Success story
Master plan of tourism development in Istria
Capabilitiess: Tourism development, Master plan, Experiential system , Strategic plan, Marketing plan, Operational plan, Sustainable tourism
Client: Istria County
Location: Istria and Losinj, Croatia
The peninsula of Istria -located in the north-east part of Croatia, bordering Slovenia, had a business model which was produced at low cost, but the value offered to clients was low, too. Market trends back then forced Istria to increase the cost of production factors e.g. salaries, basic products, etc.
To avoid an unsustainable situation, Istria's only chance was to react and start offering more value, changing its business model.
The challenge was to create a comprehensive plan for tourism development for the region of Istria in Croatia. It needed to include local communities in order to develop a sustainable model of tourism development which considered local agents and the population.
Source: THR
The scope of the project included a specific development plan and a specific marketing plan for 8 clusters (local tourist destinations) which were incorporated within the regional master plan.
Specific marketing plans were developed for each sector, too.
The 8 tourism clusters comprise several municipalities which can be considered as internally homogeneous areas, each with its specific characteristics. The objective of the clustering process was to specify a clear identity for each group, which would then be conveyed to visitors.
Source: Based on David Aaker's 'Brand Identity' diagram
THR deemed it of great importance to offer local participants - the private sector, trade and local communities- an important role in the development of their region. This involved getting local communities involved in the master plan.