Preliminary communication
Perception of Varaždin County as a Tourist Destination and its Potentials for Tourism Development
Janja Žnidarić
; University of Zadar, Department of Geography
Anica Čuka
; University of Zadar, Department of Geography
Abstract
Varaždin County is located in the northern part of Croatia and it has suitable natural and socio-geographic features for tourism development. The tourism potential of Coastal Croatia, including islands, as the most important tourist destinations has always been pointed out. On the other hand, tourism potential of continental counties and cities, excluding the City of Zagreb and some protected areas, has been neglected. At the beginning of 2015 the survey which included 500 persons in the Republic of Croatia was conducted. The aim of the survey was to investigate attractiveness and tourist potentials of Varaždin County and its parts. The results showed that Croatian citizens consider continental tourism to be less attractive than maritime, but despite that, most of them visited Varaždin County and they consider it an attractive tourist destination. The most important pull factors that attract them to this area are culture and cultural heritage while the natural features are not recognized enough. According to people who participated in the poll, the biggest obstacle for tourism development in the future is low number of accommodation facilities and their bad quality. Research results can serve as a good indicator for future investments in tourism development of the researched area and also as a base for the strategies of economic and cultural development of Varaždin County.
Keywords
continental tourism; Varaždin County; Varaždin; turistička destinacija
Hrčak ID:
174557
URI
Publication date:
1.12.2016.
Visits: 2.390 *