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  3. Product Development and Special Interest Tourism

Recognizing the needs of the tourism workforce for specific skills and competences, UHPA project activities have always placed emphasis on informal staff training for travel agency employees, on keeping them informed and on including them in life-long learning programs.

In that regard, nationally, UHPA has a long running history of collaborating both with the Croatian Ministry of Tourism and the national DMO – HTZ. Tourism industry dynamics impose the need to strengthen human resource capacities in order to develop new products. By making training programs readily available and tailored to the needs of travel agencies, year after year, UHPA continues to contribute to the overall quality of the tourism offer, to the development of complex tourism products and to reining in the seasonality and volume of Croatian tourism.

Two professional development traning programs were designed and implemented for UHPA members over the years with the help of EU funds: with the UK Travel Association - ABTA (STAND TOUR) and the German Alliance of Independent Travel Companies - ASR (FAIR TOUR). In total, 22 participating tour operator represenatives enhanced their expertise in developing innovative products for the special interest tourism market and learned to adequately respond to the specificities of the British and German markets. Their experiences and advice were collected in two brochures (UHPA tips&tricks – How to do Business with UK Partners and UHPA Reise tipps&tricks) in which practical advice for inbound tour operators to improve their B2B cooperation with German and UK travel agencies and tour operators was provided. STAND TOUR was selected as a Croatian Mobility best-practice example by the national Agency for Mobility and EU Programmes.

In terms of building capacities for developing new tourism products internationally, UHPA has, as a partner in the implementation of the project "In Cultura Veritas – Developing Destination Appeal to Increase the Valorisation and Utilization of Cultural Heritage", contributed to the active protection of cultural assets in the cross-border area of Croatia and Slovenia. The project supported the creation of a sustainable tourist destination that innovatively connects the cultural heritage sites and the wine tradition of Zagreb County (HR) and the Obsotelje and Kozjansko (SLO) subregions.

Implemented under the EU program for cross-border cooperation between Croatia and Montenegro, UHPA’s "Open up a border for adventure and new travel opportunities" project aimed to contribute to the promotion of the potential of the Croatian and Montenegrin tourism offer as integral tourism destinations. The project improved the environment for the establishment of new tourism products based on the sustainable development of the program area and on the improvement of social connections in the cross-border area. UHPA activities included promotion, dissemination and participation in the organisation of modular training sessions for private, civil and public sector representatives.

Read more about UHPA projects on new product development and special interest tourism in the menu on the left.

Terra Gothica Incognita Exhibition: "Splendor Istriae – Gothic Wall Paintings in Istria"

The first of three exhibitions dedicated to the masters of the Kastav School of Painting opens in Koper on August 6

Monograph "The Kastav Painting School" presented

Published and funded as part of the Terra Gothica Incognita project, the monograph was presented at the House of Frescoes in Draguć on June 30

Presentation of the book "The Kastav Painting School"

Published and funded as part of the Terra Gothica Incognita project, the monograph will be presented at the House of Frescoes in Draguć on June 30 at 12 p.m.

Discover the Millennia-Old History of the City of Koper

The grand opening of the exhibition "Upright History" will take place on June 8 at the Town Tower as part of the activities of the Terra Gothica Incognita project

Presentation of the destination Terra Gothica Incognita

It will take place as part of the Medieval Day at Prem Castle, on Saturday, May 30, 2026

Strategy of the new cultural and tourism destination presented

Key elements of the document contributing to the establishment of a long-term, sustainable and well-coordinated framework for managing the cross-border destination Terra Gothica Incognita were presented during the final consultative workshop

Terra Gothica Incognita: Fourth consultative workshop held

Local stakeholders gathered in the City of Prem

Terra Gothica Incognita: Third consultative workshop held

Local stakeholders gathered at the House of Frescoes in Draguć

Didactic concerts in the magical setting of Gothic churches

Concerts will be held on 26 September, 4 October and 10 October as part of the Terra Gothica Incognita project

Terra Gothica Incognita: Third consultative workshop with stakeholders

Will be held on 1 October 2025 at the House of Frescoes in Draguć
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