Development of specific cultural and natural tourism should be encouraged in Karlovac, Ozalj and Netretić, but further investments (even minimal ones) with the connection of existing tourist resources, are the key to creating a unique offer of location in the center of Croatia. This was, in addition to the constant emphasis on informing tourists and exploiting tourist potentials, the main conclusion of group interviews held in Karlovac County - in the city of Karlovac, the city of Ozalj and the municipality of Netretić. The participants were local stakeholders - representatives of the civil and public sector, tourism professionals and creators of tourism facilities in Karlovac County.

Heritage mapping and locals involvement

The main topic of the group interviews was the involvement of the local population in the identification of cultural heritage, all with the aim of opening opportunities for creating a tourist offer of products and services outside the established tourist routes, ie mapping cultural and natural heritage in that targeted area. In Ozalj, representatives of the civil and public sector participated in a group interview, and concluded with a joint discussion that it is necessary to continue investing in the development of a specific offer of cultural tourism and tourism based on the natural beauties of the region. Also, it was concluded that there is enough content that needs to be improved and united to make a meaningful whole with minimal investment, in order to show the unique offer of this location.

Networking, informing and continuing project activities

In Netretić, participants emphasized the current tourist potentials available to the municipality - focusing on the Old Town of Novigrad on Dobra, and the possibility of additional investment in this locality with accompanying tourist facilities in order to create a complete tourist product.

Finally, in Karlovac, in the Firefighters' Museum gathered stakeholders who are essential to the development of tourism and the tourist offer of that city. The discussion concluded that Karlovac must work on connecting current tourist resources, and since they can currently cover the requirements of various specific forms of tourism, it is only necessary to work on marketing – networking and informing visitors and tourists.

Group interviews were the first set of informative and “questioning“ events that will be held as part of the project Excover in Karlovac county, so the plan is to visit next week all the other interesting and attractive tourist sites with the aim of mapping the tourist offer in this area.