The challenges of small enterprises in generating destination’s creative offer CHRISTIAN STIPANOVIĆ, PhD, Full professor ELENA RUDAN, Phd, Assistant professor ZRINKA ZADEL, PhD, Assistant professor Faculty of Tourism and Hospitality Management Croatia christis@fthm.hr elenar@fthm.hr zrinkas@fthm.hr https://www.fthm.uniri.hr

The aim of the research is to determine the role of small businesses in setting up the development concept of the island of Krk with the aim of cultural value valorization. The purpose is to analyze the current state of destination creative offer, set goals and specific strategy for the creative tourism development. Applied research is based on in-depth interviews, small businesses and destination management surveys with the aim of the current situation analysis and active creation of the future. The analysis of the survey data is based on quantitative and qualitative interpretation of the respondents’ attitudes as a base of the authors’ proposals and conclusions.      

The results of the paper are placed on the theoretical and application level. They are based on critical analysis of recent literature and good practice analysis The paper determines the affirmation of creative offers and new business policy of networking and collaboration by establishing a tourism product club that would be a starting point for the future research in the field of Croatian destinations development. Limitation in research is focus on only one destination and a relatively small sample of respondents. The paper represents an upgrade on theoretical determinants of the role of small businesses in the creation of destination’s creative offer with specific application to the island of Krk.

Creation of creative offer – development path of creative tourism apear format Definition of cultural tourism by the UNWTO (1985) : „movements of persons for essentially cultural motivations such as study tours, performing arts and cultural tours, travel to festivals and other cultural events, visits to sites and monuments, travel to study nature, folklore or art, and pilgrimages.” Definition of creative tourism by Richards and Raymond (2000) : „creative tourism offers visitors the opportunity to develop their creative potential through active participation in courses and learning experiences which are characteristic of the holiday destination where they are undertaken.” Creative offer doesn’t have to be necessary related for destination characteristics (autochthonous gastronomy, folklore, verbal heritage, etc.), but can be a result of organization of specific activities which are developing in creative places (art, acting, photography workshops, etc.)

Creative tourism in Croatia Action plan for development of cultural tourism For Croatia, the relevant products of cultural tourism are defined by Tourism development strategy of the Republic of Croatia until 2020 includes: city tourism heritage tourism tourism events creative tourism religious tourism It is not observed how and in which systematically solve the development of creative tourism as a special selective form.

2. Small businesses research on competitiveness of creative offer on the island Krk Research was conducted on the island of Krk (city Krk, municipalities Malinska Dubašnica, Vrbnik, Dobrinj, Njivice, Omišalj, Punat and Baška) which is the largest Croatian island with rich cultural - historical heritage. In February 2017 the authors did in-depth interviews and surveyed small businesses (holders of creative offer - total 46) with an aim of evaluation and perception of total offer, creative offer, importance of creative offer in repositioning destination, goals and the ways of innovation creative offer in the future, possibility and advantage of connectivity and management of destination development. It is unable to determine how many of creative tourists are visiting destination Krk because they are not noted as such. As the creative content of the island Krk respondents emphasized: tourism and recreational tours (activity) and events which aim to experience a destination with all senses, musical education, concerts, workshops, musical culture in general, gastronomy, summer school of Glagolitics, park glagolitics in Gabonjin, aquariums.

Description Evaluation Total tourist offer of the island Krk 3,8 Creative offer 3,25 The cooperation of all stakeholders in the creation of creative offer 3,14 The importance of creative offer in recognition and branding Management development of creative offer the island of Krk 3,0

orientation towards mass tourism, G N O S E P R B L M C T V F orientation towards mass tourism, insufficient creativity and innovation creator offers, limited financial resources, conflicts of interest of stakeholders and communication problems, lack of involvement and interest of stakeholders, failure to recognize new trends of creative tourism, negative political – economic – legal – administrative influences…

- offer – increasing the number of bidders and stakeholders and 3. Goals and strategy of development of creative tourism of the island krk   Based on the analyses of the current situation and anticipate future creative offer can define the following goals: GOALS Quantitative goals - offer – increasing the number of bidders and stakeholders and - demand – increase in the number of tourists of creative tourism, multiplication incomes and profits Qualitative goals - innovating of creative offer, integration stakeholders through tourism product club (joint creation of creative offer) and - branding of Krk as a recognizable destination of creative tourism in function of prolongation of the season as the key problems of the tourist business.

4. CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS   Tourism of 21st Century grew up into industry experience based on creativity as a key orientation of development in function diversify from competitors and satisfied all profiled tourist needs. The result of surveys and interviews of small businesses of the island Krk reveals a different perception and evaluation of creative offer and the role of stakeholders, failure to recognize the connectivity and differentiated vision and strategy development of creative tourism. Concept development of creative tourism is based on the systematic development, connecting, establishment of tourism product club as a function of valorization the creative potential and innovation operating strategy can positioned Krk as a distinctive destination on creative offer.

Thank you for your attention! Christian Stipanović, Full professor Elena Rudan, Assistant professor Zrinka Zadel, Assistant professor Faculty of Tourism and Hospitality Management Opatija christis@fthm.hr elenar@fthm.hr zrinkas@fthm.hr