Residents’ Perceptions of Importance and Satisfaction with Cultural and Creative Tourism Resources in a Rural Cross-Border Context

Cultural and creative tourism can support sustainable development in rural and cross-border areas by activating locally embedded cultural resources while strengthening community identity and destination distinctiveness. This study examines local residents’ perceptions of the importance of and satisfaction with cultural and creative attractions and activities in the rural cross-border municipalities of Matulji (Croatia) and Ilirska Bistrica (Slovenia). A quantitative field survey was conducted in March and April 2025 among 151 adult residents (Matulji: n = 99; Ilirska Bistrica: n = 52). Importance and satisfaction with the tourism valorisation of individual cultural and creative resources were measured on five-point Likert-type scales, and paired-samples t-tests were used to assess within-municipality differences between the two dimensions. The results show relatively high perceived importance of cultural and creative resources in both municipalities, but different patterns of alignment between importance and satisfaction. In Matulji, statistically significant gaps were identified for most of the assessed resources, whereas in Ilirska Bistrica, significant gaps were found for a smaller set of attractions and activities. Carnival customs combined high importance with high satisfaction in both local contexts, while several heritage, landscape and creative resources showed room for improved tourism valorisation. By applying a resource-specific importance–satisfaction perspective to residents in a rural cross-border setting, the study provides a more differentiated basis for identifying management priorities and for designing culturally sensitive, locally grounded tourism development.