Page 78 - 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. 78
challenges of tourism development in protected areas of croatia and slovenia
Introduction
Coastal regions in the Mediterranean have experienced very intensive tour-
ism development since the end of World War II, which has been even more
amplified on islands (Bramwell, 2003). Rapid development of coastal tour-
ism, based on attracting broad masses of tourists, is associated with strong
expansion of hotels and other accommodation capacities (often of lower
quality) (Ioannides, 2001; Andriotis, 2006; Chapman and Speake, 2011).
Tourism gives an impulse to the economic development of local commu-
nities that otherwise would not have any development opportunities out-
side of agriculture, but has also caused large changes in coastal landscapes
and the transformation of rural settlements into urbanised tourism areas
(Andriotis, 2006).
Unfortunately, unplanned tourism development in some areas has gen-
erated negative environmental, socio-cultural, and economic impacts, and
deteriorated the perceived attractiveness of destinations for potential tour-
ists, who have started choosing less-transformed areas (Ioannides, 2001;
Andriotis, 2006; Pulina and Biagi, 2006; Garay and Cànoves, 2011). In areas
with high physical and social pressure of tourism, a part of the population
has also started to feel the negative aspects of tourism, especially on the
part of the population that is not directly involved in tourism (Doxey, 1975;
Butler, 1980; Black, 1996; Bramwell, 2003). Bossevain and Theuma (1998) as-
sociate such negative attitudes with the development of “quality” tourism
products that rapidly consume scarce natural resources, due to large infra-
structural requirements (e.g. upscale hotels, marinas, golf courts) and de-
mands for large amounts of land and natural resources. However, Zhong
et al. (2008) showed, in the case of Zhangjiajie National Park in China,
that negative impacts of tourism are not confined only to coastal areas—
they can also affect natural areas on the mainland. Furthermore, the case
of Plitvice Lakes, the national park the most threatened by over-tourism in
Croatia, speaks in favour of the aforementioned theses.
The course and characteristics of tourism development in Croatia has
largely followed the trends in the broader Mediterranean area, with one ma-
jor difference: development took place under two different socio-economic
systems (socialist and capitalist) and was completely halted by the Croatian
War of Independence (1991–1995) (See: Šulc, 2017). Furthermore, tourism
urbanisation has been dominated by new construction or reconstruction
of private houses with apartments and rooms available for rent to tour-
ists, while there were relatively few hotels (Šulc, 2016; 2019). These processes
76
Introduction
Coastal regions in the Mediterranean have experienced very intensive tour-
ism development since the end of World War II, which has been even more
amplified on islands (Bramwell, 2003). Rapid development of coastal tour-
ism, based on attracting broad masses of tourists, is associated with strong
expansion of hotels and other accommodation capacities (often of lower
quality) (Ioannides, 2001; Andriotis, 2006; Chapman and Speake, 2011).
Tourism gives an impulse to the economic development of local commu-
nities that otherwise would not have any development opportunities out-
side of agriculture, but has also caused large changes in coastal landscapes
and the transformation of rural settlements into urbanised tourism areas
(Andriotis, 2006).
Unfortunately, unplanned tourism development in some areas has gen-
erated negative environmental, socio-cultural, and economic impacts, and
deteriorated the perceived attractiveness of destinations for potential tour-
ists, who have started choosing less-transformed areas (Ioannides, 2001;
Andriotis, 2006; Pulina and Biagi, 2006; Garay and Cànoves, 2011). In areas
with high physical and social pressure of tourism, a part of the population
has also started to feel the negative aspects of tourism, especially on the
part of the population that is not directly involved in tourism (Doxey, 1975;
Butler, 1980; Black, 1996; Bramwell, 2003). Bossevain and Theuma (1998) as-
sociate such negative attitudes with the development of “quality” tourism
products that rapidly consume scarce natural resources, due to large infra-
structural requirements (e.g. upscale hotels, marinas, golf courts) and de-
mands for large amounts of land and natural resources. However, Zhong
et al. (2008) showed, in the case of Zhangjiajie National Park in China,
that negative impacts of tourism are not confined only to coastal areas—
they can also affect natural areas on the mainland. Furthermore, the case
of Plitvice Lakes, the national park the most threatened by over-tourism in
Croatia, speaks in favour of the aforementioned theses.
The course and characteristics of tourism development in Croatia has
largely followed the trends in the broader Mediterranean area, with one ma-
jor difference: development took place under two different socio-economic
systems (socialist and capitalist) and was completely halted by the Croatian
War of Independence (1991–1995) (See: Šulc, 2017). Furthermore, tourism
urbanisation has been dominated by new construction or reconstruction
of private houses with apartments and rooms available for rent to tour-
ists, while there were relatively few hotels (Šulc, 2016; 2019). These processes
76
