October the 5th, 2026 – Dubrovnik, once known as the unfortunate poster child of mass tourism, has now been nominated for the title of World’s Leading Sustainable Destination.
After being named the world’s best sustainable destination back in 2025, Dubrovnik has once again been nominated this year for the prestigious title of “World’s Leading Sustainable Destination 2026” as part of the World Sustainable Travel & Hospitality Awards. Morski reports that voting is open until the 21st of October, and Dubrovnik is competing for the title against four other world destinations.
The new nomination represents a continuation of the international recognition of the City of Dubrovnik’s long-standing activities aimed at responsible and sustainable tourism management, the preservation of cultural and historical heritage, the protection of the natural environment, and the quality of life of the local population.
In 2025, Dubrovnik won the title of World’s Leading Sustainable Destination, with particular emphasis in the justification on the Respect the City initiative, launched back in 2017 as a strategic and multidisciplinary model of destination management.
Among the measures recognised at the time were the application of new technologies in visitor management, an artificial intelligence-based system for predicting visitor numbers, the Dubrovnik Pass, coordination of cruise ship arrivals and a reservation system for tourist buses, as well as other projects that align tourism development with the needs of the local community and the protection of valuable heritage. The results of this approach are also visible through the assessment according to the criteria of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), according to which Dubrovnik increased its score from 70 percent in 2019 to 86.04 percent in 2023.
Competing with Dubrovnik for the title of World’s Leading Sustainable Destination 2026 are Diriyah – The City of Earth, Dubai, the Maldives, and Serengeti National Park. Voting has been open from the 25th of September and will remain open until the 21st of October 2026. Representatives of the tourism and hospitality sector, the media, and the general public can participate. Votes from verified professionals in the tourism and hospitality industry carry double the value of public votes.
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The World Sustainable Travel & Hospitality Awards (WSTHA) is otherwise a global awards programme launched at COP28 in Dubai with the aim of recognising and showcasing individuals, organisations, destinations and initiatives that make a significant contribution to the sustainable development of tourism and hospitality. WSTHA is a sister programme of the World Travel Awards, an international tourism awards programme established in 1993, and 2026 marks its third annual edition.
The categories and criteria of the programme are guided by an international Advisory Board composed of experts, representatives of the academic community and leading institutions in the field of sustainable tourism. The programme is based on the principles of the UN Sustainable Development Goals and an approach that encompasses people, planet, place, prosperity and partnerships, with the aim of recognising concrete solutions, innovations and measurable progress towards more sustainable tourism.
