THE ORIGINS OF TOURISM PROMOTION IN DUBROVNIK
THE ORIGINS OF TOURISM PROMOTION IN DUBROVNIK

Summary/Abstract: This paper will show the beginnings of tourism promotion in the 1930s, which resulted in Dubrovnik attaining a position in the global market and its conception as a recognizable brand. Great attention was given to promotion in monarchist Yugoslavia, in which Dubrovnik became a favourite travel destination to foreign tourists. Numerous posters were printed in Croatian, Czech, German, Polish, English, French and Hungarian in preparation for the 1931 tourist season, establishing certain markets of Central and Western Europe as the primary focus for advertising. They were made by authors such as renowned painter and graphic artist Hanns Wagula, who made a series of propaganda materials in the 1920s. Promotions were also backed by films filmed in Dubrovnik, from Die Finanzen des Großherzogs (1923) and Der Prinz von Arkadien (1932) up to Gasparone (1937). Besides the aforementioned feature films, film crews also shot documentary scenes that were screened for promotional purposes. Thus the natural beauty of Dubrovnik and its Riviera as a tourist destination could be presented in a more quality light to the general public. Furthermore, important international conferences were held in Dubrovnik, which also contributed to its tourist promotion. The largest contributor was the PEN Congress in 1933, whose numerous international participants served as de facto promoters of Dubrovnik tourism. This exceptionally long tradition of tourist advertising has helped Dubrovnik achieve the status of Croatia’s most recognizable tourist destination today.

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