Trainings within the GUSTI project – Gastro UpScaled Tourist Itinerary in rural regions of Croatia and Italy (ID: ITHR0200403), co-financed through the Interreg IT-HR 2021–2027 Programme, were held, organized by Lika-Senj County and the business consulting and services craft ZIHERICA, under the title "Providing services in tourism and sustainable development" (D.2.1.2. Workshops Providing service in tourism and sustainable development). The workshops took place in the Dr. Ante Starčević hall, located in the basement of the Lika-Senj County building at Dr. Franje Tuđmana 4 in Gospić.

The workshops were intended for a wide range of stakeholders from the tourism and gastronomy sectors: small entrepreneurs, associations, representatives of local and regional self-government units, students and teachers of vocational schools, family farms, providers of tourist and catering services, local food producers, and tourist boards.

The workshop program covered five thematic units: green skills, short supply chains, quality labels, the legal framework for tourism and catering activities, and digital skills. Through interactive lectures and practical examples, participants had the opportunity to improve their knowledge and acquire useful tools for developing a more competitive and sustainable business, and at the end, they were awarded certificates of participation as recognition for their effort and engagement.

"The great interest in the workshops shows that the local community recognizes the importance of sustainable development in tourism and gastronomy. Our goal is to empower stakeholders to become more competitive on the market through new knowledge and skills, while nurturing local resources. We are particularly pleased with the large turnout of students from the Vocational School who actively participated in the workshops. Their interest and engagement confirm that young people recognize the importance of acquiring new knowledge and skills in the field of tourism and gastronomy. Since the future rests on them, such involvement of the younger generations represents an important step in building a sustainable and competitive tourism sector." – point out the workshop organizers.

The large turnout and active participation confirmed the importance of such trainings for the local community and entrepreneurs who want to respond to contemporary challenges in tourism. The GUSTI project is focused on the development of sustainable gastro-tourism in rural areas of Croatia and Italy and strengthening the capacities of local stakeholders for inclusion in modern tourist flows.

More about the project on the project website: https://www.italy-croatia.eu/web/gusti