172
D. Gatari´ c and B. M. Ðerˇ can
noting that tourist places are not just populated places. These are also natural and
historical sites, narrower or wider areas, which are found to possess certain natural
and anthropogenic conditions for tourism development and in which tourist traffic
takes place. A tourist sitethat is outside the formal and planned boundaries of the
settlement joins the settlement to which it belongs administratively (cadastral), and
a tourist resort representing the zone, or narrower or wider area, is defined by a set of
settlements encompassed by that zone or area. Thus, a tourist spot is defined as any
relatively small area, where numerous tourist sites, i.e., settlements that primarily
function as tourist destinations, are concentrated (Panov 2006). According to the
mentioned conditions, tourist destinations of Serbia are classified into five types: (1)
main administrative centres, (2) spa resorts, (3) mountain resorts, (4) other tourist
resorts and (5) other places.
The largest number of tourist resorts in Serbia (154) belongs to other places
that have the capacity to accommodate guests, and some of them are characterized
by very poor tourist infrastructure and superstructure (Tourism Statistics 2000). In
addition, out of the total number of settlements from the category of other places, 41
are of the urban type and mostly administrative centres, and 65 settlements belong
to the category of rural settlements. These rural settlements are mainly located in
underdeveloped, local self-government units in Serbia, and accordingly the question
of sustainable rural development in these poor settlements is also raised.
The development of tourism undoubtedly complements state support and eradicates poverty. However, most of the world’s tourism development programs are
concentrated on big cities, urban areas and highly developed destinations, so the benefits of tourism are very small for the poor in rural areas (Rigall-I-Torrent 2008). Rural
poverty generates complex external effects on urban populations as well. Migration
of rural populations to urban areas creates a great deal of pressure on the labour
market, thus transmitting the germ of poverty to cities.
The World Tourism Organization’s recommendation to Serbia is to develop rural
tourism because it has exceptional conditions. In the Tourism Development Strategy
of the Republic of Serbia, rural tourism is placed at the forefront of those forms of
tourism that are of particular interest—with emphasis on the development of ecotourism villages in mountainous areas, which offer a healthy environment, ecological
food, a comfortable environment, active holidays, ethnographic and other cultural
and historical values (Vlada Republike Srbije 2016).
2 Rural Tourism, Leisure and Sustainable Development
Rural tourism is one of the advantages of tourism development in many European
countries. The rural tourism market is growing, but at the same time the future
of many rural areas is uncertain, driven by changes in agricultural practices. Rural
tourism appears to be an appropriate means of revitalizing abandoned rural areas and
ensuring their sustainability in the future through job preservation or job creation,
increasing occupational diversity, preserving services, preserving landscapes and
D. Gatari´ c and B. M. Ðerˇ can
noting that tourist places are not just populated places. These are also natural and
historical sites, narrower or wider areas, which are found to possess certain natural
and anthropogenic conditions for tourism development and in which tourist traffic
takes place. A tourist sitethat is outside the formal and planned boundaries of the
settlement joins the settlement to which it belongs administratively (cadastral), and
a tourist resort representing the zone, or narrower or wider area, is defined by a set of
settlements encompassed by that zone or area. Thus, a tourist spot is defined as any
relatively small area, where numerous tourist sites, i.e., settlements that primarily
function as tourist destinations, are concentrated (Panov 2006). According to the
mentioned conditions, tourist destinations of Serbia are classified into five types: (1)
main administrative centres, (2) spa resorts, (3) mountain resorts, (4) other tourist
resorts and (5) other places.
The largest number of tourist resorts in Serbia (154) belongs to other places
that have the capacity to accommodate guests, and some of them are characterized
by very poor tourist infrastructure and superstructure (Tourism Statistics 2000). In
addition, out of the total number of settlements from the category of other places, 41
are of the urban type and mostly administrative centres, and 65 settlements belong
to the category of rural settlements. These rural settlements are mainly located in
underdeveloped, local self-government units in Serbia, and accordingly the question
of sustainable rural development in these poor settlements is also raised.
The development of tourism undoubtedly complements state support and eradicates poverty. However, most of the world’s tourism development programs are
concentrated on big cities, urban areas and highly developed destinations, so the benefits of tourism are very small for the poor in rural areas (Rigall-I-Torrent 2008). Rural
poverty generates complex external effects on urban populations as well. Migration
of rural populations to urban areas creates a great deal of pressure on the labour
market, thus transmitting the germ of poverty to cities.
The World Tourism Organization’s recommendation to Serbia is to develop rural
tourism because it has exceptional conditions. In the Tourism Development Strategy
of the Republic of Serbia, rural tourism is placed at the forefront of those forms of
tourism that are of particular interest—with emphasis on the development of ecotourism villages in mountainous areas, which offer a healthy environment, ecological
food, a comfortable environment, active holidays, ethnographic and other cultural
and historical values (Vlada Republike Srbije 2016).
2 Rural Tourism, Leisure and Sustainable Development
Rural tourism is one of the advantages of tourism development in many European
countries. The rural tourism market is growing, but at the same time the future
of many rural areas is uncertain, driven by changes in agricultural practices. Rural
tourism appears to be an appropriate means of revitalizing abandoned rural areas and
ensuring their sustainability in the future through job preservation or job creation,
increasing occupational diversity, preserving services, preserving landscapes and