CITY ORGANIZATION AS URBAN CHALLENGE FOR TOURISM DESTINATIONS.

Purpose - As drivers of economic development, cities need to ensure smart and sustainable growth, which involves solving a series of urban challenges. The purpose of this work is to present the attitudes of the residents, tourists and management on different organizational elements of Opatija and its surrounding, such as transport accessibility, urban coherence, city design, green urban areas, etc. Methodology - Empirical research was conducted in the spring, summer and autumn of 2006 and 2011, using a sophisticated questionnaire adapted to each target group (tourists, residents, tourism management). A Likert scale with both open- and closed- ended questions was used, ranging from 1 (worst) to 7 (best). In gathering data, the most frequently used method was one-toone interviewing, although, in a small number of cases, the questionnaire was self-administered by the respondents. The collected questionnaires were encrypted and statistically analysed. Findings - Regarding the organizational elements of the Opatija Riviera in 2011, the tourists gave the highest overall mark (5.03), while the residents were more critical (4.40). The views and marks given by the management (4.38) indicate that there is still room for improvement in the region. Contribution - The obtained results represent the fundamental, relevant information base necessary for managing the city as a tourism destination on all levels, from tourism destination to the region, taking into account the various synergistic processes to be developed and systematically improved. Furthermore, the results provide the local authorities, as well as other users, with practical answers for achieving a higher degree of efficiency in defining the urban strategies of the city as a tourism destination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]