THE ROLE OF ECO-CERTIFICATES AND LABELS IN SUSTAINABLE TOURISM DEVELOPMENT: A CASE STUDY FROM CROATIA

The application of eco-certificates and labels in tourism is an indicator of the implementation of the concept of sustainable tourism, which is aimed at protecting and preserving the environment at a given destination. Eco-certificates and labels of a destination have a positive effect on the ecologically responsible behavior and awareness within the tourism supply, which in turn introduces quality and distinctness on the tourism market. Other than promoting ecologically conscious behavior, eco-certificates stimulate tourism demand for products with a reduced negative effect on the environment. The aim of this paper is to determine the role of eco-certificates in sustainable tourism development. A research was conducted across eight urban destinations in the Republic of Croatia on several stakeholder groups in each destination (the public and private sector, local population and tourists). A semi-structured questionnaire on 2,300 respondents shows attitudes toward the influence of eco- certificates on tourists' decisions when choosing a destination; specifically, the tourists' readiness to pay extra for eco- certified products and services at a destination. Variance analysis was used. The respondents generally show a positive attitude toward eco-certificates, with visible differences in stakeholder attitudes on the level of a particular destination, differences between different stakeholder groups, and differences for each particular eco-certificate. The results indicate an increasing importance of eco-certificates on the tourism market, as well as the need to understand their role in the destination's sustainable tourism development. Consequently, it is to be expected that these certificates will increase in application, which is why further research in this field is necessary.