Geoadria, Vol. 18 No. 1, 2013.
Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.15291/geoadria.148
Application of selected abiotic and ecological indicators of ecologically sustainable tourism on the example of Inner Istria
Nikola Vojnović
; Juraj Dobrila University of Pula
Abstract
The aim of this work is the analysis of abiotic and ecological indicators to investigate environmental sustainability of tourism in Inner Istria, which consists of 24 municipalities and towns. Five quantitative indicators were chosen, respecting the criteria of availability, reliability, predictability, clarity and feasibility. Within the first indicator, "protected natural areas", the greatest share of natural areas under protection was established in the Municipality of Lupoglav. Indicators "overall tourists’ water consumption" and "maximum water consumption in tourism industry" have confirmed the low share of tourists’ consumption of drinking water in all municipalities and towns in Inner Istria. The analysis of the fourth indicator, "the share of tourist accommodation facilities and connection to the sewerage system", showed that ten municipalities and towns have such facilities on their territories. The fifth indicator analyzed "resorts with tourist accommodation facilities and their coverage with recycling containers for selective municipal waste disposal" and showed that a part of the settlements in the twelve municipalities and towns had this kind of containers. All accommodation facilities in the municipality of Grožnjan have recycling containers. Qualitative indicators realized through problemoriented interviews with experts in the Istrian water-company and municipal companies, and field researches have confirmed the quantitative indicators. The conclusion derived from the interviews is that tourism is currently in its initial stages of development that does not disturb the regular water supply and waste disposal. Finally, the results of this study confirmed the hypothesis that Inner Istria is a region for ecologically sustainable tourism whose touristification does not threaten the protected natural area, water resources and water supply, wastewater and municipal waste disposal.
Keywords
Inner Istria; municipalities and towns; sustainable tourism; abiotic and ecological indicators
Hrčak ID:
105843
URI
Publication date:
30.6.2013.
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