Dubrovnik has returned with plans to manage the flow of visitors. Located in the Adriatic Sea in the southern part of Dalmatia in Croatia, the city is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the Mediterranean.
The plan follows complaints after the destination was branded in 2017 as “smashed down” by overtourism. Mat Frankvich, the city's mayor, elected in 2017, said “we had to do something to bring Dubrovnik back to being a citizen.”
Addressing the ABTA Sustainable Travel Conference in late March, Frankovic broke through Dubrovnik's old town and showed pictures of tourist crowds, with negative headlines such as “This is what makes a mass tourist look like. Dubrovnik's death, cruise ship ruined the city.”
He added: “Our economy is based on tourism. “We've said, “Don't set up barriers, let's manage our tourism.”
“We defined three types of visitors: cruise passengers, daily visitors, and overnight visitors. Each was important to the economy, but managing a cruise ship was the easiest thing to do.”
He noted that four or six cruise ships arrive “simultaneously” every Thursday, Friday and Saturday, with thousands of passengers gathering in the old town for hours at a time.
Frankovic said:
He contacted the CLIA of the Cruise Association and said, “We have a big problem and we want to work with you,” then a meeting was arranged with the Cruise Line CEO.
After the meeting, we reached a contract that only two cruise ships could dock, which could be docked at the same time for a minimum of 8 hours of stay.
A trip to the old town may be distorted and alternative excursions may be offered.
Frankovic said: “We lost some partners, but we found the number of passengers we would accept in one day and in one year. The problem was not the number, but the flow.
They also took action to create more space in the old town, including reducing the amount of outdoor seating available and removing souvenir stands from each public square.
Frankovic added: “The owners were angry. They didn't rely on (winning) future elections. The future of the city is even more important.”
Also, in response to the second largest tourism group that the coach has arrived, Frankovic said: “We needed a bus to book the arrival slot. The operator will block bookings if the bus leaves without a reservation and the cruise ship enters. It will work perfectly.”
The Dubrovnik pass was created to manage tourists overnight, allowing you to enter all city attractions and get on two buses at the price of one ticket to city hall.
Frankovic said last year, 80% of overnight visitors purchased passes.
The city has also launched smart parking systems, electric vehicle sharing and feedback mechanisms for residents.
Frankovic said: “We target affordable housing. We passed the law, so turning a home into a short-term rental is not easy.”
