Developmental Perspectives of Developmental Perspectives of City Tourism Offer of RijekaCity Tourism Offer of RijekaSlobodan Ivanović, PhD., Full Professor

Romina Alkier, PhD., Assistant ProfessorVedran Milojica, MA

AgendaAgenda

IntroductionIntroduction

• Last 20 years of 20th century growing interest from tourists towards cities.

• Cities constantly changing; they are built, transformed, continuously growing and in a constant state of change to provide its visitors the experiences and products they expect;

• These products and experiences constantly changing in order to adapt to an increasing demand.

• Result: Result: constant investment in infrastructure, promotion and conservation ultimately benefiting tourists and local residents (UNWTO Global Report on City Tourism 2012)

Review of the state of the tourist offer of the city Review of the state of the tourist offer of the city RijekaRijeka

• Rijeka possesses all natural, cultural-historical and other resources;

• Organization of cultural events such as the famous Rijeka Carnival, etc.;

• Good connection with the neighboring countries;• A significant pre-condition of achieving success on the

international tourist market.

Achieved Tourist ArrivalsAchieved Tourist Arrivals and Overnights and Overnights in the City of in the City of Rijeka in the period 2004Rijeka in the period 2004 -- 20142014

Tourist Arrivals Tourist OvernightsYear Foreign Domestic Total Foreign Domestic Total2004 34.226 19.665 53.891 72.441 33.355 105.7962005 30.889 19.763 50.652 65.750 33.466 99.2162006 40.582 22.177 62.759 78.838 38.988 117.8262007 48.522 21.132 69.654 91.802 37.828 129.6302008 44.955 21.334 66.289 79.990 37.287 117.2772009 47.600 18.238 65.838 91.262 32.765 124.0272010 51.082 17.336 68.418 95.381 31.962 127.3432011 53.781 17.016 70.797 101.935 33.845 135.7802012 52.997 16.695 69.692 102.016 33.564 135.5802013 58.646 17.653 76.299 112.656 33.521 146.1772014 69.541 21.176 90.717 132.238 41.311 173.549

Source: http://press.visitrijeka.hr/Statisticki_podaci (access 22.05.2015.)

Satisfaction of tourists with the elements of tourist Satisfaction of tourists with the elements of tourist offer in the city of Rijekaoffer in the city of Rijeka

RankElements of tourist

offer in the city of RijekaGrade

1 Space, resources, environment 5,64

2 Organization of the destination 5,55

3 Facilities 5,47

4 Inhabitants, employees in tourism 5,40

4 Recognizability, safety, level of information 5,40

Source: Authors´ adaptation according to Tourism Destination Research 2012, p. 33

Satisfaction of tourists with the facilities of tourist Satisfaction of tourists with the facilities of tourist offer of the city of Rijekaoffer of the city of Rijeka

Rank Facilities Grade

1 Entertainment facilities 5,852 Accommodation capacities 5,793 Events 5,604 Restaurants 5,555 Field-trips offer 5,516 Nautical offer 5,477 Local gastronomy 5,458 Facilities for health tourism 5,389 Historical-cultural heritage 5,269 Facilities for children 5,26

10 Relation of price and quality 5,2110 Meetings and Conferences 5,2110 Cultural facilities 5,2111 Sports facilities 5,04

Average grade 5,47

Source: Authors´ adaptation according to Tourism Destination Research 2012, p. 33

Daily consumption of tourists of the city of Rijeka (%)Daily consumption of tourists of the city of Rijeka (%)

Amount in EUROLess than

30 € 30-50€ 50-100€

More than 100€

Rijeka 40,4 31,9 25,5 2,2

Source: Authors´ adaptation according to Tourism Destination Research 2012, p. 33

SWOT analysis of City tourism of RijekaSWOT analysis of City tourism of RijekaAuthor´s analysisAuthor´s analysis

Source: Authors' adaptation according to: Alkier Radnić, R., Drpić, D., Milojica, V.: Sustainable Rural Tourism in Croatia and the Role of Cultural Resources according to Module Management and Tourism on Country Tourist Farms).

Chain of Values in City Tourism offer

City´s destination image

Information in a city

Reservations

Travelling to the city

City´s hospitality

Information in a city

Accommodation capacities

Gastronomic offer

City tourism attractions

City infrastructure

Return Loyalty programmes

Activities before departure

Activities in the

city

Activities after return

UNWTO UNWTO developmental guidelines for City Tourism developmental guidelines for City Tourism developmentdevelopment

• Raise awareness of the economic and social impact of city tourism on national and local economies.

• Establish effective and renewed instruments for partnerships between all stakeholders involved with tourism in order to ensure the sharing of information, initiatives and knowledge to benefit the destination, tourists and local residents.

• Human capital and consequently invest in professional training. (Authors´ adaptation according to UNWTO (2012). Global Report on City Tourism AM Reports: Vol. 6.)

UNWTO developmental guidelines for City Tourism UNWTO developmental guidelines for City Tourism developmentdevelopment

• Measures which encourage, foster and recognize sustainable local policies and initiatives that can serve as models and guides for all international tourism actors.

• Implement innovative strategies to provide new and more specialized products with high added value, addressing niche markets and upgrading the quality of the visitor experience.

• Advance towards the concept of ‘Smart Cities’, urban destinations that prioritize strategies and actions that include sustainable policies and innovative technological developments as integral elements. (Authors´ adaptation according to UNWTO (2012). Global Report on City Tourism AM Reports: Vol. 6.)

Developmental guidelines for improvement of Rijeka˙s city tourism offer

• Formation of a high quality tourist offer which will enable whole year business (especially cultural, religious and event tourism)

• RResultesult: reduction of oscillations in tourist turnover, increase the tourist consumption;

• Application of the Chain of values of city tourism offer, with a goal of profiling a recognizable image and forming a recognizable tourist brand;

• Show the domestic population the real importance and benefits of development of tourism for the city;

Developmental guidelines for improvement of Rijeka˙s city tourism offer (2.)

• Additional learning educational programs for tourism and hospitality staff based on European and world´s best practice;

• Result: better quality of services, self-development, satisfaction with work;

• Enable higher level of availability of information regarding the tourist offer of Rijeka

Developmental guidelines for improvement of Rijeka˙s Developmental guidelines for improvement of Rijeka˙s city tourism offer (3.)city tourism offer (3.)

• Increase the level of safety, considering that terrorist attacks and natural hazards occur very often on the world level.

• The recognizability of the destination as a safe one is an important factor in consumer´s decision to visit the destination;

• Marketing activities = formation of a unique and recognizable image and brand of the tourist offer of Rijeka.

ConclusionConclusion

• Rijeka´s tourist offer still unsufficiently developed• Necessity of further tourist market research and

development of a sustainable and recognizable tourist product based on uniqueness and specificity, offered whole year round;

• Result: socio-economic advantages for the local population;

• Recognizable image and branding the city tourism offer

• Competitive advantages on the international tourist market.

LiteratureLiterature• Alkier Radnić, R., Milojica, V., Danijel Drpić. (2012).

Sustainable Rural Tourism in Croatia and the Role of Cultural Resources. Journal of International Scientific Publications: Economy & Business. Vol. 6 No. 3. 254-264.

• Marković, S., Smolčić Jurdana, D., Soldić Frleta, D. (2012). Results of the Emphirical Research of Tourists Attitudes Concerning the Tourism Offering of Kvarner and its destinations. In Branko Blažević and Milena Peršić (Ed.), Tourism Destination Research (21-63). Opatija: Faculty of Tourism and Hospitality Management Opatija.

• Module Management and Tourism on Country Tourist Farms. Retrieved 15th September 2011, from http://www.pannoniantourism.hu/

LiteratureLiterature• Tourist Board of the city of Rijeka. Tourist turnover in the area

of the city of Rijeka for the period 2004-2014. Retrieved 23rd May 2015, from http://press.visitrijeka.hr/Statisticki_podaci

• United Nations World Tourism Organization (2012). Global Report on City Tourism AM Reports: Vol. 6. Retrieved 23rd May 2015, from http://dtxtq4w60xqpw.cloudfront.net/sites/all/files/pdf/am6_city_platma.pdf.

• World Tourism Organization (2012). Global Report on City Tourism - Cities 2012 Project. United Nations World Tourism Organization. Retrieved 22nd May 2015, from http://dtxtq4w60xqpw.cloudfront.net/sites/all/files/pdf/am6_city_platma.pdf

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!

Slobodan Ivanović, PhD., Full ProfessorRomina Alkier, Assistant Professor

Vedran Milojica, MA