ESHTE strengthens international cooperation in Croatia

Three professors from the Estoril School of Hospitality and Tourism (ESHTE) and researchers from CiTUR (Centre for Research, Development and Innovation in Tourism) were in Croatia as part of an Erasmus+ Teaching mobility. The mobility took place against the backdrop of an international conference dedicated to rural tourism.

 

João Reis, Maria José Pires, and Rúben Feijão were part of the Portuguese delegation that went to Međimurje University of Applied Sciences, in Čakovec, where they participated in working sessions focused on the challenges and potential of tourism in low-density territories. This initiative allowed direct contact with local strategies for enhancing the value of the rural world and with the emerging concerns of a destination that focuses on sustainability as a development axis. Throughout the mobility, the professors shared practices and experiences from the Portuguese context, highlighting the role of applied research in supporting decision-making and strategic planning of tourist destinations.

 

The mobility also included moments of exchanging experiences in Portuguese and Croatian cultural realities, emphasizing gastronomy and museum experiences embedded in rural tourism. In this context, the visit to the Ecomuseum Međimurje malo allowed for an innovative approach to the valorization of rural heritage, using multimedia technologies. This immersive component provided a joint reflection on the role of interactive technologies in cultural interpretation and the creation of distinctive tourist experiences.

 

Participation in the international conference provided a privileged opportunity for scientific and academic dialogue with researchers and experts and, at the same time, allowed for the establishment of collaboration protocols between ESHTE researchers and the Croatian university to develop joint research and mobility projects.

 

With this initiative, ESHTE reinforces its commitment to international cooperation and to the construction of knowledge networks that contribute to a more informed, sustainable tourism that is attentive to local realities.