Impact of Mass Tourism on the Quality of Life in Split, Croatia : Residents’ Opinions in the Light of the COVID-19 Pandemic

ABSTRACT

This study addresses the everyday life in the city of Split during the tourist season from the perspective of the quality of life (QOL) concept. The research was conducted in June 2020, through an online survey distributed among a sample of 328 residents of Split aged 18 and above. A high percentage of respondents earn income from tourism (41.5%). Opinions are divided concerning its overall impact on the quality of life. While economic indicators are seen as positive, the rest are mostly rated negatively. The majority of respondents do not find the existing model of tourism to be sustainable, with their responses independent of earning income within the sector. The locals’ attitudes toward tourists are mostly assessed as friendly (45.1%). However, a significant percentage of respondents also point to indifference (24.7%) or hostility (10%), which can be associated with the work in the tourism industry and the assessment of its negative impacts on the quality of life. The general divisions among respondents within the study, as well as numerous negatively rated QOL elements, indicate the need for planning a more sustainable model of tourism. This includes achieving a greater representation of selective forms of tourism, reducing the dominance of the sector compared to other branches of the economy and increasing the quality of life in Split.