Why is it important to encourage the development of private household accommodation in the rural area?
- Rural areas throughout Europe and especially in the Western Balkans are strongly influenced by emigration.
- The population emigrates first to the capitals of regions and countries and then to one of the EU member states.
- As a result, there are problems with the disappearance of the population in rural areas and excessive pressure on the infrastructure in the capitals of regions and states.
- When the number of working, reproductive population in an area falls below the limit of self-sustainability, then we are talking about demographic collapse and the demise of a region, place, village.
Circle of life
- Without people, there is no life, no experience that today’s tourists are looking for.
- Without an active, reproductive population, there is no stable income from taxes, communal taxes for the local community. Without these revenues, the municipality cannot function.
- That is why it is important to encourage the stay and livelihoods of the domicile population first and then the return of families that have moved away.
- The family is the basic social and economic “cell” of society. Due to families with children, kindergartens and schools are being opened, new jobs are being created, and services that every household needs are being launched.
- In such a situation, we also have generational solidarity. Parents take care of their children and when children grow up and parents grow old, then children take care of their parents.
The life cycle is closed in a dignified way, life has a quality worthy of a human being.
Economic activities in the rural area are mostly related to: agriculture, livestock, farming, horticulture, fruit growing, aquaculture, wood processing in the mountains and crafts.
The local population with this activities covers basic living needs for a modest lifestyle
There is a lack of higher income that would enable quality education of family members, achieving a higher standard of living and finally travel to other parts of the region, of the country, the continent and to other communities.
Tourism as an added value – A chance for better life
- Thanks to a combination of primary economic activities and tourism, it is also possible to achieve a standard of living in rural areas that was once only possible in cities.
- Through tourism, the municipality also obtains significantly higher revenues, so investments in a higher communal standard become possible.
- Tourism needs good final products such as processed milk, meat and cured meat products, wool clothing, wooden furniture etc.
- In addition to traditional products, tourism needs the services of economic activities related to construction and maintenance of facilities, digital technology, transport etc.
- Why would you decide to engage in this activity? What do you achieve with that?
- Why not just go somewhere else if we want a better life?
- Of course these options are always there. However, people are social and emotional beings, so individual happiness is related to socializing with other people.
- The language we communicate with, the songs we sing, the jokes we make, the customs that bring us together… it is a mosaic of happiness and happiness is greatest in the homeland.
- Many emigrants around the world, after many years spent away from home, are beginning to feel “homesick“ and long for their homeland.
- Due to the demand created by tourism, primary and secondary economic activities are improving.Final products of good quality and design achieve a good price and become sought after outside the tourist place.Through tourism, new products and services become competitive in the wider market.
Alpine Model of Rural Development
- After the plague of the Second World War, European Alpine countries managed to revitalize areas with very unfavorable living conditions.
- Tourism has brought life back and made it more enjoyable.
- The type of tourism that has helped the recovery of the hilly and mountainous regions of Austria, Italy, Bavaria, France, Switzerland is tourism based on the local community, on the local population.
- In these areas, accommodation is almost entirely organized as private household aToday, alpine tourism is a globally recognized brand. Mountains are a symbol of vitality, regeneration of body and mind.The mountains are the last oases of pure nature, clean air and balance between people and the environment.When planning sustainable development, we start with people living in such an area, their needs but also their lifestyle.
These are the main elements for development of tourism, which we call family tourism.ccommodation: rooms, apartments and small family hotels.
Sustainable development
- “Development that meets the needs of the present generation without diminishing the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” (WCED-1987).
- World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED)
- Sustainable development promotes controlled growth, maximum conservation and rational use of resources, in order to ensure long-term economic and social development.
- The World Tourism Organization defines sustainable tourism as: “tourism that takes full account of current and future economic, social and environmental impacts, takes care of the needs of visitors, sectors, the environment and destinations” (UNWTO, 2020).
- Sustainable tourism requires informed participation of all relevant stakeholders,
- Strong political leadership
- Economical, responsible and sustainable use of all natural resources that are key elements of tourism development;
- Conservation of elementary environmental processes and care for the preservation of natural wealth and biodiversity;
- Respect for the socio-cultural authenticity of the host community, preservation of the inherited and built culture of the local community;
- Preservation of cultural wealth and traditional values of the local community;
- Contributing to intercultural understanding and tolerance;
- Planning economic effects for the long term while providing socio-economic benefits to all stakeholders of the tourist destination with a fair distribution of the benefits;
- Planning stable employment and stable opportunities for income from tourism as well as benefits for the social standard by offering social services to all community hosts;
- Contributes to fight poverty.
European green deal
- at least 50% of the investment must be focused on mitigation or adaptation to climate change
- The investment must contribute to at least one climate / environmental goal
- Regulation 2020/852 on Taxonomy (Article 9 defines 6 objectives)
- Investments comply with the principle of “Do no significant harm” (DNSH)
- Applicants who apply for support will be required to provide a statement / proof that they will not use the allocated funds to invest in activities that could potentially harm the environment or adversely affect the climate.
It is extremely important to harmonize strategy and business with the principles of sustainable development!
Family accommodation makes people stay
- The basic service of sustainable, family tourism is accommodation. We call such accommodation family accommodation.
- Legislation has recognized this type of accommodation as accommodation in the household and on the family farm.
- In 2021, the pandemic year, there were 13.8 million arrivals and 84.1 million overnight stays in Croatia. Compared to the results of the record, pre-pandemic, 2019, in 2021 we achieved 67 % of arrivals and 77 % of overnight stays of those achieved in 2019. According to the type of accommodation, most overnight stays were in households (32.1 million). Almost half less stays (17.4 million) and turnover (15.7 million) was generated in campsites and hotels, than in households.
Visible results – the Island of Krk as an example
According to the recently completed 2021 census, the island of Krk has positive demographic rates, a total of about 3% rise in population at the island in general and 10% rise in the City of Krk in a period of 10 years.
Compared to the overall results in Croatia (-9.25%) and especially in areas where there has been no stronger development of family tourism, the island of Krk has reason for optimism.
Good transport connections and well-developed tourism, mostly family tourism, bring good results.
The island of Krk participates with 6% in the total tourist turnover of Croatia and with 35% in the total tourist turnover of Kvarner, Primorje – Gorski Kotar County.
This is our moto
- Tourism does not tolerate phobias, intolerance, environmental destruction, pollution, conflicts and wars.
- There are no grumpy, neglected, messy people in tourism.
- These are goals that everyone would want.
- Be proud of your region, your customs, culture, your way of life and be ready to share it with tourists, with guests you will receive as best friends.