Frano Haklička, a prominent Dubrovnik tourist guide and erudite, has died in 2026. He was born in 1942, and during his long career he earned a reputation as one of the most well-known lecturers on the history and culture of the city by the sea.
The Dubrovnik Association of Tourist Guides (Društvo turističkih vodiča Dubrovnik) officially bid farewell to Haklička, highlighting his contribution to the promotion of the city. Haklička was recognisable for his frequent appearances in the Dubrovački vjesnik, where he regularly shared his observations on local events and cultural heritage.
In a 2018 interview, Haklička provided a comprehensive review of the state of the tourism profession, warning of negative trends. He noted a clear tendency to discard more experienced, older guides in favour of newly minted colleagues, which he considered detrimental to service quality.
As an example of the poor perception of young guides, Haklička cited the case of an Italian guest who, after being guided by a young guide, stated that these young experts actually knew nothing. For comparison, he highlighted the tradition of old Dubrovnik, where citizens chose a knez (prince) older than 50 precisely because of his life maturity and experience.
Haklička is also known for his earlier, sharp criticisms of urban development. As early as the 70s, he stated that Dubrovnik did not need any more hotels, warning of the dangers of overcrowding. He believed the city already had sufficient capacity, comparing it to a one-litre bottle that holds exactly one litre of liquid, but not two.
