Page 219 - 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. 219
the interrelation between development, management, and management issues ...
rounding the park (Pejnović, 1992), and resulted in discord between nature
protection imperatives and intense (and poorly-controlled) development
of tourism establishments. The largest hospitality objects were construct-
ed during this era, e.g. Hotel Plitvice (1953), Hotel Bellevue (1963), and Hotel
Jezero (1970) (Marković Vukadin and Franjković, 2019).
As a response to the prior period of growth, a phase of reorganisa-
tion followed (1970–1990), which was characterised by numerous qualita-
tive changes based on scientifically well-founded research and solutions.
Business and work within the Park itself was united under a single organi-
sation, which allowed its development to be better coordinated. It is impor-
tant to note how economic and infrastructural projects, for which the ba-
sic goal was the dispersion of the tourism supply throughout the wider Lika
Region, emerged and played a major role in the preservation of the Park’s
fundamental phenomenon. This period was characterised by the redistri-
bution of Park resources to the local community and the strengthening of
traditional forms of economic activity, by which a balance between nature
protection, tourism, and the needs of the local community was attained.
This can be seen in the amount of new accommodation capacity that was
built from 1975 to 1981, when the development of new accommodation in
the Park, and in Lika as a whole, equalised.
It should also be mentioned how this period was still characterised
by centralised development of tourism and other functions. In the sec-
ond half of the 1970s, there was a huge surge in tourist accommodation
capacity (Marković Vukadin and Franjković, 2019). Concurrently, there
was also a huge surge in tourist visits, which peaked in 1985 (762,221 vis-
itors). This represents the zenith of Plitvice Lakes as a tourist destination
prior to the collapse of Yugoslavia and the Croatian War of Independence
(1991–1995). After 1985, the Park would slowly slide into a phase of stagna-
tion (Vidaković, 1997).
The next two periods (second developmental cycle) during and follow-
ing the Croatian War of Independence—the phase of decline and the phase
of (re)expansion of visitors—represent a new lifecycle for the Park as a des-
tination, complete with new challenges, problems, and opportunities for
tourism development. It should be stressed here that the Park was charac-
terised (unsurprisingly) by a sharp decline in visitors during the War (near-
ly 100%) and the destruction of tourism objects. Therefore, the period of
1997 to the time of writing has been characterised by tourism development
and a constant increase in the number of visitors, overnight stays, income,
217
rounding the park (Pejnović, 1992), and resulted in discord between nature
protection imperatives and intense (and poorly-controlled) development
of tourism establishments. The largest hospitality objects were construct-
ed during this era, e.g. Hotel Plitvice (1953), Hotel Bellevue (1963), and Hotel
Jezero (1970) (Marković Vukadin and Franjković, 2019).
As a response to the prior period of growth, a phase of reorganisa-
tion followed (1970–1990), which was characterised by numerous qualita-
tive changes based on scientifically well-founded research and solutions.
Business and work within the Park itself was united under a single organi-
sation, which allowed its development to be better coordinated. It is impor-
tant to note how economic and infrastructural projects, for which the ba-
sic goal was the dispersion of the tourism supply throughout the wider Lika
Region, emerged and played a major role in the preservation of the Park’s
fundamental phenomenon. This period was characterised by the redistri-
bution of Park resources to the local community and the strengthening of
traditional forms of economic activity, by which a balance between nature
protection, tourism, and the needs of the local community was attained.
This can be seen in the amount of new accommodation capacity that was
built from 1975 to 1981, when the development of new accommodation in
the Park, and in Lika as a whole, equalised.
It should also be mentioned how this period was still characterised
by centralised development of tourism and other functions. In the sec-
ond half of the 1970s, there was a huge surge in tourist accommodation
capacity (Marković Vukadin and Franjković, 2019). Concurrently, there
was also a huge surge in tourist visits, which peaked in 1985 (762,221 vis-
itors). This represents the zenith of Plitvice Lakes as a tourist destination
prior to the collapse of Yugoslavia and the Croatian War of Independence
(1991–1995). After 1985, the Park would slowly slide into a phase of stagna-
tion (Vidaković, 1997).
The next two periods (second developmental cycle) during and follow-
ing the Croatian War of Independence—the phase of decline and the phase
of (re)expansion of visitors—represent a new lifecycle for the Park as a des-
tination, complete with new challenges, problems, and opportunities for
tourism development. It should be stressed here that the Park was charac-
terised (unsurprisingly) by a sharp decline in visitors during the War (near-
ly 100%) and the destruction of tourism objects. Therefore, the period of
1997 to the time of writing has been characterised by tourism development
and a constant increase in the number of visitors, overnight stays, income,
217
