Bakar, Croatia. Storytelling and heritage for sustainable tourism.
Bakar was one of former Yugoslavia’s most important industrial centres. Then, for five decades it carried the stigma of a polluted city with little opportunity for economic recovery and tourism. The Tourism Board was started in 2009 to work with the community to reinvigorate local traditions but managing this during the pandemic was a challenge.
Bakar Tourism Board decided to work with children to create a book that would be an open, a selfguided tour following Ivan Čop, born in 1869, a blind water carrier who kept going despite all odds. With the book, visitors could continue exploring and learning about local heritage despite the Covid-19 restrictions. Bakar saw an opportunity to show that tourism could be meaningful, respectful and educational.
