Unintended Exchange. The Interplay of Tourism, Identity, and Community Action in an Island Town

Abstract

In this paper, I examine the interaction of collective identity, community action, and tourism
in the island town of Komiža, Croatia. I hypothesized that efforts to establish sustainable
tourism development in Komiža would be influenced by the collective identity of residents.
I found that tourism and collective identity act as a feedback loop, with identity influencing
community efforts to develop sustainable tourism and vice versa. The findings suggest that
in creating sustainable tourism models, we must avoid generalized efforts and instead work
with communities to devise strategies that fit their individual needs and characteristics.