Tourists Not Staying in Dubrovnik

Beautiful Dubrovnik on Croatia's Dalmatian Coast is apparently not doing enough to amuse its tourists, and numbers are falling.

There's no doubt that Croatia's jewel Dubrovnik is a beautiful city. The red roofs, the high wall, the sparkling sea - nobody could fail to reach for a camera here. But recent research shows that tourists reach for their camera, and then don't know what else to do.

Apparently, overnight stays by tourists in Dubrovnik has fallen 12% this year, while at the same time overnight stays in the rest of Croatia (maybe gorgeous spots like the Plitvice Lakes) have increased by 6%. The suggestion is that Dubrovnik doesn't actually have much for tourists to do, after they've walked through or around the Old Town, bought a few souvenirs and battled for a spot on the beach.

Personally, I stayed about 20km outside Dubrovnik in a sleepy seaside village, and my holiday was a mix of relaxing in the area there, taking cruises to nearby islands and spending a couple of days exploring Dubrovnik. I'd go there again at the drop of a hat. But apparently not all travelers agree. Maybe it was a "fad town" and tourism will fall to a more normal level; maybe they'll introduce some more activities for tourists. Whatever they do, tourist dollars are important to Croatia, so we'll have to wait and see what happens.