engleski

Selective Forms of Tourism - the Way of Extending the Summer Season

Seasonality is one of the most salient and significant characteristics of tourism which is experienced in almost all destinations in the world. Seasonality causes the fluctuation in tourists and visitor numbers to a destination resulting at certain times in the year with overcrowded or underutilized tourist destinations, particularly in the mass tourism destination with dominant bathing tourism. Seasonality is a concept that is well studied and documented in the tourism literature, but it is still one of the most incomprehensible problems of the tourism industry and there is still need for further investigation of certain aspects of seasonality. With the growth of mass tourism the negative economical, ecological and socio-cultural implications of seasonality increased. There is a need to understand the off-peak period for better planning and effective resource allocation in tourism sector as essential prerequisite for sustainable development. Numerous strategies of combating seasonality have been investigated but were not empirically tested. One strategy to attract additional visitors to a destination when demand levels are below capacity is the modification and diversification of the destination product. Increasing demand outside peak season and redistributing demand from time of excess use to times of low demand provides an extension of the summer season and sustainable development. Diversifying attraction through selective forms of tourism is one of the modern trends in tourist flows. Offering diversified products for selective demand in the off-season could provide extended season and ensure sustainable development. A proactive approach is required to develop and offer a variety of selective tourism products for the different segments of the tourism market in the off peak season to extend the summer season.

seasonality ; diversified attraction ; selective tourism ; sustainable development

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