Dubrovnik has once again found itself on an international top list, but this time one not to be proud of. The website Matador Network has published a list entitled “6 destinations being ruined by mega-cruise ships,” and Dubrovnik finds itself in second place. At the top of the list of shame is Venice and the rest of the list includes Belize, Alaska, Antarctica and Svalbard, Norway.

- Similar to Venice, the city of Dubrovnik just wasn’t designed to handle the volume of cruisers who come pouring of the ships that arrive every few days. A naturally hilly city, tourists are bused from the modern port to the Old Town and back each day, and are wearing the Old Town away – writes Matador about Dubrovnik.

The cruise ship crush in Dubrovnik will bring almost a million passengers this year and over 65 percent of all cruise ships in Croatian territorial waters arrive in Dubrovnik.

Read the full article here.

The popular fashion website “InStyle” has published an article entitled “5 Reasons to Have Your Destination Wedding and Honeymoon in Croatia.” This latest article about Croatia in the international media praises the gems of the Adriatic and highlights the advantages of having your big day in the country.

- Located across from Italy on the crystal clear waters of the Adriatic Sea, it has some of the most spectacular beaches you’ll ever see in your life. But what you won’t find a lot of in Croatia are the massive resort chains that have become so common in other parts of Europe and throughout the world. There’s still an authentic kind of grittiness that so perfectly juxtaposes the pristine waters that surround its 1,000-plus islands – opens the article.

The sunsets, the crystal clear blue water, the history, the food and the romance were listed as the top five reasons InStyle gives for making Croatia your dream wedding destination. - If you’re planning a destination wedding or celebrating your honeymoon, Croatia should be at the top of your list of possible locales – adds the article. And piece features stunning photos from the Dubrovnik based photography company Adriatic Images.

Check out the full article here.

People who know me, know I'm not one for public showing of emotions. In fact, I prefer not to show how I feel at all outside of my home or outside of a very select circle of friends. Plenty of times this reservation is tied to my job. When you are working in tourism, especially with guests directly you need to practise not letting your feelings show. Don’t get me wrong, I am usually perfectly honest with friendly disposition towards my guests. It’s just that sometimes you don’t feel so great because of whatever reason and you can’t let your guests know this. Being overly positive and friendly right from the start is also not the best way to go. Some people simply want the service and no personal engagement and I respect that.

When it comes to everyday life and displays of emotion, hugging seems to be the most common ritual for those around me who are not shy to show affection. I am not a fan of it and I’m clumsy with other touchy-feely interactions as well. My wife is very much different in this respect and she finds endless entertainment in seeing me squirm in social situations. Recently, she was able to put my personal service delivery philosophy to a real test. We were entertaining a very special group of guests last week, very friendly and relaxed. As it turns out, all of them are dedicated huggers much like she is and guess what happened when I was exposed for an emotional scrooge? Yes, they all rushed in to show me just how much fun you can have distributing signs of joy and affection to those around you.

One day I guided a historical tour for them and enjoyed doing so. Apparently, they liked it too, because they honoured me with a group hug in the middle of one of the busiest Dubrovnik squares as a reward. I’m a big, and generally angry looking guy, so group hugs make me look like a grizzly among Ewoks (Star Wars reference…I went there). My joy was compounded when I realised there are plenty of photos of this being taken that are bound to make their way to the wife. Of course, I was visibly uncomfortable which made the whole thing even funnier. For the remainder of the week I was a victim of unprovoked random hugs by virtually anyone from the group to the delight of my better half. Well played Mrs. Jukic. Well played.

In a way, it was a welcome break from being strictly professional, I have to admit. The hugging thing is still not my cup of tea, but by the end of this group’s stay, we’ve established a very nice relationship which perhaps wouldn’t be so friendly if it wasn’t for the ice breaking displays of emotion. One thing puzzles me though. I’ve guided two more city tours since then and both times there were guests at the end of the tours who felt compelled to give me a hug. This almost never happened before. Are hugs like bee stings that release pheromones and attract other huggers? A chilling thought, if ever there was one. One of the guests even commented: “You are such a good hugger.” What can I tell you, practice makes perfect.

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Bozidar Jukic, AKA The Restless Native, is a Dubrovnik local with too many interests to name them all, with writing being at the very top of the list. He is a lover of good food, music and film, and a firm believer in the healing power of laughter. His professional orientation is towards tourism and travel so it comes as no surprise he spends most of his time alongside Mrs. Jukic running their own local tour company. Their goal is helping travellers from all over the world get a more intimate experience of Dubrovnik and what it has to offer. To find out more about their work, visit their website or Facebook page.
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Mayor of Dubrovnik Andro Vlahusic and councilor for administration for the mayor's office Igor Deranja met today with the director and executive producer of the film "Robin Hood: Origins" Otto Bathurst and E. Bennett Walsh.

Director Bathurst told the mayor that Dubrovnik, which will play Nottingham in the movie, is a location they could never dream of.

- In the movie with the historical theme, the choice of location is just crucial. We looked at dozens of locations around the world, but Dubrovnik very quickly established itself as the only choice - said Bathurst and discovered that our city will be" the heart of the movie itself. "

The executive producer of the film, which will very likely turn into a trilogy, veteran E. Bennett Walsh closely acquainted the mayor with the project, presented a draft plan of shooting and expressed demands of the film crew. The producer, whose filmography includes such blockbusters like "Disturbia," "The Amazing Spider-Man" and both parts of Tarantino's "Kill Bill", is delighted with the openness and affection which by the City of Dubrovnik. He also said that Lionsgate is also in the final negotiations with the rest of the actors who will complement already impressive lineup and all the details will be known by the end of October when the much broader film crew will again visit Dubrovnik.

-The budget for marketing and promotion of the movie is very close to the amount of 100 million dollars, and Dubrovnik will be the basis of the total global marketing campaign - said Walsh.

When welcoming Bathurst and Walsh , the mayor Vlahusic said that in the city of Dubrovnik is the right partner to overcome the challenges that are inevitable when the recording takes place in the heart of the living city. The director and producer Barhurst Walsh readily accepted the mayor's proposal to flag the arrival of "Robin Hood" during the course of the Dubrovnik Winter Festival through a joint promotional campaign.

So far confirmed filming locations include a part of Stradun, City Port, the street of St. Dominic and the area under the bridge at Ploce. Setting the set design will begin in December, and the shooting will take place during three weeks in February and March.

By recording these big productions Dubrovnik will further confirm its status as the largest film studio in the open. Premiere of the film is planned for February 2018.

According to the program eVisitor, for the registration and deregistration and recorded marine tourist traffic, on the first of October there was 12,888 tourists in Dubrovnik (15 percent more than in 2015), and most of them were from the United Kingdom, Germany, USA, France, Finland, Sweden, Canada, Australia, Netherlands, China and Croatia. 

During September in Dubrovnik was registered 12 percent more arrivals than in September 2015 adn 11 percent more overnight stays. In September, the majority of guests were from the UK, USA, Germany, France, Spain, Australia, Sweden, Finland, Canada and Ireland.
In the first nine months of 2016 Dubrovnik has achieved record-breaking results in all types of accommodation. From 1st of January to 30th of September in Dubrovnik there was 11 percent more visits and 12 percent more overnight stays than 2015. That is more than three million overnight stays this year! This is the top list of visitors this year - led traditionally by UK, then France, USA, Germany, Spain, Croatia, Sweden, Australia, Finland and Italy.

According to the records of marine tourist traffic in the first nine months of 2016 there was 13 percent less arrivals and six percent more overnight stays.

The month of October is significant for congress tourism, and the end of this month there will the Good Food Festival, so more good results are expected.

Exhibition ''Bella Vista'' of contemporary Dubrovnik artist, academic painter Ivana Drazic Selmani will be opened on Thursday, 6th of October, at 7 pm in the Dubrovnik Art Gallery. The artist will be presented by the ambient installation, images, graphics and video. All work discusses the Dubrovnik environment with all its beauty, melancholy and issues, announced Dubrovnik Art Gallery. 

The largest exhibition hall of the Gallery will be filled with salt in a layer of a few inches, creating a visual sensation with dense symbolism. By researching personal history, the artist has carried out the work ''On the Dance'' (2013), a series of sixteen miniature drawings (3 x 4 cm) made according to the template of old photographs, showing scenes of bathing on the Dance, one of the oldest Dubrovnik beaches.

In the newly created cycle, pictures of larger formats called Bella Vista also show scenes from swimming made based on models of the old family black and white photos from a period of thirties to fifties. Pictures capture moments of leisure, relaxation, harmonious coexistence of man and the sea.

The exhibition will be opened until Sunday, 13th of November, 2016.

What happens when you combine thumping house music from Fedde Le Grand and the jaw dropping beauty of Dubrovnik...this happens!

Matija Škalić and Matej Matijevic spent two weeks producing this amazing video of one of the world’s most popular DJs, Fedde Le Grand, when he arrived in Dubrovnik to perform in the Revelin Festival in the Culture Club Revelin.

A journey through the historic streets of the Old City of Dubrovnik with the sounds of house music seems a perfect fit.

Summer has just finished and according to Huffington Post, this is the best season to travel. They've published an article with the cities to visit now or as they call them – autumn escapes. In this article Dubrovnik is mentioned as the first city worth a visit, while there is still some sunshine left. 

- Dubrovnik is at its best once the summer crowds and cruise ships have gone; the cafes on the pedestrianised Stradun serve the best gelati in Croatia, and the sea on golden Banje beach is still warm enough for a dip – writes the author of the article and we couldn't agree more, even though we weren't so brave to jump into the sea these days.

They also add that the tourists should visit War Photo Museum, which charts the dark days when the city was under siege during the War of Independence in the early 1990s and to carry a warm coat, so that they can eat outside at Restaurant 360, the city’s hippest eaterie (how they call it), with wonderful views of the historic walls.

Other destinations that are mentioned are Seville, Prague, Budapest, Marrakech, Nuremberg, New York and Montreal.