1. Željka Tonković, University of Zadar Jelena Zlatar, Institute for Social Research in Zagreb Vis, Anatomija otoka 17.9.2015. FROM MASS TOURISM TO SUSTAINABLE TOURISM: COMPARISON OF THREE TYPES OF TOURISM DEVELOPMENT ON THE ISLAND OF BRAČ

2.  Introduction: definitions of key terms  Context: tourism development in Adriatic islands  Comparison of three case studies: Bol, Povlja, Postira (Brač)  Conclusions

3.  mass tourism & sustainable tourism = tricky concepts  mass tourism as conventional tourism (sun & sea) vs. specialized tourism (niche tourism)  old tourists vs. new tourists and post-tourists

4.  Large volume of tourist activity  Spatial concentration  Highly seasonal > seasonal unemployment, low levels of use of tourist facilities, reduced economic returns  Large-scale, standardised production > all inclusive package holidays with little or no contact with local community

5.  Sustainable development – sustainable tourism  The World Tourism Organisation (WTO): development that meets the needs of present tourists and host regions while protecting and enhancing opportunities for the future.  sustainable = any form of tourism that, in a given area, alters the conventional tourist product so that it becomes more in line with the idea of sustainability in all of its four pillars: ecological, economic, social and cultural

6.  How to define what is „sustainable” in tourism development– different stakeholders with different expectations  Sustainability as a „socially constructed“ and contested concept that reflects the interests of those involved (Bramwell, 2004)  Responsible tourism = the key question is to what extent does the destination community gain from tourism development, not only in economic terms but also in respect of its environment and social wellbeing (Leslie, 2012)

7.  Highly seasonal  Spatial concentration & uncontrolled development  The most important economic activity  Abandonment of traditional activities (agriculture, fishing, fish-processing industry…)  “Tourism monoculture”  Mostly sun & sea tourism, but there is a tendency towards specialized tourism  However, growth rate of tourism is still regarded as the most important indicator (“ quantity over quality ”)

8.  Comparison of three types of tourism development on the island of Brač  Three island communities > three case studies > comparative anaysis  Bol: an example of “contemporary mass tourism”  Povlja: stagnation & potential for sustainable tourism  Postira: balanced development of tourism, agriculture and fishery

9.  Case studies: primary and secondary data analysis  Qualitative methodology:  Semi-structured interviews with different actors in local communities

11. BOLPOVLJAPOSTIRA POPULATION (2011.)1.6303321.559 TOTAL BEDS7.2425001.754 TOURIST ARRIVALS81.7702.53013.208 TOURIST OVERNIGHTS506.09922.449102.888 % of total nights in hotels59,3%0%29,2%

12.  One of the most popular tourist destinations  Zlatni rat beach = the most visible attraction; importance of natural attractions and environment in general  Hotel resorts Zlatni rat d.d. was crucial for the development of tourism in Bol  Hotels - 60% of all overnights  Blue Sun hotels and resorts, hotel Bretanide and apartment complex

17.  Speculative investments, uncontrolled construction and development (“apartmanization”)  carring capacity is exceeded  identity of place and ecological sustainability are under risk  the natural environment is disrupted with many inappropriate construction and spatial interventions (Kušen, 2001)

18.  In conditions of over-supply, tourist accomodation providers in Bol try to protect their occupancy levels by offering their facilites to tour operators and agencies at very low prices  Low prices → insufficient returns to reinvest → tourism products may deteriorate rather than be upgraded to meet rising tourist expectations (Bramwell, 2004)

19.  Today, there is no clear plan for the development of Bol as a tourist destination: simultaneous tendencies toward mass tourism, family tourism and sports tourism (“playground for all”)  there is a strong potential for sports tourism: tennis, cycling, windsurfing, kite surfing…  a lack of authentic products: it is necessary to expand the authentic tourist offer (souvenirs, gastronomy etc.)  agriculture and tourism should be more connected  new accommodation capacities lie in abandoned and ruined hotels (White House, Zeljeznicar), there is no need for further expansion of construction zones

21.  Tourism has been continuously developing in Povlja since the1960s; it is presently in stagnation but has good prospects due to Povlja resources  SFOR stayed at the Galeb hotel for 10 years. It is ruined now and there isn’t a lot of private accommodation  Privatisation process was conducted badly, there is one key owner and the local population is marginalised

24. Three possible scenarios for Povlja (Zlatar, 2010): 1. Eco-tourism: authentic tourist offer which respects the highest ecological standards 2. Mass tourism: opening the hotel and the apartment complex; depends on investors 3. Stagnation

25.  A significant part of the landscape has remained unchanged until today  This place presents a positive example of the preservation of territorial identity: the population has remained more or less unchanged. More prominent places have attracted investors and tourists.  There isn’t a lot of space for tourist development; planning must be very careful- the location is rather delicate  Acceptable forms of tourism are those which take care of the environment and may benefit best from the specific features of Povlja and its surroundings

27.  a positive example of sustainable development on islands (Tonković and Zlatar, 2014)  fish-processing industry more important than tourism  well-preserved agricultural tradition (olive- growing)  low unemployment rate (6.9%) and positive population trends

28.  private accommodation is dominant (81.8% of the total number of beds)  there is a potential for specialized types of tourism (agrotourism, sports tourism etc.), but it is not fully used  highly seasonal, sun & sea tourism is dominant  low occupancy rates

29.  In terms of tourism development, Postira is on the crossroads of different development models: 1) a tendency towards a considerable increase of accommodation facilities and mass tourism 2) commitment to “responsible forms of tourism“, such as ecotourism and rural tourism  Compared to other places on the island, Postira stands in the middle position, between Bol (mass tourism) and Povlja (tendency towards rural tourism)  local population and key actors agree against mass tourism in Postira

31.  One island, three local communities, multiple shades of tourism > lack of common strategies for tourism development in island as a whole, lack of cooperation among tourist boards  Growth rate of tourism should be under control, especially in high season  Tourism season should be extended by development of specialized tourism

32.  The main objectives of tourism development should be:  to preserve the natural identity of the island to increase the authenticity of the offer and to improve the quality of life of residents  from mass tourism to sustainable and responsible tourism

33.  Strong sustainability is a long-terms task, therefore small steps should be taken: ◦ Greening the activity in all forms of tourism ◦ Improvement of economic performance ◦ Quality over quantity ◦ Community empowerment, education of local people involved in tourism and promoting environmental awareness

34.  Strategies for tourism should be based on local particularities, taking into account the intensity and the type of tourism development  Development of specialized tourism taking into account carrying capacity  Future development of tourism should be planned carefully in line with the idea of sustainability and preservation of local identity

35.  sustainable tourism requires the support of local residents, effective management and use of resources (Oriade i Evans, 2011)  the growth rate of tourism should be under control and all stakeholders should participate in decision-making process  however, lack of collaboration is a common problem in local communities

36. Željka Tonković, University of Zadar Jelena Zlatar, Institute for Social Research in Zagreb Vis, Anatomija otoka 17.9.2015. FROM MASS TOURISM TO SUSTAINABLE TOURISM: COMPARISON OF THREE TYPES OF TOURISM DEVELOPMENT ON THE ISLAND OF BRAČ