ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF RURAL TOURISM IN RURAL AREAS OF ISTRIA (CROATIA)

The economic impacts of Istria rural tourism, with the starting point in tourist consumption that represents the basis of all tourism economic impacts, is researched in this paper. It is well known that without the realization of tourist consumption it would not be possible to achieve economic benefits from tourism. Therefore, the purpose and goal of this paper is to research tourist consumption of rural tourism and then to analyze its effects on the economy in the rural areas of Istria. The starting point is the presumption that tourist consumption multiplies the effects in numerous sectors and activities contributing to the growth of the rural economy of Istria. By this research it is confirmed that tourist consumption in the Istria rural economy, in which tourists constitute more than 10% to 15% of the mass of inhabitants and tourists, generates over 881.4 million in revenue and 353.7 million in the added value, which, in percentage terms, equals 15% in the total revenue and 15.6% in the total added value. The obtained results are nearly the same as those gained at the level of the Croatian economy (14.6% in the total gross output and 14.7% in the total added value).