ENTREPRENEURSHIP DEVELOPMENT IN THE EASTERN CROATIAN TOURISM

Entrepreneurship and tourism are extremely important for the development of the Croatian economy, especially its eastern part. Due to the high rate of unemployment and economic inefficiency of the economy as a whole, the development of entrepreneurship in tourism has huge potential for possible economic growth. A special role is the development of small and medium enterprises as a carrier in economic development. Developing tourism businesses in eastern Croatia means supporting attractive varieties of tourism, quality of tourism services, better tourism infrastructure and employment expression. The aim is to determine the primary tourist characteristics and importance of tourism development in eastern Croatia, examine the basic characteristics of the relevant development programmes as well as the institutions that implement them, analyse instruments that support entrepreneurship and tourism, examine the advantages and disadvantages of existing support and propose concrete measures and forms of aid in the context of better exploitation of tourism potential and development of entrepreneurship in eastern Croatia. For the purposes of research, the results of surveys, scientific and vocational literature, strategic documents, development programmes and reports are analysed. Based on the analysis of development programmes, tourism and business development, synthesis and deduction conclusions are made on the promotion of entrepreneurship development in tourism. Classification and comparison with other regions and counties have made concrete conclusion about aid in eastern Croatia. Our results suggest an insufficient utilization tourism potential of eastern Croatia, and a poor tourism offer in Croatia's mainland. Eastern Croatia has great potential for development businesses primarily in rural tourism, such as the development of tourism on rural farms, hunting and fishing, ecotourism, cultural and gastronomic, culinary and wine tourism. Various development programmes of the relevant institutions, specifically ministries, and development financial institutions are being implemented. Studies indicate poor use at these programmes. The role of bank lending in tourism is emphasized and survey research highlights that compared with other Croatian regions, eastern Croatia has the lowest utilisation of subsidised credit programmes. Commercial banks emphasize that stronger state support would greatly stimulate financing of entrepreneurship in tourism.