Business Excellence, Vol. 17 No. 1, 2023.
Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.22598/pi-be/2023.17.1.11
ATTITUDES AND PERCEPTIONS OF URBAN POPULATION TOWARDS WINTER SPORTS TOURISM DEVELOPMENT IN NATURAL PROTECTED AREAS: THE CASE OF ZAGREB AND MEDVEDNICA NATURE PARK
Igor Diklić
Oliver Kesar
orcid.org/0000-0002-3960-6750
; Ekonomski fakultet Zagreb, Sveučilište u Zagrebu, Hrvatska
Abstract
Medvednica Nature Park, as a green oasis close to the capital city of Zagreb, is
a highly valuable resource for relaxation and recreation of the urban population in a
natural environment, but also an increasingly important attraction for tourists visiting
the city of Zagreb and its surroundings. As the pressures on this area are increasingly
pronounced in urbanisation, sports-recreational and tourism development terms, it was
considered important to examine the attitudes and perceptions of the urban population
towards the possibilities of developing winter sports tourism in this protected area. The
data for this qualitative research was collected through a survey on a sample of 309
residents of the city of Zagreb. The research showed that residents often visit the Park in
winter, and that this area still has more significance and value for the local population
than as a tourist attraction for temporary visitors. Although the vast majority of
respondents believe that the economic benefits of winter sports tourism are of great
importance for the preservation of the Park and its further development, they are aware
that such development exerts considerable pressure on the sustainability of the protected
area. Among the limitations of the further development of winter sports tourism,
respondents primarily see limited spatial capacity and insufficient infrastructure, but also
inevitable climate changes that adversely affect the regularity of organizing international
ski races and the image of Medvednica as a winter sports tourism destination. The
findings of this research point to the need for increased care about available resources,
as well as careful consideration of the possibilities and consequences of further
development of winter sports tourism in the observed area. The originality of this
research is reflected in its design and application in a specific area, which has not been
scientifically investigated in this format so far.
Keywords
winter sports tourism; nature park; urban population attitudes and perception; Medvednica; Croatia.
Hrčak ID:
304664
URI
Publication date:
26.6.2023.
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