Dubrovnik's Deputy Mayor, Jelka Tepšić, and the Head of the Administrative Department for the Mayor's Affairs of the City of Dubrovnik, Ivana Brnin, hosted a Thai delegation today, led by Asi Mamanee, the Chief Director of the Department for European Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand. One of the key topics of discussion revolved around the potential collaboration between the cities of Dubrovnik and Phuket, one of Thailand's most renowned tourist destinations.

Deputy Mayor Tepšić introduced them to the principles and outcomes of the flagship project "Respect the City" and the shift in tourism towards sustainability. This shift, as highlighted by analyses conducted by the University of Dubrovnik, has yielded positive results.

The Thai guests, whose tourist cities also grapple with over-tourism, expressed interest in the measures implemented by the city to address this issue. Deputy Mayor Tepšić provided insights into these measures, including tourist education activities, which involve an informative animated film providing guidance on respectful behavior at UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

The Thai delegation included Sirivilai Rojprasitporn, Director of the Department for Eastern Europe at the Department for European Affairs of the Ministry; Donlada Thongboon, Counsellor from the Royal Thai Embassy in Budapest; Amporn Ngampitakchok, Secretary-General of the Department for Eastern Europe; and Manchulika Wongchai, Attaché of the Department for European Affairs.

This meeting reflects the international interest in Dubrovnik's sustainable tourism initiatives and the potential for cross-border cooperation in addressing shared challenges in the tourism sector.