Evolution of Destination Planning and Strategy: The Rise of Tourism in Croatia

This book deals broadly with tourism planning and development from the perspective of Croatia, a major Adriatic tourism destination which is fast becoming one of the most popular vacation spots in the European Union. With the recent accession of Croatia to the EU, Croatia is undergoing a rapid political and economic transition and generating scholarly interest in the country’s primary, secondary, and tertiary industries. This book examines the country’s long history and thriving success in the tourism industry through issues of destination image and identity, management challenges, economic impact, and how to attract tourists in the midst of extreme political changes.

The book explores the implications of policy decisions on product development and takes a theoretically sound approach to destination planning and problem-solving in Croatia. Its timely view of Croatian national tourism policy and the broader Adriatic/Mediterranean region makes this book of interest to all scholars, students, and practitioners engaged in various aspects of destination development planning and management.

Larry Dwyer is Professor of Economics at the University of Ljubljana, Slovenia, Adjunct Professor in the Griffith Institute for Tourism at Griffith University, Australia, and Honorary Professor of Travel and Tourism Economics at the University of New South Wales, Australia. He publishes widely in the areas of tourism economics, management, policy and planning, with over 200 publications in international journals, books, book chapters, government reports, and monographs.

Renata Tomljenović is a Senior Research Fellow at the Institute for Tourism, Croatia. Her research interests include tourism’s role in fostering social transformation, socio-cultural impacts of tourism, and tourism planning. She is the Managing Editor of TOURISM: An International Interdisciplinary Journal.