The term "mass tourism" is used in many destinations around the world, but practice shows it is most often linked to coastal destinations — cities with direct access to the sea or ocean.
Do headlines like these sound familiar: "Venice: We are charging entry to the city! Barcelona: No more tourist apartment rentals! Florence welcomes the decision and bans short-term stays in the historic center. Dubrovnik: Enough of the noise — fines for dragging suitcases along Stradun! Amsterdam: Stop cruise ships from entering the port!"?
The reasons vary — from high rental prices and shortages of long-term housing, noise, environmental pollution, unbearable amounts of waste, congested traffic, to generally excessive tourist visits or, put more mildly, visits they can no longer manage.
The concept of mass tourism is tied to negative impacts on the lives of local residents. From the privatization of public spaces, extreme growth in real estate prices and the conversion of every free space into an apartment, pressure on communal networks, pronounced seasonality that hurts service quality while driving high prices for products and services — reflected in an imbalance of price and quality — through to land devastation, threats to biodiversity, and finally a drop in local purchasing power that leads to general dissatisfaction.
Doxey's irritation index
Tourism professionals know Doxey's irritation index, developed back in 1975, roughly when some of the countries and cities mentioned were already heavily affected by mass arrivals.
Although this model is not based on detailed research, it assumes that homogeneity characterizes the community and that the community as a whole is hostile toward tourism — but it often happens that the community is in fact heterogeneous, where, for example, the unemployed on one side and entrepreneurs on the other welcome any growth in tourism, seeing in it their own chance to grow.
So, Doxey's irritation index says that local people who at first had a positive view of tourism began to have a negative view of tourist activities because of the rapid development of the tourism industry and its negative aspects.
The model suggests that communities go through a sequence of reactions as the tourism industry developing in their area becomes more pronounced, and their perceptions change with experience — in four stages.
Stages
Euphoria is the first stage, in which the destination's population feels positive emotion because of the opportunities tourism brings to the area. This stage is linked to the early development of the destination as a tourist location — so there is a sense of excitement and anticipation. Arrivals and overnight stays are counted, there is talk of the nationalities visiting us, and generally the overall goal is a satisfied guest.
Apathy is the second stage, in which more formal contact with tourists begins to develop. Residents of a local community start to see tourists as a source of income and investment. The most important thing is that the guest arrives, spends as much as we think they should, and leaves very quickly.
Annoyance or irritation is the third stage, in which residents begin to see the negative side of the tourism industry in their area: overcrowding, too much traffic, environmental pollution, too much waste — while they view investments as money thrown at tourist activities and facilities, not at things local residents need.
Antagonism is the final stage, in which things are at their worst. Tourists are seen as the cause of all problems arising in an area, and comparing the situation in the listed countries with this theory, I would say they have reached the final stage, which clearly calls for a response due to overtourism or weak destination management. We will leave that for time and the profession to judge.
As I write about this model, destinations in the region come to mind and which stages they are in. I know of some locations in Croatia that are in the third stage, destinations on the Montenegrin coast that are largely in the second, and the destination I among others represent is still in the first.
I also doubt that we as a destination will ever have a problem with mass tourism — that is, with tourism that could have a general negative impact on the environment — except at individual or micro locations within the destination.
I see the reason in the fact that this is a rural destination, where the very structure and area point to the opposite potential: so-called green tourism that promotes environmental protection and the preservation of natural resources.
What can be expected in BiH?
This form of tourism, if we take a healthy approach — for which it is not too late — aims precisely at reducing tourism's own negative impact on the environment. Republika Srpska and Bosnia and Herzegovina can and should be a destination for escape from urban environments into nature and activities that mean staying and being active outdoors.
That can be walking, hiking, cycling, visiting national parks and nature parks, visiting cultural and natural heritage, water activities such as rafting, kayaking, canyoning, with planned investment in villages and the production of local products. In this context, every intention that exploits and devastates the natural environment for the interests of individuals or interest groups is negative, and every initiative and new area of protected land is positive — of which, by the way, Republika Srpska currently has very little, only 3%.
If we are on the right side of tourism, with enough empathy for nature and the environment, and with enough knowledge for local communities that nurture the biodiversity they live in to also be desirable destinations with an authentic tourism offer, we will be an essential stop for tourists with refined taste who want something unique, different, and an experience subordinated to sustainable growth — because centuries of shaping life in these places give us the chance for contemporary affirmation in today's tourism world, where authenticity is valued.
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Sipovo on the water
This is not my first time in Sipovo, but I have to admit that, unlike the last visit, the place feels much more touristy than before. At every turn there are apartments, bungalows, cottages, eco zones — of this kind and that, to be fair — but it is quite clear that a good part of the locals has started to take on the role of host. That is good for this place, because the situation with the attitude toward nature is critical, and I hope that a strong interest from locals and a significant flow of visitors will protect it — in the sense of seeing nature as a tourism resource from which the whole community can benefit, not only a few individuals. Source of the Pliva River Sipovo has, if one can put it this way, breathed out after corona. It has been discovered. We all discovered it a little, promoted it, saw something unique, important and potent to sell. Walking around, I feel a little important, because I know how many times and in how many places and occasions, recognising the potential, I promoted this place. There is still a great deal to do and to put in order. Some of the things I saw are not dear to me, but this text is not about that. Crowds on the islets At the Janj islets a crowd was waiting for me. Parking is paid, but so many cars parked in every possible way is itself enough to create unease. There is a bus as well, just arrived. As usual, I check in with Dragana first. I wanted to yesterday too, but that was impossible because of the crowds. The Janj islets at Dragana’s… colourful, sweet and packed like a pomegranate. Konoba kod Dragane Unlike some previous visits, it is noticeable that other locals have organised too, so you have a few more options nearby to sit down. It is not at some high level, let’s be clear, but decent in a village way. In the end you come for something like that. Fine, the bench for sitting could be repaired, because you are charging for sitting on it. But those are details. Waterfalls and “compensation” Earlier you could not really reach the waterfalls; now you can, along a nice gravel road. Again it is through private land, and passage is free, although a kind woman at the entrance, and a sign as well, suggest you buy something as compensation. The beer is cold. Prices are symbolic, but you know how the saying goes: grain by grain. My older boy even got a candy. The waterfalls are beautiful. One approach is easy; the other demands great caution because of the height and the terrain. And there too you can see locals selling, mostly refreshments at symbolic prices. Nearby there are houses that rent accommodation. The impression is that everyone is renting accommodation. Demand does its work. I conclude that many people walk, circulate, leave and arrive. Sunday, it seems, is a special day for a weekend visit to the Janj islets. I see that also by comparing it with the trip to the source of the Pliva, where we were the only ones. There were no crowds on the visit to Vagan Cave either, but there was circulation there too. They have done it up nicely. The approach is paved. The explored part of the cave that is allowed for visits and tours is not long, so you can finish relatively quickly. Vagan Cave is worth visiting. Perhaps some basic equipment should be provided, say protective helmets. The cow as an attraction Back to the islets. Cows are all around us. From their milk comes one of the most beautiful cheeses we have — Janjska pletenica. It is interesting how many people photograph them. The impression is that they are an attraction. Carried by that, I photograph them too. And I often talk about this in the media and in workshops: original, simple, everyday situations, under the pressure of great changes in the way of life and its speed, are changing. We have become estranged from what we were. The cow is an attraction. Raj na vodi A few hundred metres from the main parking there is a nicely and tastefully arranged cafe/restaurant, “Raj na vodi”. You can also approach by car. Lord, it is terribly Instagrammable. There are plenty of details that wake your interest. Every guest holds a phone, turns their head and just clicks. I am here for the first time. The trout was tasty. I keep thinking how almost the entire Janj islets are photogenic. A formidable extra motive for coming, in today’s world “on a click”. Time will tell whether Sipovo, with its springs, rivers, caves, old-growth forests and the Janj islets, will manage to make a quality, sustainable story. Whether it will make a recognisable and unobtrusive setting, grounded in natural phenomena and an authentic experience — because it definitely has all the preconditions for that — or whether over time it will go to the completely opposite extreme. The chances, at this moment, are even.
A small case study in authenticity
At the green market in Trebinje, a sign reads "white garlic" next to what has always been called saransak or cesan. The green market has long been a synonym for gathering, a place of local supply and demand, conversation and commentary. For a long time people have stopped by as if by duty and bought home-grown produce. From Trebinje, or from a little farther away, from the neighbors. Why white garlic, and not saransak? Probably so they would not have to explain it to the buyer, so they would not have to repeat the same story to the tenth customer, so they would not waste time on a word half the people do not know. You call it what the customer calls it. You sell faster. But every time we replace a local name with a universal one, we lose something that is hard to bring back later. Saransak carries place, language, and the generations that called it that. White garlic is the same product, of course, but without a local address. When you sell saransak, you have sold a local product with an authentic name. You have gained an experience and new knowledge. When you sell white garlic, you have sold, or bought, white garlic you can find at your own market too. Saransak has an address; white garlic does not. Tourism lives from that address. From what cannot be bought at another market, in another town, at least not under that name. And not with the same value. And when we erase the word, we erase part of that value too. I am not talking about nostalgia. I am talking about a resource that disappears just as quickly as any other when no one protects it or uses it.
The tourism product that never made it into the brochures
In tourism we often talk about investment, hotels, accommodation capacity, attractions, and statistics. We measure arrivals, overnight stays, and revenue. Yet none of that is what a guest carries home in the backpack of memories. Let us start with ourselves. What makes us happy when we travel? I am sure most people give similar answers. We want the journey to pass without stress. Without unnecessary complications. We want to feel welcome, safe, and at ease. That is precisely why the tourist experience begins long before arrival at the accommodation. It does not begin on the road, at the airport, or, especially relevant for us, at the border crossing either, even though queues at border crossings during the tourist season are among the most serious obstacles to competitive tourism development in the region. When a traveler spends hours in a line in the sun or shut inside a bus, it is hard to expect them to rate the experience as pleasant. Time meant for rest turns into a test of patience, and the first impression of the trip becomes frustration. The issue of tourist buses is especially sensitive, where the ride to the destination is often shorter than the wait at the border. Such experiences leave a mark and often cancel out much of the effort invested in promotion or in developing the tourism offer, not to mention the effort invested by the agency. And that is where the tourism of feeling begins, because a tourist does not divide their experience into sectors and jurisdictions. They do not care whether the queue is the fault of border police, road infrastructure, a travel agency, or someone else. They remember only how they felt in that moment. If we fly, we are happy when there are no excessive crowds, when check-in goes quickly, and when the flight is safe and comfortable. When we reach the accommodation, we want a kind host to greet us, a clean room, no noise, and everything looking as it was presented at the time of booking. We care about the receptionist's smile and a good coffee. We care that the taxi arrives on time and that we feel safe walking through the city. In one of my earlier texts I wrote that a destination should be viewed as your own home, and the tourist as a guest coming into your house. When friends or family visit, we do not show them the furniture. We try to make them feel comfortable, welcome, and relaxed. The same should apply to destinations. A tourist wants to feel the atmosphere of a place, meet people, try local food, walk the streets, and for a few days become part of everyday local life. A personalized approach to the guest is a tourism product The tourist experience begins long before the tourist arrives in person. We do not know when someone first caught themselves thinking, I am going there. When exactly we invited them, who invited them, and how many times we invited them before the decisive moment. That is why the invitation to tourists begins with the way our city streets are arranged, with the cleanliness of promenades, with flowers, with the safety we promise. It begins with how we dispose of waste, with our attitude toward nature. It begins with the culture of how we treat one another. With the service and the offer they have researched. When they arrive, a guest quickly senses whether they are welcome somewhere. They sense the waiter, the receptionist, the taxi driver, the shopkeeper, the guide, the grandmother at the market, the clerk at the exchange office, and the passerby they asked for directions. A destination's reputation is built precisely in those encounters. That is why I believe the future of tourism will not belong to destinations with the most attractions, but to those that best understand people. Those who learn to manage guests' feelings. Those who work on emotion. And that is exactly why a personalized approach to the guest should never be seen as an added value of the tourism product, because it is a tourism product in itself.