Improvements to visitor management at Krka National Park based on visitor surveys

Based on visitor comments, questions, and suggestions received by e-mail, via social media, reviews or in direct communications in the park, Krka National Park is working continuously to improve the quality of its services, safety in the park, and accessibility to its content. Visitor feedback is an important tool in planning new projects and improving existing content, and numerous improvements are the direct result of the opinions shared by Park visitors and the local community.

Content accessibility

Based on surveys about park accessibility for disabled persons, the Accessibility Report was drafted. This report outlined the existing situation, and gave a detailed analysis and possibilities of the movements of less-able persons at different localities in the Park. The aim of the report was to provide clear and precise information on the accessibility of different content in the park, and recognise the possibilities of adapting the infrastructure and services for certain visitor groups.

New progress concerning inclusiveness has been made with the inclusion of Krka National Park in the project “Nature for All in Sign Language”, implemented by the Croatian Society for the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing, in partnership with all national parks in the Republic of Croatia. As part of this project, Croatian sign language and international sign language has been added all video-content, with additional subtitles, and the Park staff underwent education on communications with the hard-of-hearing. This project is an important step towards a more accessible and equal experience of nature and cultural heritage for all visitors.

Visitor safety and infrastructure management

Some visitor comments and suggestions indicated the need to better equip certain locations and increase the safety of movement through the Park. The walking trail under Skradinski buk was repaired and widened, thereby enabling safer access for visitors arriving to Skradinski buk on foot or by bicycle. With this project, safety corridors have been created that bypass roads, and connecting with the existing walking and cycling routes.

The trail between Lozovac and Skradinski buk was also improved to ensure visitor safety. Due to the increased number of visitors and crowds at the Lozovac entrance, alternating admission of buses has been implemented in order to reduce congestion and increase traffic flow.

Comments relating to issues with parking and frequent traffic jams in the Roški slap waterfall area led to improvements to the parking lot at Bogatić Miljevački, with organised transport of visitors to the locality Roški slap waterfall. This has facilitated access to one of the Park’s most visitor localities, and reduced vehicle traffic pressures in sensitive areas.

For the purpose of easier ticket purchases and reducing lines at the entrances, a ticket machine was installed at Lozovac entrance, and online ticket sales have been improved through cooperation with the reservation and travel organisation platform GetYourGuide.

Managing visitor flows and digital solutions

Visitor feedback on crowds that form when boarding boats resulted in the introduction of a new model of visitor management at the Skradin entrance. Now when they buy their tickets, visitors choose the boarding and deboarding time, thus resulting in more even distribution of arrivals and reduced waiting times during the busiest times of the day.

In order to ensure that information is available and communications with visitors are fast and easy, a pilot project is underway to create a conversational WhatApp channel for Krka National Park. This is an innovative digital solution that will make it possible for visitors to more easily access to information about working hours, localities, transport, and content in the Park.

The accessibility of information has also been further improved with an all-day call centre in Laškovica that operates during all Park hours.

Maintenance and environmental protection

Based on information received from visitors and the local community, activities are ongoing to keep walking trails, viewing points, and information signage in good condition. After comments received about reduced visibility from the Vuković viewpoint, this area was cleared of excess vegetation to restore the lovely view of Visovac Lake and the surrounding landscape.

Social media comments and visitor reports resulted in an updating of individual education and information panels in the Park, including the replacement of damaged or old stickers on the education panels.

Thanks to reports by the local community, clean-up is underway of illegal garbage dumps in the Park area and its surroundings, thus contributing to conserving nature and the quality of the space for visitors and the local community.

Care for animals and cooperation with the local community

A large number of visitor comments and messages was concerning the issue of abandoned dogs and cats that irresponsible individuals leave in the Park area. As a response to that topic, cooperation with the society Šibenske šape for abandoned animals has been expanded, and now includes aid for abandoned cats, with continued activities to stimulate fostering animals, and promoting a more responsible attitude towards animals.

As part of this cooperation, everyone who adopts an animal from this society is entitled to a free one-year membership in the Friends of the Krka Club, thereby further stimulating animal adoption and raising awareness of animal protection and nature conservation.