Bridging Heritage andProgress<b></b>

The paper examines the paradoxical scenario of Gorski Kotar, an important Croatian transit corridor. Despite being situated in the tourism-centric county of Croatia, the region faces a notable deficiency in tourism offerings and visits. The research focuses on key elements of major infrastructure, a historic road and a motorway, to shed light on the untapped potential of Gorski Kotar's tourism sector. The Lujzijana Road, a significant cultural heritage, once served as an important link to the Adriatic ports and the coast, promoting the progress of the region and transit tourism. The construction of the modern motorway, while speeding up access to the coastal destinations, inadvertently bypasses the cultural and historical richness of Gorski Kotar, leading to a decline in tourist stopovers. The research methodology includes desk research and semi-structured interviews with local residents and roads’ users, which provided insights into the challenges and opportunities in the tourism sector of the region. By examining the interplay between the human and built environment, this research attempts to bridge the gap between historical significance and modern infrastructure. It highlights how infrastructure can play a role in tourism as a tourist offer, and how infrastructure can both promote and hinder the development of tourism.