Page 202 - 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. 202
challenges of tourism development in protected areas of croatia and slovenia
Directive was carried out. Recommendations were made to investors to
slightly modify the planned distribution of golf holes on the golf course, in
order to avoid the protected Natura 2000 area. This can be seen in Fig. 3.
Carrying capacity analysis
The World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) and the United Nations
Environment Programme (UNEP) recommend that, apart from holis-
tic physical planning, efficient tourist destination management should
include a carrying capacity analysis for individual tourist destinations
and areas (Guidelines for Carrying Capacity Assessment for Tourism in
Mediterranean Coastal Areas, 1996). Planned and possible improvements
in different development programmes and strategies, suggested by local
residents and tourists, should also be taken into consideration (Jurinčič et
al., 2007).
Current practice confirms that the analysis of carrying capacity is an
essential process in spatial planning that is intended for examination of
an area in the preparation process of municipal development strategies of
tourism. Škocjan Caves Regional Park was the first tourist attraction in
Slovenia on the global list of natural and cultural heritage of UNESCO and
certainly deserves special attention. We are going to determine the carry-
ing capacity of the cave, i.e. the maximum number of visitors allowed to
be in the cave at a given time. Based on this analysis, we are also going to
propose some measures that could be taken in order to monitor and in-
crease the calculated carrying capacity for tourism, which would enable the
implementation of a sustainable tourism development scenario in Škocjan
Caves Regional Park.
The Fig. 4 shows all visitors between 1999 and 2019. It is evident that
the number of visitors has been growing over the last 20 years. Since 2011,
there has been a tour of an additional part of Škocjan Caves—Mahorčič
and Marinič caves near Škocjan, where the Reka River goes underground.
In this new part of the park, an individual tour following the Reka River’s
journey underground is available in the summer. The park’s staff and guides
are located at key points throughout the cave system, and visitors can ex-
plore without expressed guidance. In the spring and in October, a guided
tour is organised in this part of the cave system. In the winter, this part of
the cave is closed, because the trail runs next to the river and, in the colder
months, is often flooded.
200
Directive was carried out. Recommendations were made to investors to
slightly modify the planned distribution of golf holes on the golf course, in
order to avoid the protected Natura 2000 area. This can be seen in Fig. 3.
Carrying capacity analysis
The World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) and the United Nations
Environment Programme (UNEP) recommend that, apart from holis-
tic physical planning, efficient tourist destination management should
include a carrying capacity analysis for individual tourist destinations
and areas (Guidelines for Carrying Capacity Assessment for Tourism in
Mediterranean Coastal Areas, 1996). Planned and possible improvements
in different development programmes and strategies, suggested by local
residents and tourists, should also be taken into consideration (Jurinčič et
al., 2007).
Current practice confirms that the analysis of carrying capacity is an
essential process in spatial planning that is intended for examination of
an area in the preparation process of municipal development strategies of
tourism. Škocjan Caves Regional Park was the first tourist attraction in
Slovenia on the global list of natural and cultural heritage of UNESCO and
certainly deserves special attention. We are going to determine the carry-
ing capacity of the cave, i.e. the maximum number of visitors allowed to
be in the cave at a given time. Based on this analysis, we are also going to
propose some measures that could be taken in order to monitor and in-
crease the calculated carrying capacity for tourism, which would enable the
implementation of a sustainable tourism development scenario in Škocjan
Caves Regional Park.
The Fig. 4 shows all visitors between 1999 and 2019. It is evident that
the number of visitors has been growing over the last 20 years. Since 2011,
there has been a tour of an additional part of Škocjan Caves—Mahorčič
and Marinič caves near Škocjan, where the Reka River goes underground.
In this new part of the park, an individual tour following the Reka River’s
journey underground is available in the summer. The park’s staff and guides
are located at key points throughout the cave system, and visitors can ex-
plore without expressed guidance. In the spring and in October, a guided
tour is organised in this part of the cave system. In the winter, this part of
the cave is closed, because the trail runs next to the river and, in the colder
months, is often flooded.
200
