Central Dalmatia is the first tourist region in Croatia to conduct a study of tourist capacity and sustainable tourist development.
As one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Mediterranean, Central Dalmatia has conducted a comprehensive study to provide a basis for better, higer quality, sustainable and long-term tourist development. With this study Central Dalmatia Tourist Board wanted to identify current problems and provide sustainable solutions for the strategic expansion of its tourist capacities and the quality of its tourism offer in the future. In order to maintain a high-quality tourist service that on the one hand will maintain high tourist expectations, and on the other be convenient for locals, the study identified gaps in the current tourist offer. The study suggests a limited number of guests in each area and the infrastructure solutions needed for a sustainable and better tourist service. Central Dalmatia is the only Croatian region that has conducted such a study to identify the problems and boundaries of current tourist capacities and to provide solutions for the further development of tourism. By doing this, Central Dalmatia is creating the basis for strategic and sustainable tourist development oriented towards strategic tourist traffic, and a higher-quality service and longer tourist season but also towards the satisfaction of the local population.
“Our goal is to create a destination which will be sustainable, and recognisable and wich will provide a better tourist offer and service – not year after year, or tourist season after tourist season, but in the long-term. Central Dalmatia can achieve as much as 30% more tourist traffic than it does now. No region in Croatia has carried out this kind of study and approach, and in Europe only a few destinations have conducted a study on reception capacity. Many destinations today have a rise in tourism, but don’t have sustainable solutions for such growth. In Central Dalmatia, we have taken our tourist development and success and turned it into a proactive review and verification of current possibilities and opportunities that can result in further tourist growth. This is our responsibility towards the local population, in the first place, but also towards our guests. If local people are satisfied, ready and informed about expanding the tourist offer, we can guarantee that tourists will be satisfied too” said Josko Stella, director of Central Dalmatia Tourist Board.
Central Dalmatia has experienced a constant growth in tourist traffic over thelast decade. Beside its natural beauty and incredible cultural heritage, the destination has become even more popular due to the filming of popular movies here such as Mamma Mia-2 Here We Go Again and TV series like Game of Thrones. Central Dalmatia has all the conditions to generate long-term tourist growth, and the study has identified current problems that need to be solved, but also opportunities that can be createdf. With infrastructure and regional development, the results could be even more impressive and provide for up to 250,000 tourists daily, which is 50,000 more than today. The current infrastructure doesn’t allow more tourist traffic, which is why this strategic study is crucial for better and sustainable tourist development. The study conducted by the Central Dalmatia Tourist Board includes research on seven areas in the county: the City of Split, the Split and Makarska Rivireas, the islands of Brac, Hvar and Vis, and the Dalmatian hinterland. The results identify current infrastructure problems and barriers but also provide possible opportunities and solutions for even faster, better, more constant and more sustainable future tourist growth, traffic and results.
Tatiana is the news coordinator for TravelDailyNews Media Network (traveldailynews.gr, traveldailynews.com and traveldailynews.asia). Her role includes monitoring the hundreds of news sources of TravelDailyNews Media Network and skimming the most important according to our strategy.
She holds a Bachelor's degree in Communication & Mass Media from Panteion University of Political & Social Studies of Athens and she has been editor and editor-in-chief in various economic magazines and newspapers.
