On June 27, 2024, the Vicenco restaurant in Makarska hosted the final conference of the project "Accessible Makarska 2." The project was led by the Association of Persons with Disabilities Sunce, in collaboration with partners including the Secondary Vocational School Makarska, the University of Split, the Makarska Crafts Association, Premis d.o.o., and JU MARA. The conference was attended by Mayor Dr. sc. Zoran Paunović, representatives from local hotels, and city associations.
The "Accessible Makarska 2" project, now in its second year, has a total value of €18,707.14 and is co-financed by the Ministry of Tourism and Sports. Olivia Ravlić Prodan, the executive director of the Association, welcomed the attendees in her
opening speech and highlighted the project's activities and results. A special emphasis was placed on the pastry and ceramics workshops for young people with disabilities, which led to the establishment of the social enterprise MARIOSI d.o.o. for the development of accessible tourism.
Preparations are currently underway for the third "Accessible Makarska" project, which will be submitted to the Ministry of Tourism and Sports for funding.
One of the key activities of the project involved students from the Master's program in Hospitality and Gastronomy at the University of Split. Under the guidance of Dr. sc. Mijana Matošević Radić and assistant Lidija Vukadin Vranješ, the students analyzed the accessibility of facilities, services, and infrastructure at five Makarska hotels: Osejava, Biokovo, Park, Meteora, and Biokovka. Their analysis had two main objectives: to develop proposals for improving accessibility and to create a promotional film concept to promote Makarska as an accessible destination for all.
The students involved in the analysis and promotional film included: Antonia Štrljić, Ana Pehar, Nina Matijašević, Karlo Grubišić, Ivona Juginović, Šime Kalac, Josip Štambuk, Nediljka Rašić, Mateja Dugandžić, and Patricija Vidaković. At the final conference, Ana Pehar and Nina Matijašević presented guidelines for improving accessibility. It was concluded that hotels in Makarska currently demonstrate limited accessibility and that continuous improvements are needed. Enhancing accessibility could have long-term positive effects on business operations and guest satisfaction.
Following the presentation, the promotional film "Makarska: An Accessible City" was showcased, featuring students, members of the Sunce Association, Olympic athlete Toni Vujičić, and student Ivan Bodlović Puharić. Thanks to the agency Tip Extreme, the filming of the movie included a trip to Biokovo, with support from JU Biokovo Nature Park and local hoteliers.
This project not only allowed students to apply theoretical knowledge in practice but also contributed to increasing the accessibility and competitiveness of Makarska as a tourist destination. The upcoming "Accessible Makarska 3" project is expected to build on this success and contribute to the development of accessible tourism in Makarska.
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