Some results of the research indicate the problems of developing creativity as follows:
The development of cultural/creative industries in Zagreb is disorganized, dispersive, fragmentary and without any coordination with local government;
The city does not invest in the systematic production of contemporary (local) cultural/creative products nor in the promotion and export of the existing cultural products;
The cultural sector is treated as a cost to the local public budget;
The cultural identity of the city is not systematically designed but is linked by default to different forms of cultural tradition, heritage and ethno products;
The cultural sector lacks knowledge and awareness of its own potential and strength;
A lack of understanding of the concept of cultural/creative industries is visible on several levels: from local government, professional cultural associations, cultural creators to key stakeholders for development and promotion of cultural/creative industries.
According to the research findings, in spite of the existing potential, there is a lack of political understanding as well as professional determination to organize and direct the development of the cultural/creative industries.
A top-down approach could be appropriate as public policy has the required means for systematic development of the sector: from gathering data to public measures which can facilitate the private sector in developing local culture and socio-economic capital.
Hence, cultural policy should respond to new trends in cultural creativity and must adapt to new and emerging situations in the cultural domain.
Targeting resources and using them in the creation of the city's brand should be the aim of such public policy.
In a wider context, this could be an interesting reversal: the notion of ‘creative industries’, frequently connected with the ‘commercial’ side of cultural production, could in this case actually help preserve ‘authenticity’ and promote cultural and creative production specific to the location (Tomić-Koludrović and Petrić 2007: 147).
This, however, is not enough. Having a distinctive creative product is not an end itself. Firstly, the product needs to be extracted from the environment of the cultural sector and matched with economic sectors. Secondly, the product will not be recognized nationwide or even internationally if not properly marketed. As already said, Zagreb has had a few very interesting products which have not succeeded in branding the city or in earning great profits. And this is where creativity strikes again as a buzz-word. It is not only about developing a tourism or cultural product using a creative capital. Accordingly, creative tourism can not only include ‘learning a skill on holiday that is part of the culture of the country or community being visited’. It is much more than that. Having culture as the main component of tourism industry already impacts on creativity, and eventually also the competitiveness. From the aspect of the tourist, creative tourism may mean such an activity which includes learning a skill on holiday that is part of the culture of the country or community being visited. But from the aspect of those who offer a tourism product, it may mean the creation of totally different and new business models which are based on creative production, management, marketing or sales. Is this a creative way to re-think the basis of creative tourism?