Workshops on inclusion in the Lika Quality system and the development of rural areas were held
This week Cluster Lika Destination has visited Lika Destination and all the interested manufacturers introduced the Lika Quality system.
The Cluster held a lecture in Rakovica, Udbina, Otočac, Senj and Gospić and 60 of the present producers showed great interest in joining the system, since the interaction continued after the lecture. The workshops were held with deliberate introduction of the local population, producers, caterers and other interested parties as announcement of certification of new products. With Cluster Lika Destination, Local Action Group Lika and Local Action Group Frankopan held a lecture on the possibilities of rural tourism development, they presented IAKS measures from the rural development program and an indicative call for proposals in 2019.
Let's remember, the Lika Quality system is a regional system of quality food, beverages and souvenirs which aims to connect small local producers, from the area of destination Lika, with catering facilities. This opens the market to local producers and allows tourists to taste local traditional foods. Thus, the system becomes rounded and sustainable, and it is precisely the philosophy of sustainable development that this system has been guided. According to the latest world survey on attitudes and tourism spending in Croatia, gastronomy and food enjoyment is one of the three main reasons for coming to the destination which is an extremely important piece of information that enables Croatia to precisely develop continental parts and extend the tourist season.
Since its foundation in 2017, Cluster Lika Destination has implemented the Lika Quality system for the purpose of branding Lika's destination as a gastro-destination. Up to now, the Cluster has launched two Public Calls for Expression of Interest to Use the Sign of "Lika Quality" and in April this year plans to announce the third. There are currently 98 products out of 37 manufacturers in the system from the Lika area which are divided into 10 categories (honey, meat and meat products, milk and dairy products, bakery products, drinks, vegetables, herbs, souvenirs, fruit and fruit products) and the categories will expand depending on the types of reported products. In June last year, in the Plitvice Lakes National Park, a joint selling point of Lika Quality products was opened, in cooperation with Agricultural Cooperative Lika Coop.
In recent years, gastro tourism is in the world, and so in Croatia, has grown considerably and has become one of the most dynamic tourism segments. Lika as a unique ecological oasis with numerous protected natural areas that surround it can offer truly quality and ecological food. It has always been known as an agricultural region, and Nikola Tesla, a world-renowned scientist, grew up on Lika food and the most powerful man in the world, Marijan Matijević.
Croatia has great potential in the development of gastro-tourism, but in this tourist branch there are still unused opportunities. At present, 21 products are protected with origin and geographical origin and the last such product is Lika lamb. With lamb and Lika potatoes carries the tag of the same name the Lika Škripavac is in the process of getting the label, which is an additional indicator of how high quality liqueur food is.
From the Lika Destination Cluster, they emphasize that it is the combination of tradition and the wealth of exceptionally high quality food in the Lika destination area, the key to development and success. In addition to having high-quality foods, we must initiate the cooperation of catering establishments and local producers, because a modern guest searches for a story and originality, and just the catering facilities should be the ones that will tell the guest the story and allow them a special experience of scents, flavors and traditions with the help of quality local foods. Guided by this theory, the next step of the Lika Destination Cluster is to certify a restaurant labeled Lika Quality so that the lycan gastronomic story was rounded up and Lika's destination was highly sought after in the world market as a gastronomic destination.
