World Tourism Day, which is marked every year on 27 September, this year is dedicated to the theme of ‘Tourism and Digital Transformation’ which plans to raise awareness of the importance of digital technologies in the development of tourism. In line with World Tourism Day, the Minister of Tourism Gari Cappelli and Director of the Croatian National Tourist Board Kristjan Staničić emphasised the importance of digital transformation in the connecting of stakeholders in tourism, the promotion and establishment of efficient business.
“Today the world can be seen in the palm of your hand at any time. Today’s tourists are looking for new experiences, the Internet has become the platform for the choice of a destination, the search for an offer and the creation of experiences, similarly, innovation and digitalisation have also become an important part of the business of every tourist system. Aware of the importance of digital transformation we have started the Croatian Digital Tourism project by which we will make our system more efficient and connected. Our wish is that we are not only one of the most popular tourist destinations, but also a leader in tourist innovations”, said Minister of Tourism Gari Cappelli upon the announcement of World Tourism Day.
The Croatian Digital Tourism project: e-tourism’ worth forty million kuna has the aim to further connect the user and public administration in tourism through the shortening of the time necessary for the processing of the requests of citizens, the reduction in the costs of providing public services, plus the provision of updated tourist information to citizens and e-services. The project will be implemented in several phases and will, via newly-developed public e-services, among which is the already globally awarded eVisitor system for the checking-in and out of guests, connect the processes of several public administration bodies in an integrated state information system.
The Director of the Croatian National Tourist Board Kristjan Staničić pointed out how the Croatian tourism sector was also following contemporary technological trends. “I remember how at the beginning of this year the eVisitor system won UNWTO's third prize in the category of innovation and technology in tourism. It is an award which represents great international acknowledgement for Croatia tourism, as well as proof that today Croatia is recognised as one of the leaders in the global tourism industry and that with our knowledge we will make an impression on trends in global contexts. I am sure that the Croatian Digital Tourism project will lift our whole tourism system to an even higher level of efficient business operations and how for many colleagues from other countries it will serve as an example of good business practice”, Director Staničić concluded.
For many years already Croatia, in its many destinations has been actively celebrating World Tourism Day which this year too will be marked by the presentations of digital technologies in tourism. This year’s central festivity of World Tourism Day will be held in Budapest, and you can find out more about the history of World Tourism Day, this year’s theme, messages from the secretary-general of UNWTO Zurab Pololikashvili and the host of the central festivity and director of the Hungarian Tourism Agency, Zoltan Guller, on the website of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).