Economic Possibilities and Management of Solar Energy Use in Tourism

Due to its geographical position and its climate conditions, Croatia as a tourism destination has numerous and completely untapped potentials in solar energy application. Every tourism coastal and island settlement could resolve their key issues in hotels, private accommodation, and other tourism bearers by applying the district heating/cooling systems. Specific condition along the Adriatic Coast should be indicated, with increase in energy security representing an important tourism factor. Authors' research, undertaken among the management of the Kvarner tourism destination, shows only 36% of hotels apply mostly one form of renewable energy source - solar energy, converting it into thermal energy for domestic hot water and heating systems, and seldom use photovoltaic systems for conversion into electric energy. Analysis of survey results of hotel management shows 64% of hotels use no forms of renewable energy sources, nor plan to apply them. The analysis results clearly indicate Croatian numerous benefits and opportunities for significant increase in use of renewable sources, particularly in camping tourism. Its efficacy depends on overcoming both the perceived and well-known barriers, and particularly on weak but in the future indispensable connection of all relevant policies – energy, industrial, agricultural, tourism, environmental protection, construction and areal planning – in order to ensure conditions for sustainable development, with renewable energy sources forming its essential part.