Sustainable Development of an Island Tourist Destination: Example of the Island of Pag

The purpose of this paper is to explore the issue of sustainable development of tourism in island destinations through the example of the island of Pag in Croatia. This paper aimed to find out the extent of sustainable tourism development on the island of Pag and to discover the factors influencing it. The primary research sought to determine what are the opinions and views of key tourism stakeholders about sustainable tourism on the island of Pag. The key research question in the paper is: Which model of tourism development is optimal for the sustainable development of the island of Pag as a tourist destination? The method of qualitative analysis was used, as well as primary research that combined interviews with experts and surveys. Furthermore, a comparative analysis of the research results has been performed using interviews and survey results. The research took place during 2019 on the island of Pag. Key stakeholders of tourism on the island of Pag were interviewed, as well as an employee of the Tourist Board of the City of Pag. According to the empirical research, it was found that sustainable tourism is developing poorly on the island of Pag. Sustainable tourism development implies responsible management of the area, with an emphasis on natural and cultural heritage, and aims to meet the needs of tourists and needs of current and future local communities. Sustainability and sustainable development of tourism, especially in the islands as extremely fragile geographical, economic, and socio-cultural entities, are of particular importance. In doing so, it is necessary to apply an integrated approach.