Page 61 - 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. 61
rur al tourism in the surroundings of krka national park ...
Krka National Park since the beginning has been its location near the tour-
istically-developed Adriatic coastline, making it easy for many tourists to
come to the Park for day trips. The peak number of visitors in the ear-
ly stage of Park visitation was reached in 1988 (385,837). In this period, the
Park had 20 permanent and 60 seasonal employees (Knežević-Grubišić,
1997). From 1991 to 1995, during the Croatian War of Independence4, many
parts of the Park sustained damage and all visitation stopped.
Tourism and recreation in the Park slowly recovered after the War, and
the 1988 maximum of visitors was surpassed in 2001 (451,314 visitors). Apart
from the impacts of the global economic recession (starting in 2008), which
affected the total number of tourists in Croatia, the number of visitors to
the Park has been continually increasing, exceeding one million for the
first time in 2016 and continuing on to 1,354,802 in 20185 (Fig. 2). National
park visitor surveys conducted in 2013, 2017, and 2018 indicate that the most
numerous visitors are 28–49 years old with a high level of education. In ad-
dition, most of the surveyed visitors come to the Park with their family
and friends. The largest number of surveyed visitors come from European
Fig. 2 The number of visitors to Krka National Park 1996–2018
Sources: Krka National Park, 2007; CBS, 2008; CBS, 2009; CBS, 2010; CBS, 2011; CBS,
2012; Krka National Park, 2019
4 Referred to in Croatia as the Homeland War (Domovinski rat).
5 The number of Park visitors does not include members of the local population visiting
the Park’s churches and monasteries, or engaging in leisure/recreation activities.
59
Krka National Park since the beginning has been its location near the tour-
istically-developed Adriatic coastline, making it easy for many tourists to
come to the Park for day trips. The peak number of visitors in the ear-
ly stage of Park visitation was reached in 1988 (385,837). In this period, the
Park had 20 permanent and 60 seasonal employees (Knežević-Grubišić,
1997). From 1991 to 1995, during the Croatian War of Independence4, many
parts of the Park sustained damage and all visitation stopped.
Tourism and recreation in the Park slowly recovered after the War, and
the 1988 maximum of visitors was surpassed in 2001 (451,314 visitors). Apart
from the impacts of the global economic recession (starting in 2008), which
affected the total number of tourists in Croatia, the number of visitors to
the Park has been continually increasing, exceeding one million for the
first time in 2016 and continuing on to 1,354,802 in 20185 (Fig. 2). National
park visitor surveys conducted in 2013, 2017, and 2018 indicate that the most
numerous visitors are 28–49 years old with a high level of education. In ad-
dition, most of the surveyed visitors come to the Park with their family
and friends. The largest number of surveyed visitors come from European
Fig. 2 The number of visitors to Krka National Park 1996–2018
Sources: Krka National Park, 2007; CBS, 2008; CBS, 2009; CBS, 2010; CBS, 2011; CBS,
2012; Krka National Park, 2019
4 Referred to in Croatia as the Homeland War (Domovinski rat).
5 The number of Park visitors does not include members of the local population visiting
the Park’s churches and monasteries, or engaging in leisure/recreation activities.
59
