Page 157 - Studia Universitatis Hereditati, vol 13(2) (2025)

tivities for valorisation, as well as their participa- tion aligns directly with the need to overcome
tion in heritage management (Cindrić 2021, 67). insularity through mediated forms of access.
The Croatian Tourism Act (Zakon o turizmu Cultural heritage governance in Croatia
2023) and related policy instruments also stress operates across multiple institutional levels, in-
the importance of destination management and volving the Ministry of Culture and Media, re-
stakeholder coordination, suggesting integrated gional conservation offices, museums, and local
planning between tourism boards, municipal- authorities. In Osor, this governance structure
ities, cultural institutions, and civil society. In intersects with tourism institutions such as the
this sense, Osor’s heritage cannot be treated in Mali Lošinj Tourist Board and regional destina-
isolation but must be a part of coordinated gov- tion management bodies. While this multi-level
ernance structures that align tourism promotion system provides legal protection for monuments
with heritage conservation and dissemination of and archaeological sites, it can also lead to frag-
scientific research results. mentation in interpretation and promotion. The 157
At the regional scale, the Tourism Devel- challenge is in bridging the heritage protection
opment Strategy for Cres and Lošinj (Horwath and tourism use. Archaeological sites are sub-
HTL 2021) articulates a vision of the archipel- ject to strict conservation rules, which can lim-
ago as a sustainable, high-quality destination it physical access and development. On the oth-
rooted in nature, health tourism, and cultural er hand, tourism seeks visibility, narrative, and
identity The document highlights the need to visitor engagement. Digital heritage tools offer a
reduce seasonality, strengthen thematic prod- mediating layer between these elements by ena-
ucts, and improve the interpretation of cultural bling interpretation without physical interven-
resources (Čorak 2013, 22; Rudančić and Ćućić tion in sensitive areas. The integration of digi-
2019, 7–8; Nikolić 2021, 31). Within this, Osor tal strategies into tourism governance would be
has a role as a historical and archaeological point a technical innovation but also an institution-
and not a resort-oriented settlement. Its poten- al one, as it requires shared data infrastructures,
tial is in complementing beach destinations collaborative content production, and long-term
through heritage-based experiences. The strat- maintenance commitments. We must warn that
egy recognises the importance of small towns Osor’s development as a digitally accessible her- Make Osor Great Again: Accessible Archaeology Between Island and Cloud
and villages as carriers of authenticity and local itage site depends as much on governance capac-
character, suggesting that targeted investment ity as on technological feasibility.
in interpretation and infrastructure can gener- The Osor Musical Evenings represent a key
ate added value without large-scale physical de- contemporary practice through which Osor’s
velopment. Efforts in Mali Lošinj demonstrate heritage is reactivated and reinterpreted. By sit-
how sustainability can be translated into tangi- uating classical music performances within spac-
ble advantages, including preserving the envi- es, the festival shows possibilities for the adap-
ronment, fostering the local economy, and safe- tive reuse of archaeologically and historically
guarding cultural identity, despite challenges significant structures. In this context, music op-
like pronounced seasonality. Regional planning erates as an intangible heritage practice that an-
documents further emphasise the role of digital imates material remains, producing meanings
technologies in destination branding and visi- that extend beyond scholarly interpretation and
tor engagement. Digital platforms are identified embed archaeology within lived, ritualised ex-
as tools for storytelling, itinerary planning, and perience (Pleše 2024, 31). Despite its strong cul-
educational outreach, enabling destinations to tural and symbolic impact, the festival remains
communicate complex narratives and to reach concentrated in the summer season, reflecting
audiences beyond those physically present broader Adriatic tourism patterns and limiting
(Floričić et al. 2023, 73). For Osor, this orienta- its contribution to sustainable heritage manage-