"I visited nature parts of many world's mountains, but have nowhere found what our Velebit and the entire Lika-Senj County have to offer ", said the experienced mountaineer Tomislav Ćanić when the Excover project team visited him. Ćanić believes that the numerous natural potentials of this area can be valorised only by devising a strategy that will offer tourists something more, putting the intangible and unexplored to the light. That is why he enthusiastically supported the goals of this cross-border project in Croatia and Italy, whose representatives held an Excover info day as part of the annual culture and tourism fair in Gospić, to publicly present opportunities to participate and to detect experiences that tourists can get in Lika-Senj County.
Visitors and exhibitors showed interest in project
The Excover project stand attracted many curious visitors with promotional materials and informative videos, and beside to people from all over Croatia, the project was also introduced to potential tourists from Slovenia, Germany and Belgium. In addition, exhibitors such as honey producers, hunters, cured meat producers, fruit and vegetable growers, jewelry makers and renters, all showed interest in the project and asked how they could join Excover and contribute to the development of a new tourism product in their area. Praising the cooperation between Croatia and Italy, the visitors emphasised that good promotion is key to discover untapped and hidden potentials of this area, while pointing on the influence of the sharing economy, which can boost connections between all stakeholders in the tourism industry and therefore attract tourists. On behalf of the Public Institution Development Agency of Lika-Senj County (LIRA), as the lead organisation of Excover project, those interested were introduced to all opportunities for participation and future project activities in which they could be involved.
Exploring lesser known sites on bicycles
As the goals of the project suggest, after the Autumn fair in Lika, Excover info day shifted its focus to less researched tourist routes that can contribute to a better distribution of tourist flows, which was achieved by bicycle tour under expert guidance. Driving through stunning nature, tame settlements and villages, and across the calm rivers of Otešica, Bogdanica and Novčica, the residents of Lika-Senj County were introduced to the project, and in return they revealed forgotten customs and stories. Beside unexplored sites and locations, during the bicycle tour, the birth house of "Father of the Homeland" Dr. Ante Starčević in Veliki Žitnik was visited, as well as the popular Nikola Tesla Memorial Centre in Smiljan.
All residents of Gospić and Lika, who were visited by Excover project, pointed out that they want to contribute in designing of a new tourist products, which will represent all natural resources that are offered to cyclists and mountaineers, old and young, athletes and recreationists.
