PEARL OF THE ADRIATIC
Congress geography of the former Yugoslavia recognized city locations of Ljubljana, Zagreb, Sarajevo and Belgrade, and Adriatic locations Portorož, Opatija and Dubrovnik. These cities are still by some accounts seen as locations from the olden days.
I was first turned to Dubrovnik by legendary professor Ignacij Voje, one of the experts on SE Europe and the Dubrovnik Republic, which used to dictate the faith of the entire region. With each visit I remember his comparison of Dubrovnik to some sort of renaissance Hong Kong. The republic peaked in the 15th century. For twelve centuries it defied the pressures and threats of superpowers with trade skills and diplomacy. The character of the people of Dubrovnik can be summarized by the inscription above the entrance to the Lovrijenac fortress: “Freedom is not for sale for all the gold in the world”.
I’ve been visiting Dubrovnik on a regular basis since 1996, when the city was wounded by a brutal Chetnik attack. In 1998 I was one of the few guests of a conference on Project Management in Cavtat. At that time Hotel Croatia was the only serious convention hotel and it didn’t look too bright. Hotels at Babin kuk still looked pretty grim and were mostly abandoned. Where the Radisson Blu stands today, the former Dubrovački vrtovi sunca were full of refugees. The Dubrovnik of that time was replaced by new convention hotels, the insufferable summer crowds and a feeling your at the centre of the world. On a random visit to Stradun you can run into John McEnroe, preparing for a tennis match against veteran Goran Ivanišević in front of the Duke’s Palace. Many celebrities visit the city. As a sign of complete tourist renovation the Srđ funicular was finished this year, finally putting an unpleasant era of the city behind it.
MTLG INDEX / 2017 EDITION
DESTINATION CAPACITY
- The number of 4* and 5* category hotel rooms: 4,165
- The number of 4* and 5* category hotels: 29
- Banquet hall maximum capacity: 700
- The largest hall in the city: 900 m2
- Destination population: 42,615
- Maximum hall capacity in theatre style: 1,200
MTLG CATEGORY
M– MEETING DESTINATIONS
Destinations that can host up to 1000 attendees.
Check out the new MTLG categorization for 2017 here.
| DUBROVNIK INDIVIDUAL GRADES 2017 | |
|---|---|
| DESTINATION MARK: | 4.27 |
| Natural and cultural factors: | 4.94 |
| General and transport infrastructure: | 4.56 |
| Tourist infrastructure: | 4.90 |
| Meeting infrastructure: | 4.80 |
| Subjective grade: | 4.77 |
| Marketing Buzz: | 4.39 |
| ICCA index: | 3.35 |
| Numbeo quality of life Index: | 3.44 |
| Numbeo Safety Index | 4.79 |
| ACI Airport Connectivity Index | 2.81 |
BEST INCENTIVE IDEA
Down the old city walls
When you visit Dubrovnik, the first thing you will notice are magnificent stone walls that surround the city. Make an entrance, abseil down the walls to the main city street, the popular Stradun where the hosts will await you with the welcome drink. All of that will be spiced up with music performed by a street performer.
COMPARISION WITH THE REGION
Dubrovnik is the flagship of regional tourism and is the first association of meetings organizers we meet daily. It has still not reached its full potential. It is the closest in the region to renowned Mediterranean convention destinations Cannes and Monte Carlo. It has the biggest potential in the area of corporate and other incentives; after the completion of the convention centre also in the area of international associations conventions.
COOL MEETINGS
DUBROVAČKA ROŽATA – The dessert of Dubrovnik’s nobility. Cream eggs with caramel sauce served most often with the sweet liqueur of fruit. One of the Croatian versions of the world-famous cream with caramel.
