Faculty of International Relations: Our Student in Croatia at a Tourism-Related BIP

The Department of International Business is pleased to share that in the last week of May, the University of Rijeka’s Faculty of Tourism and Hospitality Management hosted national student teams from Greece, Lithuania, Romania and the Czech Republic for a blended intensive program titled Heritage Unpacked: Gastronomy & Wine Tourism. The project took place in the beautiful Croatian town of Ika, Opatija. 

The Faculty of International Relations (FIR) sent one student, Dorota Prokopová, who shared her impressions: 

“The program gave us a great look into how local culture can drive a region’s tourism industry and international business. Throughout the week we spent in Croatia, we received intensive sommelier training from Josip Orišković and Marinela Mrkonja, both certified sommeliers. Instead of just learning about wine itself, this training showed us how gastronomy and wine culture are used as high‑end selling points to attract international tourists and strengthen the hospitality market. 

We took a field trip to the “Edukacijski gastronomski centar Istre”. This was a perfect example of sustainable tourism and business in action, as we discovered how their approach to farming supports the local community and farmers, while also saving endangered Istrian animal species. It showed us how a tourism project can directly benefit the local economy. We followed this up with a visit to the Tomaz winery, where we practiced our sommelier knowledge and learned how a regional business commercializes wine production for international visitors. 

Last but not least, the 28th International Congress on Tourism and Hospitality Industry 2026 took place throughout the week. We were able to participate on one of the days and listen to a keynote speaker – Sara Dolnicar. She has been working in the field of sustainable tourism and hospitality research for years. Her speech was highly riveting and valuable because she spoke about actual trends in sustainable tourism. From a business perspective, her research shows how hotels and tourism businesses may lower their costs dramatically by applying just a few basic changes. 

To sum up, our stay in Croatia was fruitful, fun and full of sun. The university is located right next to the sea, so we could enjoy beautiful views. The whole region is driven by tourism, lovely beaches and its unbelievably clear turquoise water, making it a great live case study for destination management. Because the national teams were full of international students, we had a rich intercultural collaboration and interesting discussions about how tourism works in our home countries.  

The main thanks go to Alenka Šuljić Petrc, Krešimir Mikinac, and Hrvoje Grofelnik – I have to say that the organization of the BIP was perfect, the hosts were kind, and I am happy that our university has such a great partner in Croatia.” 

Congratulation on such a wonderful experiance and thanks belong to all who helped the event even. Thank You.