Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.17818/DIEM/2026/SI6
GREEN FOR WHOM? TOURISM-ORIENTED GREEN TRANSITION IN DUBROVNIK
Nikolina Hazdovac Bajić
; University of Dubrovnik, Faculty of Economics and Business, Croatia
*
Maria Šoštarić
; University of Dubrovnik, Faculty of Economics and Business, Croatia
* Corresponding author.
Abstract
Although the green transition is usually defined as a structural shift in society and the economy toward sustainable models that minimize harmful environmental impacts and ensure long-term climate resilience, in the context of this paper the green transition refers to urban greening as a key aspect of this process, manifesting as a socio-spatial and not only ecological phenomenon. This paper investigates how urban greening policies are framed and implemented in Dubrovnik, Croatia, which is simultaneously characterized by overtourism and active urban greening policies. Drawing on critical discourse analysis of five strategic documents combined with resident perspectives from qualitative interviews, the paper argues that urban greening policies in Dubrovnik predominantly prioritize aesthetic attractiveness and tourism-oriented urban representation, while everyday, resident-oriented green infrastructure remains weakly integrated into policy design and implementation. Furthermore, the analysis reveals a discursive and spatial pattern in which greening investments concentrate in tourist-visible urban areas, while residential zones receive less attention. Thus, in the case of Dubrovnik urban greening appears to enhance destination competitiveness while generating only limited redistributive benefits for permanent residents. The paper contributes to emerging debates on green gentrification, selective sustainability, and the social dimensions of the urban green transition, with implications for policy design in tourism-dependent economies beyond the Croatian context.
Keywords
urban greening; historical Mediterranean city; Dubrovnik; tourism; socio-spatial inequalities; selective sustainability
Hrčak ID:
352142
URI
Publication date:
15.10.2026.
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