A double life cycle: determining tourism development in Macedonia

Abstract

This article investigates the symptoms of tourism development in Macedonia by applying the Tourism Area Life Cycle (TALC) model. The study explores the political context and the government's role in policy-making and implementation at each TALC stage. It also attempts to assess key arenas of governmental influence on tourism, such as privatization, legislation, tourism promotion, and fiscal policy. To this end, we conducted an analysis of secondary data sources with the aim of assessing the current stage of tourism development. Our analysis indicates that tourism in Macedonia is presently in the development stage but that future decline is still possible. Our general findings indicate an insufficiently developed tourist supply, underlining the importance of taking action as a prerequisite for a well-established tourism planning process. Finally, the study reviews and offers a better understanding of the manner in which Macedonia's tourism policies are changing in a complex region, with the aim of blending top-down decision-making with elements of grass roots involvement in a bid to create a solution to the country's search for a new future.

From a town to an attraction: the transformation of Ohrid, North Macedonia

“…Unlike their analysis of North Macedonia according to the TALC model, in which Petrevska and Collins-Kreiner (2017) found the country to be in the Stagnation stage, Ohrid directly entered the Decline stage (1986)(1987)(1988)(1989)(1990). Just before North Macedonia gained independence, Ohrid recorded an 11% decline in the total number of tourists and a 27 % decline in the total number of overnights.…”

“…Despite being earmarked as one of the national strategic priorities of North Macedonia (Government of the Republic of Macedonia, 2016), tourism's contribution to national economic development remains modest. According to Petrevska & Collins-Kreiner (2017), North Macedonia is currently in the Development stage of the Tourism Area Life Cycle and has reached a state of tourism maturity. These authors also hold that although the tourism market area is well defined, parts of it are still not sufficiently formed.…”

“…In addition to three regular routes year around, eight seasonal destinations were added and seven more were As a total Ohrid's life cycle curve was found to exhibit a double cycle sequence known as a cyclerecycle pattern (Rink & Swan, 1979). Petrevska and Collins-Kreiner (2017) found the same to be true of the tourism life cycle of North Macedonia. As in the first sub-period, Ohrid has not reached the Consolidation stage and is therefore strongly believed to have stagnation in store.…”

Some changes in the spatial characteristics of tourism in Slovenia since its independence

“…Although tourism development at the national level is often the focus of research (e.g. Formica, Uysal, 1996;Petrevska, Collins-Kreiner, 2017), this necessarily means a high level of generalization. This could be questionable since there are often very divergent development paths in various tourism places/resorts within a single country.…”

Preserving cultural assets of others: Jewish heritage sites in Macedonian cities

“…In 2016, more than 850,000 tourists visited Macedonia and 2.4 million overnights were registered (State Statistical Office of the Republic of Macedonia, 2017). According to Petrevska and Collins-Kreiner (2016), Macedonia is in the 'development' stage of the Tourism Area Life Cycle (Butler, 1980), and has reached a state of tourism maturity. This enables the country to focus on identifying new approaches for further sustaining and boosting urban tourism development.…”