National
PILOT PROJECT: "REDUCE FOOD WASTE, COOK FOR YOUR GUESTS”
The project is implemented by The Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund, in collaboration with The Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development, The Ministry of Tourism and Sports and the Faculty of Geotechnical Engineering, University of Zagreb; and it is supported by the Croatian Chamber of Economy.
As one of the main stakeholders in tourism, the hotel sector has a considerable influence on the environment, so at present hotels are inevitably forced to switch to a “green” way of doing business. The project focuses on reducing bio-waste that is mainly composed of food waste, on proper separation, compilation and management of waste generated in the hotel sector, and the
hotel handbook has been published as a valuable tool that will help reduce food waste.
CYCLOTOURISM DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM ON THE CONTINENT
Tourism Development Strategy of the Republic of Croatia until 2020 (“Official Gazette”, number 55/13) recognizes cyclotourism as one of the main tourism products of the Republic of Croatia, i.e., as one of the primary tourism products in continental Croatia. The mentioned Strategy was the basis for the Action plan for the development of cyclotourism and it was defined as the tourism product with the greatest growth perspective. The territory of the Republic of Croatia was recognized as extremely suitable for the development of that form of tourism. As follows, in 2017 the Ministry of Tourism and Sports ensured additional funds in the State budget of the Republic of Croatia (HRK 5 million in 2017, 2018 and 2019 and HRK 4 million in 2021) for the development of the public continental tourism infrastructure, i.e., it directed the funds towards the development of the public cyclotourism infrastructure to encourage the development of tourism in the continental part of the Republic of Croatia. In 2017, the public invitation in question helped the co-financing of preparation of operational plans for the development of cyclotourism for 14 continental counties (Bjelovar-Bilogora, Brod-Posavina, Karlovac, Krapina-Zagorje, Koprivnica-Križevci, Lika-Senj, Međimurje, Osijek-Baranja, Požega-Slavonia, Sisak-Moslavina, Varaždin, Virovitica-Podravina, Vukovar-Srijem and the Zagreb county). The operational plans clarified guidelines and priorities for the development of cyclotourism of each county and set the basis for the development of cyclotourism inland. In the years that followed, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports co-financed the continental public cyclotourist infrastructure thanks to the operational plans made for the counties. In 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2021, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports co-financed, through the Cyclotourism Development program on the continent, the development of the public tourism infrastructure in the function of the development of cyclotourism on the continent (14 counties) in the value of HRK 18,737,200.00. The program is completed and will not be repeated in this form.
International
EUSAIR - EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region
The macro-regional EU strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region was adopted in October 2014, and covers four EU Member States (Croatia, Greece, Italy, Slovenia), as well as Albania, Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The macro-region, inhabited by 70 million people, will benefit from the increased collaboration between four key areas/pillars: Blue Growth, Connecting the Region, Environmental Quality and Sustainable Tourism. Croatia and Albania coordinate the fourth pillar, “Sustainable Tourism”, whose objective is the development of the full potential of the region when it comes to innovative, sustainable and responsible tourism.
INHERIT - Sustainable tourism strategies to conserve and valorise the Mediterranean costal and maritime natural heritage
EU project “INHERIT” - Sustainable tourism strategies to conserve and valorise the Mediterranean coastal and maritime natural heritage promote sustainable tourism by a dual approach. The project valorises underutilized areas of natural heritage, marked as „INHERITURA“ areas, and integrates tourism activities with the implementation of certain measures to protect natural and cultural resources and achieve long-lasting sustainable destinations, whilst alleviating the adverse effects of mass tourism and seasonality in the coastal and maritime destinations in the Mediterranean.
SMARTMED Project - Empowering Mediterranean for SMART tourism
The Ministry of Tourism and Sports is the leading partner in the SMARTMED project - Empower Mediterranean for SMART Tourism, one of two projects in the coastal and maritime tourism sector. Sustainable tourism is at the heart of SMARTMED, a strategic project for the empowering of the Mediterranean that aims to develop the Mediterranean as an attractive, smart and inclusive destination, i.e., to develop a smart, inclusive and sustainable tourism. The main outcome of the project is a new business model of SMART tourism, a strategic framework that through development goals and measures ensures the development of competitive tourism that uses technology wisely and takes an innovative and inclusive approach to the development of product, services, highly skilled workforce, planning and developing.
BESTMED - BEYOND EUROPEAN SUSTAINABLE TOURISM MED PATH
BEST MED is a project of Interreg Med implemented in eight Mediterranean countries (Spain, Portugal, France, Italy, Croatia, Slovenia, Greece and Montenegro). The aim of the project is a new, integrated and sustainable approach to tourism planning that will contribute to alleviating seasonality on MED areas through the connection of maritime and coastal regions, such as a route method. BEST MED project assesses a model that would improve management of cultural routes and paths in the Mediterranean area, and its final aim is to create a web of Mediterranean tourism observatories (MED NTO web) that would facilitate the exchange of data and best practices in the country.
BEST MED open platform was created as part of the project. It allows an exchange of experiences and information among stakeholders and aims to achieve stronger competitiveness of tourism destination as well as to help forming sustainable policies and strategies. BEST MED is part of the PANORAMED platform. The Ministry of Tourism and Sports is an associated partner of the project, while the Croatian Chamber of Economy and County Chamber Rijeka are project leaders.
DESTIMED PLUS - ecotourism in Mediterranean destinations: from following and planning to promotion and sustainable policies
DESTIMED PLUS is a project financed from the INTERREG Mediterranean programme and gathers 12 associated partners from Italy, Greece, Spain, France, Croatia and Albania. The region Lazio is the leading partner, and IUCN and WWF Mediterranean are also involved. The Institute for Tourism is the project manager and the main partner in Croatia, while the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, together with Primorje-Gorski Kotar County and WWF Adria, is the associated partner. In Croatia, the project was conducted in September 2021 in the protected maritime area Cres-Lošinj (Natura 2000). The main goal of the project is to offer support to the Mediterranean region for the development of ecotourism in protected areas. The subject of the project is to produce and evolve an innovative ecotourism package arrangement for each selected protected area of the project partners that will be created, evaluated, improved and adapted to market needs with the help of exact measurement of the environmental sustainability footprint and all other sustainability indicators. The newly created, innovative ecotourism package arrangement, as well as the green and sustainable product of the protected area, is created in participatory cooperation between local, regional and national partners. The project creates a relationship between tourism and the preservation of natural values, and for ecotourism to succeed, management frameworks and legislation need to be strengthened throughout the Mediterranean. The project is based on the success of the MEET network and the previous project DestiMED when the Republic of Croatia presented pilot destinations National Park Kornati and Nature Park Lastovo.
AMAZON OF EUROPE BIKE TRAIL
The Amazon of Europe project involves 5 countries, and Slovenia is the coordinator (Iskriva institut). The projects „Amazon of Europe Bike trail“ (phase 1) and „Responsible Green Destination Amazon of Europe - Amazing Amazon of Europe“ (phase 2) are co-financed as part of the Danube Transnational cooperation programme 2014 - 2020 and are implemented in collaboration with partners from Slovenia, Austria, Hungary and Serbia. The Ministry of Tourism and Sports is the associated partner for both projects.
“Amazon of Europe Bike Trail “
The project is worth 3.2 million euros, and the aim was to develop a cyclotourist route „Amazon of Europe” as a sustainable flagship tourism product in the Mura-Drava-Danube Reserve that will create an additional social and economic value for the local community, visitors and nature. It is a 700 km long green belt along the Mura, Drava and Danube, which is the first 5-state biosphere reserve declared by UNESCO (the largest protected river area in Europe) and is an international example of synergy of nature protection, climate resilience and sustainable development. Croatian partners: Tourist Board Of Međimurje County, Public institution for management of protected parts of nature and ecological network of Virovitica-Podravina County, Public Institution Development Agency of Osijek-Baranja County, Koprivnica-Križevci County, WWF Adria.
“Responsible Green Destination Amazon of Europe - Amazing Amazon of Europe“
The aim of the project is to manage the diversity of natural and cultural heritage and resources from a transnational level with sustainable development - Responsible Green Destination Impact model. Croatian partners: Tourist Board Of Međimurje County, Association for nature and environment protection Green Osijek, Koprivnica-Križevci County, Varaždin county.
