Dubrovnik: a digital transformation beyond tourism

With the ever-growing trend of the digital nomad over the past few years, freelancers are increasingly looking for new and attractive destinations to call their temporary homes (even during a pandemic).

Dubrovnik, keen to catch up with this movement, has recently launched its digital nomad-in-residence programme; a collaboration between the Croatian city and its Tourist Board, bringing together residents and ten selected influencers from the digital nomad world for one week, to create and collaborate on a strategic and sustainable direction for the city.

Two key elements about this initiative have caught my eye. Firstly, that it comes to sustain an already working strategy to diversify the city’s tourist industry (which has been hit hard by the pandemic) by utilising some of its biggest selling points, such as its pleasant climate, scenery, stunning nature, rich cultural heritage, gastronomy and safety, to present it as an ideal short-to-long-term living destination. Couple this with quality healthcare and accommodation facilities, a high level of English proficiency across the population and the creation of digital nomad residence permits, and you just need one final ingredient to lure the professionals in: good internet infrastructure, which Dubrovnik happens to have in spades.

Secondly, the city has shown true creative leadership by utilising influencers who can bring together their communities and raise awareness of it as a new destination to discover. The programme operates much in the way of a contest, which selects the best representatives through an application process to stay in Dubrovnik with all their expenses paid, for one month, in exchange for providing their input.

Up until now, much of Dubrovnik’s economy relied heavily on its tourist industry - and across much of Europe, particularly in coastal towns in cities, this isn’t very different. The pandemic has done much to show just how fragile an economy can be if it makes itself too dependent on this one element. A strategic move like Dubrovnik’s, which capitalises on its existing strengths and reinforces them by making the most of new trends and forward-thinking ideas, can prove a great asset to a city looking to a more integrated and sustainable future, creating a collaborative bridge between long-term locals and new residents with fresh ideas, keen to make their mark on the city.

As part of an all-encompassing strategy for a smart city, a growing, young residential population can provide a real boost to its economy and perception, along with new and fresh solutions from a segment that’s ever connected to the world of digital trends.

That’s what a long-term goal looks like in my eyes, and Dubrovnik could prove it just right with this exercise.