Development of Rural Tourism in Serbia
Irma ERDEJI1, Snježana GAGIĆ*1, Ana JOVIČIĆ1, Sandra MEDIĆ1
* Corresponding author
1 University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Science, Department of Geography, Tourism and Hotel Management, Novi Sad, SERBIA
E-mail: irmaing@gmail.com, gagicsnjeza@yahoo.com, ana.jovicic@fondmt.rs, medis.ns@gmail.com
Pages: 309-315. URL: https://geografie.ubbcluj.ro/ccau/jssp/arhiva_si2_2013/16JSSPSI022013.pdf
Cite: Erdeji I., Gagić S., Jovičić A., Medić S. (2013), Development of Rural Tourism in Serbia. Journal of Settlements and Spatial Planning, Special Issue 2, 309-315. URL: https://geografie.ubbcluj.ro/ccau/jssp/arhiva_si2_2013/16JSSPSI022013.pdf
Abstract. Rural Tourism is defined as tourism which produces a “rural environment” for visitors, by offering a combination of natural, cultural and human experiences which have typically rural character. It is the immersion of visitors in authentic, original and grassroots experiences which are the essence of rural life. Rural accommodation combines different forms of tourism that showcase rural life, art, culture and heritage in rural locations. The Tourism Development Strategy of the Republic of Serbia defined four tourist clusters: Vojvodina, Belgrade, South-Eastern Serbia, and South-Western Serbia. Tourism attractors (natural, cultural, and man-made) are tourism sites or assets that are currently visited by tourists. Serbia hosts a large offer of natural resources and a great diversity of scenic landscapes, from high mountains to valleys and plains. The Danube, which runs through Serbia for 588 km, with the Sava, the Tisza and the Great Morava compose a dense river network, attractive for all water activities in summer and autumn. Biological diversity of Serbia, both the ecosystem and species, is extremely high and attractive for tourism. Rural Tourism overnights represent 27% of total tourism overnights in Serbia. Tourism in Serbia is expected to increase with 3% over the next five years. The same increase could be expected for rural tourism. Implementation of master plans should add 8% to the growth of Rural Tourism.
K e y w o r d s: rural tourism, rural accommodation, Republic of Serbia