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Yesterday, Split-Dalmatia County officially started the program "Dalmatia Storytelling Destination", which is intended for training and certification third generation heritage interpreter.
The program aims to empower local tourist guides and museum workers, providing them with the tools and skills needed to create new themed storytelling tours in Dalmatia. The training will be carried out through a series of educations, including "Certified interpretation guide" (CIG) training, based on methods supported by the European Association for Heritage Interpretation (Interpret Europe).
The Dalmatia Storytelling Destination project is organized by the Board of Tourism, Maritime Affairs and Transport of the Split-Dalmatia County, and the training will last from November 25 to 29, 2024 in Dugopolje. Through this education, participants will acquire the skills necessary for the interpretation of cultural heritage and its inclusion in tourism products.
The goal of the program is to develop thematic storytelling experiences that will become a permanent part of the county's tourist offer and be included in the Storytelling register via the project's web platform www.dalmatiastorytelling.com.
"Through this program, we want to enable tour guides and museum professionals to create and share stories that make our heritage alive. In this way, we not only contribute to sustainable tourism, but also create a strong connection between visitors and local culture," she stated Matea Dorčić, head of the Administrative Department for Tourism, Maritime Affairs and Transport of the Split-Dalmatia County.
Certification and Education for Heritage Interpretation
Training for the program Certified interpretation guide (CIG) is based on a five-day practical training that enables participants to turn heritage phenomena into unforgettable experiences for visitors. The education includes a written exam, the development of interpretive speech, the performance of an interpretive walk and evaluation. The training is led by a certified trainer Dubravko Fijačko from the European Association for Heritage Interpretation (Interpreter of Europe).
Upon completion of the program, participants are required to develop their own themed tours that will be included in the register Dalmatia Storytelling Destination and accessible via the visitor platform.
The project provides a unique opportunity for tour guides and museum experts to improve their knowledge and skills through the storytelling method, creating tourist products that valorize the cultural heritage of the Split-Dalmatia County in an innovative way.
Public-private co-creation of tourist products
This year's program has 12 participants from the entire Split-Dalmatia County, including for the first time representatives from all the islands.
Program participants must reside in the county and be licensed tourist guides or have a certificate of cooperation from a museum or other heritage institution. The novelty of this year's DSD project is the targeted pairing of heritage institutions and tourist guides based on interest in the stories presented by the institutions within the project.
Guides have chosen stories based on their own affinities and connection to a particular area, thus encouraging authenticity and local identity. The project includes the tourist communities of Šolta, Selca, Podgora, Brela, Split, Sinj and Jelsa, as well as heritage institutions such as the Ivan Meštrović Museum, the Split Archaeological Museum, the Skrivena Dalmacija Visitor Center and the Stella Croatica - Olive Museum.
"This year, the DSD project decided to pair heritage institutions with interested tourist guides in a targeted manner with the aim of co-creating tourist products. The heritage institutions submitted a list of stories that they want to revive or strengthen through additional programs, while the guides applied for stories in which they recognized their professional and This public-private approach strengthens the destination through sustainable products that will be available in the commercial offer this summer," she pointed out Renata Tešija, head of the DSD project.
Skrivena Dalmacija visitor center - education center for special forms of tourism
The education is hosted by the Skrivena Dalmacija Visitor Center in Dugopolje, which has become the center of education in tourism since its opening. "The center promotes sustainable development and connects projects that contribute to this goal. Dalmatia Storytelling The destination aligns with our values of sustainable tourism", He points out Marko Antonije Bitanga, head of the Center.
Tomislav Balić, director of the Dugopolje Municipality Tourist Board, points out: "Although recognized as an economic zone, Dugopolje has its own tourist story, which is successfully positioned on the tourist map. The center has enriched the offer and opened opportunities for the development of new projects, especially those that combine natural heritage and tourism. Our municipality is becoming a center of education for special forms of tourism with an emphasis on sustainability, which makes us especially happy because this type of tourism is the only desirable form of tourism in the interior. "
