Dubrovnik has picked up another major international tourism accolade – this time in Las Vegas – after being named the winner of the prestigious Virtuoso Global Stewardship Award 2026.
The Dubrovnik Tourist Board took the top prize in the Destination category, recognising the city’s work on sustainable tourism and responsible destination management.
And competition for the award was certainly fierce.
More than 300 nominations from across Virtuoso’s global network were submitted for this year’s awards, before Dubrovnik eventually found itself among just three finalists alongside the Slovenian Tourist Board and CzechTourism.
The final decision was then put into the hands of the audience.
Dubrovnik Wins Live Vote in Las Vegas
The award was presented on August 10 during the Under One Sky event, part of Virtuoso Travel Week in Las Vegas.
More than 700 participants attended the event, with Dubrovnik ultimately emerging victorious following a live audience vote.
The initial nominations had been evaluated by the Virtuoso Sustainability Guild, comprising more than 20 members of the organisation’s team dedicated to sustainability, together with Virtuoso’s Sustainability team.
Their assessment reduced more than 300 nominations to three Destination finalists – before the audience decided the eventual winner.
Respect the City Takes Centre Stage
Dubrovnik’s submission focused heavily on the city’s approach to sustainable tourism and particularly its Respect the City project.
The programme was introduced as Dubrovnik attempted to tackle the enormous pressures created by its extraordinary rise in global tourism popularity.
Measures aimed at managing visitor numbers, protecting the historic centre and finding a better balance between tourism and everyday life for residents have since become central to the city’s tourism strategy.
A specially produced video highlighting Dubrovnik’s sustainability projects and results was shown during the final presentation before voting took place.
And it evidently struck the right note.
Another International Recognition for Dubrovnik
The award was accepted on behalf of the Dubrovnik Tourist Board by Ivan Rudolf Gajić, Director of Sales and Marketing at Villa Dubrovnik.
Villa Dubrovnik and the Tourist Board are the only members of the prestigious Virtuoso network from the Dubrovnik area.
The award was presented by Virtuoso CEO Matthew D. Upchurch.
The Virtuoso Global Stewardship Awards place particular emphasis on responsible tourism, protection of cultural heritage and supporting local communities.
For Dubrovnik – a city that has previously found itself at the centre of the global debate about overtourism – winning an international award specifically for sustainable and responsible destination management represents another significant turnaround.
And after seeing off competition from Slovenia and the Czech Republic in front of hundreds of international travel professionals in Las Vegas, Dubrovnik can now add another major tourism trophy to its increasingly crowded cabinet.
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