The medieval stone walls and island-studded coastline of Dubrovnik have long made it a bucket-list stop. This spring the streets are already packed. But the same global instability that has unsettled energy markets is now reaching the Adriatic, and the people whose livelihoods depend on the summer crush are watching closely.
Miro Draskovic, director of the Dubrovnik Tourist Board, told The Associated Press that North American traffic remains robust. The trouble is showing up among long-haul travelers. Some Australian tourists — typically among the top 10 nationalities that visit the city — are “facing difficulties traveling toward Europe,” Draskovic said. “The situation for sure is very, very difficult, and we are following what’s happening every day.”
The numbers so far provide a mixed picture. Dubrovnik’s airport handled 13 % more passengers over Easter than a year earlier. But the airport’s spokeswomen, Marina Ruso Mileusnic, noted that connectivity to some 70 airports around the world makes the city unusually exposed. “We are very cautious about the upcoming season,” she said.
The portents from energy markets explain the caution. Fatih Birol, head of the International Energy Agency, told the AP in early April that Europe has only weeks of jet fuel reserves and could be heading toward the worst energy disruption it has ever faced. Days later, EU Transport Commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas pushed back, saying there is “no actual evidence” of shortages in the bloc and urging Europeans to plan their holidays without fear.
For some travelers, the anxiety is already translating into tactical changes. Singapore businessman Ramon Padiernos said the Persian Gulf tensions forced him to abandon his preferred carriers, Emirates and Qatar Airways, and book with Turkish Airlines instead. He still made it to Dubrovnik. “We feel the impact maybe of oil prices but I think everybody just goes on with their lives and enjoy their holidays,” Padiernos said. “I think it is best for the world to see the lighter side of it, rather than focusing on the issues that we cannot control.”
Croatia’s broader economy is already feeling the pinch. Inflation reached 5.8 % in April, one of the highest rates in the EU, with energy costs a significant driver. Tourism is not only a pillar of coastal life but a national economic engine: the country recorded nearly 22 million tourist arrivals last year, and Dubrovnik alone generated 4.28 million overnight stays out of approximately 110 million nationwide.
Draskovic said his office is operating on a day-to-day basis. “We can only work on day-to-day basis to get the best possible season we can,” he said, adding that hopes remain high that conditions will normalize before the summer peak. Until then, the ancient city’s café terraces and harborsides are full, but the season’s bottom line has yet to be written.