It is now the right time for reaction and for concrete steps to be made in tourism to turn this sector into the direction of sustainability, the new Croatian Tourism Minister Tonči Glavina has said in an interview with Hina.
Calling for immediate action in this regard, Minister Glavina says that all stakeholders in the tourism sector should be aware of this moment and of importance of transition to sustainability having in mind the impact of the tourism industry on other sectors and on the lives of locals.
Glavina, who was the state secretary in the tourism ministry in the last seven years before his ministerial appointment and who actively participated in the preparations of all the relevant strategies such as the Law on Tourism and other documents in this sector in the recent period, told Hina that it is now important to implement all the activities proposed in those documents for the purpose of reaching the targets and accomplishing the goals prescribed by the legislation and strategies.
Glavina puts an emphasis on the creation of concrete destination management at local levels.
"Everybody should be aware of change in tourism that brings about a different kind of demand and new ways of choosing destinations as well as of policies aimed at making tourism sustainable."
Some things will have to be done in different ways, and more carefully, in parallel to stepping up cooperation between all the stakeholders and strengthening investments in order to boost the competitiveness of our tourist trade, especial the quality of our offer and improve the quality of lives of locals, said the minister.
He announced a meeting with all offices of the Croatian National Tourism Board (HTZ) soon. The biggest challenge of his ministerial term will be to complete the process of reorganisation of Croatia's tourism in compliance with the principles of sustainability and destination management through further decentralisation.
Combatting overtourism
In this context he mentioned efforts to combat overtoursim in some destinations and efforts to ensure a balanced development of tourism throughout Croatia as well as to reduce the seasonality of this sector.
All that will also enable local citizens to have a better quality of life, he added.
Sustainable Tourism Satellite Account
One of the tools for improving the tourism management is a Sustainable Tourism Satellite Account, which is being drawn up in Croatia and in Europe for the first time in this format.
Croatia has been supported by the European Union, the OECD and other partners in this project and has been provided with technical assistance and support form external consultants to prepare this account.
The document is being drawn up by the ministry in cooperation with the Zagreb-based Institute for Tourism.
The document will amend the Tourism Satellite Account (TSA), which Croatia has already produced in accordance with international standards, according to the minister.
The TSA analyse the economic effects of tourism on the related sectors such as transport, infrastructure etc. The Sustainable Tourism Satellite Account now analyses the other side of the whole industry, such as the consumption of resources and cost-effectiveness for destinations.
This will help us to have an insight into the account at the national level, as well as at the regional level and at the local level in ten destinations selected for this analysis, said the minister.
(Hina/FaH)
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