Impact of tourism on liner maritime passenger traffic.

Viducic, Vinko ; Tomasevic, Marko ; Viducic, Ljiljana 等

Abstract: The subject of this research is interdependence of maritime passenger liner shipping and tourism. Besides the analysis of the effect of transport on tourism, the emphasis has also been put on the effect of tourism on maritime passenger liner traffic. This paper presents the dynamics of maritime passenger liner shipping in Croatia in various navigational areas regarding the tourist offers of the islands and geographic characteristics. In the end, recommendations are given for economic policy aimed at harmonising tourist and transport politics and selecting the type of tourism which would be in compliance with sustainable development of the islands and balanced exploitation of shipping companies' capacities.

Key words: tourism, passenger traffic, seasonality, passenger ports

1. Introduction

Interrelations between traffic and tourism are very complex. Traffic affects tourism directly through passenger traffic, and indirectly through cargo traffic which serves for supplying tourist destinations. Traffic has a limiting role to tourism through transport infrastructure and means of transportation. Traffic also has a limitation effect to tourism.

Several authors have analysed interdependence of passenger shipping and tourism in Croatia. It has been pointed out that Croatia has never paid adequate attention to transportation and tourism (Pasalic, 2001). However, liner passenger shipping, independently or in co-operation with other forms of transport, should have an especially distinguished role in the development of marine tourism. Moreover, successful business operations of transportation companies depend on the success of the tourist season (Mrnjavac, 1998). Liner passenger shipping is a prerequisite of the development of the island tourism (ViduSic, ViduSic, 2004). It is assumed that transition countries should take considerable efforts in developing adequate transportation, tourist and economic infrastructure in order to increase their competitiveness, paying special attention to increasing the level of transport and tourist services (Zelenika, et al., 2001). There have not been any scientific works which investigate the interdependence of seasonal liner passenger traffic, the volume of island tourist capacities in Croatia, and the level of success of tourist season in the islands.

In this paper passenger liner traffic in various Croatian navigational areas will be investigated, as well as the share of seasonal passenger liner traffic in the total annual traffic for the period from 2000 to 2004, and the volume of seasonal (summer) traffic in relation to annual ferryboat, regular service and fast service traffic for each navigational area. Also, the effect of maritime passenger shipping to the prosperity of island tourism will be researched.

Suitable combinations of scientific methods will be applied, the most significant being: method of analysis and synthesis, inductive and deductive method, method of abstraction and concretisation, method of generalisation and specialisation, descriptive method, comparative method, statistical and mathematical method and method of argumentation and contradicting. All the stated methods will provide a partial answer to the established scientific hypothesis and sub-hypotheses. By combining the methods better understanding of the researched situations, phenomena and relations will be achieved.

2. Maritime passenger traffic and development of tourism

Liner passenger shipping is very important for the development of coastal economy, primarily of tourism and trade, and for preventing emigration from islands, which equally refers to all islands, regardless of their development. This maritime activity significantly affects the national budget due to substantial income from foreign passengers. Passenger RO-RO ships are practically the only way of transporting goods in freight vehicles to and from islands. These navigational routes are a continuation and substitution for road routes, and there where they end (in ports) liner passenger ships continue the maritime transportation (integral transport).

Tourist service is closely connected to transport services. Without transport services there is no tourist service because transport services precede a tourist service. The development of transport infrastructure is considered as a pre-condition of consistent quality offer in Croatian tourism and in the Strategy of tourism development (Strategija razvoja, 2003). Transport and tourism are important as they increase prosperity of individuals, offering them transportation service and thus connecting them and providing opportunity to exploit numerous material, spiritual and cultural values (Zelenika et al., 2001). Transport and tourism are promoters of Croatian tourism and have to be recognised as such, together with all investments they require. Both business activities also have a positive influence to other business activities (SimulSuk, Perse 2001, SimulSuk, 2000).

For long-term sustainable development of tourism it is necessary to determine directions and standards, and accept plans and regulations. This has to be based on recognising social and physical receiving capacities and by applying the efficient methods of managing tourist flows (Clark, 1996, Howardm 2001). Tourism has a significant role in the development of both island and coastal economy. Until the beginning of tourism Croatian islands had poor development opportunities. Quality tourism should improve the standard and quality of life of the island inhabitants, and prevent depopulation of the islands (Kunst, 1996). The increase of tourist capacities should be based on the principle of sustainable development, taking into consideration physical and spatial limitations (Dulcic, Petric, 2002). The island tourism should be primarily developed in the interest of island inhabitants, then of tourists and finally of broader social community. It has to be stressed that tourism should be treated as a medicine and taken in correct doses, while it becomes poison if overdosed, both for the island and for its inhabitants (Kunst, 1999).

Tourism is also one of the five most important export activities for 83% of the countries. The total impact of tourism (direct and indirect) in European Union can be observed in the figures of GDP of 12.6% and employees of 13% (Blazevic, Vukovic, 2002). Maritime companies, e.g. passenger liners should be a part of the destination network of maritime tourism. On the other hand, the increased tourist arrivals indicate increased passenger traffic. The basics of passenger shipping are passenger ships and passenger ports/terminals (Glavan, 1992). The guidelines of Croatian passenger traffic are (Simicic, 2003):

1. Continuous increase of the demand,

2. Social commitment for supporting the island development,

3. Renewal of passenger fleet supported by the government, and

4. Government subventions of unprofitable lines.

Tourism has seasonal effect to maritime traffic demand, and creates immense and often insuperable pressures to passenger fleet in order to meet the demand. Partial solution to the problem would be prolonging the tourist season and balancing the relationship between transport offer and tourist traffic demand (Pasalic, 2001).

3. Dynamics of the maritime passenger liner traffic in Croatia

In the last century, modern maritime transportation led to the turning point process the process of littoralisation, which may be defined as formation and development of social communities on the sea coasts (Roglic, 19967, Filipic, Simunovic, 1993). At first littoralisation was developing under the influence of a cheap and simple maritime transport, and was first recognized by the development of industrial systems and then by tourist littoralisation (tourist development by the coast). Croatian coastal area is a link to continental and overseas areas, a link between the islands and hinterland.

Coastal maritime liner transportation is organised in five navigational areas: Rijeka, Zadar, Sibenik, Split and Dubrovnik. The fleet of Jadrolinija has the greatest traffic.

The characteristic of maritime passenger liner shipping is its seasonality. Seasonal traffic has a negative influence to the organisation of maritime passenger shipping companies. It requires great efforts--huge technological strain for relatively old ships, and pressure to the crew due to long working hours. However, seasonal traffic enables shipping companies to realise a great turnover and profit which allows business operations during winter months when operating costs, because of low traffic, exceed the realised income.

Rijeka area is characterised by the stagnation of seasonal passenger ferryboat traffic, although it is still high, making 78.5% of the annual seasonal traffic in 2004 (Table 3).

The share of seasonal passenger ferryboat traffic, and regular service and fast service traffic is the greatest in Rijeka navigational area. This leads to the conclusion that tourist season affects most the occupancy rate of the capacity of passenger ships in Rijeka navigational area. The reasons to this are multiple, but the most important is undeniable, and that is the closest proximity of emitting and receptive markets, in comparison to southern tourist destinations. Considerable tourist accommodation capacities and large accommodation capacities in relation to the number of inhabitants compared to other navigational areas are possible reasons for the above statement, which should be confirmed in some future research.

Zadar area had 1,889,930 passengers in 2004 which is 11% more than the previous year. (Table 4). Regular service and fast service ships in Zadar area transported 251,858 passengers, which is an increase of 6% in relation to 2003. The share of seasonal (summer) passenger traffic in the annual ferryboat traffic is stagnant and makes 52% of the annual value, while the share of seasonal passenger traffic is 48%. This indicates a relatively balanced traffic throughout the year, which further leads to the conclusion that island capacities are rather poor. It may be concluded that regular service and fast service traffic should be improved in tourist season, because its share is unsatisfactory.

Sibenik area of maritime passenger liner shipping is characterised by the fact that ferryboat traffic does not exist. The reason lies in the fact that there is no road infrastructure in islands around Sibenik, since they are small and scarcely inhabited.

The share of seasonal (summer) passenger traffic of regular service and fast service ships in annual traffic is about 59% and is relatively high (Table 5). This affects significantly the imbalanced occupancy of the shipping capacities off the main tourist season, which creates organisational problems to shipping companies.

Split area of maritime liner traffic is specific because there are numerous inhabited islands some of which are 30 Nm miles away. In 2005 the Split passenger port held the third place in the Mediterranean (1. Naples, Italy -7,500,000, 2. Piraeus, Greece--6,650,000), with 3,500,000 passengers (Strategija razvoja splitske Gradske Luke, 2005).

Seasonality of the passenger ferryboat traffic in 2004 was 62.1%, which caused substantial imbalance of passenger transportation in 2004 (Table 6). This required from shipping companies high efforts in organisation of the navigation both of ships and the crew. When comparing 2003 and 2004 it may be noticed that regular service and fast service ships have the index of growth of 17%. The index is higher than for the ferryboat lines in the Split area, which was 12%. The share of the seasonal traffic grew in 2004. The share of the seasonal (summer) passenger traffic of regular service and fast service ships is oscillating, but is mostly insufficient. Therefore more frequent lines should be introduced, as well as departures at more convenient times.

In 2004 the total annual number of transported passengers was 2,875,000, while the seasonal transportation counted 1,786,000 passengers. The respective figures for 2003 were 2,546,000 and 1,732,000. It is clear that the annual number of transported passengers in 2004 showed a higher growth than seasonal traffic. This indicates to a more balanced annual distribution of passenger transportation, and if such trend continues the shipping companies will find it easier to organise business operations in the season.

In Dubrovnik area there were 182,897 passengers in 2000, 293,556 passengers in 2003, and 275,474 passengers in 2004 (Table 7). The increase of traffic for the period 2000 to 2004 was 50%, but it dropped in 2004 in relation to 2003 for 7%. The share of seasonal traffic in 2000 was between 53% and 62%, and in 2004 between 59% and 60%, which all indicates an outstanding seasonal traffic. Also, Dubrovnik navigational area is particular because it has small and poorly inhabited islands close to Dubrovnik, which do not have major tourist capacities and road infrastructure. The exception is the larger island of Mljet which has a relatively well developed road infrastructure.

The problem of seasonality may be reduced by prolonging the season and by developing tourist industry in the islands. This further requires from the Croatian government to synchronize tourist and transportation policies in order to achieve maximum synergy effects from the engaged financial means of the state budget (Mrnjavac, 2002). At the same time it has to be remembered that the island tourism has to be subject to the interests of island inhabitants and that it must contain the element of sustainability. Therefore, the tourism in the islands has to be developed for tourists of higher purchasing power. Moreover, they will be staying in the islands also off the main season, which would positively affect the decrease of seasonality of maritime passenger traffic.

In parallel, it is necessary to increase the quality of complete transport and tourist services, which would directly facilitate prolongation of the tourist season. That is to say, before and after summer the weather is worsening (lower sea and air temperature) and the weaknesses of tourist capacities become more evident. The faults need to be eliminated, primarily the following: installing the heating system in tourist objects, constructing indoor swimming pools, improving offer of regular and extra services. Furthermore, passenger liner ships and passenger ports need to be modernised and adapted to winter navigational conditions. The speed of the ferryboats and regular passenger ships need to be increased to above 15 Nm, and the speed of fast passenger ships to above 25 Nm. Concerning the safety and comfort of the ships, they should not be older than 25 years. Tourists who are not used to winter conditions in navigation should experience their effects as little as possible, in order to enjoy the charm of such navigation, and to create a good memory of their winter visits to our islands. In winter navigation, passenger ships and ports have to be adjusted to bad weather conditions on the sea. The ports need to accept the ships in unfavourable winter conditions. Also island ports need technical facilities for accepting larger ships, and have to be located at positions which are on the shortest route to the coast, so that the navigation is shorter, especially in winter.

4. Conclusion

Passenger shipping has to be considered as the continuation of modern highways which are essential for tourism and for direct and indirect benefits to the country. The life and tourism in the islands would be inconceivable without passenger shipping. In this paper seasonality of passenger traffic in all navigational areas has been identified, and it inhibits the balanced occupancy of all types of passenger liners.

Their seasonal traffic is between 48 and 64.3 %. The best distributed passenger traffic is in Zadar navigational area, and the worst is in Rijeka navigational area.

It may be concluded that the maritime passenger traffic directly depends on dynamics and level of success of tourist season, especially in Croatian islands. The volume of maritime passenger line shipping depends to the great extent on island tourist capacities and the successfulness and duration of the tourist season. Also, the quality of the passenger regular service transport (ships and port infrastructure) reflects to the utilisation of maritime regular passenger traffic. Tourist season in Croatian islands lasts on average 45 to 90 days, and its brevity is the main reason for the extreme imbalance of occupancy of shipping capacities during the year. Therefore it is necessary to increase the quality of the complete tourist service which will attract tourist of higher purchasing power who will stay in Croatian islands off the main season as well. This will automatically prolong tourist season and decrease the negative seasonal effect to the passenger shipping. Furthermore, the orientation to mass tourism in the islands would eventually lead to complete devastation of the main island tourist attraction, and to complete disappearance of cultural and historical heritage and traditional way of life.

Everything stated above proves that the greatest limitation for the development of maritime passenger traffic is the result of insufficient and imbalanced annual demand for ship transportation. This causes insufficient occupancy of ship's capacities off the main tourist season, which is then followed by business losses of passenger line shipping companies. The companies expect from the government to cover the losses so that the inhabitants of the islands would not have transportation service of lower or no quality in the off-season period, when the occupancy of ship capacities does not guarantee profitable business operations. Therefore, inability of the budget to satisfy all the requirements and a possible modification of government support might directly put at risk the prosperity of island tourism.

5. References

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Dulcic, A, Petric, L. (2002). Upravljanje razvitkom turizma, Mate, Zagreb Filipic, P., Simunovic, I.(1993). O ekonomiji obalnih podrucja--planiranje i upravljanje, Ekonomski fakultet Split

Glavan I. (1992). Ekonomika pomorstva, Skolska knjiga, Zagreb Howard, M.W. (2001) Odrzivi turizam na otocima Old Providence, and Santa Catalina, Turizam, No 4., pp.352- 358., ISSN 0494-1898

Jurcevic, M., Budor, Z. (1999). Povezanost prometnog sustava i turistickih potencijala RH kao okosnica svekolikog razvitka drzave, Suvremeni promet, Vol. 1-2. pp. 88-93. ISSN 0351-1898

Kunst, J.(1996). Koncepcija razvitka turizma na hrvatskim otocima, Turizam, 9-10/96., pp. 207-227, ISSN 0494-1898

Mrnjavac, E.(1998). Pomorski sustav, Pomorski fakultet Rijeka, Rijeka Mrnjavac, E.(2002). Promet u turizmu, Fakultet za turisticki i hotelski menadzment, Opatija

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Simicic, V., (2003) Studija prometnih i gospodarskih osnova povezanosti otoka s kopnom i otoka medusobno, Zagreb, mimeo.

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Simulcuk, D., Perse, S. (2001). Prometna infrastruktura--cimbenik valorizacije turistickih potencijala Hrvatske, Suvremeni promet, Vol. 3-4, pp.161-162, ISSN 0351-1898

Tipuric, D. (2005). Koncepcija i prijedlog moguce privatizacije Jadrolinije, Ekonomski fakultet Zagreb, mimeo

Viducic, Lj. & Viducic, V. (2004). Croatian Maritime Passenger Shipping and Passenger Ports--Interdependence and Impact on Tourism, In: DAAAM International Scientific Book 2004, Katalinic, B., (Ed.), pp. 637 -644, ISBN 1726- 9687, DAAAM International Scientific Wienna, Wienna

Zelenika, R.; Pupovac, D. & Ogorelc, A., Model medusektorske analize-cimbenik strukturalnog uskladivanja transportnih i turistickih usluga, Suvremeni promet, Vol.1-2..pp. 36-46. ISSN 0351--1898

Authors' data: B.Eng. Viducic V.[inko] *, Mr.Sc. Tomasevic M.[arko] *, Prof. Viducic Lj.[iljana] **, Maritime Faculty, University of Split *, Faculty of Economis, University of Split **, Croatia, vviducic@pfst.hr, marko.tomasevic@pfst.hr, lviducic@efst.hr

This Publication has to be referred as: Viducic, V.; Tomasevic, M. & Viducic, Lj. (2006). Impact of Tourism on Liner Maritime Passenger Traffic, Chapter 51 in DAAAM International Scientific Book 2006, B. Katalinic (Ed.), Published by DAAAM International, ISBN 3-901509-47-X, ISSN 1726-9687, Vienna, Austria

DOI: 10.2507/daaam.scibook.2006.51

Table 1 Annual passenger ferryboat liner traffic

 YEAR INDEX
NAVIGATIONAL
 AREA 2000 2003 2004 04/01 04/03

Rijeka 2,444,081 2,931,538 2,954,072 121 100
Zadar 1,264,235 1,698,308 1,889,930 149 111
Sibenik -- -- -- -- --
Split 2,110,574 2,546,925 2,875,418 136 112
Dubrovnik 182,877 293,556 275,477 150 93

Source: Tipuric, D. (Leading researcher) (2005).
Koncepcija i prijedlog mogue e privatizacije
Jadrolinije, Ekonomski fakultet Zagreb and
author's calculations.

Table 2 Annual passenger traffic of
regular service and fast service ships

 YEAR INDEX
NAVIGATIONAL
 AREA 2000 2003 2004 04/00 04/03

Rijeka 39,536 124,758 153,173 387 122
Zadar 135,158 236,473 251,850 189 106
Sibenik 285,408 313,444 285,593 100 91
Split 294,019 644,650 736,126 250.0 117
Dubrovnik -- -- -- -- --

Source: As for Table 1.

Table 3 Passenger traffic in Rijeka navigational area

 RIJEKA YEAR INDEX
NAVIGATIONAL AREA
 2000 2003 2004 04/00 04/03

1. Total
ferryboat traffic 2,444,081 2,931,538 2,954,072 121 100

2.a Seasonal
traffic 1,267,694 1,526,333 1,527,503 120 100

2.b Share in
annual ferryboat
Traffic/indexes 78,2 77,9 78,5 100 101

3. Total regular
service and fast
service ships 39,536 124,758 153,173 387 122

4.a Seasonal
traffic 27,049 81,081 98,503 364 121

4.b Share in
annual traffic
of line and fast
service ships/
indexes 68.4 64.9 64.3 98.0 99.0

Source: As in Table 1.

Table 4 Passenger traffic in Zadar navigational area

 YEAR INDEX
ZADAR NAVIGATIONAL
 AREA 2000 2003 2004 04/00 04/03

1. Total ferryboat
traffic 1,264,235 1,698,308 1,889,930 149 111

2.a Seasonal
traffic 674,563 887,370 994,127 147 112

2.b Share in
annual ferryboat
traffic/indexes 53.0 52.0 52.0 98.1 100

3. Total regular
service and fast
service ships 135,158 236,473 251,850 189 106

4.a Seasonal
traffic 68,143 118,652 121,873 178 102

4.b Share in
annual traffic
of line and fast
service ships/
indexes 51.0 50.0 48.0 94.0 96.0

Source: As for Table 1

Table 5. Passenger traffic in Sibenik navigational area

 YEAR INDEX
 SIBENIK
NAVIGATIONAL AREA 2000 2003 2004 04/00 04/03

1. Total ferryboat
traffic -- -- -- -- --

2.a Seasonal
traffic -- -- -- -- --

2.b Share in
annual ferryboat
traffic/indexes -- -- -- -- --

3. Total regular
service and fast
service ships 285,408 313,444 285,593 100 91

4.a Seasonal
traffic 168,539 175,134 164,468 97 93

4.b Share in
annual traffic
of line and fast
service ships/
indexes 59.0 58.0 60.0 101.0 103.0

Source: As for Table 1

Table 6. Passenger traffic in Split navigational area

 YEAR INDEX
SPLIT NAVIGATIONAL
 AREA 2000 2003 2004 04/00 04/03

1. Total ferryboat
traffic 2,110,574 2,546,925 2,875,418 136 112

2.a Seasonal
traffic 1,326,700 1,732,65 1,786,817 134 103

2.b Share in
annual ferryboat
traffic/indexes 62.8 62.1 62.1 98.9 100

3. Total regular
service and fast
service ships 294,019 644,650 736,126 250.0 117

4.a Seasonal
traffic 125,149 332,030 389,569 310 117

4.b Share in
annual traffic
of regular and
fast service
ships/indexes 63.0 50.5 56.0 88.9 110.9

Source: As for Table 1

Table 7. Passenger traffic in Dubrovnik navigational area

 YEAR INDEX
 DUBROVNIK
 NAVIGATIONAL AREA 2000 2003 2004 04/00 04/03

1. Total ferryboat
traffic 182,877 293,556 275,477 150 93

2.a Seasonal traffic 110,103 147,103 130,008 118 88

2.b Share in
annual ferryboat
traffic/indexes 60.0 61.0 59.0 98 97

3. Total regular service
and fast service ships -- -- -- -- --

4.a Seasonal traffic -- -- -- -- --

4.b Share in annual
traffic of regular and
fast service ships/
indexes -- -- -- -- --

Source: As for Table 1