Cultural and creative tourism as the factor of the rural community development--the case of Nakovana, Peljesac Peninsula.

Letunic, Stijepo ; Dragicevic, Marija ; Brautovic, Helena 等

1. INTRODUCTION

Attractions have been viewed by many as central to the tourism process. They are often the reason for visiting a particular destination (Richards, 2002). Strategies and program of tourism based on cultural-historical heritage is relatively new throughout the World. Cultural tourism is the fastest growing market in Europe, although empirical arguments are rare. Culture is becoming the basis for the "economy of experience", and cultural tourism its major part (Richards, 2002). Every destination is unique in its own way, and this uniqueness is what attracts tourists. Tourism based on the cultural and historical heritage is an excellent way to put history and art in the middle of the economic growth of a destination (Brook, 2000). Active participation of tourists in cultural programs, i.e. a creative component of a cultural tourist offer is an extremely interesting segment of a tourist offer. The programs to include cultural and historical heritage into a tourist offer should help some Croatian areas in developing new destinations or in improving existing environmental characteristics and cultural destinations. Unfortunately, in the Republic of Croatia this does not still gain enough attention. The aim of this paper is to point out to the possibilities of the development of cultural and creative tourism on Peljesac peninsula, in the place called Nakovana, whose extraordinary cultural potential has not yet been evaluated from the tourism angle.

2. CULTURAL AND CREATIVE TOURISM

Cultural tourism can be defined as a type of tourists' special interest in the search for a more extensive participation in new cultural experiences, esthetic, intellectual, emotional and psychological values (Xie & Wall, 2001). Today's tourists are seeking to actively participate in cultural events. This is possible in the area of creative tourism. In this matter, tourist buys dreams, i.e. escape from everyday life is commercialized (Schouten, 2002). It is much cheaper to develop creative than cultural tourism. It is based on conveying local skills and experience to the tourists in a suitable environment, and it does not require a developed infrastructure, which is not the case with cultural tourism. Visitors seek for a unique experience, funny and unusual adventures which provoke curiosity and rouse emotional reactions (Schouten,1995).

Physical remains of the past, whether it is a landscape, site or a building, can be presented to visitors in many ways. The real challenge is to find a way to make remains of the past present in today's everyday life and interesting to the tourists at the same time. Creative tourism is becoming more and more the main factor of the development of the outlying districts. There are very successful examples of the cultural and creative tourism development in the world. Programs of including cultural heritage in tourist supply should help Croatia at the development of new destinations or improve exisiting ones. It could attract new visitors and stimulate local economy. Creative production processes can also attract enterprises, and individuals involved in the cultural sector (Richards & Wilson, 2006). The main purpose of Croatian tourism development should be creation of sustainable development based on unique cultural heritage.

3. THE POSSIBILITIES OF CULTURAL AND

CREATIVE TOURISM DEVELOPMENT IN NAKOVANA

Peljesac, peninsula in the South Dalmatia is the region with many different cultures existing throughout history (Peljesac tourist monography, 2003). In the Western part of the peninsula there is a place called Nakovana, consisting of two villages, Upper and Lower Nakovana. Nakovana is situated in the ecological area and it has a rich fond of endemic plants and rare animals. In the close vicinity to the villages there are unique historical sites like Spila, where the 8000 year Neolithic remains have been found, an intact Illyrian shrine from the 4th century B.C., the Illyrian hill-fort Gradina, the Illyrian tombstones, medieval chapels, and a family house of a torpedo inventor Ivan Lupis Vukic. Both villages are unfortunately abandoned and mostly devastated. One can conclude that the whole place is abandoned due to the fact that only one family lives during the entire year. The other owners of the family houses which are in better state, visit the village just occasionally. The climate is typical Mediterranean and convenient for development of tourism.

3.1. Existing cultural attractions and their state

3.1.1. Spila

With its three halls, the cave was a shelter already 8000 years ago. It represents a very rare finding and the richest finding from the Illyrian time in the World. A great number of artifacts were found, witnessing a life of Illyrians of that time. It is mostly about the ceramic dishes, imported mainly from Greece and Greek colonies (Forenbacher & Kaiser, 2003). The foundings are concentrated around stalagmite which dominates in the cave. It has been symbol of fertility for Ilirians in Nakovana. The collected amounts of the artifacts would be sufficient to open a middle-size museum. Unfortunatelly, the site is not prepared for the tourists' visits, therefore there are no organized visits to the site and there is not any financial interest from which the local community would make any profits. However, there was an exhibition of some of the artifacts found in Spila in the Rector's Palace in Dubrovnik, where many prominent researchers and scientists from around the World as well as from Croatia participated, and which aroused huge interest with the public. This only witnesses a great importance of the finding.

3.1.2 Hill Grad

This place had outstanding geo-strategic position from which the whole Adriatic see could have been controlled. The area was populated by the Illyrians during the ancient times, and they strengthened Grad by building terraces and walls, thus turning it into one of the most fortified towns in the Adriatic. Illyrians used this place to start their war and pirate crusades. Today, only the fundaments of the Grad are visible. The Illyrian masters of this exquisite city are buried in tumulus graves, which are in the close vicinity.

3.1.3. Illyrian tumuli

In the footage of Grad, there are about hundred Illyrian tumuli, called "Greek tumulus", which are artificial mounds over a grave. Some of them are of a monumental size, more than twenty meters in diameter and about four meters of height. They had been made from stone in the form of circle ground-plan. There are about 80 tumuli found in the Nakovana area. Limited number of tumuli points to the conclusion that they have not been built only for important persons. Unfortunately, they have all been excavated and destroyed in the search of treasure.

3.1.4. Fort on Spila Gubavica

It can be said that this area is one of the most preserved Illyrian tumuli. This pile is what has remained from an Illyrian fort which was built to monitor the Peljesac channel. Today, it is an extraordinary belvedere.

3.1.5. Upper and Lower Nakovana villages

Upper and Lower Nakovana villages were first mentioned in the 14th century, although there had been some settlements even before. They can be considered as a true jewel in the autochthones architecture. During the Second World War the the Lower Nakovana village was burnt by the Italian army. After Peljesac came under German occupation most population exiled to Sahara desert, in El Shattt, Egypt. After the Second World War most population migrated to other parts of the world, like New Zealand and Australia. Few important persons have their origin in village Nakovana. One of them is Ivan Lupis-Vukovic, the torpedo inventor, and the first Croatian in New Zealand, Pavle Lupis. Although many buildings are devastated, and are need reconstruction, some houses have been preserved, as well as the traditional equipment that has been used in everyday living.

3.1.6. Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church

This is church was mentioned in the 14th century for the first time although it probably originates from the 12th or the 13th century, which would mean that this is the oldest church where the mass is still celebrated. The church is still in good condition thanks to the inhabitants who take good care for the church. The feast of Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the 8th September attracts many local people, emigrants to far away countries, domestic and foreign tourists. In the past, up to five hundred inhabitants from neighboring places used to visit Nakovana on the 8th September. After the mass and procession, they have continued the feast with some social activities and the traditional dance. Since 2004 this tradition has been continued.

3.2. Development directions

The beginnings of the tourist valorization of Nakovana could be primarily directed towards creativity in culture. The tourists would be able to experience the past by actively participating in different kinds of workshops and organized excursions in Nakovana area. It demands additional education of human resource. With minor financial investments, some of the existing buildings could be restored and used as an adequate accommodation for a certain number of tourists. Next phase of development should stimulate the project of the cultural and creative tourism development. Strategic plan for the development has to be made and some operative plans as well, in cooperation with local inhabitants and associations. The state could be a significant factor in stimulating investments, participating in financing and supporting the project in any other ways. Tourist board should be involved in stimulating and improving of original values and attractions. Local community, i.e. local inhabitants should be actively included into the provision of services. It is necessary to improve the existing infrastructure and telecommunication. An urgent reconstruction of the village into its original state is necessary too, in order to preserve the authenticity of the place. Building apartment complex and violation of autochthony is out of question. Building of all other side objects of the tourist offer should be managed in accordance with the principles of sustainable development. Beside the main road which is satisfactory, there are many side roads in a very poor condition, and some of the sites are impossible to reach at all. The tourist development of Nakovana village could be aided by the fact that it is located in vicinity of Viganj and Loviste, who have accommodation capacities and other tourist facilities.

4. CONCLUSION

Especially attractive segment of tourist supply is tourist active participation in cultural events. That is a creative component of tourist supply. Development of this alternative form of tourism can improve the attractive features of destination and bring multiplicative financial benefits. Although these programs are rather new in the world, there are many successful examples of the development of cultural and creative tourism in the local communities. Unfortunately, the abundance of the cultural resources has not yet been used to a full extent in the Republic of Croatia. There are still many potentially interesting and attractive tourist destinations that have not valorized their resources yet. One of them is village Nakovana with an extreme cultural wealth that could be categorized as very rare, but not valorized in the tourism sense. The village is attractive because of its location, authentic architecture, numerous historical findings and tradition. It is necessary to induce a tourist valorization of this extremely interesting area.

5. REFERENCES

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