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In this paper, the authors present the research on the role of concession as a possible instrument for solving the issues of development and preservation of the environment, especially for transition countries such as Croatia. Although it is exceptionally important to stimulate economic development, this does not mean that granting concessions is always justified. With a proper control and strict requirements in terms of sustainability and development of the area, a concession becomes an instrument that may start the development, put in order the illegal use of maritime domain and grant quality in the protection of the sea and the coast. However, in places where concessions on maritime domain may be considered as promoters of development domicile inhabitants frequently oppose to them. The reason to such reaction is primarily the absence of information and insufficient education on advantages and disadvantages of concessions and absence of promotion of positive effects that such form of economic development has for the local community. The authors have studied and analysed the role of public administration and educational institutions in educating inhabitants and managing officials of the maritime domain. Measures for improvement of the concession system and education are proposed, aimed at obtaining the transparency in concession-granting procedures and sustainability. The purpose of this paper is to determine the importance of introducing concessions in the valorisation of maritime domain of transition countries. The aim of this paper is to define the role and the responsibility of grantor in informing the inhabitants, and of educational institutions in educating suitable personnel for managing the maritime domain. A special aim is also to propose adequate measures for improving the efficiency in quick and quality concession-granting procedure.

As one of the three basic types of nautical tourism, cruise industry has been developing constantly in the course of the last 30 years. Professor Ross K. Dowling analyzed that development of cruise tourism on the world market. The analysis indicates that there are four main world markets of cruise tourism. The analysis of market of (1) North and Central America, (2) Europe (The Mediterranean Basin and Transatlantic), (3) The rest of the world, and of (4) Unexplored potential market, indicates the essential differences in the levels of development of cruise tourism. If we focus our analysis on the two most developed markets of cruise tourism, North and Central America and Europe, we can see the important differences that can be analyzed from the aspect of seasonality in the industry of cruise ships. If we put the seasonality of cruise tourism in the focus of this paper, the subject of our research will be to determine its presence intensity, and will point out our goal to define the reasons why it occurs in cruise tourism. The purpose of this research is to determine the consequences of seasonality on the strategic development of cruise tourism market, and consequently on cruise industry. The seasonality of cruise tourism is not self-explanatory, therefore its influence on the strategic development should be explained, and all features of active cruise market, as classified by Professor Ross K. Dowling, have to be taken into consideration. Within the framework of global crisis and of this year’s results in nautical and cruise tourism, there is neither stagnation, nor decrease in development, which indicates the constant development of cruise tourism. But there is also a question whether the seasonality in cruise tourism would determine the strategic development of this phenomenon, and in such a case the question is how and to what extent. In the conditions of global crisis, seasonality can be a part of general crisis, but on the other hand it can also be a new chance for development. The introductory hypothesis focuses on the seasonality as a new challenge in development, and by a thorough analysis, we will either accept or reject that hypothesis.

Croatia has one of the most beautifful and best indented coastlines in the world. The Adiatic Sea, its coastline and islands, whose values have been recognized on a global scale, schould be holders of economic development of Croatia, particulary of its coastal and insular part. General orientation during the process of improvement of marina capacities should implement the protection of nature and orginality of the Mediterranean cultural heritage. Protection of particular areas is still the basic method of preserving bilogical and landscape diversity. Protected areas make up the framework of overall protection and key nodes in the ecological network, representing refuges and depositories of biological diversity. The principles of sustainable development point at the need for a balanced use, occupancy, and development of the marine and coastal area, protecting the natural characteristic of the environment. This paper proposes the methodology and criteria o be applied when selecting particular locations and marinas for the construction of nautical tourism facilities.