IDENTITY OF NATIONAL HERITAGE IN FUNCTION OF SPECIALISED TOURIST OFFER IN CROATIA

Every tourist oriented country tries to increase its content on global tourist market. Continuity of diverse tourist offer consolidation on the global market presumes specialized tourist’s offer of every small country, like Croatia. For those countries it’s the best way of market share protection on global market. Tourist market is dynamic and extremely oriented to contemporary trends. Tourist tends to experience authentically offer, typical for the country that he visits. In that sense, tourist offer adjustment to national identity (based on historic ambience for which the offer is created) presents sustainable competition strategy. Therefore, tourist offer on the Croatian market must include eco tourism, excursion, culture tourism and adventure tourism (with special reference to nautical tourism). Demands for ecological areas and personal safety are criteria that contribute to the choice of tourist destinations. Also the trend of health care is quite obvious (wellness, fitness etc.). In accordance to changed needs of modern tourist, tourist offer must be diversified. It could be done by applying the specialized form of tourist offer. Accordingly, we have used the market research “what tourist thinks” in order to define the appropriate marketing frame by which Croatia will be positioned as specialized tourist destination in a long term. The identity will be based on authentic tourist product. Also, it would provide the credibility of the new national tourist offer. Tourist will be offered to be the explorer of the historical and cultural heritage as well as the identity of the destination he is visiting. Croatian national cultural heritage has all necessary predispositions (cities, palaces, old castles, churches, museums... etc). Only specialized tourist’s offer can provide growing trend for the impendent period.