The challenge
Cruise crowds were overwhelming Dubrovnik's small walled old town.
The case
Dubrovnik's medieval old town, made even more famous by Game of Thrones, was being overwhelmed, with up to several cruise ships arriving on the same day. In 2017 the city launched its 'Respect the City' plan, and from 2019 it agreed with cruise lines to allow no more than two ships a day and about 5,000 cruise passengers. It also used cameras to monitor crowds in the old town, spread arrivals across the day, and limited new souvenir stalls and restaurant terraces.
Why it worked
Negotiating caps directly with cruise companies, which book berths years ahead, gave the city real control over the biggest source of peak crowds. Overnight visitors and short-term rentals remain harder to manage.
Sources
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