February the 1st, 2026 – Rovinj is set to introduce a new capacity-based cruise ship fee, but it won’t come into force until 2027.
As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, the powers that be within the administration in Rovinj recently adopted a decision on the amount of the tourist tax to place on cruise ships in international maritime traffic for 2027. This will be the sum charged when such a vessel is moored in a port or at an anchorage within the Rovinj area. This decision is to introduce a capacity-based cruise ship fee in the form of a tourist tax, the amount of which will be determined, as stated, depending on the capacity of passengers per vessel in question.
Alongside making sure cruise tourism brings in a stable form of income, the primary goal of this future measure is to further direct the development of Rovinj as a destination towards the principles of sustainable visitor management. This is especially important during periods of increased arrivals such as during the height of summer. Another aim is the more fair distribution of the the costs that a larger number of single-day visitors can generate on communal infrastructure, the maintenance of public areas, mobility and the quality of a stay in the city.
The Head of the Administrative Department for Economy, Public Procurement and European Funds of the City of Rovinj, Martina Čekić Hek, highlighted the clear purpose of the funds collected:
“The funds collected through this future measure will be distributed in such a way that 85% belong to the municipality or city, and 15% to the wider county. These funds are to be used exclusively for improving the tourism infrastructure across Rovinj. Based on the Tourism Development Strategy until the year 2030, the goal is to maintain the quality of life in the area of the city at a very high standard, in accordance with the guidelines for sustainable tourism development. This proposal is aimed at reducing crowds and pressure on space during the summer months,” concluded Čekić Hek.
In the first eleven months of last year, the Port of Rovinj recorded 98 visits from foreign cruise ships, ranking it ahead of Šibenik, while lagging behind the ports of Dubrovnik, Split, Zadar, Korčula and Hvar. This confirms Rovinj’s position as one of the key cruise points in the northern Adriatic.
