Page 153 - Koderman, Miha, and Vuk Tvrtko Opačić. Eds. 2020. Challenges of tourism development in protected areas of Croatia and Slovenia. Koper, Zagreb: University of Primorska Press, Croatian Geographical Society
P. 153
development of tourism and second homes in the area of sviščaki ...
side of the mountain. This sealed the complete image of the skiing centre
with four ski runs, a total length of 1.5 kilometres and the surface of 5.7 hec-
tares (Slovenian Forest Service, 2013) as well as two ski lifts with a capacity
of up to 1,330 skiers per hour (Vesenjak, 2010).
Condition of the mountaineering facilities and other tourist
infrastructure in Sviščaki
As of the middle of 2019, the restaurant of the mountain hut in Sviščaki
seats 38, while the tables in front of the building seat from 80 to 100 people,
and the dormitory offers 11 shared beds. There is also free parking availa-
ble in front. Toilet facilities and a washroom with cold water are available
in the extension; the restaurant and dormitory rooms are heated via central
heating (Alpine Association of Slovenia, 2019a). The hut as a whole is heated
by wood-burning stoves, and potable water is supplied from the hut’s own
drainage water reservoir (200 m3 volume), which had been built to supply
the shelter Rifugio Gabriele d’Annunzio, 1242 m (Fig. 1). Before entering the
system, water is further purified using filtration and UV disinfection.
The mountain hut only records roughly 50 overnight stays per year,
which indicates a lack of demand for this kind of vacation accomodation
(Čosić, 2019). While this may also be partly the result of inappropriately
furnished accommodation facilities, which are currently suitable only for
an overnight stay and do not offer many comforts for those who might wish
to stay longer than a single night. The majority of overnight guests come
here in the summer months (especially in August) and in winter, when the
frequency of visits depends heavily on weather conditions (i.e. if conditions
allow for sledding). On average, the hut hosts approximately 10,000 visitors
annually (Čosić, 2019); the lower number of visits in the winter months in
the last few years is related to the fact that the ski facilities have been out of
service since 2014 (Kalc Furlanič, 2015).
Due to several successive snow-light winters and the unwillingness of
the municipality to invest large resources into the deteriorating ski lift ma-
chinery, which is no longer safe and should be fully replaced and renovat-
ed, the municipality has not posted any public calls for firms interested in
gaining the concession to manage the ski resort since 2015 (Kalc Furlanič,
2015). Before 2014, the ski runs operated only two weeks, on average, and
without artificial snow it was impossible to achieve commercial viability.
Artificial production of snow, with which the skiing season could be pro-
longed, is associated with considerable investment pertaining to the con-
151
side of the mountain. This sealed the complete image of the skiing centre
with four ski runs, a total length of 1.5 kilometres and the surface of 5.7 hec-
tares (Slovenian Forest Service, 2013) as well as two ski lifts with a capacity
of up to 1,330 skiers per hour (Vesenjak, 2010).
Condition of the mountaineering facilities and other tourist
infrastructure in Sviščaki
As of the middle of 2019, the restaurant of the mountain hut in Sviščaki
seats 38, while the tables in front of the building seat from 80 to 100 people,
and the dormitory offers 11 shared beds. There is also free parking availa-
ble in front. Toilet facilities and a washroom with cold water are available
in the extension; the restaurant and dormitory rooms are heated via central
heating (Alpine Association of Slovenia, 2019a). The hut as a whole is heated
by wood-burning stoves, and potable water is supplied from the hut’s own
drainage water reservoir (200 m3 volume), which had been built to supply
the shelter Rifugio Gabriele d’Annunzio, 1242 m (Fig. 1). Before entering the
system, water is further purified using filtration and UV disinfection.
The mountain hut only records roughly 50 overnight stays per year,
which indicates a lack of demand for this kind of vacation accomodation
(Čosić, 2019). While this may also be partly the result of inappropriately
furnished accommodation facilities, which are currently suitable only for
an overnight stay and do not offer many comforts for those who might wish
to stay longer than a single night. The majority of overnight guests come
here in the summer months (especially in August) and in winter, when the
frequency of visits depends heavily on weather conditions (i.e. if conditions
allow for sledding). On average, the hut hosts approximately 10,000 visitors
annually (Čosić, 2019); the lower number of visits in the winter months in
the last few years is related to the fact that the ski facilities have been out of
service since 2014 (Kalc Furlanič, 2015).
Due to several successive snow-light winters and the unwillingness of
the municipality to invest large resources into the deteriorating ski lift ma-
chinery, which is no longer safe and should be fully replaced and renovat-
ed, the municipality has not posted any public calls for firms interested in
gaining the concession to manage the ski resort since 2015 (Kalc Furlanič,
2015). Before 2014, the ski runs operated only two weeks, on average, and
without artificial snow it was impossible to achieve commercial viability.
Artificial production of snow, with which the skiing season could be pro-
longed, is associated with considerable investment pertaining to the con-
151
