European island loved by Brits curves party tourism with summer restrictions

A European island that has been compared to Ibiza and is loved by British tourists is hoping to change its party reputation and will implement rules to achieve that this summer. Hvar is a Croatian island located off the coast of the popular city of Split and is known for its nightlife and party scene, something that many tourists have discovered over the last few years. However, the island is following in suit of other popular tourist spots in Europe and is introducing summer restrictions on nightlife.

Hvar's city council voted in a closed-door meeting to keep noise restrictions this summer to 85 decibels and below. This would be the equivelant to noisy traffic or a busy restaurant, Croatian media outlet Dnevnik reports. There has been push back from the local hospitality sector as the busy tourist season approaches. However, the council reportedly wants the island to be seen as a more relaxing, family-friendly destination rather than a go-to for roudy party tourism.

Darijo Šarić, CEO of travel company VIP Holiday Booker said that bars and clubs on the island of Hvar have played loud music and encouraged "excessive partying among visitors, and contributed to a 'party destination' image in Croatian tourism".

Fines for exceeding the 85 decible limit are €1,320 (around £1,100) for businesses and €300 (around £255) for individuals, guidelines state. Meanwhile, repeat offenders may run into additional fines.

"Croatia has increasingly built a reputation for being a family-friendly destination, offering cultural richness, natural beauty and a relaxed atmosphere," Šarić added.

Vicko Visković from the hospitality association Dictum Factum described the move as a "disaster" to Dnevnik.hr. "We have always supported stricter rules and better monitoring, but now we are going from one extreme to another. This is not the right approach," he said.

Hvar's major tourist season is approaching as the summer months get closer. The island has become popular with British tourists over the last number of years, who fly into Split to then get a boat to the sunny island.

The island has been compared to Ibiza in the past, which might change with the introduction of stricter rules of nightlife businesses.