On the 24th August 2017, ‘Stuff’ a New Zealand publication posted an article with the heading “Dubrovnik, the European city so great, you shouldn’t go”; the title says it all.
This article is not the first, it comes in a long line of articles both locally and internationally all pointing to the strain of tourism on top European destinations, swollen numbers, boorish behaviour and the anti-tourist movement gaining momentum.
Like I have said before, we have no intention of writing about every publication that sites debauchery or simply the throngs of people crowding the streets of our UNESCO heritage protected cities. However, this article caught my eye because it was personable and related very much to my experience of Dubrovnik at the beginning of August.
“Please, please, don’t send more tourists to visit Dubrovnik”, these were the sentiments of Michael Gebicki’s (author) taxi driver, once he discovered Gebicki was a travel writer and would possibly be sending more tourists to his beloved Dubrovnik.
A much nicer plea than the responses I had from taxi drivers during my 48-hours in Dubrovnik, all of whom were so exhausted and frustrated by summer 2017 that I got grunts in response to my attempts to start conversations at best and abuse at worst.
I have been visiting Dubrovnik during summer for the last five years and while it has always been busy, I still found myself enchanted by the city, wandering her streets, admiring the architecture, enjoying wonderful meals and vino with good friends…
But those fond memories were almost wiped away during my last visit; I encountered only frazzled locals, had one of the worst, most expensive meals I have had in a very long time, was ripped off by taxis and water-taxis and I could barely take in the magnificence of the city through battling the heat and crowds.
Dubrovnik isn’t the only city struggling under the weight of heavy-footed tourists. During peak-season (July and August), the Dalmatian coast turns into a conveyor belt, moving tourists from one attraction to the next.
I just finished a week working on a yacht sailing the Dalmatian coast; when the guests said they wanted to visit Hvar, Vis, and Korčula but asked if there would be many other people there, I struggled to retain my composure, clearly, they hadn’t been paying attention to the news… Yes, it is mid-August, there are people everywhere.
It didn’t matter anyway, once they went for a one-hour stroll around Hvar, that was the end of their exploring any of the destinations. This is a growing trend among those who book luxury yachts for the week. Many don’t actually care where in the world they are, they just want to escape from life – or, those who do venture out are immediately put-off by the crowds and the itinerary quickly changes to encompass more nature and avoid the ‘hot-spots’.
I don’t blame them, but it breaks my heart that the beauty, culture, and heritage of Croatia is getting lost in a sea of tourists and selfie sticks.
The Mayor of Dubrovnik, Mato Franković is making moves to ease the strain on Dubrovnik by reducing numbers of visitors within the city walls. The long-term goal of the City of Dubrovnik is to ensure that number of guests from cruise ships within the city walls does not exceed 4,000 at any given time.
“We believe that this is the optimal number [of people] that ensures a quality of life for the citizens of Dubrovnik and the best possible experience of travelling and enjoying the beauty of Dubrovnik for our guests.”
Credit: Tash Pericic, taken Early August, a gorgeous sunset over Stradun, oh wait, you can't see it...
Policy changes and regulations cannot come sooner; it is a real cause for concern when international media, rather than praising our destinations, are warning people not to come at all.
“Dubrovnik’s Old City now has a permanent population of less than a thousand and it risks becoming a theme park, a hollowed-out Disneyland on the Adriatic, inhabited by shuffling hordes of tourists dribbling gelatos and shopping for Game of Thrones souvenir t-shirts”, Gebicki.
It’s not all doom and gloom though, I recently visited Vis and it was exactly what my soul needed, a destination that has managed to retain its charm and authenticity (fingers crossed the filming of Mama Mia 2 doesn’t change this). Today is September 1st, summer is nearing an end and we are entering my favourite month, when the crowds dissipate, locals relax and the cities breathe a long-awaited sigh of relief.
Hopefully, authorities in Croatia have learned something from this summer and start looking beyond their noses (and dollar signs), but maybe tourists should take their experience into their own hands – visiting destinations in August is never going to show it in the best light. You will not get an ‘authentic experience’, so stop fooling yourselves – April, May, September, October even November… Croatia doesn’t disappear, we are still here. Or, consider stepping outside the box – Northern Croatia, Inland Dalmatia, islands like Šolta, Lastovo, Brijuni… heck, even Hvar, Vis and Korčula have untapped beauty away from the main town attractions.
Europe has seen its busiest summer ever, we get it, but I am holding out hope for the jewel of the Adriatic (for all the jewels) and am interested to see where authorities and the pack-mentality of tourists go from here.
One of the few views minus crowds.
Read the entire "Stuff NZ" article here.
All photos by Tash Peričić
