Croatian tourism and EU accession

Abstract

The aim of the article is to examine the implications of the EU integration process on Croatian tourism. Analysing the experience of the countries which took part in the two last EU accession rounds, and focusing especially on Malta, Cyprus and Slovenia as most interesting cases for Croatia, integration process impact areas relevant for tourism sector have been pointed out. On the basis of this analysis, numerous areas of potential benefits and costs have also been defined and classified. The emphasis in the selected countries’ case study analyses has been directed primarily to identify: (i) characteristic features of the tourism sector before the commencement of the EU negotiation process, (ii) modifications and/or possible turnarounds in the tourism development strategy as a result of the EU negotiation process and/or adaptations of the legal framework, as well as (iii) increases/decreases in the pre-negotiation levels of tourism demand, supply and receipts during the EU accession period. The analyses for all three countries strongly indicate that new tourism strategies that have been adopted, as well as dynamic growth of tourism receipts, coincide with the EU accession process. The new tourism development strategies lean strongly towards environment friendly development, as well as towards more efficient usage and preservation of space.