Preliminary communication
https://doi.org/10.20867/thm.7.1-2.2
THE OPPORTUNITIES OF TOURISM IN SOLVING UNEMPLOYMENT
Branko Blažević
orcid.org/0000-0002-7615-9136
; Faculty of tourism and hospitality management, University of Rijeka, Opatija, Croatia
Tanja Vuković
; Faculty of tourism and hospitality management, University of Rijeka, Opatija, Croatia
Abstract
Although tourism does not have the same priority throughout the EU countries, it can help to improve the employment rate of critical groups such as women, young people, the long-term unemployed, ethnic minorities, etc. in almost all of the countries. Part-time and temporary jobs, which are frequent forms of employment in tourism, can have special significance in stimulating the employment of women and young people. Encouraging tourism in certain regions can have favourable impact on the employment rate in these areas. In countries where unemployment is not a large problem, tourism represents additional export.
Portugal and Austria, two pronounced tourist destinations, together with Ireland, have recognized the employment potential that tourism has to offer, and they are using tourism to decrease their unemployment rates. Unfortunately, the majority of Mediterranean countries, where tourism is often one of the most important economic branches, has not grasped this opportunity, and still suffers high unemployment rates. In Croatia, tourism is a sector that can significantly contribute to accelerating economic development. Croatia possesses a great potential for increasing its tourism activities, which would in turn generate a large number of jobs in tourism, as well as in the adjoining economic branches. The positive experience of the EU countries in this respect can serve as an example to Croatia in successfully overcoming the issue of unemployment through tourism.
Keywords
unemployment; tourism; European Union; Croatian economy
Hrčak ID:
181673
URI
Publication date:
30.12.2001.
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