Sunday, February 4, 2024
The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) conducted a Destination Re-Assessment of Dubrovnik, Croatia, from February to April 2023, led by Dr. Ioannis Pappas, GSTC Director Mediterranean Region. The Re-Assessment was commissioned by the Dubrovnik Municipality with the support of its Tourism Board. Dubrovnik had previously undergone a GSTC Destination Assessment in 2019, and the 2023 Re-Assessment focused on selected criteria where the city had not performed well previously.
The key criteria considered in the Re-Assessment were A3 – Monitoring & Reporting, A4 – Enterprise Engagement & Standards, A11 – Risk & Crisis Management, D1 – Protection of Sensitive Environments, D4 – Species Exploitation & Animal Welfare, D9 – Solid Waste, and a re-evaluation of the critical criterion for Destination Management, A1.
Dr. Pappas conducted the re-assessment in compliance with the GSTC Destinations Criteria, which serves as the global standard for sustainable destinations. The assessment aimed to gauge progress and provide empirical evidence, offering insights and benchmarks related to the four pillars of the GSTC-D: Sustainable Management, Socio-Economic Sustainability, Cultural Sustainability, and Environmental Sustainability.
The results showed improvements in the criteria under consideration, with higher scores in 2023 compared to the 2019 assessment. The Municipality of Dubrovnik and DURA utilized the findings from the 2019 Assessment to implement necessary changes, resulting in significant progress. To expedite the process, especially in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, projects were devised to secure funding upon the resumption of regular activities. The digital transformation brought about by the pandemic positively impacted local participation in the consultation process for various projects.
The Mayor of the City of Dubrovnik, Mato Franković, emphasized the importance of the assessment, viewing it as an indicator that Dubrovnik is on the right path towards complete and permanent sustainability. He highlighted the successful implementation of measures defined by the strategic project “Respect the City” and the first Croatian Management Plan for protected historical entities, as well as recommendations from the previous GSTC report. The Mayor also mentioned the reduction of crowds in the historic center through cooperation with the CLIA organization in managing excessive tourism.
In conclusion, the Re-Assessment suggests that Dubrovnik has made positive strides towards sustainability, leveraging the insights gained from the 2019 assessment to address risk areas and improve its overall performance in sustainable tourism.
Saturday, April 27, 2024
