Sustainable Development of Rural Tourist Settlements in Serbia …
173
nature, or supporting the preservation of rural trades as tourist attractions (Lane
1994). Rural tourism often provides an impetus for the development of infrastructure,
which then contributes to the growth of other economic activities in rural areas. A
particular benefit of rural tourism development may be the increase in the chances
for social interaction of local people, who often live relatively isolated in agricultural
communities (Swarbrooke 1996; Clarke 2005; Fleischer and Tchetchnik 2005).
The term “rural tourism” has been accepted by the European Union and as
such refers to all tourism activities in rural areas. Specific forms of rural tourism
can be: hunting, fishing, ecotourism, health, sports and recreational, residential (holiday homes), educational, adventure, transit, camping, gastronomic and
ethno-gastronomic, nature-protected, cultural, religious, and other special forms of
tourism.
Rural tourism is often considered to be a form of tourism that is characterized by
sustainability. It attracts a small number of visitors, it does not need the development
of large infrastructure, and tourists are usually genuinely interested in local culture
and tradition. One of the main attractions of rural tourism is personal interaction
with the locals, so that guests and hosts are able to exchange ideas and knowledge,
and therefore tourism can fulfil its role as a ‘peace industry’ as a means of common
understanding.
Sustainable development of any tourist resort, destination or wider area can only
be achieved by complex consideration of its interdependent influence within the
framework of integral (spatial) development (Radeljak and Pejnovi´ c 2008). The
Law on Tourism of Serbia states that the sustainable development of tourism is
harmonised with the systems of technical, technological, economic and social activities, which are based on economic development, preservation of natural and cultural
assets, preservation and development of the local community (Zakon o Turizmu
2015). Consequently, the quality of the environment, its natural and cultural values
and characteristics, the level of conservation, and attractiveness indirectly imply the
possibility for the development of tourism in a given area.
The World Tourism Organization in particular promotes appropriate, sustainable
and universally accessible tourism. In 2009, Serbia participated in the World Tourism
Fair in London under the slogan ‘Clean and Green Serbia’, in which tourists can be
offered active holidays, hiking, rafting, staying in rural households, healthy and
organic food, culture, or whatever it provides in an ecologically sound rural environment (Bazik and Dzelebdzi´ c 2010).Thisindirectly implies the development of
rural tourism, but in those settlements that have not been subjected to intensive
depopulation.
The development of rural tourism in Serbia, as a commercialisation of traditional
hospitality, began in the 1970s in the municipalities of Dragacevo, Kragujevac, Ljig,
Valjevo, Kosjeric, Knic and other places (about 50 villages), which in total had
about 4,000 beds. In the initial phase of development, this type of tourism was
only handled by individual households (about 800 households). Consequently, rural
tourism development was mainly directed at domestic tourists, but more recently
they began to attract foreign tourists in Serbia (Koši´ c 2009).
173
nature, or supporting the preservation of rural trades as tourist attractions (Lane
1994). Rural tourism often provides an impetus for the development of infrastructure,
which then contributes to the growth of other economic activities in rural areas. A
particular benefit of rural tourism development may be the increase in the chances
for social interaction of local people, who often live relatively isolated in agricultural
communities (Swarbrooke 1996; Clarke 2005; Fleischer and Tchetchnik 2005).
The term “rural tourism” has been accepted by the European Union and as
such refers to all tourism activities in rural areas. Specific forms of rural tourism
can be: hunting, fishing, ecotourism, health, sports and recreational, residential (holiday homes), educational, adventure, transit, camping, gastronomic and
ethno-gastronomic, nature-protected, cultural, religious, and other special forms of
tourism.
Rural tourism is often considered to be a form of tourism that is characterized by
sustainability. It attracts a small number of visitors, it does not need the development
of large infrastructure, and tourists are usually genuinely interested in local culture
and tradition. One of the main attractions of rural tourism is personal interaction
with the locals, so that guests and hosts are able to exchange ideas and knowledge,
and therefore tourism can fulfil its role as a ‘peace industry’ as a means of common
understanding.
Sustainable development of any tourist resort, destination or wider area can only
be achieved by complex consideration of its interdependent influence within the
framework of integral (spatial) development (Radeljak and Pejnovi´ c 2008). The
Law on Tourism of Serbia states that the sustainable development of tourism is
harmonised with the systems of technical, technological, economic and social activities, which are based on economic development, preservation of natural and cultural
assets, preservation and development of the local community (Zakon o Turizmu
2015). Consequently, the quality of the environment, its natural and cultural values
and characteristics, the level of conservation, and attractiveness indirectly imply the
possibility for the development of tourism in a given area.
The World Tourism Organization in particular promotes appropriate, sustainable
and universally accessible tourism. In 2009, Serbia participated in the World Tourism
Fair in London under the slogan ‘Clean and Green Serbia’, in which tourists can be
offered active holidays, hiking, rafting, staying in rural households, healthy and
organic food, culture, or whatever it provides in an ecologically sound rural environment (Bazik and Dzelebdzi´ c 2010).Thisindirectly implies the development of
rural tourism, but in those settlements that have not been subjected to intensive
depopulation.
The development of rural tourism in Serbia, as a commercialisation of traditional
hospitality, began in the 1970s in the municipalities of Dragacevo, Kragujevac, Ljig,
Valjevo, Kosjeric, Knic and other places (about 50 villages), which in total had
about 4,000 beds. In the initial phase of development, this type of tourism was
only handled by individual households (about 800 households). Consequently, rural
tourism development was mainly directed at domestic tourists, but more recently
they began to attract foreign tourists in Serbia (Koši´ c 2009).