– PRESS RELEASE – 3 EUSAIR flagships related to Sustainable Tourism to be developed!

The Ministry of Tourism, as the coordinator of the EUSAIR Thematic Pillar of Sustainable Tourism (TSG4) and project partner in Facility Point strategic project signed a contract with the group of tenderers: Institute for Tourism and WYG Consulting ltd from Zagreb for the development of three project ideas into mature strategic project proposals embedded in a transnational and cross-sectoral context. As the implementation of macro-regional strategies does not have its own sources of funding, the implementation of this agreement aims to ensure the development, eligibility and application for EU grants in the new financial perspective 2021-2027. The three mutually defined projects will be strategically important for the Adriatic-Ionian region. The contract is part of technical and administrative support to members of EUSAIR governance, as well as members of EUSAIR thematic groups. The selection of external TSG4 experts was made through an open competitive procedure and an international tender, according to national and EU rules related to public procurement of services.

The contract worth HRK 1,526,000 relates to the development of the 3 projects:

CulTourAIR is focused on improving the existing system of cultural tourism statistics in order to facilitate informed decision-making regarding sustainable and responsible management of the entire cultural tourism product in the Adriatic-Ionian region. The project should include research on the profiles, attitudes and consumption of visitors to cultural attractions and events in the region and establish a unique and harmonized methodological framework that would enable the countries of the Adriatic-Ionian region to continuously conduct research and monitor the characteristics of cultural needs, resources, local economy and society.

DES_AIR contributes to the integrated sustainable management of tourist destinations in the Adriatic-Ionian region through the development of human capital through targeted education of the tourism sector. Human capital is the most valuable form of capital, and EUSAIR recognises it also as a priority through its 4th Thematic Pillar, which is dedicated to the development of sustainable human capital in the field of sustainable tourism.

Green Mapping aims to support the development, market positioning and promotion of tourism activities of quality (M) SMEs and destinations in the EUSAIR countries as key components and stakeholders of sustainable tourism development of the Adriatic-Ionian macro-region. Green Mapping is in line with the EU Green Deal, a strategy for achieving a sustainable EU economy, presented in December last year.

The development of these strategic projects in the Adriatic-Ionian macro-region is just one in a series of activities that should contribute to positioning the Adriatic-Ionian region as a sustainable, cultural and natural beauty-based macro-regional destination guided by knowledge and best practices.

Ph.D. Renata Tomljenović, Assistant Director of the Institute of Tourism:

"For many years, the Institute for Tourism has been engaged in the development of cultural tourism, the improvement of knowledge in the field of tourism and catering as part of formal and lifelong education, proving its involvement in the development of sustainable tourism. Through our research, we have recognized that all countries in the Adriatic-Ionian region, to a greater or lesser extent, face the same or similar problems, and that joint, regional projects could make a significant contribution to their effective solution. In this context, the opportunity to apply our knowledge and experience in designing these three strategic projects for the Adriatic-Ionian region is invaluable. Their strategic status emphasizes the importance of these projects and, at the same time, enables the mobilization of key stakeholders in the countries of the Adriatic-Ionian region and, thus, the successful elaboration of the project and, in the future, their financing. "