Doctoral dissertation summary: Outdoor tourism development concept as a generator of destination competitiveness

Purpose The analysis of the current situation and the possibility of development of outdoor tourism on the island of Krk with the aim of developing a tourist destination based on small and medium enterprises through the model of development concept is the main objective of the research. The purpose of this dissertation is to research the development of a tourist destination, small and medium enterprises, following the creation of a successful model that ensures the competitive advantage of the destination in accordance with the new market demands and new trends in tourism with the aim of differentiating the tourist product. Since the island of Krk has all the natural conditions for the development of outdoor tourism, it is necessary to implement a model of the concept of outdoor tourism development at all levels of destination management and all stakeholders involved in the creation of a tourist product. For the implementation of the innovation, the existing system of destination management, the definition of objectives and operational strategies is challenged. The primary importance of defining the model of the concept of development is based on information and knowledge management in the future. In accordance with the theme and purpose of the research, the aim of the research is to conduct a situation analysis and determine the possibilities of outdoor tourism development in the sphere of entrepreneurship on the island of Krk, set goals and proposals for innovative operational strategies and ways of managing development at all levels and innovate the tourism product by creating a model of the concept of outdoor tourism development. The model of the concept of development, the goal of this research, connects to the goals and innovation of the operational strategies as a set of dynamic activities that must be used to transform the tourist destination as a carrier of change, to be ready to achieve competitiveness in a dynamic tourism market in the function of development of small and medium enterprises