engleski

Tourism area life cycle in small heritage cities – the case of Dubrovnik, Croatia

The paper investigates the tourism area life cycle of Dubrovnik, Croatia, a small city with historical core (Old City) listed on UNESCO World Heritage List, and the perception of tourism by its residents. Previous research conducted on heritage cities (e.g. Venice) demonstrated their resistance towards the decline of tourism, instead of which they experienced continuous growth, but with strong change in the structure of tourists, tourism economy and losing character of the city as a living place (Butler, 1980 ; Russo, 2002). Aims of this research are: (1) to determine the life cycle of Dubrovnik, (2) to detect main socio-economic and environmental processes related to tourism, and (3) to investigate the perception of tourism and its environmental, socio-economic and socio-cultural implications by local residents. The life cycle was tested using tourism statistics data since 1964 and qualitative information on tourism. Perception of tourism and its impacts was investigated in a questionnaire survey with a representative sample of local residents. This paper analyses the life cycle in the socialist period (1945-1991) and after the War for Independence in Croatia (1993-today), with significantly different characteristics due to different socio-economic systems. Today Dubrovnik records a growing tourism demand, by both overnight tourists and daily visitors (especially from cruise ships), which augments the pressure on the Old City. Permanent residents are leaving the centre, that is taken over by tourism economy, which pushes out non-tourism sectors, causing musealization of the core. Local population welcomes economic benefits of tourism but it is concerned about environmental issues.

tourism area life cycle ; UNESCO world heritage site ; tourism ; perception of tourism ; Dubrovnik ; Croatia

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