This is shown by the latest analysis of the Croatian office of Colliers International for 2018 and estimates for 2019 which the company's consultants presented at a news conference on Thursday.
Colliers Croatia director Vedrana Likan said that this year, apart from tourism and office space, new investments were also expected in the currently least developed sector of commercial real estate - industrial and logistic real estate.
Demand in 2018 was greatest in category A office space and office space with an area of more than 500 square metres, while the average rent price for such space ranged between 12 and 13 euros per square metre (not including VAT).
Investments highest in tourism, lack of greenfield investments
The tourism sector, specifically hotels and shopping centres, accounts for the largest portion of real estate transactions, of 42% and 47% or EUR 336 million and 378 million respectively.
Likan said that there was a chronic lack of greenfield investments and that they were what the country's image as an investment destination depended on. She said that she expected office space and buildings to exceed the retail sector (shopping malls) in terms of the market share this year.
Investments from China, Middle East growing
As regards the origin of investment capital, in 2018 most of it came from South Africa, accounting for 39.7% of the total volume of investments.
Likan said that it was particularly interesting that Croatian capital accounted for 39.6% of the real estate transactions.
"In 2019 we expect a slowing down of investments from South Africa because after Croatia and Serbia and Southeast Europe in general, as early as 2018 they focused strongly on Central Europe, notably Romania, followed by Poland and Hungary... On the other hand, a Chinese investor arrived in Croatia with the Peljesac Bridge project, which sets a precedent on the Croatian market even though the Chinese are already present in neighbouring countries - Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and elsewhere," Likan said.
She noted that the project would pave the way for more Chinese investments in Croatia.