Page 84 - 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. 84
challenges of tourism development in protected areas of croatia and slovenia
The period of stagnation that followed in the late 2000s was generat-
ed by the economic crisis on the main international tourist markets, the
island’s underdeveloped and stagnant tourism supply, and the fickle na-
ture of tourists’ preferences (Šulc, 2017). Concurrently, almost all settle-
ments became involved in tourism by offering similar tourism products.
Economic recovery after 2011 and improvements in the tourism supply in
Croatia managed to stimulate new and intensive tourism growth, which
was, on Mljet, connected with rather high increases in private accommo-
dation in coastal settlements (particularly Saplunara and Sobra) and in the
Park, but less in interior settlements (Babino Polje, Blato). Therefore, in
2016, accommodation capacities reached 2,285 beds, twice as much as in
1986, and coastal settlements (48%) outnumbered the Park (41%) in terms
of beds (Tab. 1). The rather unfavourable structure of beds (15.1% in a ho-
tel, 13.7% in camps, and 71.2% in private households) generates very low net
occupancy (51.5 days) (CBS, 2017). In 2018, there were 247 registered private
owners and small businesses that offered rooms and apartments for rent
(Mljet Tourist Board, 2019). Tourist arrivals (25,788) and overnight stays
(117,646) are also significantly higher than before the War, with a growing
share among coastal settlements (37% and 42%). Tourism is mostly orient-
ed towards international tourist markets (85% of overnight stays), led by
Slovenia (14%), Germany (11%), France (8%), and the UK (8%) (CBS, 2017).
The rather short average stay (4.6 days) reflects dominant coastal and na-
ture-based tourism in conditions of an underdeveloped tourism supply and
trends of shorter holidays on tourist markets.
Can tourism revitalise the population of Mljet?
A positive answer to this question is often given without prior in-depth
analysis and consideration of the complex demographic and socio-eco-
nomic processes within the population. This section aims to give an insight
into multi-factored demographic processes and how much tourism has
contributed to them. The analysis is based on total population change, net
migration, share of migrants, and age composition in the 1961–2011 period.
The total population of Mljet (1,088 in 2011) is very low compared to
other Croatian and Mediterranean islands of similar size and makes up less
than 1% of the population of southern Dalmatia (Tab. 2). In the past, the is-
land was isolated from major population cores and almost all of its peo-
ple lived in small old rural settlements in the island’s interior, and worked
in agriculture (e.g. Babino Polje, Blato, Goveđari, Korita, Maranovići,
82
The period of stagnation that followed in the late 2000s was generat-
ed by the economic crisis on the main international tourist markets, the
island’s underdeveloped and stagnant tourism supply, and the fickle na-
ture of tourists’ preferences (Šulc, 2017). Concurrently, almost all settle-
ments became involved in tourism by offering similar tourism products.
Economic recovery after 2011 and improvements in the tourism supply in
Croatia managed to stimulate new and intensive tourism growth, which
was, on Mljet, connected with rather high increases in private accommo-
dation in coastal settlements (particularly Saplunara and Sobra) and in the
Park, but less in interior settlements (Babino Polje, Blato). Therefore, in
2016, accommodation capacities reached 2,285 beds, twice as much as in
1986, and coastal settlements (48%) outnumbered the Park (41%) in terms
of beds (Tab. 1). The rather unfavourable structure of beds (15.1% in a ho-
tel, 13.7% in camps, and 71.2% in private households) generates very low net
occupancy (51.5 days) (CBS, 2017). In 2018, there were 247 registered private
owners and small businesses that offered rooms and apartments for rent
(Mljet Tourist Board, 2019). Tourist arrivals (25,788) and overnight stays
(117,646) are also significantly higher than before the War, with a growing
share among coastal settlements (37% and 42%). Tourism is mostly orient-
ed towards international tourist markets (85% of overnight stays), led by
Slovenia (14%), Germany (11%), France (8%), and the UK (8%) (CBS, 2017).
The rather short average stay (4.6 days) reflects dominant coastal and na-
ture-based tourism in conditions of an underdeveloped tourism supply and
trends of shorter holidays on tourist markets.
Can tourism revitalise the population of Mljet?
A positive answer to this question is often given without prior in-depth
analysis and consideration of the complex demographic and socio-eco-
nomic processes within the population. This section aims to give an insight
into multi-factored demographic processes and how much tourism has
contributed to them. The analysis is based on total population change, net
migration, share of migrants, and age composition in the 1961–2011 period.
The total population of Mljet (1,088 in 2011) is very low compared to
other Croatian and Mediterranean islands of similar size and makes up less
than 1% of the population of southern Dalmatia (Tab. 2). In the past, the is-
land was isolated from major population cores and almost all of its peo-
ple lived in small old rural settlements in the island’s interior, and worked
in agriculture (e.g. Babino Polje, Blato, Goveđari, Korita, Maranovići,
82
