Rijeka gathered private renters for education on the future of small-scale tourism
A professional lecture, “Small-scale tourism – where next?”, was held in Rijeka City Hall, organized by the Rijeka Tourist Board and in cooperation with Nedo Pinezić, one of the recognizable experts in family and small-scale tourism. The event gathered a large number of private renters, tourism professionals and other stakeholders who directly participate in shaping the local tourist offer. The participants’ interest confirmed that the private accommodation sector is in a phase in which it is no longer enough to rely only on the attractiveness of the destination itself, but it is necessary to constantly monitor changes in demand, regulations, digital sales channels and guest expectations.
The lecture focused on practical issues faced by small renters: from changes in guest behavior and the importance of service quality to new business models, networking within the destination and strengthening visibility in the digital market. In this context, Rijeka, as an urban destination in Kvarner, has a different dynamic from classic holiday resorts because its tourist offer increasingly relies on a combination of culture, events, business travel, proximity to the coast, transport connections and year-round content. For this reason, private accommodation in the city is increasingly viewed as part of a broader destination product, and not only as an individual overnight-stay service.
The special value of the education was that it did not remain at general messages about the need to “raise quality”, but opened a series of concrete topics that affect renters’ business every day. Participants could hear how global tourism trends are changing local markets, why the price must be aligned with the expected value of the service, how guests inform themselves before arrival and why reputation, communication and response speed have become as important as the location and equipment of the property. For visitors planning a longer stay in the city, clearly presented
accommodation offers in Rijeka are increasingly being requested, especially when they are connected with specific events, cultural programs or business obligations.
Small-scale tourism increasingly depends on knowledge, cooperation and adaptation
In his presentation, Nedo Pinezić gave an overview of current challenges and opportunities for small renters, with an emphasis on the fact that private accommodation can no longer be viewed separately from overall tourism trends. Guests are increasingly carefully comparing price and quality, looking for clear information before booking, expecting professional communication and increasingly valuing the authenticity of the stay. This does not mean that small-scale tourism is losing its advantage; on the contrary, precisely the personal approach, local knowledge and flexibility can be its greatest strength if they are connected with professional management.
In the discussion on the future of small-scale tourism, the need for mutual networking of all stakeholders in the destination was especially emphasized. A private renter is not an isolated entity, but part of a wider system that includes the tourist board, hospitality providers, cultural institutions, event organizers, transport providers, local government and providers of various services. When this system functions in a coordinated way, the guest finds information more easily, stays longer in the destination and spends on a wider range of content. When connection is absent, even quality accommodation can remain without full effect because the guest does not have enough reasons for a longer stay.
Such an approach is especially important for Rijeka, a city that does not build its tourist recognizability exclusively on the swimming season, but on the combination of urban identity, industrial and maritime heritage, culture, gastronomy, trips toward Kvarner and transport accessibility. For this reason, a space for different positioning also opens up for renters: instead of generic presentation of apartments, recommendations for the stay, information about public transport, events, museums, promenades, beaches, restaurants and excursions are becoming increasingly important. A well-prepared host can offer the guest more than a key and an invoice, and it is precisely that added value that often decides the review and a return visit.
According to data from the eVisitor system published by the Ministry of Tourism and Sport and the Government of the Republic of Croatia, Croatia recorded 21.8 million tourist arrivals and 110.1 million overnight stays in 2025, which is growth compared with the previous year. These results confirm that demand exists, but at the same time they raise the question of the long-term sustainability of growth, a more even distribution of traffic during the year and the preservation of price competitiveness. For small renters, this means that success can be based less and less only on general market growth, and more and more on precise management of quality, costs, promotion and the relationship with the guest.
Digital marketing has become one of the key tools of competitiveness
A special part of the lecture, held by Katarina Buban and Mihaela Catela, was dedicated to digital marketing and its role in strengthening the visibility of private accommodation. This topic is no longer an addition to the basic business for renters, but one of the decisive elements of success. Guests most often find accommodation through digital channels, compare photos, comments, location, cancellation conditions, parking availability, equipment of the space and the overall impression that the property leaves on the internet. If the information is unclear, the photos outdated or the communication slow, the property can lose a reservation even before the guest sends an inquiry.
Digital marketing in tourism does not mean only paid advertising. For private accommodation, it includes a quality description of the property, realistic and professional photographs, a consistent tone of communication, optimized information for search engines, clearly highlighted advantages of the location and active management of reviews. The way in which the property connects with the destination is also important: the guest does not choose only a bed, but also the experience of the stay. In the case of Rijeka, this can mean proximity to Korzo, Trsat, cultural events, beaches, business zones, the bus and railway stations, ferry connections or excursions toward Opatija, the islands and Gorski kotar.
For small renters, digital presence is often challenging because it requires time, knowledge and continuity. Still, a well-set digital strategy can reduce dependence on random reservations and help the property position itself better toward targeted groups of guests. Family accommodation, business stays, a shorter city break, cultural tourism, stays during events or accommodation for visitors to health and educational institutions do not always require the same content or the same way of communication. That is why it is important that the renter knows whom they are addressing, which problems they solve for the guest and why their offer is relevant in relation to other options.
In this sense, internal links to
accommodation for visitors to Rijeka in informative texts can have practical value if they are placed in a clear context and if they lead the user toward a relevant offer. But such linking must be natural, not aggressive; it should help the reader find information more easily, especially when the text relates to events, education, manifestations or other reasons for coming to the city. Precisely the combination of quality content and useful navigation is one of the foundations of modern digital visibility in tourism.
Changes in the market require a more professional approach to private accommodation
The education in City Hall was held in a period in which Croatian tourism is facing several simultaneous changes. On the one hand, official data show record tourism results and the continuation of strong demand. On the other hand, there is increasing talk about the need for more sustainable capacity management, better service quality, control of excessive pressure on individual destinations, price competitiveness and the alignment of tourism development with the quality of life of the local population. Private accommodation has an important role in this because it makes up a large part of the accommodation offer, but also because it is directly connected with the everyday functioning of city districts.
The Croatian Bureau of Statistics, in its regular releases, monitors arrivals and overnight stays in commercial accommodation, while the Ministry of Tourism and Sport and the Croatian National Tourist Board, through the eVisitor system, publish data used for monitoring tourist traffic. These indicators help understand the broader picture, but it is equally important for renters to monitor their own indicators: occupancy by month, average price, number of returning guests, booking sources, ratings and comments. Only the combination of official trends and one’s own data enables better business decisions.
For destinations such as Rijeka, it is especially important to develop the offer outside the peak of the summer season. A city that has cultural institutions, a university, hospital institutions, business infrastructure, a port, sports and music events and proximity to other Kvarner destinations can create motives for arrivals during a larger part of the year. This opens an opportunity for renters for more stable business, but only if they adapt the offer to different guest profiles. A business traveler, a family on a shorter vacation, a couple on a weekend trip, a conference participant or a visitor to a cultural event have different expectations, rhythms of stay and selection criteria.
The professionalization of private accommodation does not mean the loss of its personality. On the contrary, the most successful small renters are often those who manage to combine the warmth of a host’s approach with clear business standards. This includes orderly administration, transparent prices, compliance with regulations, fast communication, accuracy of information, property safety, cleanliness and readiness to solve problems. A guest who receives what was promised, and in addition a useful local recommendation, is more likely to leave a good review and recommend the accommodation to others.
The discussion showed that renters are looking for concrete answers
After the lecture, an interactive discussion followed in which participants asked concrete questions and sought advice applicable in everyday business. Such a format proved important because many challenges of private accommodation cannot be solved with general recommendations. Renters are interested in practical questions: how to stand out in the competition, how to shape the price, how to communicate with guests, how to react to a negative review, which digital tools to use, how to present the property without exaggeration and how to connect better with the local offer.
The discussion also opened the broader question of the role of tourist boards in the education of renters. The Rijeka Tourist Board has on its pages a special information corner for renters, with topics related to administrative and financial obligations, guest registration, relations with guests, promotion and quality of accommodation, and news important for business. Such resources are becoming increasingly important because regulations, market conditions and guest expectations are changing faster than before, and small renters often do not have separate administrative, marketing or legal departments to help them adapt.
Continuous education can reduce the number of mistakes, but also help renters view their business more long-term. A short-term price increase can bring higher income in one season, but if it is not accompanied by appropriate quality, it can negatively affect reviews and future demand. The same applies to digital presentation: attractive photographs can bring a guest, but only the actual condition of the property and the quality of service determine final satisfaction. For this reason, education about small-scale tourism is at the same time education about business responsibility, communication and expectation management.
For Rijeka, it is important that private renters become involved in the development of the destination as active partners. When they are familiar with programs in the city, traffic information, cultural events and local content, they can give guests higher-quality recommendations. In this way, the stay is not reduced only to an overnight stay, but turns into a more complete experience. A visitor who, through the host, discovers a museum, a concert, a walk to Trsat, local gastronomy or an excursion in the surroundings is more likely to experience the city as a destination worth returning to. In this context,
accommodation near Rijeka events can also become an important part of the wider tourism story, and not just technical information about the location.
Rijeka builds competitiveness through education and service quality
The lecture “Small-scale tourism – where next?” is part of the continuous activities of the Rijeka Tourist Board aimed at empowering private renters and raising the quality of the tourist offer. Such activities gain additional weight at a time when the entire sector is facing the pressure of higher guest expectations, rising costs, strong competition and the need for smarter capacity management. The success of a destination depends less and less on individual records, and more and more on the ability to turn tourism growth into stable, quality and sustainable value.
Rijeka has a specific position in this process. As a city with a strong urban identity and a wider gravitational area, it can develop tourism that is not limited only to the summer months. But for this, constant coordination of the public and private sectors is necessary, as is clear communication toward guests and strengthening the competencies of those who welcome them first. Private renters are often the guest’s first direct contact with the destination; their manner of communication, recommendations and professionalism can strongly influence the overall impression of the city.
That is why the message of this education is broader than the question itself of how to fill an apartment better. Small-scale tourism in Rijeka can be an important part of a sustainable destination offer if it is based on knowledge, cooperation, transparency and real quality. At a time when guests have more and more choices, and the market quickly penalizes the misalignment of price and value, renters who invest in education, digital visibility and a better relationship with guests will be more prepared for the changes that are coming.
Sources:- City of Rijeka – announcement and context of the education for private renters in City Hall, including the lecture “Small-scale tourism – where next?” (link)- Rijeka Tourist Board / Visit Rijeka – “Corner for renters”, official information for private renters about obligations, promotion and accommodation quality (link)- Ministry of Tourism and Sport of the Republic of Croatia – data on tourism results in 2025 and a record 110.1 million overnight stays (link)- Government of the Republic of Croatia – announcement on 21.8 million tourist arrivals and 110.1 million overnight stays in 2025 according to data from the CNTB and the eVisitor system (link)- Croatian Bureau of Statistics – official releases and statistical indicators on tourism, arrivals and overnight stays in commercial accommodation (link)- Croatian National Tourist Board – annual report for 2025 with the context of global and domestic tourism trends (link)
Find accommodation nearby
Creation time: 2 hours ago