POSSIBILITIES OF ENTREPRENEURIAL DEVELOPMENT IN CULTURAL TOURISM OF CROATIAN CITIES

Purpose - The purpose of the paper is to determine the importance of entrepreneurial initiatives for the synergy between culture and tourism in generating new tourism value of Croatian cities (examples: Rijeka and Zagreb). Methodology - The research identifies and analyses the synergetic aspect of entrepreneurship in culture and tourism and explores recent literature on the subject. Theoretical determinants are applied to the reconceptualization of cultural tourism development (situational and scenario analysis) in Rijeka and Zagreb based on entrepreneurial initiatives and strategic management. Approach - This paper focuses on the research of contemporary cultural tourism products in Croatian cities that are trying to create, with their cultural and tourism policies, the image of cultural destinations. Findings - Both theoretical and practical research results confirm that cultural resources, transformed by entrepreneurial initiatives into an innovative cultural and creative offer based on indigenous elements, open up possibilities for differentiation and recognition of Croatian cities (integral cultural product as the key offer and urban brand - e.g. Advent in Zagreb, Rijeka - the European Capital of Culture 2020). Originality of the research - The paper presents new insights into concrete possibilities of synergetic interaction between culture and tourism and integral product development management, and proposes innovation of the value chain in Croatian urban tourism destinations.