Geoadria, Vol. 29 No. 1, 2024.
Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.15291/geoadria.4295
I see good Postira: benefits and threats to the island community on Brač
Andrija Mišetić
orcid.org/0009-0008-7134-3605
*
Aleksandar Lukić
orcid.org/0000-0002-7884-5818
; University of Zagreb, Faculty of Science, Department of Geography, Zagreb, Croatia
* Corresponding author.
Abstract
Many settlements on the Croatian coast, especially the smaller ones, have developed in recent decades mainly due to the tourism industry, which brings numerous advantages, but also disadvantages. However, this does not have to be the case and is not always the case. To show an example of a different, balanced development, the municipality of Postira was chosen, which has a long tradition of a diversified economy based on its development in three branches - agriculture (olive growing), industry (Sardina fish factory) and the omnipresent tourism. The aim of the research is to identify benefits and developmental threats through the analysis of the attitudes and opinions of the local population and stakeholders. The research results were obtained through semi-structured interviews, with questions divided into six sections derived from contextualizing the concept of insularity in the specificities of the Croatian islands: lifestyle, transportation, projects, economy youth and future. Although the research confirmed the existence of a diversified and resilient economy that provides the inhabitants of Postira with a high level of employment opportunities as well as a high level of quality of life, problems such as the lack of leisure activities and the threat to the balance of the existing economic structure due to the new hotel and the increase in private accommodation units were also identified. This paper deals with the current living situation in the municipal settlements of Postira and Dol, and also points out the dangers and opportunities that the population is yet to encounter, and presents its predominantly optimistic view of the future.
Keywords
islandness; development perspectives; diversified economy; island of Brač; Dalmatia; Croatia
Hrčak ID:
321560
URI
Publication date:
30.6.2024.
Visits: 251 *