Strategic management and demarketing in UNESCO WHSs: a comparative analysis of two Croatian tourist destinations

A comparative analysis of strategic management and demarketing strategies at two Croatian UNESCO World Heritage Sites (WHSs)—Dubrovnik and Poreč—reveals distinct approaches to balancing tourism growth with heritage preservation. The study highlights that while Dubrovnik employs aggressive marketing to attract visitors, Poreč adopts a more measured approach, focusing on sustainable tourism and demarketing to reduce overcrowding. Key findings suggest that effective management of WHSs requires a personalized conceptual framework tailored to the unique challenges of each site, emphasizing long-term cultural preservation alongside economic benefits. This research contributes to the broader discourse on optimizing heritage management strategies for global cultural properties.

Krajnović, A., Raguz, I. V., & Gortan-Carlin, I. P. (2020). Strategic management and demarketing in UNESCO WHSs: a comparative analysis of two Croatian tourist destinations. Bulletin of Geography. Socio-Economic Series, 48(48), 113–128. https://doi.org/10.2478/bog-2020-0016