Sustainable Tourism as a Part of Comprehensive Environmental Monitoring. A Study of Serbia

The sustainable tourism comprises the freedom of tourist travelling, satisfying the economic, social and aesthetic needs, with the preservation of the characteristics of the natural and social environment and the cultural and historical heritage. It should optimize the usage of environmental resources that make the key element of tourism development, maintaining the essential ecologic processes and helping in heritage preservation, and providing the sustainable long-term business.As the consequences of the anthropogenic activities are obvious in the deterioration of the environment quality, the analysis of the status and influence on the environment and humans, as well as on the flora and fauna, must be under constant monitoring. The aim is to detect the corresponding influences and changes and to establish their cause. The paper approaches the structure, the processes and the application of the comprehensive monitoring of the environment with the aim of creating a database for the development of sustainable tourism in Serbia. The risk of the anthropogenic pollution of the environment, as a result of tourist activities, and monitoring of these activities in order to create a database for a planned and coordinated activity of tourism development will be considered in detail

Tourism Policy in Montenegro - Current Situation and Future Challenges

Located on the coast of the Adriatic Sea, Montenegro has been an important receptive market for decades. In accordance with strategic documents, tourism has been identified as а leading economic activity in Montenegro. Although it has а diversified tourist offer, the emphasis has been put on coastal tourism. Adapting to changes in the market, the offer has been transformed from mass, social vacations towards individual products intended to premium customers. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to evaluate the effects of the current tourism policy defined Ьу Montenegro tourism development strategy to 2020. The analysis includes the key indicatшs of the tourism industry. The results have shown that seasonality is the major obstacle for the balanced tourism development. Hence, all eff orts should Ье directed towards creating products that exceed classic "sun, sand, and sea" tourism model

The analysis of main elements of marketing mix in Serbian agritourism

This paper deals with the core elements of the marketing mix in Serbian agritourism: product, price, promotion and distribution. In order to achieve profitability and sustainability of agritourist products, it is necessary to carry out several activities such as market research and segmentation, purchase as an additional source of income, classification and labeling as quality guarantee. The price as the most important element depends on the attractiveness of the product and its quality. Additionally, external factors on the tourism market (e.g. entire rural area) as well as internal factors (e.g. farm-stay accommodation) at the local level should be taken into account. On the other hand, promotion has an important role when introducing a product on the market. The major forms of promotion are: advertising with graphic, audio-visual and other means (brochures, souvenirs, Internet pages, stock exchange participation etc.), public relations (contact with market participants) and sales promotion oriented towards sales markets in order to improve business. Besides these forms of promotion, the personal selling, publicity, oral advertising and sponsorship are also pointed out. Finally, distribution channels allow the placement of products to end consumers. In this sense, the role of tourist agencies is to unify the offer of Serbian agritourism. Bearing in mind all the above, we can conclude that marketing may influence market positioning of a product. Therefore, in the future we should work on removing the marketing barriers that Serbian agritourism encounters

The significance of the tourist destination of Zlatibor spatial planning

The territory of Zlatibor is known as a region of exquisite beauty, rich in natural and anthropogenic values, and as such it is a significant tourist destination. The tourism on Zlatibor started developing a long time ago, however, recently there has formed a type of settlement with tourism as its basic function, with no adequate planned development and control, which deviates from the natural and aesthetic environment, disturbing the rare and autochthonous quality of the territory. Zlatibor’s beauty has been disturbed with unplanned construction and the development of tourism which is not sustainable in the long-term. The aim of this paper is to point out to the significance of spatial planning for further development of tourism on this mountain and give suggestions on further development which would neutralise, revitalise and improve the already degraded territory. Only by managing the territory of Zlatibor properly, as a resource for tourism, will its economic, ecologic and aesthetic value increase, which will ensure a long term benefit on a local, regional and national level. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 47007

The Role of Agritourism’s Impact on the Local Community in a Transitional Society: A Report from Serbia

This study assessed local residents’ attitudesin Serbia toward the impact of agritourismin their surroundings, using a Tourism ImpactAttitude Scale (TIAS). Till now, analysis of theimpact of tourism on the attitudes of residentsin rural areas of Serbia and other Balkan transitionalcountries is insuffi ciently researched. Theanalyzed items of the TIAS were grouped intofour factors: personal and community benefi ts(grouped eight items); negative impacts (sevenitems); concern for the local tourism development(fi ve items); and general opinion abouttourism development (three items). The factorsexplain 47.47% of the variance. Furthermore,the results showed that residents consider thepossibility to have more money to spend as themost important impact of tourism development. Itis followed by the support of local authorities topromote tourism development. The third relevantissue for the residents is related with encouragementof tourism in the local community. Theseare the key propositions to start an initiative forthe local communities to actively participate inagritourism development. The results provideresidents, tourism organizers and local authoritieswith important community perceptions pertainingto the agritourism’s impact

Differences and Similarities among Rural Tourism in Slovenia and Serbia – Perceptions of Local Tourism Workers

This paper deals with the development of rural areas in Slovenia and Serbia and gives some differences/similarities among these two countries based on perception of 492 tourism work - ers. The article making a series of proposals to guide the future research agenda. The main aim of the paper is to point out the benefits of rural tourism development and it’s similarities and differences in Slovenia and Serbia. The data for this study were collected using Dwyer and Kim’s (2003) Integrated Model of Destination Competitiveness to observe Slovenia’s and Serbia’s rural tourism differences/similarities. Determinants were assessed using a survey evaluating 24 indicators (demand and supporting factors), based upon a Likert Scale.Rad se bavi razvojem ruralnih područja u Sloveniji i Srbiji i prikazuje neke razlike/sličnosti između ove dve zemlje na osnovu percepcije 492 turističkih radnika. U radu se analiziraju glavni doprinosi ruralnog turizma i donosi niz predloga za buduća istraživanja. Glavni cilj rada je ukazati na pozitivne aspekte razvoja ruralnog turizma, kao i sličnosti i razlike Slovenije i Srbije. Podaci za ovu studiju su prikupljeni pomoću Dvajer i Kimovog (2003) Integrisanog modela konkurentnosti destinacije kojim se posmatraju ključne razlike/sličnosti ruralnog turizma Slovenije i Srbije. Determinante su obrađene pomoću ankete na bazi 24 indikatora zasnovanih na Likertovoj skali

Development Perspectives of Rural Tourism Policy – a Comparative Study of Rural Tourism Competitiveness Based on Perceptions of Tourism Workers in Slovenia and Serbia

This paper deals with the development of rural areas in Slovenia and Serbia. The article identifies the main characteristics of rural tourism competitiveness in Slovenia and Serbia, analysing the main contributions and making a series of proposals to guide a future research agenda. The aim of the paper is simplified and clarified around one clearly defined objective: point out the competitiveness of rural tourism. The data for this study was collected using Dwyer and Kim’s (2003) Integrated Model of Destination Competitiveness to observe Slovenia’s and Vojvodina’s (Serbia) destination competitiveness. Determinants were assessed using a survey evaluating 24 indicators (demand factors and supporting factors), based upon a Likert Scale

Uticaj starosti mladih bikova simentalske rase na randman

Considering the Serbia's potential and tradition in production of quality beef meat as food for human consumption and raw material in the food industry and the demand of the EU market, shows the need to intensify the production of this foodstuff. Aim of this paper was to analyze the effect of age of young Simmental bulls on dressing percentage in slaughterhouse, according to the standard applied in the EU (Council Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007, Commission Regulation (EC) No 1249/2008; Commission European, Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development). Regulations that define more precisely the quality of meat are only partially implemented in Serbia (Official Gazette of the SFRY 34/74, 26/75, 13/78). The accuracy of the slaughter processing of carcasses is assessed as adequate in the facility in which the analysis was conducted. The study was conducted on 116 young bulls carcasses, from redemption. Two groups of young bulls (cattle) were formed, first group the age of 269-350 days and second group the age of 351-450 days. The results show that due to the wider age intervals in the second group (351-450 days) the difference in mass of animals before slaughter and carcass weight after primary processing is statistically significant (P lt 0.05), while the yield difference between the two groups is statistically insignificant (P> 0.05). The obtained results indicate that it is necessary to undertake concrete measures in the primary sector to achieve better yield and meat quality.Posmatrajući potencijal i tradiciju naše zemlje u proizvodnji kvalitetnog goveđeg mesa kao namirnice za ishranu ljudi i sirovine za preradu u prehrambenoj industriji s jedne strane, i potreba tržista EU sa druge strane, neophodno je intenzivirati proizvodnju ove vrste namirnice animalnog porekla. Cilj rada je bio da se analizira uticaj starosti junadi (mladih bikova) simentalske rase na randman, u klanici, prema standardu koji se primenjuje u zemljama Evropske Unije (Council Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007, Commission Regulation (EC) No 1249/2008; Commission European, Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development). U Republici Srbiji se samo delimično primenjuju propisi koji bliže definišu kvalitet mesa (Pravilnik Sl. list SFRJ 34/74, 26/75, 13/78). Ispravnost klanične obrade trupa je ocenjena kao adekvatna u objektu u kome je sprovedena analiza. Ispitivanje je sprovedeno na 116 trupova junadi (mladih bikova) iz otkupa. Formirane su dve grupe junadi (mladih bikova), prva starosti 269-350 dana i druga 351-450 dana. Rezultati pokazuju da su usled širih starosnih intervala u drugoj grupi (351-450 dana) razlike u masi životinja pre klanja i masi trupova nakon primarne obrade statistički značajne (P lt 0.05), dok su razlike između randmana dve posmatrane grupe statistički nesignifikantne (P>0.05). Dobijeni rezultati ukazuju da je neophodno preduzeti konkretne mere u primarnom sektoru radi postizanja boljeg prinosa i kvaliteta mesa

Analiza kvaliteta trupova mladih bikova simentalske rase prema EU standardu

Domestic spotted cattle of Simmental breed with a combined production capacity is mostly grown in the Republic of Serbia. Considering the Serbia's potential and tradition in production of quality beef meat as food for human consumption and raw material in the food industry and the demand of the EU market, imposes the need for changing the present and adopting new regulations. The quality of the slaughtered animals is a subject of interest, of both primary production and meat industry. Procedure of classification of carcasses is performed in slaughterhouses immediately after a veterinary examination and measurement of carcasses weight. This paper examines the quality of young cattle carcasses in a slaughterhouse in the Raska district, according to the standard applied in the EU but not in Republic of Serbia. Examination has been conducted on 80 cattle carcasses (young bulls) weighing 450 - 550 kg. For the quality evaluation and grading of meat the following parameters according to the European standard for the classification of cattle carcasses (SEUROP) were used: weight of the animal, the category of a slaughtered animal according to the age and physiological state, slaughter weight / carcass weight and randman, i.e. the conformation of the carcass, development of the muscles of the carcass as well as the development of basic parts (leg, back and shoulder) and the degree of carcass fat tissue coverage.Domaće šareno goveče u tipu simentalca je rasa goveda kombinovanih proizvodnih sposobnosti koja se najviše gaji u Republici Srbiji. Posmatrajući potencijal i tradiciju naše zemlje u proizvodnji kvalitetnog goveđeg mesa kao namirnice za ishranu ljudi i sirovine za preradu u prehrambenoj industriji s jedne strane, i potreba tržista EU sa druge strane, nameće se potreba za menjanjem postojećih i donošenjem novih propisa. Kvalitet trupova zaklanih životinja je predmet interesovanja, kako primarne proizvodnje, tako i industrije mesa. Postupak klasiranja trupova odnosno polutki sprovodi se u klanicama neposredno nakon veterinarskog pregleda i utvrđivanja mase trupa. U radu je ispitan kvalitet trupova junadi, zaklanih u jednoj klanici u Raškom okrugu, prema standardu koji se primenjuje u zemljama Evropske Unije a koji se još ne primenjuje u Republici Srbiji. Ispitivanje je sprovedeno na 80 trupova junadi (mladih bikova) telesne mase 450 - 550 kg. Za procenu kvaliteta i klasiranje mesa u trupovima korišćeni su parametri, prema Evropskom standardu za klasiranje trupova goveda SEUROP: masa životinje, kategorija zaklane životinje shodno starosti i fiziološkom stanju, klanična težina/masa trupa i randman, konformacija trupa tj. razvijenosti mišića trupa kao i razvijenosti osnovnih delova (but, leđa i plećka) i stepen prekrivenosti trupa masnim tkivom

AN EXAMINATION OF COMPETITIVENESS OF RURAL DESTINATIONS FROM THE SUPPLY SIDE PERSPECTIVE

Tourist destinations are now faced with increased competition at the market and holders of tourist policy and offers have realized that understanding the factors that contribute to a better positioning in the market place, and therefore the competitiveness, is of crucial importance for further development. The aim of this paper is to determine how much Vojvodina is competitive as a rural tourism destination, and to assess the current state of all the factors that affect/could affect the competitiveness of rural tourism destinations in Vojvodina Province (Northern Serbia). The total of 136 tourism experts were interviewed, and we concluded that the key resources and attraction of rural areas in Vojvodina are rated better than the macro and industry-related factors. This suggests that a rural development strategy should have a special bond with resources and attractions of the destination, that priority should be given to maintaining all aspects of safety and security, continuous improvement of services, diversity of culinary products, as well as the application of the principles of sustainability in environmental management. The work of national and provincial institutions should have the aim to ensure that the destination has a clear idea of where it is going and what it takes to become successful in the long term