Is a boost for the country’s tourism economy on the way?
As eZadar writes on the 19th of February, 2018, funding will be provided through a series of measures to increase standards, quality and additional facilities, new product development in destinations, sustainable development, the internationalisation of business, and the use of new technologies in order to boost the overall competitiveness of the tourism economy.
The Ministry of Tourism has announced a grant to boost the competitiveness of the Croatian tourism economy for 2018, for which 24.6 million kuna in government grants has been allocated and provided.
Grants are awarded in the range from 20,000 to 400,000 kuna per project, depending on the scale of them respectively and the public call is open until March the 20th, 2018.
This year’s program is a continuation of the Ministry of Tourism’s activities, aimed at encouraging the attractiveness and competitiveness of Croatian tourism as a whole. Particular attention is being paid to the development of tourism in the otherwise overlooked continental Croatia, as well as the Dalmatian hinterland and of course the islands, general sustainable development, the use of new digital technologies and the linkage of agriculture and tourism.
Funds are available to small business entities (companies outside the public sector) and family farms that provide catering and/or tourism services of some sort.
“Across the world, Croatia is recognised as an attractive tourist destination, which, in addition to its natural beauty and preserved cultural heritage, is attracting more and more visitors with its [high] quality and wide range of tourist offers. With this program, we’ll provide financial support to those in the tourism sector in order to bring new and innovative solutions (ideas) to the market, thus further enhancing the offer, ensuring a high level of tourist accommodation and thus boosting spending in the destination. We believe that the projects that will come from this program will ultimately achieve a more balanced tourism development for our country and contribute to the development of tourism throughout the twelve months [of the year],” stated Tourism Minister Gari Cappelli while presenting the program ”Competitiveness of the Tourism Economy “.
The grant scheme in question is composed of four measures, each of which has a different co-financing purpose.
Measure A will support an increase in standards, quality and additional offers of accommodation facilities from the type(s): hotels, camps, other accommodation facilities and family farms, the co-financing of eligible project activities such as: raising quality by providing more categories, developing and improving additional content, the definition of different accommodation facilities, investment in green entrepreneurship, the construction of new camps or campsite facilities in the continental part of Croatia, the Adriatic hinterland, and on islands where such contents are lacking, hiking and hunting lodges, the construction or renovation of already existing facilities, the improvisation of conditions for the stay of persons with disabilities, and the development of ethno, traditional, hunting, fishing, equestrian and other such things on agricultural holdings.
Through Measure B, the development of special forms of tourism such as cyclotourism, active and adventure tourism through investment in infrastructure, services and equipment, creating and/or renovating the necessary infrastructure and investing in equipment for caves, rafting, rock climbing, adrenaline parks, golf training camps, and more.
Measure C correlates with the overall, general safety of tourists, through the co-financing of publicly available defibrillators (resuscitation medical devices) in catering facilities, first aid education, and the introduction of emergency facilities on islands which otherwise do not have them.
Measure D refers to recognisability and promotion of the tourism offer(s). Through this measure in particular, the co-financing of whatever may be needed for international investments in Croatian tourism can come to fruition.
