Page 45 - World Heritage and Tourism Innovation

Vuk Tvrtko Opačić Tourism Valorisation of Croatian Intangible Cultural Heritage

Table 1 Tourist Nights in the Administrative Area of the Town of Sinj for 2019 and 2021 According to Emissive Markets
2019 2021
STATE % OF TOTAL TOURISTNIGHTS STATE % OF TOTAL TOURIST NIGHTS
Croatia 38.62 Croatia 39.25
Germany 17.89 Germany 20.54
South Korea 6.95 Poland 7.85
France 3.37 France 4.83
Netherlands 3.15 Netherlands 2.74
Romania 2.95 Austria 2.04
Poland 2.90 Slovenia 1.69
UK 2.40 Romania 1.52
China 2.09 Belgium 1.49
Greece 1.99 Italy 1.40
Other 17.69 Other 16.65
TOTAL 100 TOTAL 100
Source Croatian Tourist Board (2019; 2021)

and before the COVID-19 pandemic (data for 2019) Tourism Presentation and Valorisation
and during the pandemic (data for 2021) (Table 1). of the Sinjska Alka
Croatian tourism’s most significant number of The method of content analysis, specifically images
tourist nights comes from the most crucial emissive (photographs) in tourist brochures published by the
market, i.e., Germany. A considerable share of tourist Sinj Tourist Board and the Public Institution RERA
nights for 2021 have tourists from Poland and France. S.D. for Coordination and Development of Split-Dal-
A comparison of the profile of tourist nights based on matia County, was used for interpreting the meaning
emissive markets indicates that in the 2019 pre-pan- of the Sinjska Alka as a tourist attraction in Sinj and
demic year, the more prevalent non-European and the Cetinska Krajina region. The analysis covered six
more remote markets (South Korea, China, and the tourist brochures and one map promoting tourist
attractions in Sinj and the Cetinska Krajina region.
U.K.) were among the leading ten markets, more so They include The Town of Sinj: Tourist Guide (Sinj
than in the 2021 pandemic year. The large share of Tourist Board, 2021c); Miraculous Lady of Sinj (Sinj
tourist nights by tourists from South Korea and China Tourist Board, 2021a); Three Museums, One Gallery,
before the COVID-19 pandemic is due to slightly low- and the Town of Sinj (Sinj Tourist Board, 2021e); The
er accommodation prices in Sinj compared to nearby Our Lady of Sinj Route: Tourist Guide (Sinj Tourist
coasts. Such accommodation for tourists from these Board, 2021b); The Town of Sinj: Tourist Map (Sinj
far away countries is adequate when travelling on Tourist Board, 2021d); The Cetinska Krajina Region:
round-trip organised tours, which is the most com- Tourist Guide (Public Institution RERA SD for Coor-
mon way of seeing Croatia. On the other hand, in the dination and Development of Split Dalmatia Coun-
2021 pandemic year, there was a larger share of tourist ty, 2021a); and The Cultural Heritage of the Cetins-
nights by tourists from nearby countries like Austria, ka Krajina Region: An Overview (Public Institution
Slovenia and Italy, suggesting a somewhat restricted RERA SD for Coordination and Development of Split
range of tourist mobility during the pandemic. Dalmatia County, 2021b).

Proceedings of the 7th UNESCO UNITWIN Conference | 41