The Croatian Camping Association (KUH) is conducting a project, supported by the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, to promote professions and employment in the tourism sector. Various activities have been organized, involving numerous students, from lectures in high schools and universities to Open Days in campsites. A relaxed atmosphere, outdoor stays, and attractive working conditions are elements that have attracted young people: the large participation and interest shown in employment in the camping segment confirm this.
The Open Days in the Kvarner Region were held on the island of Krk, at the Krk Premium Camping Resort (Valamar), on May 6, 2024. The event was attended by students and teachers from the Faculty of Management in Tourism and Hospitality (Opatija) and students from the Croatian King Zvonimir High School (Krk), joined by students from the Opatija School of Tourism and Hospitality. In Istria, Open Days were held at the Polari campsite (Maistra) on May 14, 2024, with the participation of students from the Eugen Kumičić Vocational School (Rovinj) and students from the Faculty of Economics and Tourism Dr. Mijo Mirković (Pula). Istria and Kvarner together cover two-thirds of Croatia’s camping capacity.
An articulated project
In addition to Open Days, the project also included specific lectures in six national higher and secondary education institutions, as well as the organization of workshops and interviews with potential employers. Approximately 100 students from tourism and hospitality schools in Dalmatia, including the University of Zadar, the Polytechnic of Šibenik, and the Šibenik Vocational School, participated in the largest national Croatian camping congress, where they could meet 378 representatives of the national camping sector.
As part of the project, the online platform “Career development in camping: everything you need to know” was also created, providing a rich knowledge base related to camping, such as statistical reports, job descriptions, benchmarking reports, organizational overviews, regulations, and more. The website is designed to provide all information about employment opportunities in camping and to offer useful information for the preparation of papers and theses.
Overall, the mentioned activities involved over 400 students from across Croatia, and the events were also attended by their teachers and instructors, as well as a more general audience.
A marked road
The Croatian Camping Association will continue on this path. “As a sector association, we strive to motivate young generations to work in camping, and numerous examples of best practices and direct contact between employers and students in the field have proven to be ideal tools for attracting young human resources,” emphasized Adriano Palman, director of KUH. Young people still perceive camping as a field and a tent, and they remain pleasantly surprised when they discover that the current situation is completely different, with Croatian campsites being among the best and most innovative in Europe, thus offering interesting opportunities for professional development.
The project was realized thanks to the collaboration of numerous partners, including, in addition to the aforementioned educational institutions, Maistra, Valamar, the Istrian Tourism Board, the Tourism Board of the city of Krk, the Croatian Tourism Association, and the Croatian Hospitality Industry Employers’ Association.
