CATS will hold the Tourism Online Forum Series (TOFS) vol.67 on Tuesday, December 22. Anyone is welcome to attend. We look forward to your participation.

Living Islands or Tourist Destinations? Tourism, Community and Spatial Sustainability in the Croatian Adriatic

• Abstract:
  Tourism plays a central role in the socio-economic development of Croatian islands, creating opportunities for local communities while generating increasing pressures on their spatial, environmental, and social sustainability. This lecture explores the complex relationship between tourism development, community well-being, and spatial transformation in the Croatian Adriatic. Particular attention is given to challenges such as tourism seasonality, demographic change, second-home development, housing affordability, infrastructure pressures, and competing demands for limited island space. Drawing on examples from Croatian islands, the lecture examines how spatial planning and community participation can contribute to more balanced and sustainable development. It raises a fundamental question: Are Croatian islands being developed primarily as tourist destinations, or as living spaces for resilient and thriving local communities?
• Keywords: Island communities, tourism, Croatian islands
• Hosted by: Center for Advanced Tourism Studies (CATS), Hokkaido University
• Date/Time: Tuesday 22 December 2026  |  17:00-18:30 (JST)
• Venue: Online (Zoom Webinar)
• Language: English
• Capacity: 50 persons
• Participation fee: Free to join (pre-registration system)
• Speaker: Dr. Anica Čuka
  Bio:
  Anica Čuka is a Full Professor at the Department of Geography, University of Zadar, Croatia. Her research focuses on island geography, sustainable development, tourism, demographic change, and the socio-economic and spatial transformation of island communities, with particular emphasis on the Croatian Adriatic islands. She has published numerous scientific papers and participated in national and international research projects addressing island development and sustainability. She currently serves as President of the International Geographical Union (IGU) Commission on Islands (2024–2028). Her work contributes to understanding the challenges facing island communities and the role of sustainable tourism and spatial planning in shaping their future.
• Moderator: Dr. Meng Qu (Guest Associate Professor, CATS, Hokkaido University)
• Registration:
  Please register at the URL below.
  https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_svX7PGDKRz22rseZpcGsoQ
• Contact:
  Hokkaido University, Center for Advanced Tourism Studies (CATS)
  online-forum(at)cats.hokudai.ac.jp
  *Please replace the (at) part with @.