engleski

The sustainability of tradition in the Dalmatian hinterland through green entrepreneurship

Despite the decades-long demographic decline in the Dalmatian hinterland and the obsolescence of the entire infrastructure, the economic activities which belong to the tradition of rural areas have strengthened over the last years—(organic) agriculture and rural tourism, while manufacturing/business zones have begun to arise due to the newly built and favourable traffic infrastructure that provides good connections within the wider area. The attractiveness of Dalmatia has been recognized by both national and international stakeholders, which can be measured through the more often (co)financing of projects with the aim of sustainability, which includes the revitalisation of heritage with the diffusion of environmentally friendly activities. Therefore, the aim of the study is to gain actual and scientifically verifiable insights that could serve to further planning of green entrepreneurship, pointing to its potential and weaknesses. Almost half of the territory belongs to Natura 2000, which has one of the highest averages in Europe. Examples of the development in agriculture, fisheries, and aquaculture show that natural values are not an obstacle, but an exceptional developmental opportunity. By strengthening the overall tourist attractiveness, the aforementioned activities contribute to rural tourism, which include a wide range of services which can be intertwined with them. However, the secondary data analysis has shown that the preservation of traditions through economics is still a rare phenomenon in this area, usually lacking systematics in planning, infrastructure, and support of the relevant stakeholders. This limits their personal and social effects, while the sustainability and development of the Dalmatian hinterland remains uncertain.

entrepreneurship ; agriculture ; tradition ; rural tourism ; sustainability ; Croatia

nije evidentirano