CLIA and Dubrovnik have signed a memorandum of understanding
intended to preserve and protect the cultural heritage of the Croatian city
through "responsible tourism management."
Elements include establishing a dedicated working group of
community and international organizations, collaboration on a "destination
stewardship roadmap" for the city based on United Nations sustainable-tourism
criteria, communicating and implementing the previously developed 2020 cruise
ship berthing policy, and developing a visitor-education campaign.
Cruise lines and CLIA previously engaged with Dubrovnik
mayor Mato Frankovic to spread out cruise ship arrivals after Frankovic
threatened to limit the daily number of cruise passengers.
Commenting on the initiative, Frankovic stated: "We
have developed an open and trustworthy relationship with CLIA and its members
over the last two years. This commitment is just a beginning of a joint
systematic, integrated and participative approach that will target some of the
most important tourism issues locally and globally."
"Today's agreement validates the work we have already
done with Mayor Frankovic and formalizes the cruise industry's continued
commitment to the city of Dubrovnik and its people," CLIA president and
CEO Kelly Craighead said.
The partners are exploring the possibility of a Dubrovnik
World Heritage Visitor Center and Intermodal Transportation Center in Gruz
Port, where cruise ships dock a mile or two outside Dubrovnik's walled city
center.