Novalja brings together the community around the sea: Preserving the destination is a shared responsibility

The sea and the coast are among the most important assets of Croatian tourism, but in a destination their value far exceeds the tourist offer.

For the local population, these are places of daily life, meeting, working and growing up, and their preservation is directly linked to the quality of life. When the tourist community brings together divers, volunteers and local partners in a clean-up campaign, this relationship takes on concrete content: people jointly take care of the space that connects them and on which part of the local economy is based.

It is in this context that it is worth considering Eco campaign Novalja 2026., which is organized by the Novalja Tourist Board on Saturday, October 3thThe program includes underwater cleaning. Novalja harbor and Vrtic beach, educational lecture about the sunken heritage of the island of Pag and evening socializing with music. The cleaning will be attended by divers, volunteers on land, local stakeholders and partners, while the collected waste will be disposed of in cooperation with the relevant services.

Sustainable tourism is often discussed through strategies, certificates, and major development goals, and its foundations are built precisely through activities like these: joint engagement and developing awareness of space as a destination's most valuable resource.

The sea, the coast and the natural heritage belong above all to the everyday life of the local population, their identity and quality of life, and the tourist offer is built on this value. When the community participates in their preservation, a sense of belonging and shared responsibility is strengthened, while tourism gets the opportunity to contribute to the area and return some of the value it draws from it.

It is precisely this relationship between the preserved area, the local community and the tourism economy that the foundation of sustainable destination development.

At first glance, cleaning up a beach and part of the seabed may seem like a small step in relation to the challenges of environmental conservation.

But its importance also stems from the relationships that are created through working together. By bringing together divers, residents, local partners and relevant services, a collaborative experience is built that can facilitate future initiatives, encourage new participants and develop greater sensitivity to problems in one's own environment. Such small, concrete steps build the foundations for longer-term care of the destination, especially when joint engagement becomes a practice that continues throughout the year.

The tourist board plays an important role in connecting people and turning a common interest into an organized activity. In Novalja, cleaning is associated with education and socializing, so the program opens up more opportunities for inclusion and bringing the topic closer to different participants.

It provides tourism workers with an opportunity to contribute to the preservation of the resources on which their business depends, and for residents to see concrete results in their locality through their own contribution. Such experiences build trust and a willingness to cooperate, which the destination will need even in more demanding development decisions.

This educational component is provided by the lecture. "The Sunken Heritage of the Island of Pag", which will be held at the Olea Hotel.

Underwater heritage adds a new dimension to the understanding of the sea and islands: in addition to preserving the environment, it draws attention to historical and cultural values ​​that often remain out of sight of residents and visitors. For the tourism sector, better knowledge of these values ​​can be a starting point for a better interpretation of a destination, in which the guest is brought closer to its history, identity and the relationship of people with the sea.

The project is being implemented through the FLAG tender of the Tramuntana FLAG for Measure 2.B.1. "Investment in the sustainable development of the fisheries area", with co-financing from the European Union through the Fisheries and Aquaculture Programme of the Republic of Croatia for the period 2021 - 2027. The project has been allocated 7.500 euros in grants, afFinancial support allows marine care to develop through an organized program that combines cleanup, education, and community participation.

The gathering of participants is announced for October 03rd at 9 am at the Wind Rose, and the cleaning of the seabed of the Port of Novalja and the Vrtić beach will be carried out from 9.30 to 11.30 p.m. The lecture at the Olea Hotel begins at 4:45 p.m., while the Rockatansky Band concert is announced for 8 p.m. at the Wind Rose.

Those interested in volunteering to clean up Vrtić Beach can apply at marketing@visitnovalja.hr.

The value of the Novalja action continues even after the cleanup is over, through the experience of working together and the awareness that everyone can contribute to their place. It is precisely such initiatives that can stimulate new collaborations and encourage more people to get involved in the life of the destination.

That is why the importance of this action goes beyond its one-day program, because it builds the foundations of sustainable tourism through connecting communities and shared care for the space.

Photo: TZG Novalja