The Agency for Rural Development of Zadar County (Agencija za ruralni razvoj Zadarske županije, AGRRA) held two local participatory workshops at the Benkovac City Library as part of the ENRICH-US project. The project is funded by the Interreg Central Europe 2021 – 2027 programme and brings together partners from Italy, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Croatia and Poland. The lead partner is the Italian organisation DELTA 2000.
Representatives from local government units, tourism boards, family farms, associations and entrepreneurs from the Ravne kotare area gathered at the workshops. The aim was to present possible tourism management models and to hear experiences and suggestions from people on the ground on how to better connect and manage eco-cultural tourism in the rural hinterland of Zadar County.
The first workshop presented the results of a local needs analysis and stakeholder mapping, during which 38 key stakeholders were identified. Participants discussed three management models: a destination management organisation (DMO), a community cooperative (CC) and a public-private-civil sector partnership (PPCP).
At the second workshop, participants selected the most suitable model in groups, defined the roles of key actors and proposed initial concrete steps. They jointly shaped a vision for the development of Ravne kotare and determined development priorities. The need for better coordination, stronger linking of local stakeholders, clearer roles and greater involvement of the local community was highlighted.
Participants' suggestions will form the basis for a territorial management concept and pilot activities in Ravne kotare, and the model will be linked to the Ravni kotari Tourism Board. AGRRA thanks all participants for their active involvement, the Benkovac City Library for its hospitality, and the associated partners, the Benkovac Regional Museum and the Ravni kotari Tourism Board.
The project runs from 1 January 2026 to 31 December 2027, with a total value of €678,602.52. The European Union co-finances 80 per cent of the project, amounting to €542,882.01.
