22 September 2026
vijesti
The jubilee tenth edition of the international scientific conference “Vallis Aurea: Economics and Tourism” was held at the Faculty of Tourism and Rural Development in Požega, once again confirming its status as an important international platform for connecting academia, the economy and the tourism sector.
The conference has been held continuously since 2008, in a biennial cycle, and over its 18 years of existence has grown into a recognized forum for international and interdisciplinary exchange of knowledge, experience and new research ideas.
This year’s jubilee edition brought together 180 authors from 37 countries, while representatives of a total of 38 countries participated in the conference through authors, members of scientific and organizing committees, and invited speakers.
A total of 93 scientific papers were submitted to the conference, of which 78 papers were accepted following the peer-review process.
Among them were 53 papers by international authors and 25 papers by domestic authors.
Over the two-day conference, a total of 10 conference sessions were organized – nine in-person and online sessions and one poster session.
Broad international representation is one of the key indicators of the conference’s development.
Scientists, experts and partners from Europe, Asia, Africa, North and South America, and Oceania participated in the conference.
The countries represented included, among others, Croatia, Slovenia, Ukraine, India, Uzbekistan, Austria, Italy, France, Portugal, the United Kingdom, the USA, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Tanzania, Uganda, Nigeria, Algeria and Iran.
The overall representation of 38 countries confirms the increasingly international character of the Vallis Aurea conference.
The conference is organized by the Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Faculty of Tourism and Rural Development in Požega, while its international co-organizers are the Faculty of Tourism, University of Maribor from Slovenia; the Faculty of Economics, Uzhhorod National University from Ukraine; the Centre for Budget Studies, Cochin University of Science and Technology from India; and the Hospitality Management and Tourism School, Central Asian University from Uzbekistan.
A particular significance of the conference lies in its cooperation with international partner institutions.
During the opening ceremony, the participants were addressed by Hareesh N Ramanathan from Cochin University of Science and Technology in India, Marjetka Rangus from the University of Maribor, and Volodymyr Andryshyn, representing Uzhhorod National University in Ukraine.
In their addresses, they emphasized the importance of international academic cooperation, the exchange of knowledge, and the creation of new joint research and development initiatives.
On behalf of the host institution, the participants were welcomed by Ante Lončarić, Dean of the Faculty of Tourism and Rural Development in Požega, who emphasized that eighteen years of continuity demonstrate that Vallis Aurea has become a recognized meeting place for academia, the professional sector and international partners.
He also highlighted the Faculty’s focus on international cooperation, the economy and the local community, as well as on the fields of tourism, rural development, enogastronomy, economics, digital technologies and sustainability.
The central objective of the conference is to connect science and practice in order to develop innovative, digital and sustainable solutions that can contribute to tourism competitiveness, regional and rural development, and long-term economic and social resilience.
Particular emphasis was placed on interdisciplinary and international cooperation, the application of new technologies, sustainable business models, and the transfer of scientific knowledge into the real-world economic and social environment.
The opening ceremony was also addressed by Vedran Mihaljević, Senior Expert Adviser at the Croatian Chamber of Economy; Irena Martinek, Deputy Mayor of the City of Požega; Ivan Radošić, Deputy Prefect of Požega-Slavonia County; and Prof. Damir Matanović, PhD, Vice-Rector for Teaching and Students at Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek.
The conference also received support from representatives of the relevant ministries.
Dalibor Janda, Director of the Directorate for Agricultural Policy, EU and International Cooperation at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, addressed the participants, while Antonija Drmić, Head of the Environmental Sustainability Service at the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, welcomed the participants and officially opened the jubilee tenth edition of the Vallis Aurea conference.
The importance of the conference was recognized by numerous patrons, including the City of Požega, Požega-Slavonia County, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, the Ministry of Economy, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, and the Ministry of Science, Education and Youth.
Additional support for the organization was provided by the conference sponsors.
The gold sponsors are the Croatian Chamber of Economy and international publisher MDPI, while the bronze sponsors are Pin Exclusive d.o.o., Slavonija Papir d.o.o. and Konto d.o.o.
The jubilee Vallis Aurea conference thus brought together in Požega 180 authors, representatives of 38 countries, international partner institutions, representatives of the business sector, local and regional government, ministries, and the academic community.
The number of participants, international representation and the quality of the scientific program confirm that over its 18 years, the conference has become an important platform for establishing new contacts, joint projects and research initiatives, as well as for transferring scientific knowledge into the economy and society.
The value of the conference does not end with its final session; rather, it is reflected in the new international partnerships, research ideas, projects and collaborations that emerge from it.
