It’s that time of year when travel plans begin to take shape and millions of tourists prepare to descend on sunny destinations across Europe. Spain, Italy and Greece remain top picks, with cities like Venice and Rhodes long associated with overcrowding during peak season.
But according to recent research, neither of those popular destinations ranks as Europe’s most overwhelmed tourist hotspot. That title belongs to a much smaller city in Croatia, one that now sees nearly 30 visitors for every resident. Dubrovnik, a historic walled city on the Adriatic coast, has been named Europe’s most overcrowded destination, based on the number of tourists per inhabitant.
The study by Holidu, using data from Euromonitor International, found that Dubrovnik hosted a staggering 27.4 tourists for every local resident in 2023.
Famed for its gorgeous architecture and Game of Thrones filming locations, Dubrovnik’s compact size and UNESCO-listed Old Town have become a magnet for visitors.
But its popularity has also brought challenges.
Speaking to the Express last year, Miro Drašković, the Director of the Dubrovnik Tourist Board, said: “Dubrovnik has successfully managed to stabilise the number of visitors during the main tourist season to levels similar to the previous year.
“That indicates the city’s efforts to control peak season tourism are working.”
Key among those efforts is a cap on cruise ship arrivals, with only two ships being allowed to dock at any one time.
The city also rolled out a digital reservation system last year for major attractions such as the medieval city walls, which limits daily visitor numbers to prevent overcrowding.
While tourism remains a big part of the local economy, city officials are keen to strike a balance.
“Many locals appreciate tourism’s economic benefits,” Drašković added. “But there is also awareness of the need to manage the number of visitors to maintain the quality of life for residents.”
Dubrovnik also launched a ‘Respect the City’ campaign, which includes rules around public behaviour, and has partnered with platforms like Airbnb and Booking.com to manage short-term rentals more effectively.