Page 218 - 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. 218
challenges of tourism development in protected areas of croatia and slovenia
continuity) taken place over the last 150 years—more specifically, the for-
mal development of the last 70 years. In regard to the processes of pro-
tection and connection that began with the founding of the “Society for
the Maintenance and Beautification of Plitvice Lakes” in 1883, the area of
Plitvice Lakes was “discovered” in a touristic sense around the same time,
marking the start of a series of leaps in development that can be divided
into six fundamental phases (Marković Vukadin and Franjković, 2019):
1. the research phase;
2. the phase of intense infrastructure development;
3. the phase of reorganisation and spatial expansion;
4. the phase of intense growth in the number of visitors;
5. the wartime phase, i.e. phase of decline—second developmental
cycle; and
6. the phase of (re)expansion of visitors—second developmental
cycle.
From the end of the 19th century to the end of the Second World War,
the area of Plitvice Lakes was characterised by the gradual discovery of its
touristic potential. This period represents the research phase in the lifecy-
cle of the area as a destination, when the first tourism-related construc-
tion took place. The first hospitality object near Plitvice Lakes was built in
Velika Poljana in 1862. It was called the “Tourist House” and would also
later gain the role of forester’s lodge (Ivanuš, 2010). On the initiative of the
Society for the Maintenance and Beautification of Plitvice Lakes in 1886,
the first hotel near Plitvice Lakes was built—also in Velika Poljana. Hotel
Plitvice was a generator of development for the area, and the opening of the
Lika railway line made the area more accessible and spurred the refurbish-
ing of hotels, summer houses, roads and paths, and bridges2. Just before the
Second World War, the tourism supply also spread to the area of Labudovac
and Plitvički Ljeskovac (Petrić, 2008).
The next lifecycle phase of Plitvice Lakes as a destination was the pe-
riod of intense development (1949–1969), which was characterised by con-
centration of the bulk of the tourism supply (especially in the area around
Velika Poljana) in the early developmental phase of the Park. This also had
an influence on the demographic livelihood in the area immediately sur-
2 Concrete was used for the construction of parts of the paths and bridges, however,
due to the lack of knowledge at the time regarding the processes underlying the fun-
damental phenomenon of the Park, it is hard to determine how much damage this
did to its biodynamic processes (Pevalek, 1938).
216
continuity) taken place over the last 150 years—more specifically, the for-
mal development of the last 70 years. In regard to the processes of pro-
tection and connection that began with the founding of the “Society for
the Maintenance and Beautification of Plitvice Lakes” in 1883, the area of
Plitvice Lakes was “discovered” in a touristic sense around the same time,
marking the start of a series of leaps in development that can be divided
into six fundamental phases (Marković Vukadin and Franjković, 2019):
1. the research phase;
2. the phase of intense infrastructure development;
3. the phase of reorganisation and spatial expansion;
4. the phase of intense growth in the number of visitors;
5. the wartime phase, i.e. phase of decline—second developmental
cycle; and
6. the phase of (re)expansion of visitors—second developmental
cycle.
From the end of the 19th century to the end of the Second World War,
the area of Plitvice Lakes was characterised by the gradual discovery of its
touristic potential. This period represents the research phase in the lifecy-
cle of the area as a destination, when the first tourism-related construc-
tion took place. The first hospitality object near Plitvice Lakes was built in
Velika Poljana in 1862. It was called the “Tourist House” and would also
later gain the role of forester’s lodge (Ivanuš, 2010). On the initiative of the
Society for the Maintenance and Beautification of Plitvice Lakes in 1886,
the first hotel near Plitvice Lakes was built—also in Velika Poljana. Hotel
Plitvice was a generator of development for the area, and the opening of the
Lika railway line made the area more accessible and spurred the refurbish-
ing of hotels, summer houses, roads and paths, and bridges2. Just before the
Second World War, the tourism supply also spread to the area of Labudovac
and Plitvički Ljeskovac (Petrić, 2008).
The next lifecycle phase of Plitvice Lakes as a destination was the pe-
riod of intense development (1949–1969), which was characterised by con-
centration of the bulk of the tourism supply (especially in the area around
Velika Poljana) in the early developmental phase of the Park. This also had
an influence on the demographic livelihood in the area immediately sur-
2 Concrete was used for the construction of parts of the paths and bridges, however,
due to the lack of knowledge at the time regarding the processes underlying the fun-
damental phenomenon of the Park, it is hard to determine how much damage this
did to its biodynamic processes (Pevalek, 1938).
216
