Myth signifies misguided belief that people hold on to despite all the evidences that point to the opposite. In that context, based on the analysis and synthesis of the available data, the basic myths in tourism are critically presented in this paper. The "truths" that are taken for granted in the multidisciplinary field of tourism, include areas such as research in tourism and tourism science, tourism motivational factors, the relevance of presented data from major tourist databases and measurements of tourism economic effects worldwide and specifically in the Republic of Croatia. Such a blurred picture of reality is also present in planning of the development of space for tourism purposes, its preservation regarding the sustainable development of tourism. Impartial measurements of the impact of tourism on socio - economic growth and development, employment and the balance of payments of Croatia, and the exploitation of cultural and natural assets have the purpose of attracting a greater number of tourist arrivals.