CHALLENGES OFPROTECTED AREA’S MANAGEMENT IN COOPERATION WITH TOURISM STAKEHOLDERS: A CASE OF LANDSCAPE PARK STRUNJAN
Emil Brazzatti[1]
Simon Kerma[2]
Original Scientific Article
DOI: 10.35666/25662880.2021.7.42
UDC: 338.484:502.131.1(497.4 Strunjan)
Abstract: Protected areas are particularly sensitive places that require proper management. The development of tourism in protected areas is a challenging task. It presupposes good relations between the manager of the protected area and various tourism stakeholders. A selected protected area in Slovenia, the Landscape park Strunjan, has been chosen as a case study. Park Strunjan is located in a well-developed tourist environment and is easily accessible, which is one of the reasons for high visitor count by one-day visitors and holiday guests. However, this is a protected area, and it is thus necessary to introduce sustainable principles in its tourist development. The aim of this study was therefore to address the quality of cooperation of the protected area management with tourism stakeholders in the Landscape park Strunjan and determine whether it is possible to apply the integrated approach in the area. Four semi-structured interviews with the manager and the selected tourist stakeholders were conducted, alongside an analysis of tourist offer and visits. The results show that the destination is not yet sufficiently developed in the direction of sustainable tourism.
Keywords: tourism in protected areas, protected area management, sustainable development, Landscape park Strunjan, Slovenia.