Beaches as a Croatian Valuable Resource and Question are how to Manage them?

Beaches are a vital coastal resource and a precondition to successful tourism development. Resent research shows that when looking for a destination where to enjoy the sea and sun tourists tend to choose the Croatian coast. In Croatia today, beaches are underutilized resources. Beach management in Croatia is carried out by regional and local self-governments that have varying success in fostering development in accordance with beach usage and burgeoning user demands. This paper examines legal and other solutions that profoundly affect beach management quality. Given the broader, economic and socio-environmental significance of beach management today, the authors explore management mechanisms and analyse the level of coordination among institutions. The purpose of the paper is to analyse the interdependence of local administration and the involvement of local communities in beach-management decision making. The paper aims to identify the influences and effects of management structure that directly impact development processes and sustainable beach management. Research methodology includes an overview of projects for improving the effectiveness of beach management and understanding the importance of beaches as resources.