Page 176 - 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. 176
challenges of tourism development in protected areas of croatia and slovenia
Introduction
Biodiversity is essential for humans because it provides many different
goods and ecosystem services. In recent decades, biodiversity and other
aspects of natural heritage of Slovenia have been gaining interest and they
are among the most important motivations behind tourism visits. In fact,
tourism development is growing intertwined with areas that are rich in bi-
odiversity. Ecotourism is, in that regard, the most appropriate type of tour-
ism because it has a relatively minor impact on the environment. Because
protected areas represent a basis for public environmental education, and
ecotourism in protected nature areas generally takes the form of legiti-
mate activity, they require adequate policy regulation and/or management
(Guillemain et al., 2007).
On the short Slovenian coastline, which is approximately 48 km long,
coastal wetlands are of particular interest since they are perceived as im-
portant bird diversity hotspots (See: Škornik et al., 1995; Sovinc, 2012). They
attract many birdwatchers from all around Europe and other continents. In
addition, such wetlands attract many other groups of visitors and are a val-
uable destination for the organisation of education activities such as field
excursions, biology and ecology courses, practical experiments, and so on.
At the time of writing, investigation of the significance of marine coastal
wetlands for tourism development in Slovenia is lacking (e.g. Jurinčič and
Popič, 2009; Sovinc, 2012).
On the other hand, several studies have already illustrated win-win
scenarios that can emerge between conservation practices and enhance-
ment of ecosystem services (Chan et al., 2006; Reyers et al., 2012). We can
easily consider protected areas to be the hotspots of many ecosystem ser-
vices (Pueyo-Ros, 2018). They include: provisioning services (food, water, or
wood); regulation services that affect the weather, floods, diseases, waste,
or water quality; supporting services, such as soil formation, and biodi-
versity maintenance; as well as cultural services that provide aesthetic or
spiritual benefits, or satisfaction in tourism and recreation (Figueroa and
Aronson, 2006; Nikodinoska et al., 2015).
Nature-tourism, however, is an important expression of the relation-
ship between nature and societies. Therefore, the aim of this chapter is to
discuss the role of a specific protected area and its potential for the respon-
sible development of the appropriate forms of nature-based tourism.
174
Introduction
Biodiversity is essential for humans because it provides many different
goods and ecosystem services. In recent decades, biodiversity and other
aspects of natural heritage of Slovenia have been gaining interest and they
are among the most important motivations behind tourism visits. In fact,
tourism development is growing intertwined with areas that are rich in bi-
odiversity. Ecotourism is, in that regard, the most appropriate type of tour-
ism because it has a relatively minor impact on the environment. Because
protected areas represent a basis for public environmental education, and
ecotourism in protected nature areas generally takes the form of legiti-
mate activity, they require adequate policy regulation and/or management
(Guillemain et al., 2007).
On the short Slovenian coastline, which is approximately 48 km long,
coastal wetlands are of particular interest since they are perceived as im-
portant bird diversity hotspots (See: Škornik et al., 1995; Sovinc, 2012). They
attract many birdwatchers from all around Europe and other continents. In
addition, such wetlands attract many other groups of visitors and are a val-
uable destination for the organisation of education activities such as field
excursions, biology and ecology courses, practical experiments, and so on.
At the time of writing, investigation of the significance of marine coastal
wetlands for tourism development in Slovenia is lacking (e.g. Jurinčič and
Popič, 2009; Sovinc, 2012).
On the other hand, several studies have already illustrated win-win
scenarios that can emerge between conservation practices and enhance-
ment of ecosystem services (Chan et al., 2006; Reyers et al., 2012). We can
easily consider protected areas to be the hotspots of many ecosystem ser-
vices (Pueyo-Ros, 2018). They include: provisioning services (food, water, or
wood); regulation services that affect the weather, floods, diseases, waste,
or water quality; supporting services, such as soil formation, and biodi-
versity maintenance; as well as cultural services that provide aesthetic or
spiritual benefits, or satisfaction in tourism and recreation (Figueroa and
Aronson, 2006; Nikodinoska et al., 2015).
Nature-tourism, however, is an important expression of the relation-
ship between nature and societies. Therefore, the aim of this chapter is to
discuss the role of a specific protected area and its potential for the respon-
sible development of the appropriate forms of nature-based tourism.
174
