Text and photographs courtesy of: Glas Istre
A responsible approach to natural resources, whether natural landmarks, locations, or agricultural products, ranks high on the list of priorities for global travelers. Especially in today’s post-COVID recovery period. The truffle is one of the natural resources specific to the Istrian region, forms part of local culture, and serves as an attraction for visitors to the destination.
The Ministry of Agriculture absolutely supports sustainable forms of tourism, supports and encourages the protection of traditional products, said Mario Bratulić, Assistant to the Minister of Agriculture. There are also certain measures that various family farms can apply for through different calls for proposals, and what is most important is that we have just entered a new programming period where there will be new opportunities, new measures, and the idea is that all small producers contribute to sustainable tourism in such a way that central and northern Istria are ideal for such forms.
How to approach this resource responsibly and sustainably, what responsible and sustainable tourism actually means, and what the local community and accommodation providers gain from this type of tourism—these are all questions that were the focus of a new feature at the jubilee 20th Istrian Truffle Festival held at Mašim’s Škuja, a panel discussion on the topic “Natural Resources in the Function of Sustainable and Responsible Tourism.” The discussion was moderated by Ana Pisak, who completed her master’s degree on the topic of sustainable and responsible tourism in rural areas, with participants including County Head of Tourism Nada Prodan Mraković, Advisor to the Minister of Agriculture Mario Bratulić, and County Head of Agriculture Ezio Pinzan.
Sustainable and responsible tourism is tourism that strikes a smart and proper balance in an area, not at the expense of the local population but in cooperation with the community, not as an end in itself but developed, especially in rural areas and less developed tourist regions, in collaboration with the community. The advantage of sustainable tourism is that it valorizes the natural assets and agricultural products of a region, as well as the preservation of nature and the natural environment, cultural landmarks… The main motivation for visits to Istria is sun, sea, and resort tourism, thanks to the beautiful nature, clean sea, and lovely beaches, but over the past twenty years Istria has, precisely because it wanted to move away in part from the sun and sea product, placed other forms of tourism in focus that motivate visits throughout the year, such as wine and gastronomy, cultural tourism, outdoor activities, religious tourism…, said Prodan Mraković.
The Istrian Truffle Hunters Association, with the support of the Ministry of Agriculture and Istria County, has begun the process of protecting the designation of origin for the Istrian white truffle, and this was also discussed at the panel.
Continue reading at: Glas Istre
