Title: Tourism in Croatia between the two world wars: the Dubrovnik district case

Authors: Marija Benić Penava

Addresses: University of Dubrovnik, Branitelja Dubrovnika 29, 20000 Dubrovnik, Croatia

Abstract: By exploring the archive records and the relevant literature from a historical perspective, this paper perceives the development of tourism in Croatia in the Interbellum. With the loss of the emissive Austro-Hungarian market after 1918 and within the frame of the smaller and poorer market of the newly formed Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, service industries in the Dubrovnik district register a substantial progress. As opposed to previous, mostly health-related motives for organised groups of visitors to the southernmost part of the underdeveloped Austro-Hungarian county of Dalmatia, in the monarchy of Yugoslavia Dubrovnik established an elite travel status. The touristic achievements of Dubrovnik today - as one of the leading tourist destinations - emerge from its wise management in the Interbellum and the tradition of investing in the service sector has continued from the times of the Republic of Dubrovnik.

Keywords: inter-war tourism; Dubrovnik district; Croatia; economy; service industry; services; elite status; travel status; tourist destinations.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBG.2014.058034

International Journal of Business and Globalisation, 2014 Vol.12 No.1, pp.109 - 123

Published online: 16 Jun 2014 *

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