EVIDENCE LOG 7: What are the impacts of tourism ?
Respond to the following questions in your Evidence Log:
A - Using the information below for support, identify two positive economic impacts of tourism for Dubrovnik.
B - Using the information below for support, identify two negative social impacts of tourism for Dubrovnik.
C - Suggest two political objectives that the Dubrovnik government might have in promoting the city as a tourism destination.
Tourism is of extreme importance to Dubrovnik, in fact it is almost too important and there is an economic overdependence on tourism as a source of income.
Local opinion is divided about the impacts of tourism. Some believe that Dubrovnik has reached its limits with regard to visitor numbers at peak times. The population of Dubrovnik is only 45,000 but can host 15,000 visitors staying overnight, 5,000 day visitors and up to 15,000 cruise liner visitors. These visitor numbers during peak times almost double the city’s population!
Managers of heritage attractions such as the churches, palaces and museums are concerned that the humidity in the buildings caused by thousands of visitors can result in damage to the attractions. The managers are also concerned about the general wear and tear as a result of so many tourists. However, some local businesses believe that the money made from tourists is sufficient for the Dubrovnik government to repair and maintain heritage attractions and improve the local infrastructure.
During the peak periods local people say they have to avoid certain parts of the old town as there are too many visitors which make it difficult to live a normal life. Some older people are said to be too frightened to venture out at peak times because of the sheer volume of numbers. Noise from the visitors during peak times often disturbs the local’s quiet and peaceful way of life. The high increase in food and house prices is another area of concern for the people of Dubrovnik as the average wage is low and has not increased at the same pace.
Congestion on the streets and roads during peak times annoys some local people as journey times increase considerably. Notably large coach and cruise groups can cause congestion on the Stradun (Dubrovnik’s main street) making it difficult to walk through if you are an individual, family or couple. Some local people feel this type of mass tourism could damage Dubrovnik’s image and deter the socio-economic groups A to C. i.e. the type of visitor they are trying to attract. The situation is further exacerbated because Dubrovnik has bus station but not a rail station which means many tourists arrive by car or coach which causes congestion around Dubrovnik and its feeder roads. Parking spaces are insufficient and there is no park and ride type scheme.
Local people would like to see more winter tourism as they often lose their jobs after the summer season and they have to live off their summer earnings. Many local people work long hours, often 12 hours shifts for 6 months. This results in tiredness and a decline in customer service. A recent survey of tourists found that many were dissatisfied with customer service levels which could damage Dubrovnik’s image as a holiday destination.
Local businesses see less value in cruise liner tourists as they spend less, are less appreciative of the local culture, congest areas and are more demanding. Cruise customers tend to only visit for one day. The Dubrovnik tourist boards lays some of the blame on local businesses as many shops and restaurants in Dubrovnik are too similar and need to diversify with different crafts, souvenirs and menus which would tempt tourists to spend more. Cruise liner passengers can total up to 20,000 in Dubrovnik at peak times.
Many local people sell their homes to foreigners which results in higher prices for local people trying to buy. It also means that many houses are empty for large parts of the year which leaves an ‘empty atmosphere’ in the low season.
Many of the organisations associated with travel and tourism in Dubrovnik pay low wages and offer little training. As a result many hotels, attractions and restaurants have a high turnover of staff as they can’t afford to live in Dubrovnik. To provide a high level of service for the socio-economic groups A to C these organisations are being encouraged by the government and worker’s groups to increase wages, improve working conditions and offer training. These initiatives would help the organizations retain and reward their employees and improve customer service.
Dubrovnik is not rich and therefore much investment is from abroad such as Russia, Italy, Germany and the UK. This concerns local people as investors have a great say in the tourism development of the city. However, the Dubrovnik government has very strict regulations which have deterred many local investors. Some developments failing to meet strict guidelines have been blown up by the government!
Local people complain that they are unable to modernise their apartments in the old town due to the strict regulations as the area is UNESCO Heritage Site. This has resulted in many local residents selling to foreigners and moving out. This displacement contributes to the empty atmosphere during the low season.