The significance of the title "European Capital of Culture" for city tourism

Svrha rada je utvrđivanje utjecaja titule Europske prijestolnice kulture na regionalni turizam, odnosno utjecaj na turizam gradova i regija koja se natječu u proglašenju Europske prijestolnice kulture. Program Europske prijestolnice kulture predstavlja veliku korist stanovnicima grada i okolice u povećanju životnog standarda i kvalitete života, jer se ulažu velika financijska sredstva u gradnju kulturnih ustanova vrhunske suvremene arhitekture i adaptaciju postojećih kulturnih ustanova, a s druge veliku promociju grada domaćina kao središta kulture, odnosno kulturnog turizma. Projekt Europski grad kulture je jedan od najprepoznatljivijih i najviše prihvatljivijih projekata u kulturnoj politici Europske unije. Dodjeljivanjem titule gradovima omogućava se isticanje elemenata lokalnog i nacionalnog identiteta u pogledu kulture i kulturnih atrakcija, te pozitivnih pomaka u ekonomskom i socijalnom smislu.The purpose of written work is to determine the influence of the title of the European Capital of Culture on regional tourism, respectively the impact on the tourism of cities and regions that compete for the proclamation of the European Capital of Culture. The program of the European Capital of Culture represents a great benefit to the inhabitants of the city and its surroundings in increasing the standard of living and quality of life, because they invest great financial resources in the construction of cultural institutions of top-class modern architecture and adaptation of existing cultural institutions and other great promotion of the host city as a center of culture tourism. The European City of Culture project is one of the most recognizable and most acceptable projects in the cultural policy of the European Union. By assigning titles to cities it is possible to highlight the elements of local and national identity in terms of culture and cultural attractions, as well as positive economic and social changes