Page 19 - 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. 19
explanatory notes on tourism in protected areas of croatia and slovenia
nature reserves, IUCN type Ia and Ib); 2) category “equilibrium”, where
protection and development are equally important (regional and landscape
parks, IUCN type V); 3) conservation-oriented protected areas in which
protection has priority over development (national parks, IUCN type II;
natural monuments; IUCN type III); and 4) development-oriented protect-
ed areas, where development has priority, while respecting protection re-
gimes, biodiversity, and important habitats (areas in Natura 2000 and eco-
logically significant areas).
Although the main role of protected areas can be attributed to the pro-
tection and conservation of nature (protection, maintenance, and restora-
tion of habitats, as well as regular and continuous monitoring of the state
of the park and its impact area), one cannot overlook their educational and
research value, as well as their contribution to the development of the wider
areas around them and human activities—aimed at greater socio-econom-
ic well-being in general (Hribar et al., 2011). As an example, tourist and rec-
reational activities in protected areas can also be pointed out. In Slovenia,
Triglav National Park plays a dominant role among protected areas, as it
covers over 4 percent of the country’s territory. Its leading role is also re-
flected in the category of nature protection (it is the only national park in
Slovenia) and in tourist and recreational visits (Groznik Zeiler, 2011), as it
is visited by over 2 million visitors annually (Triglav National Park, 2016).
Other categories of protected areas register a significantly lower number of
visitors; they are mostly visited by domestic visitors and tourists who usu-
ally visit a broad tourism area.
It should be mentioned that Slovenia has no regional administrative
level of political governance, which is why only national and local levels of
governance exist (although the plans for a regional administrative level of
political governance were introduced in 2007). Despite this fact, there are
three regional parks in Slovenia, which by definition represent large areas of
regionally characteristic ecosystems and landscapes. They are managed by
the municipalities (LAU 2) in which the protected areas are located, or by
public institutions. Such level of protected area management can represent
a problem in terms of financing, management, and organisation of work.
In both countries, a significant part of territory is also included in the
Natura 2000 network, which is undoubtedly positive in terms of nature
protection. The share of protected areas in Slovenia is 32.4% (Natura 2000,
2019) and in Croatia 29.3% (Ministry of Environment and Energy of the
Republic of Croatia, 2019b). In terms of tourism development, the areas of
17
nature reserves, IUCN type Ia and Ib); 2) category “equilibrium”, where
protection and development are equally important (regional and landscape
parks, IUCN type V); 3) conservation-oriented protected areas in which
protection has priority over development (national parks, IUCN type II;
natural monuments; IUCN type III); and 4) development-oriented protect-
ed areas, where development has priority, while respecting protection re-
gimes, biodiversity, and important habitats (areas in Natura 2000 and eco-
logically significant areas).
Although the main role of protected areas can be attributed to the pro-
tection and conservation of nature (protection, maintenance, and restora-
tion of habitats, as well as regular and continuous monitoring of the state
of the park and its impact area), one cannot overlook their educational and
research value, as well as their contribution to the development of the wider
areas around them and human activities—aimed at greater socio-econom-
ic well-being in general (Hribar et al., 2011). As an example, tourist and rec-
reational activities in protected areas can also be pointed out. In Slovenia,
Triglav National Park plays a dominant role among protected areas, as it
covers over 4 percent of the country’s territory. Its leading role is also re-
flected in the category of nature protection (it is the only national park in
Slovenia) and in tourist and recreational visits (Groznik Zeiler, 2011), as it
is visited by over 2 million visitors annually (Triglav National Park, 2016).
Other categories of protected areas register a significantly lower number of
visitors; they are mostly visited by domestic visitors and tourists who usu-
ally visit a broad tourism area.
It should be mentioned that Slovenia has no regional administrative
level of political governance, which is why only national and local levels of
governance exist (although the plans for a regional administrative level of
political governance were introduced in 2007). Despite this fact, there are
three regional parks in Slovenia, which by definition represent large areas of
regionally characteristic ecosystems and landscapes. They are managed by
the municipalities (LAU 2) in which the protected areas are located, or by
public institutions. Such level of protected area management can represent
a problem in terms of financing, management, and organisation of work.
In both countries, a significant part of territory is also included in the
Natura 2000 network, which is undoubtedly positive in terms of nature
protection. The share of protected areas in Slovenia is 32.4% (Natura 2000,
2019) and in Croatia 29.3% (Ministry of Environment and Energy of the
Republic of Croatia, 2019b). In terms of tourism development, the areas of
17
