The “Smart Zadar – Digital Solutions for Sustainable Tourism” hackathon was successfully held on 15–16 April in Zadar, as part of the EU-CONEXUS Enables project. The event was organised by the University of Zadar in collaboration with its partner, the University of Rostock. 

Bringing together young researchers and professionals, the two-day hackathon challenged participants to develop innovative digital solutions addressing the pressing issue of sustainable tourism. Working intensively with the support of experienced mentors, teams designed concepts such as mobile applications, interactive maps, smart systems and data-driven tools aimed at improving visitor management and reducing the negative impacts of mass tourism. 

Vice-Rector of the University of Zadar, Prof. Zvjezdan Penezić

You certainly have ideas, and this is an opportunity to exchange them and turn them into concrete solutions. The emphasis is on connecting and getting to know one another, as the teams come from different university departments whose members often do not know each other.

Said Vice-Rector of the University of Zadar, Prof. Zvjezdan Penezić, in his opening remarks.

In recent years, Zadar has faced growing pressure from overtourism, affecting urban infrastructure, public spaces and the quality of life of local residents. The hackathon focused on identifying smart and sustainable approaches to balance the needs of visitors and the local community, protect cultural and natural heritage and promote responsible tourism practices. 

At the end of the competition, teams presented their ideas to an expert jury, which selected the most innovative and impactful solutions: 

  • 1st place: Team SmartMove (Marijana Jerić, Nikolina Jukić, Ana Grgica Knežević) 
  • 2nd place: Team LayersPlayers (Tea Matković, Lovre Panđa, Julijan Sutlović) 
  • 3rd place: Team INFO Team (Zrinka Džoić, Maja Jadrešin, Ivan Peraić) 

The hackathon successfully met its goal of encouraging participants to leverage digital technologies in addressing key challenges of sustainable tourism in Zadar, contributing to both an improved quality of life for residents and a better experience for visitors. 

All activities are organised under the EU-funded project EU-CONEXUS ENABLES (Project number: 101136822), titled Promoting Excellence Through Innovative Eco-systems. 

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Research Executive Agency. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.