DESTINACIJA VISOKOG INTENZITETA TURIZMA U UVJETIMA PANDEMIJE BOLESTI COVID-19 NA PRIMJERU OPĆINE VRSAR.

The aim of this research was to determine the state and development perspectives of tourism in the conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic on the example of the municipality of Vrsar. This municipality is part of the tourist micro-region Poreč-Vrsar Littoral on the western coast of Istria and is a typical destination of high tourism intensity with a strong concentration of tourist arrivals and overnight stays in the summer season. The research procedure included the analysis of statistical indicators of the Tourist Board of the municipality of Vrsar, a complex method of field research and participant observation, and the method of interview with a representative of the Tourist Board. The paper discusses the changes in the tourism of the municipality that have occurred as a result of the pandemic and trends in future development. The number of tourist arrivals in the pandemic 2020 decreased compared to 2019 by 60%, and the number of overnight stays by 56%. At the same time, the arrivals of non-commercial tourists decreased by 15%, and overnight stays by 20%. The structure of guests by country of origin in the conditions of the pandemic remained unchanged. With the end of the pandemic, tourism is expected to resume at the previous levels of tourist arrivals and overnight stays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]