Game of Thrones Boom Nearly Destroyed This City—Here’s How It’s Fighting Back

Dubrovnik, the stunning coastal city once known as the filming location for Game of Thrones’ King’s Landing, has faced a difficult road in managing the flood of tourists that came with its rise to fame. In recent years, the city was overwhelmed by the surge of visitors, leading to what many locals described as “death by tourism.” Traffic jams, overcrowding, and the overwhelming number of taxis and cruise ship passengers threatened the authenticity and livability of this UNESCO World Heritage site. But after years of struggling with overtourism, Dubrovnik is slowly coming back from the brink, thanks to a series of deliberate and strategic changes.

The tipping point for Dubrovnik came in 2017, when cruise ships dropped off thousands of passengers into the Old Town, turning the city into a nightmare of gridlock. A local driver described it as a chaotic scene, often spending hours stuck in traffic, and countless tourists missing appointments or flights because of the congestion. With the population of Dubrovnik swelling due to the influx of day-trippers and taxi drivers, it seemed as though the city was on the verge of losing its charm to mass tourism.

One of the major culprits was the rise in the number of taxis, with 9,000 cab drivers descending upon the city during the high season—28 times more than a decade earlier. Many drivers were coming from nearby countries, drawn by the lucrative opportunities to pick up wealthy tourists. However, this also contributed to the city’s traffic problems, as the narrow streets of the Old Town became clogged with long lines of cabs. To address the issue, Mayor Mato Franković of the Conservative Croatian Democratic Union passed new legislation to limit the number of taxi licenses in the UNESCO Old Town to just 700, with a camera system set to monitor the situation.

Franković’s efforts to curb overtourism don’t stop at the taxi industry. Cruise ship arrivals have been reduced and staggered, with the city now requiring that passengers stay for at least eight hours, which has helped to improve the tourist experience by reducing overcrowding. In addition, the number of street vendors in the Old Town has been slashed by 70%, and the number of buses carrying tourists to the area has been halved. As part of a broader strategy, a camera system now tracks visitors entering and exiting the Old Town, ensuring that the daily influx of people remains within manageable limits.

The city has also made significant changes in its approach to Game of Thrones tourism, which remains a major draw for visitors. While Game of Thrones tours now account for 60% of the total tours in the city, Dubrovnik has found ways to capitalize on this without overwhelming the city. Local fixers like Maroje Žanetić have used their knowledge of the city to manage film and TV productions, ensuring that they contribute to the local economy while minimizing disruption to daily life.

Despite these measures, Dubrovnik’s revival hasn’t been without its challenges. The city continues to struggle with a shrinking population—since 2000, Croatia’s population has decreased from 4.5 million to 3.8 million—leaving the city in need of more workers in the hospitality industry. At the same time, there is growing concern over the overwhelming number of Airbnbs, which has led to a rise in housing prices and pushed locals further away from the Old Town. Mayor Franković recently introduced a law allowing residents to vote on whether to restrict Airbnb rentals in certain areas, highlighting the city’s delicate balancing act between catering to tourists and preserving the community’s fabric.

With a key mayoral election coming up in May, Franković’s future in office depends on whether residents feel his policies have struck the right balance between tourism and quality of life for locals. The mayor remains optimistic, insisting that the interests of the city must take precedence over individual gains. “The interests of the city are much higher than the interests of the individuals,” Franković said, emphasizing the need to secure the future of Dubrovnik as a vibrant, sustainable destination.

As Dubrovnik faces the future, it is clear that the city’s beauty, history, and cultural significance are irreplaceable. The measures taken by local authorities offer hope that it can continue to thrive while maintaining its charm and avoiding the pitfalls of overtourism that nearly caused its downfall. With a renewed focus on sustainability, quality of life, and preservation of its unique character, Dubrovnik may once again shine as the “Pearl of the Adriatic,” welcoming visitors from around the world while ensuring that its residents and culture remain at the heart of the city.