Zagreb, Oct 12 : Croatia on Sunday began implementing the European Union's (EU) new Entry/Exit System (EES), a digital border management system for non-EU travellers entering or leaving the Schengen Area, Croatian media reported.

According to the Ministry of the Interior, cited by Croatia Week, non-EU nationals will be required to provide biometric data - including fingerprints and a facial photograph - in addition to their passport upon first entry into Croatia or any Schengen country. The data will be securely stored for future crossings.

Instead of border officers stamping passports, the EES will automatically record each traveller's personal details, passport information, and entry and exit times, Xinhua News Agency reported. It will also log any refusals of entry into Croatia or the wider Schengen Area.

For subsequent entries, travellers' identities will be verified by comparing a live facial image with their stored biometric profile, making the process faster and more secure. The system does not apply to EU citizens, including Croatians, who will continue to cross borders using a passport or national ID card without submitting biometric data.

The new system will be introduced gradually across all of Croatia's international border crossings, in line with the EU-wide rollout, and is expected to become fully operational by April 10 next year, the report said.

On October 7, Croatian Minister of Tourism and Sports Tonci Glavina said that tourist arrivals and overnight stays in Croatia rose by more than five per cent in September compared with the same month last year, respectively, signaling a potential new record for the country's tourism industry in 2025.

"This year, we have achieved record tourism results so far, with about two per cent more tourist arrivals and around one percent more overnight stays than last year," Glavina said in a statement, adding that this growth was not achieved only during the two peak summer months, but began in the pre-season and has now continued into the post-season.

Glavina said the figures demonstrate the sustained quality of post-season tourism in Croatia and indicate that "a new record year is expected."

He added that the results reflect ongoing efforts to transform the tourism sector by reducing seasonality and promoting balanced development across regions and throughout the year. The ministry aims to boost travel during the pre- and post-season while ensuring simultaneous growth in revenue and profitability, he noted.

Tourism remains one of the pillars of the Croatian economy, accounting for roughly one-fifth of the country's gross domestic product (GDP).

/IANS