This website represents the activities and results of the international project "Adriatic, small businesses and local development", which has been implemented since 2008 by the association DESA - Dubrovnik in cooperation with the association COSPE from Florence. The project has been financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Italy and the Marche Region.
The main objective of the project: to contribute to the sustainable economic development at the entire Adriatic region by means of responsible tourism development.

Responsible tourism is the antithesis of mass tourism. It assumes, first and foremost, the responsibility towards the natural environment and commitment to conservation, which is a basic prerequisite for ensuring long-term sustainable development, in other words, a prerequisite for the health and quality of life of the local community. The Responsible Tourism is a project that can function only with the active participation of local people.
In this sense, the first task in the promotion of responsible tourism is education, which is aimed at raising awareness of local communities, at all levels, from children and young people to those of mature age, who are still active in the society or the economy.
Awareness about responsible tourism refers not only to those who provide tourist services, but equally to those who use them. In developed countries, awareness and commitment to responsible tourism has been recognized as a sign of civilization, the knowledge that commits individuals to safeguard and protect the environment, and respect local cultures, traditions and beliefs.
Sustainable development and social entrepreneurship is the syntagme for direction of modern society development that values and respects equality, justice, generosity and moral virtues of humankind, everything that is disappearing in the globalization processes nowadays. Rapid development without any oversight, a powerful construction lobby, the construction of the coast, mass tourism, all of this makes a big profit but the question is to whom? And if such development is sustainable? What will it bring to future generations, shall we spend all the resources, and do we have the right to do so?
This is the reason why civil society has a special role to warn on the dangers for the society and community. Associations such as Cospe from Florence and Desa from Dubrovnik revolve the accountability as a standard of individual and society behavior.

WHAT CAN YOU FIND ON THIS WEB SITE?

On this web site you will find general information about the project, who are partners, project activities, educational information on the topics covered by the project, some useful links and, as one of the most significant results, section RURAL PASSWORD. RURAL PASSWORD contains a database of project beneficiaries, i.e. small entrepreneurs who base their businesses on the principles of sustainable rural development, and operate at the territory of Dubrovnik - Neretva County.

Since, we also want to contribute to the prolongation of the season and to improve the tourist offer with this project, we are pleased to present those entrepreneurs whose offer significantly contributes to the achievement of  our common goals and, at the same time,  fulfills the wishes of visitors who want to feel completely the spirit of the place.

PROJECT TITLE: Adriatic, small entrepreneurship and local development
(Adriatico, microimpresa e sviluppo locale, 8192/Cospe/CRZ)

Tourism is the foundation of economic and social development of the territory at the entire Adriatic area. Many local areas have the same problems in defining new forms of tourism that would be attractive to tourists, with respect for local social and cultural authenticities. In this context, the introduction of a form of social responsibility in the tourist sector provides a better evaluation of the territory and enriches the tourist offer.
In 2002 DEŠA-Dubrovnik has started to work on this developmental programme, in cooperation with the NGO COSPE, Florence. Joint project design was presented to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Italy, which has a fund for financing developmental projects and programmes in neighboring countries. Since Marche Region is our neighbouring   Adriatic region, the programme was presented to them as well. Considering that it was the issue of national and regional institutions, it took years for the programme to pass all the Commissions, and  in 2007 to be finally approved. The project has been actively implemented from March 1st 2008 till August 31st 2011.

The overall objective is to contribute to sustainable economic development at the entire Adriatic region, strengthening ties and sharing experiences and methods of cross-border cooperation.

Specific objectives are:

• to sensitize the public regarding sustainable tourism and integrated approach to the territory development,
• to establish the Center for responsible tourism of Adriatic region in Dubrovnik, in which will be enabled the exchange of experiences, knowledge, innovations and new technologies, and thus contribute to dvelopment of the entire Adriatic region,
• to valorize local resources and products through responsible tourism,
• to increase the income of the families by means of eco-tourist entrepreneurship
• to empower processes aimed at self-employment and development of private and micro-entrepreneurship,
• to promote co-operation and interaction of private and public stakeholders in the field of local economy.

The activities of this programme are mostly concerned with mutual exchange of knowledge and experiences, since the Adriatic has not been perceived as a geographical obstacle, but as a joint resource. This project in implementation gives significant importance to this part of the Adratic coast, since the foundation of the Center for responsible tourism in the City of Dubrovnik, will contribute to the faster inclusion of other Adriatic countries into European integrations.

Partners:

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Italy
Marche Region
COSPE Firenze
DEŠA-Dubrovnik
SE.A – Segretario per l'Adriatico Secretariat for Adriatic
Dubrovnik Neretva County
University of Dubrovnik