Impact of the event on the sustainability of the tourist destination: Perception and attitudes of the local population

Abstract

The issue of sustainability is at the centre of international concern with pressure on both commercial operators of all sizes and from all sectors, as well as private citizens to adapt their daily lives to reduce negative impacts on the environment. Tourism and its contribution to climate change are increasingly the focus of discussions. More specifically, the events sector has attracted attention and there is now a growing international debate on how to encourage event organizations to become more environmentally sustainable. The aim of this paper is to examine the perception and attitudes of the local population of the tourist destination Split on the holding of the Ultra Europe event. Empirical research is focused on examining the personal attitudes and reflections of the resident population by holding events on the sustainability of their destination. The general conclusion of the research is that the local population resents organized events, which causes negative phenomena such as saturation of the space by exceeding the reception potential, pollution of the environment with various municipal waste as well as noise in the space, which disrupts the natural harmony of the destination as well as its sustainability. Based on the results of the research, certain conclusions and reflections were projected that could be of importance to interested subjects in understanding both encouraging and warning situations.