Page 223 - Dark Shades of Istria
P. 223
Concluding Remarks
the Upper Adriatic. This is certainly a significant obstacle to the develop-
ment of dark tourism in the trans-border region of Istria. Of course, the
events mentioned above go beyond the past and the present of Istria, and
can also be seen in the light of international (political) relations based on
international agreements.
A less risky form of tourism, which is much friendlier to the local en-
vironment and more effective, is ‘educational tourism,’ especially in the
case of young people. Study tours (Vojnović, 2020), field research, lec-
tures, peer meetings, learning about Istrian multiculturalism (then and
now) and coexistence, etc., can be appropriate (multi-day) activities for
participants from Italy, other parts of Croatia and Slovenia, or other in-
terested visitors of different ages. The science-based multidimensional
interpretation of the past would certainly contribute to a better under-
standing of the complex Istrian past and present (‘Istrian-style memory’
or regional transcultural memory). On the other hand, this is also in line
with the 365-day tourism principle, which is favourable for providers of
accommodation, food and other tourism services.
The main findings are presented and discussed in the previous para-
graphs and chapters. Correspondingly, the (academic) value of this study
is that the relevant heterogeneous history-centric dark commemora-
tive events, as an (electronic) media-constructed social reality of Istrian
memory practices (mediated memory), were identified for the first time.
Moreover, contemporary history-centric dark commemorative events
were clustered based on theoretically and historically grounded char-
acteristics, and then described and mapped, which presents an original
perspective in terms of approach and content. Therefore, we are now fa-
miliar with the past and present Istrian memorial practices (and their
peculiarities). In addition, we also know that despite the traumatic 20th
century, which offers an ideal base for the development of dark tourism,
Istrian dark commemorative events have clearly not been developing
in this direction and remain, with some exceptions, traditional local or
regional events intended for the people of Istria. Consequently, these
visitors cannot be treated as homo viator, homo turisticus or homo con-
sumans. History-centric dark commemorative events, which are known
beyond the boundaries of Istria, attract visitors from the rest of the Up-
voice more and more to guarantee the truth about what happened on the eastern border.
We have done it and we will continue to do it in a polite, civil way, so that what happened
will not be denied’ (an s a, 2019).
223
the Upper Adriatic. This is certainly a significant obstacle to the develop-
ment of dark tourism in the trans-border region of Istria. Of course, the
events mentioned above go beyond the past and the present of Istria, and
can also be seen in the light of international (political) relations based on
international agreements.
A less risky form of tourism, which is much friendlier to the local en-
vironment and more effective, is ‘educational tourism,’ especially in the
case of young people. Study tours (Vojnović, 2020), field research, lec-
tures, peer meetings, learning about Istrian multiculturalism (then and
now) and coexistence, etc., can be appropriate (multi-day) activities for
participants from Italy, other parts of Croatia and Slovenia, or other in-
terested visitors of different ages. The science-based multidimensional
interpretation of the past would certainly contribute to a better under-
standing of the complex Istrian past and present (‘Istrian-style memory’
or regional transcultural memory). On the other hand, this is also in line
with the 365-day tourism principle, which is favourable for providers of
accommodation, food and other tourism services.
The main findings are presented and discussed in the previous para-
graphs and chapters. Correspondingly, the (academic) value of this study
is that the relevant heterogeneous history-centric dark commemora-
tive events, as an (electronic) media-constructed social reality of Istrian
memory practices (mediated memory), were identified for the first time.
Moreover, contemporary history-centric dark commemorative events
were clustered based on theoretically and historically grounded char-
acteristics, and then described and mapped, which presents an original
perspective in terms of approach and content. Therefore, we are now fa-
miliar with the past and present Istrian memorial practices (and their
peculiarities). In addition, we also know that despite the traumatic 20th
century, which offers an ideal base for the development of dark tourism,
Istrian dark commemorative events have clearly not been developing
in this direction and remain, with some exceptions, traditional local or
regional events intended for the people of Istria. Consequently, these
visitors cannot be treated as homo viator, homo turisticus or homo con-
sumans. History-centric dark commemorative events, which are known
beyond the boundaries of Istria, attract visitors from the rest of the Up-
voice more and more to guarantee the truth about what happened on the eastern border.
We have done it and we will continue to do it in a polite, civil way, so that what happened
will not be denied’ (an s a, 2019).
223
