Šavrin Hills is located in the Coastal-Karst statistical region and represents the rural part of Slovenian Istria. It is an area with a characteristic sub-Mediterranean climate, Istrian culture, and a transitional location. The purpose of this master's thesis is to identify and analyze the endogenous development potentials in Šavrin Hills and provide development directions for the future. As part of the development potentials, we also analyzed the potentials in the context of modern rural areas in the field of information technologies, i.e., rural digitization. To assess the development and development potentials of the area, we used quantitative and qualitative methods. For quantitative methods, we employed techniques such as analysis of existing literature, statistical analyses, and geographic information systems (GIS). For qualitative methods, we conducted surveys of the local population and interviews with local stakeholders. Based on the acquired data, we also typified settlements from the perspective of development potentials (economic, social, natural, informational) in Šavrin Hills. We found that Šavrin Hills has numerous endogenous development potentials. Among them, some have already been utilized and recognized (existing accommodation capacities, culinary offerings, cultural and natural heritage, etc.), while others have been identified more recently and their significance is increasing (recreational trails, especially in organic farming, digitization of settlements, etc.). However, some potentials are still underutilized or untapped (social entrepreneurship, agritourism, sustainable mobility, etc.).
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