This year's second lecture as part of the project Opatija Coffeehouse Debates This Wednesday (March 20th) was held in the premises of the Association “Cultural Front” in Opatija. Lectures by young scientists are one of four sets of activities that mark this project, and through them Emphasis on young researchers (most often doctoral students and postdocs) who work at the University of Rijeka, with the aim of popularization of their work, but also connecting the scientific and local community.

Interested listeners were able to listen to an interesting presentation this Wednesday. dr.sc. Lorena Dadić which works as postdoctoral researcherthe Department of Quality and Controlling the Faculty of Tourism and Hospitality Management in Opatija, and in 2018 she defended her doctoral thesis entitled “Tourism as a source of funding for associations in tourist destinations”. She researches the management of non-profit organizations and the possibilities of financing associations through activities related to tourism, and held a lecture on these topics as part of the Opatija Coffeehouse Debates project.

Dadić pointed out that associations in Croatia represent the dominant form of non-profit organizations, but also that (in Croatia) funds from ministries and from the budget of local self-government units dominant sources of financing of associations. Dependence on public sector funds is a problem considering the trend of decreasing public funds for the activities of associations, which is why Dadić sees opportunities for new sources of financing for associations in the creation of products and services intended for tourists, which initiates self-financing of associations. She pointed out that the impact of associations on tourism can be direct (such as the organisation of festivals or courses, or the production of souvenirs or autochthonous products) and indirect (such as maintaining the cleanliness of the environment or revitalizing neglected areas), and in both cases associations can significantly contribute to the development of a tourist destination and the improvement of its tourist offer. There is also a great importance here. Tourist boards that can encourage or support associations to start (or continue) engaging in tourism activities, especially those indirect ones where associations do not directly benefit from tourism (but nevertheless enrich the value of a tourist destination, such as sea cleaning actions, etc.).

Thirty interested listeners followed the results with interest research conducted by Dadić on 150 associations in four major tourist destinations in Croatia (Dubrovnik, Poreč, Rovinj, Medulin) in the first half of 2018. The research has shown that, even in these most active tourist destinations, associations rely primarily on public funding, while self-financing (sales of own products and services) It accounts for just over a fifth of income. Associations in these areas. The research has shown that activities that directly affect tourism are mostly carried out by associations in the field of culture and art, sports and sustainable development, while those that indirectly affect tourism are mostly carried out by associations in the field of sports, environmental and nature protection and sustainable development.

After a quality lecture and presentation of the results of the research, there was a long discussion with many interesting questions and comments, and there was talk about Numerous examples of good and bad practice, and on the comparison of the funding of associations abroad and in Croatia. Organizers from the Cultural Front Association, the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in Rijeka and Amadria Park Hotel expressed great satisfaction with the progress of the project and the interest of the participants, and announced new activities that await us before the summer break.

*Report taken from official website of the “Coffeehouse Debates Abbey” project