Sports and Health as Cornerstones of Tourism Development: Case Study of Montenegro

The modern phenomenon of tourism is more focused on specific forms of tourism in which sports and health tourism play a very important role. That fact is not surprising having in mind that they represent interconnected activities that complement each other and give each other completely new dimension. On one side, sports and health represent very important content of tourist offer because of the fact they enable tourists to become active participants in various activities, and on the other side, they represent important driving force for visiting particular destination. The idea of this chapter is to provide a theoretical and practical framework of this issue with a special focus on case study of Montenegro. According to the results of the research that was carried out, the general conclusion is that Montenegro has extremely valuable natural resources and potentials for the development of sports and health tourism, but there are still a lot of challenges that should be faced in the future in order to improve the quality of tourist offer and the level of tourists’ satisfaction as well as to create completely new image of the destination and position it as high-quality sports and health tourist destination on international market

Development of business strategies based on logistics performance of the Republic of Croatia

Croatia, as a moderately new member of the EU, has recognized the prospects offered by the membership. The participation of Croatian enterprises in European supply chains is an important opportunity for the country’s economic growth. The analysis of its logistics performance, based on the World Bank data, suggest a positive change in recent years. That proves a beneficial evolution of the business environment in Croatia. The primary research presented in the paper considers the improved logistics infrastructure and other subfactors included in the analysis, the support offered to business activities and the increased readiness of the country for a potential upturn of logistics services. Using logistical advantages of Croatia as a location or improved infrastructure may be a stimulus for creating relationships with business partners in the EU. A country that applies the adaptable concept of a logistics platform is in a good position to use new possibilities on the EU market, especially the growing e-commerce sector. Free flow of information on the Internet and unrestricted access to customers in the single market, guaranteed by EU law, opens new possibilities for trade development and finding one’s niche. Recently the European Parliament adopted the regulation forbidding geo-blocking and thus created potential for e-commerce growth in Europe. Croatia may benefit from its location and rise in logistics performance. In this relatively new sector, the ability to use all logistical advantages has become an asset. Employing advanced analytical techniques of simulation and visualization for logistics applications has become a prerequisite for growing e-commerce on the EU market. The questions arising from such a perspective concern the abilities of the Croatian business to exploit the described potential. How should managers of business entities adjust their strategies to logistics standards? How strongly is business intelligence correlated with supply chain management? The purpose of this paper is to formulate a protocol for creating a logistics strategy for Croatian enterprises. Preliminary research for this article included logistics performance index (LPI) analysis, literature, and data mining. Variables examined in the primary research of Croatian companies’ practice were categorized as business intelligence, supply chain management, information visibility and integration of logistics function. Factor analysis was used to connect these variables, i.e. to reduce the number of variables. The authors have tested the correlation between variables. There was a significant statistical correlation between business intelligence, supply chain management, information visibility and integration as prerequisites for a competitive logistics strategy of the company

Model for the Development of a Specialized Dark Tourist Product

Dark tourist facilities are a modern tourism phenomenon. Although dark tourism is conceptually associated with the legal inconsistency of tourism, it is based on content related to human suffering. Tourist interest in dark tourist products is growing, and such contents have become a part of standard tourist packages in the markets where such offer exists. Despite their proven contribution to destination differentiation and competitiveness, potential resources for the development of dark tourist facilities are often neglected due to tourist workers lacking the knowledge requisite for the development of specialized tourism products. Unsustainable approach to the development of specialized tourism products results in focus on content, that ignores the broader benefits of an integrated destination product. In the case of dark tourism products, socio-cultural and tantalogic consequences are particularly problematic, as dark tourist offer is particularly sensitive to the ethical standards of the general public. The result is that visitors and organizers of such tourist packages are frequently given negative publicity. In spite of  the growing global interest in the dark tourism offer, its development is slow and modest due to the above-mentioned risks and insufficient education in the tourist industry. The existing global supply often ignores some of the potential benefits of implementation of such content into a destination’s and national integrated tourism product. In an attempt to clear up doubts, and provide examples of positive and negative experiences from the global tourism practice, the authors carried out several studies based on which they devised a framework model for the development of a dark tourism product with recommended variables of significant impact

Repositioning of the Lighthouse Tourism by Expanding the Content of the Offer

The purpose of this work is to elaborate the possibilities of strengthening the attractiveness of lighthouse tourism in the Adriatic. This specialized tourist offer is recognized in academic circles as well. Despite its unique attractiveness, lighthouse tourism has experienced stagnation in recent years, requiring innovative strategies for repositioning. The first ten years of successful development and growth were followed by stagnation and a decline in tourist visits. The change in the positive trend followed the suspension of promotional activities for the Stone Lights project. Noticing the problem of stagnation in the number of tourists visiting lighthouses, the authors pose a research question on possible activities to increase the attractiveness of this type of tourist offer. The methodology assumes exploratory research and theoretical analysis of the repositioning of the specialized tourist product. The authors set the framework for the primary research, which they conducted on a random sample of tourists who stayed in the lighthouses on the Adriatic Sea in July 2022. This paper explores the potential of expanding the content of lighthouse tourism offer by including a diverse range of experiences and activities to attract a wider audience. Findings - the authors present the findings of the conducted research, based on which a model for repositioning lighthouse tourism in the Adriatic was developed and argued. In an argumentative and critical discourse, the authors present the causes of the current state of lighthouse tourism and point out the possible consequences if the proposed activities are not implemented

MARKETING MANAGEMENT OF THE LIGHTHOUSE HERITAGE IN THE FUNCTION OF STRENGTHENING THE NATIONAL IDENTITY ON THE GLOBAL TOURISM MARKET: STONE LIGHTS (CROATIA) AND THE ART OF THE LIGHTHOUSES (MONTENEGRO)

The paper presents marketing projects of managing lighthouses as cultural and historical heritage in Croatia and Montenegro. Regardless of the advances in technology and changes of the functioning of modern navigational aids, lighthouses as cultural-historical monuments can get other value through the touristic market. The Croatian Stone Lights project is a commercialization of lighthouse buildings as a good practice example of promoting the maritime identity of the country, promoting national tourism offer and positioning the national tourism brand in the global tourism market. The Montenegrin project The Art of the Lighthouses is an original concept of creating destination icons by implementing art installations on lighthouses, harbours and coastal lights, which were used in this project for a purpose other than their primary one – being part of the navigation safety system. The aim of the paper is to present the results of these projects and their impact on the national identity. There are few tourist destinations in the world that offer accommodation in lighthouses, and there are still fewer examples of using port and coastal lights as recognizable destination icons. The paper develops through three basic sections: the introduction of both projects, descriptive analysis of tourist valorisation of lighthouses (marketing management of lighthouses as a part of cultural heritage and creation of destination icons), and finally research findings (focus of tourism expert groups – how to connect Croatian and Montenegrin projects on the marketing platform).  The research results of this paper aim at linking Croatian and Montenegrin marketing experiences for the possible future cooperation in the field of commercialization of cultural and historical resources for touristic valorisation

STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT AND CHANGES IN LEGISLATION REGULATING YACHTING IN CROATIA

Za razliku od strateškog menadžmenta na mikrorazini, strateški menadžment makrorazine oblikuje se za razdoblje od 10 do 30 godina. Strateški dokumenti hrvatskog gospodarstva ozbiljnije se javljaju tek zadnjih godina. Shvaćeni kao dokumenti od važnosti za planski, nacionalni, tržišno usmjeren razvoj, a ne kao puka administrativna potreba, strategije razvoja zahtijevaju podršku svih činitelja nacionalnog razvojnog koncepta. Uspješno harmoniziranje činitelja razvoja rezultat je kvalitete pristupa problemu oblikovanja strateškog razvojnog modela nacionalne ekonomije. U sustavu usuglašenih činitelja strateškog razvoja na makrorazini, sustav lex specialis zakona industrije nautičkog turizma, od posebnog je značaja. Stoga, promjene makrorazvojne strategije, kojima se mijenjaju strateški ciljevi zahtijevaju adekvatne promjene prateće legislative.Pitanja kojima će biti usmjerena pažnja u ovom istraživanju su sljedeća: - Prati li legislativa promjene strateških razvojnih ciljeva, ili legislativa prethodi strategiji i ukazuje na potrebne promjene u njoj? - Podupiru li promjene pravilnika o lukama i plovilima nautičkog turizma strateški razvoj nautičkog turizma u Hrvatskoj, ili su kočnica tog razvoja?Unlike the strategic development on a micro level, strategic management on the macro level gets its final form within the period of 10 to 30 years. It was not until recently that strategic documents of the Croatian economy occurred in a larger number. If taken into consideration as documents important for a systematic, national and market-oriented development, and not just as a mere administrative need, development strategies demand the support of all elements of a national development concept. A successful harmonization of the elements of development is a result of a good approach to the issue of forming a strategic development model of a national economy. Within the system of harmonized elements of a strategic development on the macro level, the system lex specialis of the law which regulates nautical tourism is of utter importance. Therefore, changes in a macro development strategy, leading to the changes of strategic goals, require appropriate changes in supporting legislation. This research will take into consideration the following issues: - Does legislation follow the strategic development objectives, or it precedes and indicates the necessary changes? - Do the changes of regulations regarding ports and ships support the strategic development of yachting in Croatia, or do they slow it down

APPLICATION OF BPD (Build Primary Demand) MODEL OF DEVELOPING MARKETING STRATEGY ON THE MARKET IN TRANSITION

BPD model originalan je pristup oblikovanju marketinške strategije na tržištu zemalja u tranziciji. BPD model, prateći dosadašnja tržišna iskustva, evoluira na tržištu Republike Hrvatske. Uvjete na svakom tranzicijskom, pa tako i na hrvatskom tržištu, karakterizira rastuća globalna ponuda, dok potražnja nakon eksponencijalnog rasta prelazi u fazu stagnacije. Očita je i tendencija snižavanja cijena usprkos održavanju primjerene kvalitete proizvoda. Recesijski trendovi i izražena konkurencija uvjetuju širenje poslova. Oblikovanje uspješne marketinške strategije podrazumijeva njeno razumijevanje, ali i shvaćanje pretpostavljenih taktičkih pristupa. Važno je da se marketinške strategije kontinuirano prilagođavaju tržišnim zakonitostima i specifičnostima ponašanja ciljanih tržišnih segmenata. Danas modeliranje održive marketinške strategije na tržištu zemlje u tranziciji podrazumijeva usmjeravanje posebne pažnje razlikama nacionalnog tržišta i globalnog tržišta. BPD model oblikovanja marketinške strategije je i pretpostavka uspjehu u složenim uvjetima poslovanja na tržištu zemlje u tranziciji. Uspješna marketinška strategija generira rast primarne potražnje jer podrazumijeva kontinum upravljanja proizvodom ili uslugom na tržištu. U konačnici, važno je razumijeti bottom-up pristup oblikovanju strategije, ali istovremeno uvažavajući prirodu potražnje na tržištu zemalja u tranziciji, i ključne tržišne varijable koje uvjetuju konkretna tržišna promatranja. BPD model je upravo takav operativan pristup.BPD model is an original way of modeling of marketing strategies on the market in transition. BPD’s way is to evolve with evolution up-to-date market in Croatia. Conditions on Croatia’s market are characterizing by growing of global offer while the global demand is stagnating. Prices are lowering although a maintenance of products quality. The recession and the tremendous competitions are conditioning the spreading of doing business as necessaries for everyone on the market. Modeling of one successful marketing strategy means understand the concrete strategy fashion and the appurtenant its basic tactics ways. On such markets companies need to adapt their marketing strategies to some laws and behavior of the specific market’s demand. Today, modeling the sustainable marketing strategy on the market in transition requires special attention to differences between national market and the global market. BPD model of modeling marketing strategies is just a way toward success on the market in transition. On the market in transition companies need to adapt their marketing strategies to some laws and behavior of the specific market’s demand. Modeling the sustainable marketing strategy requires special attention to differences between national market in transition, and the global market. Successful strategy need to be build primary demand by making potential customers aware of the new product and stimulating their willingness and ability to buy. The building of the new one strategy on the market in transition need to accomplish two important tasks retain repeat or replacement business from its existing customers, and continue to capture the major portion of sales to the growing number of new customers entering the market for their first time. It is important to understand the nature of demand on the market in transition, and all its main variables. Our BPD model is just one way

Testing of the Model of Creating a Specialized Tourist Product for Post-COVID Time

Specialized tourists offer in the post covid time is an important reason in choosing the destination to travel to. A new perception of this offer puts new challenges to those who design such offers. Most specialized offers are the result of entrepreneurial initiative and intuition. Authors have dealt with the creation of such offers as an important destination concurrent factor in their own cross-border cooperation. Based on their findings, they have developed a model of creating specialized tourism products for post covid time by linking core, additional, and expanded contents with brand creation and the marketing strategy. In this paper authors continue their research by testing that model through two platforms: desk research of the latest cognitions related to the repercussions of Covid-19 on tourist mind, and on a convenient sample of connoisseurs. The testing of the model is connected with one case study in which authors cooperate in practice. The findings have been tested through a survey on a sample of experts (representatives of travel agencies) related to their experiences in sales for 2020 and 2021.They have also found important changes in tourist perception of specialized tourist product. The findings offer the answers as to why the basic contents of the specialized tourist offer is no longer sufficient, as well as a way for developing additional and expanded contents, on which the brand and brand management activities in the post corona period should be primarily based, i.e. on what to base the marketing strategies in the post covid time

Montenegro as a high-quality health tourism destination: Trends and Perspectives

The main objective of the paper is to provide a theoretical and practical framework in order to identify the key advantages and disadvantages of Montenegro as a health tourism destination. The main method that was used was a SWOT analysis, as well as a survey based on an original and thus self designed questionnaire intended for this purpose. The results of the research have shown some key advantages and disadvantages of Montenegrin health-tourism. Although Montenegro as a country, has a great potential regarding the health tourism sector, it is a fact that this potential is not adequately valorized. In that sense, a strategy of development of the health tourism sector should be created. Strategy should contain a specific vision, mission, strategic goals, as well as measures that should be carried out and activities that should be realized in order to make Montenegro attractive and high-quality health tourism destination