Contribution to the analysis of the factors involved in choosing a place of secondary residence: An example of the settlement Okrug Gornji on the island of Čiovo

Abstract

The theoretical part of the paper discusses the factors involved in choosing a place of secondary residence. Especially useful is the concept developed by Opačić, which includes two groups of pull factors: recreational attraction as the basis for choosing the weekend residence, together with other resources. A research instrument was developed by relying on this concept, as well as on the information about local specificities derived from an existing qualitative research in different locations within the settlement Okrug Gornji. The research instrument consisted of two main indicators: natural and situational factors, which were operationalized as variables, and evaluated by the respondents. In the paper, firstly, a brief overview will be given of the development of the settlement Okrug from the time of its rural isolation until its current status as a desirable destination for secondary residence, together with a short overview of the phases of its development as a place of secondary residence. Next, the empirical part of the paper wil explore the motives which drive the choice of this place as a secondary residence. The data on key characteristics of the secondary living in Okrug, as independent variables, will be presented. The analysis will also include the data gathered by conducting a survey in Okrug Gornji in spring and summer 2016 on a probabilistic multi-level stratified sample of the weekenders. The most important results reveal that natural rather than situational factors affect the choice of Okrug Gornji as a place of secondary residence.