FILM AS A CREATIVE INDUSTRY CONSTITUENT AND ITS IMPACTS ON TOURISM DEVELOPMENT: EVIDENCE FROM CROATIA

Purpose - Creative economy leverages creativity, technology, culture and innovation in fostering inclusive and sustained economic growth and development (UNCTAD, 2015). The relationship between film as a part of creative economy and tourism industry, recently coined to a new phenomenon named film tourism, are multifold. Starting from this premise, this paper aims to: (1) give a theoretical framework of the creative economy and film industry as its constituent; (2) explain their trends and impacts on the global economy; (3) explain the concept of film tourism and its impacts on the local economy; (4) give a review of the film tourism state of art in Croatia; and (5) propose policy measures so as to enhance the effects of film tourism in Croatia. Methodology - After having elaborated the theoretical framework of the creative economy in general, there follows the analysis of interconnectedness between film and tourism industry. The conceptual model is being introduced in order to elaborate multiple relations between the two concepts after which the review of available facts for the case of Croatia was given. Findings - This paper primarily focuses on analysis of film industry and its contribution to the growth of tourism industry, with Croatia as an object of research. Contribution - Relations between film and tourism industry will be shown through specific theoretical model. Its empirical contribution lies in providing comprehensive analysis of the multiple effects of these interrelations. Practical contribution is about to be achieved by a number of policy proposals aimed at utilizing Croatian resources by way of film tourism industry.