Application of a Novel Bathing Area Evaluation Technique—a case study of Croatian Island beaches

Abstract

By virtue of their high potential for recreation for both local and overseas tourism, bathing areas represent valuable national resources requiring effective management. Increased leisure time enhances the desirability of such recreational areas and increased public awareness of health and safety issues, raises expectations of quality and desire of choice, thereby raising the need for an effective bathing area classification scheme. To date, most approaches consider single or a limited number of issues such as safety or health and fail to address the variety of bathing area types represented in the field, not least by their ubiquitous reference to beaches, rather than an all encompassing ‘bathing area’. In this pilot study, a novel bathing area classification scheme that considered safety, water quality, facilities, scenery and litter was applied to recreational areas on the Croatian Dalmatian coast with the purpose of presenting this new technique to a wider audience, demonstrating method application and identifying method evolution and potential improvement. Field application carried out in an exploratory and investigative manner assessed the technique's scope for application and its potential for improvement in view of the wide spectrum of bathing area types encountered in the field. Fourteen sites were evaluated, including remote, rural, village, urban and resort bathing areas. Results provided a preliminary baseline evaluation of classification, with a clear indication of management effort required for improved bathing area quality as well as a unique opportunity for method evolution and improvement.