Dubrovnik Set to Control Tourist Crowds in the Old Town

Dubrovnik (photo credit; Twang_Dunga under Creative Commons license)

Massive crowds in Dubrovnik’s historic Old Town, including a record-breaking number of people visiting the City Walls, has lead the city’s Mayor to come up with a new initiative to control the large tourist crowds…

Dubrovnik, nicknamed ‘The Pear of the Adriatic’, has once again this summer attracted hundreds of thousands of tourists, including a record visiting Dubrovnik’s City Walls in one day when 10,000 people purchased tickets. A jammed-packed Stradun, and other parts of the historic Old Town, has led to Mayor Andro Vlahušić to come up with a new strategy to control the crowds.

As daily Jutarnji list reports, Vlahušić yesterday announced plans to control the crowds in Dubrovnik’s Old Town. Under his model, when the number of tourists inside the Old Town reaches 6,000 no more tourists will be allowed to enter until someone has exited. There is one exception, Dubrovnik residents will be still allowed in with a special pass.

Dubrovnik UNESCO protected (photo credit: cascoviejo under Creative Commons license)

Vlahušić says that the idea comes after a recommendation from UNESCO, who says the Old Town should not have more than 8,000 people in it at any one time. The city of Dubrovnik has been on UNESCO’s list of World Heritage Sites since 1979.

Dubrovnik’s famous Stradun

To successfully carry out the initiative, Vlahušić says that it would be possible to install cameras with counters so that the number of tourists inside the town at anyone time could be established.

Vlahušić says that the new idea, which still has to be passed, would be a great thing for tourism in Dubrovnik, which has battled with over-crowding as the destination has become increasingly popular with tourists and the increase in the number of cruise ships visiting.