In community with nature – achieving sustainable development of tourism through interpretation of natural heritage
At the end of October, employees of the Bioteka Association, in cooperation with the “Mihovil” Tour Guide Association from Šibenik and external experts, held a two-day course about the natural heritage of the Šibenik-Knin County, with special emphasis on the biodiversity and geodiversity of the Krka National Park and the city of Šibenik.
The course was intended for tour guides, members of the “Mihovil” Tour Guide Association from Šibenik, and it was conducted as part of the “In community with nature – achieving sustainable development of tourism through interpretation of natural heritage” project, financed by the funds of the Ministry of Tourism and Sport.
The project was designed to provide tour guides the opportunity to learn about natural heritage, which represents a very significant aspect of tourism. The tour guides’ job includes interpreting natural heritage on a daily basis – especially lately, since the current structure of tourists requires active leisure activities. Current tourists wish to spend more and more time in nature, learn about the plants and animals typical for a certain area, and they have a more pronounced awareness of ecology and the environment. Since the Šibenik-Knik County is rich with natural resources, with two national parks and 68 areas included in the ecological network, it is the ideal tourist destination for active tourists and for the development of different types of sustainable tourism.
Thus, through the course, we wanted to give tour guides as much knowledge as possible in order to improve the quality of their interpretation and in order for them to be able to present the wealth and significance of Croatia’s natural values to the visitors in the best and most interesting way possible.
One part of the course was held in the City Library, while the other, more practically-oriented part, was held in the field near the Morinje Bay and in the Robert Visiani park. Tour guides had the opportunity to hear a plethora of interesting information about the formation of the Krka river confluence, the formation and variety of Dalmatian karst and the proof of times past preserved in the form of fossils. They learned about the diverse plant life, the formation of characteristic Dalmatian habitats and the wealth of animal species found in the sunny karstic meadows, the cold river habitats, and the hidden species inhabiting the world of eternal darkness underground.