Italia-Croatia

19/12/2024

Eco-tourism is a trendy topic, but without close cooperation between stakeholders—both public and private—and without their creativity, it is very difficult to generate tangible economic benefits for smaller inland communities. This is why initiatives like the ETHNIC project are crucial for bringing stakeholders together, providing them with a strategy as a platform for pooling resources, and enabling the creation of innovative eco-cultural tourism products.

That was the summary of the panel discussion during the final conference of the ETHNIC project, held online, which brought together more than 40 eco-tourism development stakeholders from both Italy and Croatia.

Useful guide for advancing

“Cooperation is crucial, and it does not always happen. We’ve seen that, at times, private individuals collaborate more effectively than public bodies, municipalities, and similar entities. This is why projects like this one are so important. They serve as tools to foster greater cooperation among all tourism development actors in the area. Perhaps someone has recognized the feasibility of such initiatives and facilitated the inclusion of public bodies in this program. The strategy we developed through the ETHNIC project is certainly a useful guide for advancing local tourism development. I’m an optimist by nature, and I don’t think we will have to wait very long to see results if we dedicate our resources to implementing this strategy,” said Mauro Dini, Professor at the University of Urbino and Vice President of Unione Montana Montefeltro, one of the project’s partners.

Tourism expert Gianluca Sarti presented the key findings that served as the foundation for the development of the joint strategy.

Numbers and achievements

During the project impelementation we mapped the areas included and identified:

• 120+ cultural resources
• 70+ natural resources
• 40+ events
• 40 nature-based attractions
• Limited transportation options
• 250+ accomodation facilities
• 3500+ accomodation beds
• 100+ food and beverage facilities

We also identified following stakeholders. 

• 33 Local/regional institutions
• 26 NGOs/interest groups
• 39 sectoral agencies
• 101 Private business
• 4 Education/research institutions
• 1 visitor center
• 2 cultural/sports associations
• Total 204 stakeholders

And we implemented

• 13 in-person workshops
• 5 online workshops

Our core themes of the project were based on principles of sustainable tourism, ecotourism and eco-cultural tourism, and integration of community engagement, smart technologies, and “slow” tourism principles, and as a result we came up with 8 new eco-touristic products:

Montefeltro area: Land Hopping and Active Holidays

Romagna area: Family Active and Holistic Wellness

Ravni kotari area: Weekend in Ravni Kotari, Heritage Trails

Dugopolje area: Live Like a Local, Natural and History Wonders

Lastly, we came up with a tagline that will try to unify our areas, which are very diverse, but share some similarities – “Adriatic Crossroads: Where Culture Meets Nature“.

Developing tourism in hidden areas

In our strategy, we outlined possible joint marketing activities and post-2024 sustainability measures, such as exploring alternative funding sources (e.g., COSME, Creative Europe) and establishing a cross-border memorandum of understanding to foster ongoing collaboration.

One of the questions posed to panel participants was: “How can we develop tourism in hidden inland areas?”

Tomislav Klarin from the University of Zadar responded, “Eco-cultural tourism is a trendy term because scholars in the academic community like to introduce provocative and attractive concepts. They also aim to implement sustainable tourism principles. I would describe eco-cultural tourism as a symbiosis of ecological tourism and cultural activism. It’s gaining traction in the European Union as a response to the challenges of over-tourism and mass tourism, especially in coastal areas. While coastal tourism is already massive, we’re seeing increasingly aggressive tourism development spreading to inland regions. This or similar projects must address how to regulate and control this development. Eco-cultural tourism seeks to preserve and maintain natural and cultural heritage through low-scale tourism, ultimately improving the welfare of local communities. However, the key challenge remains: how to regulate and manage this type of tourism effectively.”

Sharing economy and accesibility

Andrea Guizzardi from the University of Bologna added, “The keyword for this project is cooperation, particularly among small destinations that should pool resources to create an attractive product. For me, an eco-cultural product emphasizes the sharing economy and accessibility. There’s also the cultural aspect, which should go beyond just visiting museums. Creativity is the critical element that enhances visitor satisfaction and makes the product exceptional. With creativity and cooperation, you can build a compelling story that fuels your marketing efforts and simplifies the development of effective marketing strategies.”

As the project approaches its conclusion, partners are realizing that the work completed is just the beginning. By signing the Memorandum of Understanding, they have demonstrated their commitment and willingness to advance the results. They aim to leverage the lessons learned, maintain open communication platforms, and capitalize on the knowledge gained to further the project’s impact, even after its official end date.