UN Tourism will collaborate with Government of Croatia and University of Zagreb
UN Tourism will collaborate with Government of Croatia and University of Zagreb, alongside other partners, to construct a research and development facility centred on sustainable tourism.
According to a press statement by UN Tourism, it will engage stakeholders from the public and private sectors to address some of the most critical challenges facing tourism, including minimising the environmental impact of tourism, increasing usage of renewable energy and energy efficiency.
UN Tourism adds that the agreement with Croatia will also take up initiatives such as recognising the urgent need to address climate-related risks and preserving social sustainability and local communities while enhancing evidence-based policymaking through relevant and updated research.
The UN body says that Croatia’s sustainable core values make it the ideal location to host a collaborative platform to drive innovation and catalyse positive change in the tourism sector.
Zurab Pololikashvili
“Croatia leads by example in growing tourism in a sustainable manner. The new research centre in Zagreb will contribute to UN Tourism’s commitment to data-driven policymaking at the regional, national and destination level, ensuring tourism grows responsibly and inclusively, for the benefit of communities everywhere,” says UN Tourism Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili.
The statement adds that Croatia fits as the ideal partner as sharing mutual interests, the nation has served on UN Tourism’s Committee on Tourism and Sustainability, having chaired it between 2019 and 2023.
Nikolina Brnjac
“I am proud that UN Tourism, the most relevant tourism organization globally, has recognised our efforts in Croatian tourism management reform and our strong commitment to sustainable tourism and put forward the initiative to create the first UN Tourism Centre for sustainable tourism in Croatia together with the Ministry of Tourism and Sport of the Republic of Croatia,” says Nikolina Brnjac, Minister of Tourism and Sport of Croatia.
The world tourism body says that in Zagreb, Brnjac and Pololikashvili signed a Memorandum of Understanding to create the research institution.
“With the University of Zagreb as a partner in the establishment of this Centre, I am convinced that this Centre will be successful and provide very relevant research for future sustainable development of tourism,” Brnjac adds.
