Dubrovnik, a picturesque city on Croatia’s Adriatic coast, is facing the challenge of overtourism, as the number of annual visitors continues to rise.
The city, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site, has seen a surge in tourism in recent years, with more than 1.2 million visitors arriving in 2019. This has put a strain on the city’s resources, including its water supply, waste management, and transportation systems. During peak season, the city’s narrow streets and historic buildings are often packed with tourists, making it difficult for locals to go about their daily lives.
Environmental concerns have also been raised, with waste and pollution becoming a major problem. The city has implemented a number of measures to manage tourism, including limiting the number of visitors who can enter the city’s historic center each day and introducing a tourist tax to fund infrastructure improvements.
“First of all, the number of, for instance, the cruise ships per day is limited now to 4,000 people,” says Miro Draskovic, head of the Dubrovnik tourist board.
“The hours that they are staying, the length of their stay in Dubrovnik port is much longer now. Most of them are staying for eight hours or more. Some are staying for six hours.”
“The other thing we have, for instance, is the visitor’s counter, cameras that are put around the Old Town, which help us to know the exact number of visitors at any point of time,” he adds.
Dubrovnik’s tourism industry is a major contributor to the local economy, but some locals argue that the city needs to take a more sustainable approach to managing tourism. This could include investing in sustainable infrastructure and promoting alternative forms of tourism, such as cultural and eco-tourism.
Despite these challenges, Dubrovnik remains a popular destination for tourists from around the world. The city’s stunning architecture, rich cultural heritage, and beautiful coastline continue to attract visitors.
This article was provided by The Associated Press.