The Institute for Tourism was represented at the ATLAS Annual Conference 2026, an international scientific conference held from 23 to 26 June 2026 at the University of Leeds, United Kingdom. During the conference, Ives Vodanović Lukić, PhD, Research Associate at the Institute for Tourism, presented the paper entitled "Placemaking through Arts Tourism: A Local Community Perspective."
The paper examines local residents' perceptions of the role of arts tourism in the development of small communities in Croatia, with a particular focus on placemaking processes. The research was conducted in five Croatian destinations—Ogulin, Grožnjan, Zagvozd, Motovun, and Ernestinovo—which represent different forms of arts tourism based on literature, music, theatre, film, and visual arts.
The findings indicate that local communities primarily perceive arts festivals as drivers of social and cultural change that strengthen local identity, enrich cultural life, and enhance the visibility and recognition of their communities, while negative impacts are considered significantly less pronounced. The study also contributes to the international discussion on the role of local communities in cultural tourism and the importance of culture and the arts in placemaking processes.
ATLAS (Association for Tourism and Leisure Education and Research) is one of the leading international academic associations in the fields of tourism, leisure, and culture. Its annual conference brings together researchers from around the world and serves as an important platform for the exchange of scientific knowledge, the presentation of current research, and the development of international collaboration.
The paper was developed as part of the Institute for Tourism's research project, Activation of Cultural Heritage in Croatian Tourism – AKULTUR, funded by the European Union under the NextGenerationEU programme.