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Animator in Tourism
Animation is an integral part of the modern tourist service industry and 
represents a high quality service, that is, mediation between the tourist product 
(service) and the tourist. The venues themselves are the resources that constitute 
the foundation for the customizing of contents shaped by the animator since he 
/she caters to the tourist during his/her stay at a particular tourist destination.
By way of tailoring the service to the specific needs, desires, and capabilities of 
the tourist, the animator in tourism renders a high quality service. This, in 
particular, is true because the contemporary tourist craves new experiences and 
a personal engagement in various activities, such as cultural, sporting, and 
entertaining ones; in brief, he/she wants the time spent in tourism to be useful 
both for his/her physical and mental health. In addition, the tourist wants his/her 
needs to be met within a brief time span. These needs, in particular, refer to the 
activities he/she is deprived of in everyday life, such as the following: contact 
with nature, socializing, relaxation, and other. This entails that within a tourist 
center, the role of the animator is crucial for the targeted audience. The 
demanding and challenging aspect of the animation job can be evinced in the 
numerous and versatile needs of the tourists, which, on the other hand, are 
affected by the living conditions in their domiciled country, as well as their 
habits, level of education, ethnic background, culture, tradition, social and 
economic status, and many other. The ultimate goal of the animator is to fully 
meet the needs of the tourist so that he/she would want to revisit the same 
destination again (and again). 
In this monograph, the authors poignantly depict the complex nature of the 
animators’ job since in addition to possessing numerous talents and skills, they 
have to permanently professionally develop by way of following up the 
dynamics of the intensive changes present at the tourist market. In the time of 
the contemporary cutting edge technological advancement and a fast living 
tempo featured by stress and tension, the time spent in tourism is a precious 
time that the tourist sets aside for his/her personal needs in order to regenerate, 

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Ivanovski
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Mitić
recover, and ultimately freshened up resume his/her usual routine. The 
substantial changes that have taken place in tourism lately mean a shorter stay at 
one given time but several times throughout the year, which presupposes 
mobility on the part of the animators in order to meet the needs of guests. 
Therefore, the role of the animator is getting more and more demanding and 
responsibility-laden if he is to proffer the requested services and thus ensure that 
the guests have an activity-versatile and high quality stay. 
Aware of the manifold and complex role of the animators and their teams, the 
authors of this book have precisely and comprehensively included a whole 
series of activities and games the animators’ teams ought to cover. This book is 
important for all those educated to work in tourism whether it is in animation or 
other tourism-related jobs. The authors emphasize the idea that the level of 
quality is not rendered in the number of the stars a given hotel is awarded, but 
rather in the expertise of a professional, a man. By virtue of this, the authors 
have contributed to the recognition of the importance of these professionals and 
their training - animators in the field of the contents offered by tourist centers 
and hotels. The value of a highly trained, motivated, and capable professional 
cannot be measured via instruments; however, subjective evaluation on the part 
of the tourists is essential for the future operation of the hotel. 
Through the monograph, the authors share their affluent experience and 
expertise pointing to the valuable knowledge, skills, and aptitude related to the 
organization and specific facets of the (tourist) animation program. This worthy 
book will undoubtedly be basic and supplemental literature for professionals 
trained for the needs of tourism and leisure time in general. It is my pleasure to 
recommend the monograph drafted by these two authors as a text-book intended 
for the needs of animation in tourism. I congratulate the authors and wish them 
more co-authoring enterprises that will yield books of this high value. 
Zagreb, December 10, 2012. 
prof. Mirna Andrijašević, PhD. 
Faculty of Kinesiology 
University of Zagreb, Croatia

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A N I M A T O R I N T O U R I S M
Ivanovski
10
Mitić
Review of monograph: