Page 214 - 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. 214
challenges of tourism development in protected areas of croatia and slovenia
Key words: national park, management of protected areas, en-
vironment, tourism, geography, Plitvice Lakes National Park,
Croatia
Introduction
In Croatia, typical planning and management practices (especially in tour-
ism) often only promote concepts of integral management and sustaina-
ble development in principle, whereby dangers for the environment and
human health become marginalised. Due to this, one of the goals of this
chapter is to determine all possible negative influences for a given area at
the start of the planning process, which is especially important for protect-
ed areas (Harding, 2006). Additionally, it is important to establish possible
solutions that can be achieved with respect to the specific conditions of a
given area, and which are in keeping with sustainable management.
This chapter focuses on Plitvice Lakes National Park, primarily due to
the fact that national parks represent generators of development for individ-
ual areas (Petrić, 2008; Radeljak and Pejnović, 2008), and are the protect-
ed areas that are most visited by tourists. National parks are also typically
large in area and are natural areas that are used intensively for tourism. It is
also important to mention how protection of national parks is regarded as
a fundamental part of protection of biodiversity around the world (Gaston
et al., 2006; Mora and Sale, 2011) and, as such, these areas are among the
most valuable parts of national territory (Lausche et al., 2013) and number
among the most attractive tourism destinations. Therefore, the aforemen-
tioned areas must be planned and managed carefully using active measures
that are in keeping with sustainable development. This approach requires a
detailed analysis of each area’s status, from which solutions to potential as-
sociated problems can be generated.
Therefore, the basic goal of this chapter is to give a unified view of the
developmental phases of Plitvice Lakes National Park in relation to man-
agement phases and problems. A recommendation for a conceptual mod-
el of integral and sustainable development for the Park is also put forward
in this chapter.
Methodological framework
The method of triangulation, using interviews with management experts,
analysis of literature and secondary sources, and a critical assessment of
212
Key words: national park, management of protected areas, en-
vironment, tourism, geography, Plitvice Lakes National Park,
Croatia
Introduction
In Croatia, typical planning and management practices (especially in tour-
ism) often only promote concepts of integral management and sustaina-
ble development in principle, whereby dangers for the environment and
human health become marginalised. Due to this, one of the goals of this
chapter is to determine all possible negative influences for a given area at
the start of the planning process, which is especially important for protect-
ed areas (Harding, 2006). Additionally, it is important to establish possible
solutions that can be achieved with respect to the specific conditions of a
given area, and which are in keeping with sustainable management.
This chapter focuses on Plitvice Lakes National Park, primarily due to
the fact that national parks represent generators of development for individ-
ual areas (Petrić, 2008; Radeljak and Pejnović, 2008), and are the protect-
ed areas that are most visited by tourists. National parks are also typically
large in area and are natural areas that are used intensively for tourism. It is
also important to mention how protection of national parks is regarded as
a fundamental part of protection of biodiversity around the world (Gaston
et al., 2006; Mora and Sale, 2011) and, as such, these areas are among the
most valuable parts of national territory (Lausche et al., 2013) and number
among the most attractive tourism destinations. Therefore, the aforemen-
tioned areas must be planned and managed carefully using active measures
that are in keeping with sustainable development. This approach requires a
detailed analysis of each area’s status, from which solutions to potential as-
sociated problems can be generated.
Therefore, the basic goal of this chapter is to give a unified view of the
developmental phases of Plitvice Lakes National Park in relation to man-
agement phases and problems. A recommendation for a conceptual mod-
el of integral and sustainable development for the Park is also put forward
in this chapter.
Methodological framework
The method of triangulation, using interviews with management experts,
analysis of literature and secondary sources, and a critical assessment of
212
