Photo: Zgrada Instituta za turizam

History

INSTITUTE FOR TOURISM (INSTITUTE) was established in 1959 by the Chamber of the Hotel and Hospitality Industry. Its original name was Bureau for Investments in Tourism. Soon the tasks and activities of the institute outgrew the institute’s original purpose – drafting of investment studies and analyses, which was the main motive behind its inception in the initial stages of tourism development in late 1950s. The change in the scope of the institute’s activities was reflected in its name being changed to the Department for Tourism Economics (1964).

In the 1970s and 1980s, the scope of the institute’s activities gradually broadened as a result of the need for the institute to deal not only with the economic aspects of tourism, but also with other tourism-related issues such as spatial, ecological, socio-cultural and other aspects of tourism. Thus, in 1980, the institution changed its name yet again and became officially known as the Department for Tourism Research, and finally, in 1989, it was given its current name.

Tourism is a global phenomenon which requires cumulative and varied knowledge, hence the need for an institution which fosters precisely that kind of approach. More importantly, a balance should be achieved between the basic and applied research. By promoting a multidisciplinary approach, the institute endeavors to do precisely that, strike a balance between theory and practice, contemporary notions and local knowledge.

Given the complexity of issues, the institute has always maintained close relations with other specialized institutions in the country and abroad. While it has developed together with the tourism industry in Croatia, the institute has also followed contemporary tourism flows and thus it has developed in a number of areas of scientific and consultancy activities.

 

 

 

Important years Name Activity Fokus
1986. Institute for Tourism Research Scientific and research aspects
1980. Department for Tourism Research Scientific and research aspects
1967. Institute for Tourism Economics  
1964. Department for Tourism Economics Space, ecology, social and cultural aspects
1959. Foundation - Bureau for Investments in Tourism Investment studies and analyses

Benchmark Projects

Over the past several years, the INSTITUTE has been involved in a large number of significant research projects; it has prepared a number of reports and studies for various clients. The following complex long-term projects occupy a special place among them:

Tomas – Survey of Tourists and Visitors’ Attitudes and Expenditures

A collection of field research that has been carried out since 1987, specializing in different types of tourism:
TOMAS Summer – holiday tourism in Croatian coastal resorts
TOMAS City Tourism
TOMAS Cruises
TOMAS Transit
TOMAS National Parks – Survey of national parks
TOMAS Tourist activities of the local population

Expenditures of foreigners in Croatia and Croatians abroad. This particular research is carried out to help establish the overall revenue from tourism. The institute carried out the research between 1999 and 2001. Another research institution has, in the meantime, taken over and carries out the research according to the methodology developed by the Institute for Tourism.

 

 

Competitiveness of Croatian Tourism

This is an ongoing complex research which comprises the Mediterranean competition circle as the receiving side and the strongest tourist markets in Europe as the generating side. The institute has developed a special method to assess competitiveness. The research was carried out in 1997, 2004, 2006 and 2007.

 

 

Strategic Documents

 

National Level

From tourism and culture to cultural tourism: Culture tourism development strategy
Tourism and development of Croatia – A strategy of development of the Republic of Croatia “Croatia in the 21st Century”

 

 

Regional Level

Strategic tourism marketing plans for 20 Croatian counties

 

 

Local Level

A strategy for the tourism development of the destination Bol and an action plan of the development of tourism in Bol municipality 2007 – 2010

Tourist master plan for Vrana Lake Nature Park

Varaždin: A Vision of a Tourist Destination

Development and marketing plan for the Riviera of Opatija

Tourism development plan for Malinska municipality

 

 

Micro-level: companies

Liburnia Riviera Hoteli d.d. – Strategic development plan and asset management plan

 

 

BIST – Business Intelligence Service in Tourism

The first on-line destination management system in Croatian tourism

 

 

The system of marking and interpreting tourist attractions in Croatian counties

Croatian product for Croatian tourism

A special methodology has been used to assess the volume and significance of imported products in the “H Hotels and Restaurants” area as well as in private accommodation.