THE IMPORTANCE OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN THE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY OF CROATIAN TOURISM

Croatian tourism is not achieving results proportional to its natural resource base. It is afar cry from modern tourism trends, the implications of which are barely discernible, and absolutely no thought is given to generating authentic and original lines of development. By implementing creativity and innovativeness, and by generating new ideas and original contents, it is necessary to translate the natural base into competitive advantages. Intellectual capital and entrepreneurship founded on information and modern technologies are becoming the generator of qualitative transformation in Croatian tourism. Tourism in Croatia must adjust to the new system of values on the European tourist market. Preconditions to this involve transforming tourism enterprises, attracting international brands, implementing a new generation of managers in state-owned tourism enterprises, and encouraging family entrepreneurship. Representing a turning point in the development of Croatian tourism, family-run hotels are trying to converge with new preferences on the market through entrepreneurial ventures. The tourism offer in family-run facilities is based on the authentic features of the regions in which they operate, giving each hotel its own unique and diverse offer, which focuses first and foremost on adventure and experiences.