Be it Bali, Venice, or even Dubrovnik for that matter, cities around the world are struggling to deal with overtourism. One of the most heatedly debated issues in the modern age, in terms of travel and tourism, the crisis of over tourism has been making headlines time and again. Though on the brighter side, governments and tour operators are trying to tackle the issue, there are some destinations that have taken drastic steps to curb the inflow of tourists.
One such city with a similar action plan is Dubrovnik. It&rsquos claim to fame is the hit TV series &lsquoGame Of Thrones&rsquo. The city served as the fictional capital of &lsquoKing&rsquo Landing&rsquo. Several sequences of the show were filmed in Dubrovnik that has led throngs of tourists to frequent this Croation city. Owing to this overcrowding, the mayor of Dubrovnik has proposed a ban on new restaurants for the next five years. The ban would prohibit restaurants from adding tables and chairs outside. The limited space might effectively ban new restaurants. As per reports, after the enforcement of the ban, even if a restaurant closes, a new one will not be able to take its place.
However, this step doesn&rsquot come as a surprise, as last year UNESCO had warned city officials to keep a check on the number of tourists entering the city, especially on cruise ships. The mayor had also put a 4000-person limit on the number of tourists that will be allowed to enter the old town at any given time. Since these measures seemed ineffective, the officials have decided to take a stringent action with the new restaurant ban.
Since the city council owns all the public space in Dubrovnik, they have all the authority to decide whether a restaurant will be given space outside for tables.The Council is all set to vote on the proposal in December. Reports by CNN suggest that since most restaurants in Dubrovnik have an outdoor seating, due to certain space constraints indoors, the ban might prove to be a smart move.
With a staggering 1,271,657 tourists last year, the new restaurant ban is expected to deflect the massive crowds.
