Mnenje prebivalcev Šmarja pri Jelšah o razvoju turizma: rezultati anketne raziskave
Javni zavod za turizem, šport in mladino Šmarje pri Jelšah je v okviru aktivnosti Zelene sheme slovenskega turizma izvedel anketo med lokalnimi prebivalci, ki so obiskovali dejavnosti, organizirane s strani zavoda. V raziskavi je sodelovalo 78 oseb, od tega 68 % žensk in 32 % moških. Večino sodelujočih (61 %) je predstavljala starostna skupina med 25 in 44 let, največ jih je bilo zaposlenih (87 %).
Cilj ankete je bil pridobiti vpogled v zadovoljstvo prebivalcev z razvojem turizma v destinaciji ter zaznavanje njegovih učinkov na kakovost življenja.
Zadovoljstvo z razvojem turizma
Z razvojem turizma v občini Šmarje pri Jelšah je zadovoljnih skupno 48 % prebivalcev (24 % z oceno 5, 24 % z oceno 4), medtem ko jih je 20 % izrazilo nezadovoljstvo. Tretjina (32 %) je ostala nevtralna. Pozitivno razmerje med zadovoljnimi in nezadovoljnimi nakazuje, da večina prebivalcev podpira razvoj turizma, čeprav obstajajo tudi določeni pomisleki.
Obveščenost in vključevanje
Pri informiranosti o turizmu v občini se kaže razmeroma enakomerno razporejeno mnenje: 55 % se jih strinja, da so dobro obveščeni, medtem ko jih 25 % meni nasprotno. Večji izziv pa ostaja vključevanje prebivalcev v načrtovanje turizma – kar 45 % anketiranih meni, da nimajo možnosti sodelovati pri tem.
Zaznani učinki turizma
Več kot polovica prebivalcev (59 %) ocenjuje, da pozitivni učinki turizma presegajo negativne. Prav tako jih kar 66 % meni, da turizem izboljšuje možnosti za kakovostno preživljanje prostega časa (npr. prireditve, rekreacija). Hkrati velika večina ne zaznava negativnih vplivov turizma, kot so prekomerna gneča, poslabšanje zdravstvenih razmer ali zmanjšana varnost.
Kritična področja
Rezultati pa kažejo tudi na nekatera bolj kritična področja. Kar 56 % prebivalcev ne opaža, da bi turizem prispeval k večji izbiri storitev, skoraj polovica jih meni, da se zaradi turizma niso povišali življenjski stroški, 61 % pa zavrača trditev, da je turizem vplival na rast cen nepremičnin.
Anketa kaže, da lokalna skupnost večinoma podpira razvoj turizma v Šmarju pri Jelšah in v njem prepoznava koristi, predvsem na področju kulture, rekreacije in splošne kakovosti življenja. Kljub temu obstaja prostor za izboljšave, zlasti na področju obveščanja in vključevanja prebivalcev v načrtovalne procese. Za trajnostni razvoj destinacije bo ključno ohranjati ravnovesje med razvojem in vključevanjem lokalne skupnosti.
Residents’ Opinions on Tourism Development in the Municipality of Šmarje pri Jelšah: Survey Results
The Public Institute for Tourism, Sports, and Youth Šmarje pri Jelšah conducted a survey among local residents who attended activities organized by the institute, as part of the Green Scheme of Slovenian Tourism. A total of 78 respondents participated in the survey, 68% of whom were women and 32% men. The majority (61%) were between the ages of 25 and 44, and most (87%) were employed.
The aim of the survey was to gain insight into residents’ satisfaction with tourism development in the destination and their perception of its impact on quality of life.
Satisfaction with Tourism Development
A total of 48% of residents expressed satisfaction with tourism development (24% rated it 5 and 24% rated it 4), while 20% were dissatisfied. One-third (32%) remained neutral. The overall positive balance suggests that most residents support tourism development, although some concerns remain.
Awareness and Involvement
Opinions on being informed about tourism development are fairly balanced: 55% agree they are well-informed, while 25% disagree. A greater challenge appears in resident participation in planning processes—45% feel they have no opportunity to get involved in tourism planning.
Perceived Effects of Tourism
More than half of the respondents (59%) believe that the positive impacts of tourism outweigh the negative. A significant share (66%) agrees that tourism improves opportunities for quality leisure time (e.g., events, recreation). Additionally, most residents do not perceive negative effects such as overcrowding, deteriorating health conditions, or reduced safety.
Areas for Improvement
The results highlight some critical areas. As many as 56% of residents do not see tourism contributing to a broader range of services, almost half disagree that tourism has increased living costs, and 61% reject the claim that real estate prices have risen due to tourism.
The survey shows that the local community generally supports tourism development in Šmarje pri Jelšah and recognizes its benefits—especially in culture, recreation, and overall quality of life. However, there is room for improvement, particularly in communication and resident involvement in decision-making. Maintaining a balance between development and community engagement will be key to sustainable destination growth.