Digital potential: this is how Dubrovnik can join the list of “smart cities” in Europe

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We live in an age where any device that can multitask is considered smart, from our phones to our clocks.

However, the concept of smart cities It is not something that is talked about much, despite the fact that several countries, especially in Asia, have plans to build these ultra-connected urban centers.

Croatia is one of them. And not to be left out of this new wave of development, one of its main tourist hubs, Dubrovnik, has recently announced its intention to join a list of European tech hotspots leading the way to an ultra-digital future.

This is how they plan to do it.

What is a smart city?

According to the European Commission, a smart city it is a place where traditional infrastructure is nurtured by digital solutions for the benefit of its inhabitants.

This includes smarter transportation networks, more efficient heating and lighting systems, and better water and waste disposal facilities. Everyday interactions would be powered by technology, helping to make public spaces safer and communication between residents easier.

Although achieving these goals is possible in theory, it is difficult to say whether a true “smart city” exists today.

Singapore It is perhaps the closest thing to one. Since launching its “Smart Nation” initiative in 2014, it has introduced a digital health care system that places video consultations and an “internet of things” wearable device for patient follow-up at the heart of its strategy.

In 2021, the city government announced plans for a car-free eco-smart city in Tengah, western Singapore. The town, rebuilt as a forest city, will house 42,000 citizens and will have safe areas for pedestrians and cyclists.

This project could be a real success and many cities around the world would try to follow the example of Singapore.

The technological potential of Dubrovnik

In an interview given to EURACTIV Croatia, the Mayor of Dubrovnik Mato Frankovićset out the city’s objectives with a view to its inclusion in the list of world technology centers.

Although already a popular tourist spot, he said the COVID crisis has prompted Dubrovnik to “rethink and reorganize” to stabilize the economic recovery.

He mentioned three axes for this plan, which the city intends to carry out in the coming years.

digital arts center

Game development has accelerated in recent years, to the point where an enthusiastic gamer can choose from thousands of video games and online casino games.

Dubrovnik intends to capitalize on this by building a brand new digital arts center called DUBROVNIK. Its objective, focused on the audiovisual and information technology industries, will be a meeting and work center for the main digital creatives in the country, with the hope of forming a kind of “business incubator”, in the words of the mayor.

“This will help strengthen the competitiveness of this sector of the economy and increase employment. The complex would allow space and equipment rental,” he said.

digital nomads

The so-called digital nomads are people who like to post images of their work on the beach or on a rooftop.

The nomadic movement is a very real thing and many cities are looking to welcome digital workers from abroad. Franković cited a conference the city hosted two years ago as a good way to show what it offers to those people, and that it hopes they will travel and pay taxes into the national system.

And not only that, but advertising Dubrovnik as a trendy tech hub for aspiring entrepreneurs is a great way to bolster your international reputation.

film tourism

Dubrovnik’s beautiful natural landscapes have already made it an ideal destination for film and television makers.

The phenomenon calledfilm tourism”, occurs when several foreign film crews visit the city in a short period of time. In September and October 2020 alone, three production companies shot content in the city. In 2021, more than 25 film crews visited the city, according to the mayor, to film various programs, including Travel’s “Quest’s World of Wonder” television show.

In addition to these three axes, the city has also introduced several innovative digital measures aimed at improving the quality of life for residents. One of them is a web platform that predicts how many visitors are expected to come to the historic center of the city at a given time, which allows crowds to be managed and residents to be duly notified.

There’s also a smart parking app, which covers all parking spaces and directs drivers to the nearest spot, reducing congestion, as well as roadside webcams that detect traffic hotspots.

Finally, a 100% electric car-sharing system, in place since the end of 2019, is another green tool designed to reduce emissions and improve comfort for residents who don’t have a car.

If Dubrovnik’s mayor succeeds in carrying out the bold plans he has proposed, he could position the city between Zurich, Barcelona and Copenhagen as Europe’s leading smart urban areas, and become a space free of polluted and congested areas.