engleski

Developing tourism in the conditions of depopulation - the case study of South Dalmatian islands, Croatia

Regarding worthy and numerous natural resources and cultural heritage, almost 6000 km of the Adriatic coast, long tourism tradition and geographical position in Central Europe near main tourist markets, Croatia has outstanding perspectives for development of tourism. On the other hand, four fifths of its territory is affected by the intensive depopulation and population ageing, decreasing its demographic potentials for the socio-economic development. That discrepancy is even more amplified on Croatian islands, especially on small and remote ones that were brought on the verge of extinction by the long-lasting depopulation and accelerated population ageing. Having in mind simple economic structure of the islands, tourism as dominant (often the only) economic activity is considered as main driving force of more successful socio- economic development and demographic revitalization. The paper investigates population distribution, population dynamics, age-sex and educational composition and demographic resources as important factors of tourism development on Croatian islands. The study focuses on South Dalmatian islands as area of the research, particularly on six inhabited islands (Korčula, Lastovo, Mljet, Šipan, Lopud and Koločep). The study bases on the critical analysis of statistical data (census data, vital statistics and tourism statistics), field observation and interviews with local inhabitants and representatives of the local government and tourist board on Mljet (conducted in August 2011). The research reveals great discrepancy in the demographic processes, demographic resources and pressure of tourism on the population between Korčula, the largest island with higher population, more favourable demographic processes, better demographic resources and lower pressure of tourism to population and other islands with small deeply aged populations dependent upon tourism and lower demographic resources.

Croatian islands; depopulation; tourism; demographic resources

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