ZAGREB, 10 March 2022- The European Commission's Smart Tourism Destinations initiative has selected Dubrovnik among 50 destinations that will be given the opportunity to participate in a series of activities aimed at improving sustainable tourism practices, the City of Dubrovnik City said on Thursday.

Dubrovnik was selected after applying to the EU Destination Managers call as part of the Smart Tourism Destinations initiative and meeting the set criteria of previous experience, motivation and expectations as well as technical capacities.

Dubrovnik applied using its experience and know-how through the implementation of the Altereco and Respect the City projects.

"Dubrovnik's selection to be a stakeholder in this project is yet another tangible support in transforming the destination into a promoter and leader of sustainable and responsible tourism. The selected stakeholders will be able to participate in various workshops led by reputable experts from various fields related to smart tourism, to share experiences with other destinations, to learn from one another, as well as becoming or improving as a smart tourism destination," the city said.

The Smart Tourism Destinations initiative of the European Commission provides support to EU cities to facilitate access to tourism and hospitality products and services through technological innovations. Their mission is to transfer know-how in applying innovative digital solutions that can help tourist cities and destinations to be more sustainable and accessible as well as improve destination experiences where cities entirely use their cultural heritage and creativity.

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July the 30th, 2021 - Could a Croatian smart tourism project be the way forward for tourism not only here in Croatia but for the entire Mediterranean region?

We know tourism has been hit like never before over the last eighteen or so months since the coronavirus pandemic struck the world, and this could be a vitally important way forward.

As Poslovni Dnevnik/Marta Duic writes, the Ministry of Tourism and Sport is developing a unique pilot project for Croatian smart tourism worth 1.1 million kuna.

It will be implemented until February next year, and it is a pilot project of the SMART tourism business model, which refers to the establishment of a platform for cooperation and which aims to establish proper cooperation for joint action and the empowerment of all involved stakeholders in tourism.

The Croatian smart tourism project aims to develop and test instruments that will enable partner countries and regions across the entire Mediterranean to achieve a common high level of understanding of the importance of participation and inclusion, the exchange of best practices and the promotion of the Mediterranean as an inclusive destination where tourism actors and visitors are integrated and make decisions together.

The platform will focus primarily on strengthening local capacities, developing territorial and thematic networks among its users, promoting tourism products, content and infrastructure, and ultimately on the development of tourism involving a wide range of stakeholders, including local people and even the tourists themselves.

It's worth mentioning that this pilot project of establishing a platform for cooperation is being implemented under the auspices of the Smartmed strategic project, which brings together thirteen partners from nine Mediterranean countries, and for which the Croatian Ministry of Tourism and Sports is the leading partner.

For more on Croatian tourism and what's on offer from the continent to the coast, make sure to check out our dedicated travel section.