The Overview and Analysis of the State of Rural Tourism in Croatia

In rural areas of Croatia, which make up 91.6% of its surface, 44.4% of the population is directly or indirectly related to agriculture. Taking into account the natural and cultural diversity of Croatian regions, a rich resource base of tourist attractions, preserved environment and 352 registered rural households, Croatia has all prerequisites for the development of rural tourism and all special forms of tourism related to the rural area. This is important because market demand particularly emphasizes the presence of rural tourism and its numerous forms. However, the rural area in Croatia is still insufficiently exploited in terms of tourism. Rural tourism in Croatia can become one of the main determinants of development in areas where it has so far been marginalized. Development of the rural tourism offer, which is attractive to investors and uses the unique local potential, will have a significant impact on the gross domestic product growth rate and employment. The paper is focused on presenting and commenting on the state of rural tourism in Croatia. It is based on the results from previously conducted researches and the new ones, and analyzes the state of rural tourism in Croatia in general, its facilities, carrying capacity, grant and incentive programs and, finally, suggests guidelines for the sustainable development of rural tourism in Croatia.