Article author: Vlado Sestan
Tourism in Croatia faces several challenges and problems that limit its full potential.
Here are some of the main reasons why tourism in Croatia is not good enough:
Seasonality: Croatian tourism is very seasonal, with the main focus on the summer months. Most tourists come in July and August, which creates pressure on infrastructure and resources in a short period, while the rest of the year tourist arrivals are significantly lower. True, something is improving in terms of the extension of the season, but in fact there are not many events offered to attract tourists.
Lack of diversification: Although Croatia has a rich cultural and natural heritage, most tourists come for the coast and beaches. The potential for the development of other forms of tourism, such as cultural, rural, health and sports tourism, has not been fully exploited. Croatia lags behind the leading countries in Europe that offer many more reasons to visit outside the summer season. Cultural tourism, with the exception of Pula and Šibenik, which is interesting to foreigners, is almost non-existent. Only a few individual initiatives are trying to organize something, for example the Midsummer festival in Dubrovnik and the Ultra and music festivals in Zrč.
Infrastructure: Although the infrastructure at the main tourist destinations is relatively good, many parts of the country still lack adequate transport connections, accommodation facilities and other necessary facilities. Traffic jams on highways, lack of parking garages in places along the coast and bad trains are the main problem. The transport infrastructure is not up to the large number of passengers, which can be seen in the problems at airports, roads, shipping and rail traffic.
Prices and quality of service: In some areas, the prices of accommodation, food and other services are high compared to the quality offered. This may put off tourists looking for better value for money. Gone are the days when you could sell anything. Today's tourist is very well informed about the quality and value of accommodation, restaurants and other services without being influenced by the owner of the facility. Value for money is a modern mantra that everyone needs to adapt to.
Impact of mass tourism: In popular destinations, such as Dubrovnik and Split, mass tourism creates pressure on the local community and the environment. This can result in overcrowding, pollution and degradation of natural and cultural resources. We inherited the natural wealth and beautiful centers of old towns. It is up to us to preserve it and prevent its destruction by domestic concessionaires and mass tourism. Also, the quality of life of the local population should be taken into account.
Lack of innovation: In some parts of the tourist offer, there is a lack of innovation and adaptation to modern trends. Digitization, sustainability and personalization of services are key aspects of modern tourism that Croatia has yet to fully adopt. They know this in the best hotels, which is why they work well, but most private renters do not even deal with technological development. For example, Croatia does not have a single significant congress center. Brochures are distributed at tourist fairs as they were 50 years ago.
Education and training of personnel: The quality of service often depends on the education and training of tourism workers. Lack of quality training and education programs can affect service standards in the tourism industry. The problem is seasonal workers who actually patch up empty holes instead of systematically working with staff, trying to keep them for the whole season and investing in their well-being. The more expensive the facility, the more sophisticated the service must be.
Administrative obstacles: Sometimes complex administration and bureaucracy can be an obstacle for faster development of tourism projects and investments in infrastructure. Many foreign investors leave in the face of such problems. They go to Montenegro and Albania and Bulgaria.
Sustainable development: There is a need for better management of tourism resources and sustainable development in order to preserve natural and cultural resources for future generations. Coast, cities, nature, rivers and forests; they should be preserved and not put to use without control. Running for profit without investing in the destination does not lead to a good result.
Addressing these challenges requires coordinated efforts by government, the private sector and local communities. Long-term strategies and investments in diversification, infrastructure, education and sustainability are key to improving tourism in Croatia.
Source: Vlado Šestan/Travel Advisor
Photos: Pexels/Travel Advisor
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