reshaping risk profiles in coastal and maritime tourism. Croatia remains the most popular destination for UK users, with Split, Hvar, and Dubrovnik leading bookings, while Sardinia recorded the strongest growth, with UK demand rising 43.4% between 2024 and 2025.

Click&Boat has also partnered with Uber to enable boat bookings via the Uber app across more than 20 coastal cities in Spain, France, Italy, Croatia, and Portugal from mid-June to October, expanding access to on-demand maritime experiences across the Mediterranean.

Christian Berces, CEO of Click&Boat, said: “Croatia has emerged as one of the most popular destinations among UK travellers, while locations such as Sardinia are also seeing significant growth, with bookings from UK travellers increasing by 43.4% between 2024 and 2025. These destinations are arguably best viewed from the water, with access to hidden coves and viewpoints inaccessible by land.”