PristupačnostA. PROJECT MANAGER
Name and surname: Tea Golja
Academic position: Full Professor
Affiliation: Faculty of Economics and Tourism “Dr. Mijo Mirković”
Scientific field and discipline: Social Sciences, Economics
Email: tea.golja@unipu.hr
B. PROJECT INFORMATION
Project title: An Integrated Approach to Sustainable Tourism Management: Linking Destination Governance and the Hotel Sector
Duration: 24 months (12.5.2026.-12.5.2028.)
Requested funding (EUR): 4,900 EUR
Summary (up to 300 words)
The project focuses on analysing the relationship between destination governance and operational sustainability in tourism, with special emphasis on the hotel sector as a key implementer of sustainable practices. The project integrates two analytical levels:
- the governance level, represented by Destination Management Organisations (DMOs), and
- the operational level of hotel enterprises.
The aim is to develop an integrated analytical framework enabling comparison between sustainability governance practices at destination level and objective sustainability indicators at hotel sector level.
Primary data will be collected through surveys among DMOs, while secondary data will be obtained from publicly available hotel ESG reports.
The project will develop two complementary indices:
- an index of DMO sustainability governance practices, and
- a composite index of operational sustainability in the hotel sector.
Their comparative analysis will identify alignment levels and potential gaps between governance approaches and operational sustainability performance.
Expected contributions include an integrated approach to sustainability measurement and management in tourism and an empirical basis for evidence-based destination decision-making. Results will be scientifically and practically applicable and will serve as a foundation for future research and international projects.
Keywords:
destination management; hotel management; corporate governance in hospitality; sustainability indicators; sustainable tourism management
C. PROJECT PARTNERS
- Assistant Professor Adriana Galant – data collection and ESG analysis
- Postdoctoral researcher Sanja Dolenec – index development and publications
- Assistant Professor Linda Juraković (external) – survey research and analysis
- Prof. Marinela Krstinić Nižić – energy efficiency and index development
- Karmela Višković (Valamar Riviera d.d.) – case studies and monograph contribution
- Prof. Krisztina Keller – sustainable hotel management research
- Prof. Vera Karadjova – economic impact of sustainable tourism
- Prof. Snežana Dičevska – financial sustainability in tourism
- Prof. Ivanka Nestorovska – sustainable tourism product development
- Student Eni Baf – field research support and publication
- Prof. Tea Golja – project leadership and coordination
D. EXPECTED RESULTS AND CONTRIBUTION
(Describe the expected results, their scientific contribution, and potential applicability. Specify planned publications.)
The expected research results relate to scientific, methodological, and practical contributions to understanding the relationship between destination management and operational sustainability in tourism.
Scientific contribution
It is expected that the research will result in the development of an integrated analytical framework that connects two levels of sustainability in tourism:
- the management level (destination management organizations), and
- the operational level (hotel sector).
This contributes to the existing literature, which most often considers these two dimensions separately.
A particular scientific contribution is reflected in:
- the development and empirical application of an index of sustainability management practices of destination management organizations,
- the development of a composite sustainability index of the hotel sector based on objective indicators,
- the introduction of the concept of (mis)alignment between sustainability management and actual performance as a new analytical perspective in sustainable tourism research.
The research results will enable a deeper understanding of the role of hotel companies as potential drivers of sustainability, as well as the limitations of destination management in this process.
Methodological contribution
The research contributes to methodological development in the field of sustainable tourism through:
- combining primary and secondary data in a unified research design,
- operationalizing sustainability through measurable company-level indicators,
- developing composite indices as tools for comparative analysis,
- applying comparative and gap analysis to identify differences between declared and actual levels of sustainability.
Such an approach represents an innovation compared to dominant studies that rely exclusively on perception-based or exclusively on operational data.
Practical applicability and contribution to the economy
The research results will have direct applicability in the field of tourism and hospitality management. The project also includes active cooperation with the business sector through the participation of representatives of the hotel company Valamar Riviera, ensuring the relevance of data and interpretation of results in a real business context.
The involvement of a practical partner will enable:
- better interpretation of operational sustainability indicators,
- validation of research results from an industry perspective,
- identification of concrete recommendations for improving business and management practices.
This ensures a clear link between scientific research and the needs of the economy, with potential for application of results in decision-making processes.
Potential for future project applications
The research represents a potential foundation for developing broader project applications for national and international funding calls (e.g., Croatian Science Foundation, Interreg, Horizon Europe), focusing on:
- development of sustainability measurement systems at destination level,
- integration of data from different sources (DMOs, companies, public sector),
- development of digital tools and indicators for sustainable tourism management.
The results of this project will serve as an empirical and conceptual basis for further expansion of research to other destinations and international contexts.
International component
The project also includes an international component through cooperation with foreign researchers, ensuring knowledge exchange, methodological comparability, and the possibility of extending the research to an international context.
Planned cooperation contributes to:
- development of joint scientific publications,
- comparative analyses between different destination models,
- strengthening the international visibility of the research.
Planned scientific publications
As a minimum scientific output, at least one (1) scientific paper is planned for submission to a journal indexed in the WoS or Scopus database.
During project implementation, dissemination of partial results is also planned through participation in at least two (2) international scientific conferences.
The research design allows for the development of multiple complementary publications, including papers focused on the analysis of destination management organization practices and operational sustainability of the hotel sector, which may serve as the basis for an integrated final paper.
Therefore, depending on the research progress and the quality of collected data, the preparation of additional scientific papers is expected (2 papers in WoS/Scopus-indexed journals – one on DMO management practices and one on operational sustainability of the hotel sector), as well as dissemination through international publications (1 scientific monograph).
