October the 14th, 2026 – Some huge Croatian tourism projects are springing up, but with that come some major problems that don’t point quite towards sustainable tourism…
Thousands of new beds are planned across southern Croatia. Although those in power like to say that the country is moving towards sustainable tourism, what is happening on the ground paints a different picture. Paula Klaic Saulacic reports for Dnevnik that from the Dubrovnik littoral all the way down to Konavle – over a road distance of 60 kilometres, around 5,000 new beds are planned. They’re all connected by one single road, the Adriatic Highway, which during the summer months is bursting at the seams – and all roads ultimately lead to Dubrovnik. That city is still teeming with tourists even in October, and precisely by those visitors who come at that time because they want to avoid the summer crowds.
ecological, technological and workforce issues…
“One road, yes, we drove for a long time. It’s nice here, but any more would be too much,” commented Toby from Australia. Thousands of new beds from the Dubrovnik littoral to Konavle are not only a problem when it comes to crowds and the number of guests; the problem is with infrastructure, the workforce, and also with ecology. Some experts believe that even drinking water is under threat. Civil engineer Tomislav Paviša, in an open letter to local leaders as well as the Government, warns that projects such as Tri Sestrice, the Resort in Cavtat, Kupari and others are endangering the water supply.
“We’re witnessing that dry periods are getting longer and longer and that, consequently, there will be less and less water at the springs for a regular water supply. In order for the Dubrovnik region to approach the realisation of these projects ready, it is necessary to form a competent institution composed of hydrogeologists, hydrologists and hydraulic engineers that would deal with this vitally important problem, as well as with protection against water pollution due to accelerated urbanisation in the neighbouring country,” he said.
the water supply
Dubrovnik Mayor Mato Franković was not available for comment today, while the mayors of Konavle and Dubrovačko primorje earlier said that for Cavtat and Doli they see no concern for the water supply.
“There were three important conditions that had to be met, which the Municipality requested from the investor. The first is to enable the western entrance to Cavtat, the second to secure a water reservoir that will be sufficient for the next 30 or so years so that Cavtat and all the hotels have a secure water supply. The third is that all ecological standards be respected to the utmost,” said Božo Lasić, Mayor of the Municipality of Konavle (HDZ), at the end of September. “As for water, water comes from three directions: one is Doli itself with its wells, from Ston via the Oko spring, and the third from Slano via Banići, so water should not be a problem either,” said Nikola Knežić, Mayor of the Municipality of Dubrovačko primorje (HDZ), a few days later.
When asked whether, given the dry summer, golf courses and new capacities, he thinks this can be infrastructurally sustained in the future, he replied: “It can.”
The Mayor of Župa dubrovačka says that restrictions are necessary. In a municipality that is home to 8,000 inhabitants and the same number of beds, tourism has reached its peak. “These are all real and objective questions and we have to seek answers from the profession; in spatial plans all tourist zones need to be revised,” said Marko Miloslavić, Mayor of Župa dubrovačka (ŽUPKA). There are many questions, and the answers are urgent because all these projects, at least according to the investors, are proceeding according to plan – some are even of national interest. Nevertheless – water, the environment, space and the quality of life of the local community should be the only real national interest.
The post Huge Croatian Tourism Projects Are Springing Up, But There’s a Big Problem… appeared first on Total Croatia.