RURAL TOURISM IMPACT ON THE LIFE QUALITY OF THE LOCAL COMMUNITY: A CASE STUDY OF WESTERN SERBIA

Aleksa Panić; Aleksandra Vujko; Miroslav Knežević

doi:10.59267/ekoPolj2403733P

Authors

Aleksa Panić Singidunum University, Faculty of Tourism and Hospitality Management, Belgrade, Serbia https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3149-2311
Aleksandra Vujko Singidunum University, Faculty of Tourism and Hotel Management, Belgrade, Serbia https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8684-4228
Miroslav Knežević Singidunum University, Faculty of Tourism and Hotel Management, Belgrade, Serbia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5586-7213

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.59267/ekoPolj2403733P

Keywords:

rural tourism, quality of life, economic impacts, social impacts, environmental impacts, Western Serbia

Abstract

This study analyzes the impact of rural tourism on the quality of life in Western Serbia, focusing on four tourist villages: Koštunići, Vraneša, Sunčana reka, and Sirogojno. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach with 469 respondents, we assessed local perceptions of economic, social, and environmental influences resulting from tourism development. The Likert scale revealed positive economic effects, significant shifts in social conditions and thinking, and concerns about environmental degradation. The study underscores rural tourism’s multifaceted nature, emphasizing positive economic impacts, socio-cultural improvements, and environmental considerations. The conclusions highlight the need for responsible, sustainable practices to optimize benefits while mitigating negative consequences. Recommendations include addressing gender disparities and prioritizing environmental concerns in future rural tourism development. This research contributes to understanding rural tourism’s implications, offering insights for policymakers, local communities, and practitioners striving for balanced, prosperous, and sustainable rural development in Western Serbia and beyond.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Ahmadi, M., Khodadadi, M., & Shahabi, H. (2018). Planning for ecotourism in the protected area of Manesht and Ghelarang, Ilam Province, Iran. Journal of Quality Assurance in Hospitality & Tourism, 19(2), 243-268. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/1528008X.2017.1394956

Akhtar, M. N. (2023). Rural Tourism in Kashmir valley:-Tool for rural infrastructure and rural economy. Vidhyayana-An International Multidisciplinary Peer-Reviewed E-Journal-ISSN 2454-8596, 8(si6), 502-517.

An, W., & Alarcon, S. (2020). How can rural tourism be sustainable? A systematic review. Sustainability, 12(18), 7758. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su12187758

Arslanturk, Y., Balcilar, M., & Ozdemir, Z. A. (2011). Time-varying linkages between tourism receipts and economic growth in a small open economy. Economic Modelling, 28(1–2), 664–671. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.econmod.2010.06.003

Balaguer, J., & Cantavella-Jorda, M. (2002). Tourism as a long-run economic growth factor: The Spanish case. Applied Economics, 34, 877–884. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00036840110058923

Blake, A. (2009). The dynamics of tourism’s economic impact. Tourism Economics, 15(3), 615–628. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5367/000000009789036576

Boley, B. B., Strzelecka, M., & Woosnam, K. M. (2018). Resident perceptions of the economic benefits of tourism: Toward a common measure. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research, 42(8), 1295-1314. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1096348018759056

Chen, J., Huang, Y., Wu, E. Q., Ip, R., & Wang, K. (2023). How does the rural tourism experience affect green consumption in terms of memorable rural-based tourism experiences, connectedness to nature and environmental awareness?. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 54, 166-177. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhtm.2022.12.006

Čulić, L. (2006). Marketing strategija Suvoborske regije sa posebnim osvrtom na destinaciju Koštunići. Departman za geografiju, turizam I hotelijerstvo, Novi Sad, str. 181 (in Serbian).

Ćurčić, N., Mirković Svitlica, A., Brankov, J., Bjeljac, Ž., Pavlović, S., & Jandžiković, B. (2021). The role of rural tourism in strengthening the sustainability of rural areas: The case of Zlakusa village. Sustainability, 13(12), 6747. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su13126747

Curtis, K. R., Bosworth, R., & Slocum, S. L. (2018). Drink tourism: a profile of the intoxicated traveler. Craft Beverages and Tourism, Volume 2: Environmental, Societal, and Marketing Implications, 119-139. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-57189-8_8

Cvijanović, D., Gajić, T., & Cvijanović, D. (2021). THE IMPACT OF TOURISM ON RURAL DEVELOPMENT-EXAMPLE OF UNDEVELOPED VILLAGES IN REPUBLIC OF SERBIA. Economic Review: Journal of Economics & Business/Ekonomska Revija: Casopis za Ekonomiju i Biznis, 19(1). DOI: https://doi.org/10.51558/2303-680X.2021.19.1.35

Đenić, Z. (2008). Seoski turizam Zlatiborskog kraja. Departman za geografiju, turizam I hotelijerstvo, Novi Sad, str. 54 (in Serbian).

Fallon, P., & Schofield, P. (2006). The dynamics of destination attribute importance. Journal of Business Research, 59(6), 709-713. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2006.01.007

Gajić, T., & Vukolić, D. (2021). Is the Participation of women in the rural tourism Development of Serbia visible. Journal of Tourism and Sports management, 4(2), 498-505.

Gao, J., & Wu, B. (2017). Revitalizing traditional villages through rural tourism: A case study of yuanjia village, shaanxi province, China. Tourism management, 63, 223–233. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2017.04.003

Germanovich, A. G., Vasilieva, O. N., Ordynskaya, M. E., Allanina, L. M., & Gorokhova, A. E. (2020). Impact of tourism on sustainable development of rural areas: International experience. Journal of Environmental Management & Tourism, 11(4 (44)), 965-972. DOI: https://doi.org/10.14505//jemt.11.4(44).21

Ghaderi, Z., & Henderson, J. C. (2012). Sustainable rural tourism in Iran: A perspective from Hawraman Village. Tourism Management Perspectives, 2, 47-54. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tmp.2012.03.001

Han, H., Chen, C., Ariza-Montes, A., Hernández-Perlines, F., Araya-Castillo, L., & Yu, J. (2021). Impact of sustainable cultural contact, natural atmospherics, and risk perception on rural destination involvement and traveler behavior in Inner Mongolia. Land, 10(6), 568. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/land10060568

Jepson, D., & Sharpley, R. (2015). More than sense of place? Exploring the emotional dimension of rural tourism experiences. Journal of sustainable tourism, 23(8–9), 1157–1178. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09669582.2014.953543

Jovanović Tončev, M. (2016). The importance of sustainable rural tourism development in Serbia. In Sinteza 2016-International Scientific Conference on ICT and E-Business Related Research (pp. 575-581). Singidunum University. DOI: https://doi.org/10.15308/Sinteza-2016-575-581

Kachniewska, M. A. (2015). Tourism development as a determinant of quality of life in rural areas. Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes, 7(5), 500-515. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/WHATT-06-2015-0028

Kelfaoui, A., REZZAZ, M. A., & Kherrour, L. (2021). Revitalization of mountain rural tourism as a tool for sustainable local development in Kabylie (Algeria). The case of Yakouren municipality. Geo Journal of Tourism and Geosites, 34(1), 112-125. DOI: https://doi.org/10.30892/gtg.34115-626

Kortoci, Y., & Kortoci, M. (2017). The assessment of the rural tourism development in the Valbona Valley National Park. Tourism Economics, 23(8), 1662-1672. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1354816617716742

Kumar, G. S., Rajesh, D. R., & Kumar, P. (2020). Rural Tourism Development and Promotion in Potential Villages of Tamilnadu. International Journal of Management, 11(10).

Kurniawan, M. U., & Cahyono, A. E. (2020, May). The community empowerment program based on local potential through tourism village. In IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science (Vol. 485, No. 1, p. 012089). IOP Publishing. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/485/1/012089

Lin, Z., Chen, Y., & Filieri, R. (2017). Resident-tourist value co-creation: The role of residents’ perceived tourism impacts and life satisfaction. Tourism Management, 61, 436–442. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2017.02.013

Lindberg, K., Munanura, I. E., Kooistra, C., Needham, M. D., & Ghahramani, L. (2021). Understanding effects of tourism on residents: A contingent subjective well-being approach. Journal of Travel Research, 61(2), 346–361. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0047287520988912

Ling, M., Daisy, D., fan, X.F., Wang, R., O, YH., & M, XL. (2023). Doas rural tourism revitalize the countryside? An exploration of the spatial reconstruction through the lens of cultural connotations of rurality. Journal of Destination Marketing & Management, 29, 100801, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdmm.2023.100801 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdmm.2023.100801

Maksimović, G., Ivanović, T., Vujko, A. (2019). Self-employment of women through associations in the rural areas of Sirinicka zupa. Economic of Agriculture, 66(1), 251-263. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5937/ekoPolj1901251M

Maret, S., Iwu, C. G., Musikavanhu, T. B., & Handayani, R. A. D. (2018). Rural tourism as a way to build economic independence. African Journal of Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure.

Milošević, S. (2006). Seoski turizam u selu Koštunići. Departman za geografiju, turizam I hotelijerstvo, Novi Sad, str. 55 (in Serbian).

Nelson, K. S., Nguyen, T. D., Brownstein, N. A., Garcia, D., & Xin, A. (2021). Definitions, measures, and uses of rurality: A systematic review of the empirical and quantitative literature. Journal of Rural Studies, 82(1), 351–365. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2021.01.035

Nunkoo, R., & Ramkissoon, H. (2012). Power, trust, social exchange and community support. Annals of Tourism Research, 39(2), 997–1023. https://doi.org/10.1016/j. annals.2011.11.017 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annals.2011.11.017

Nunkoo, R., Seetanah, B., Jaffur, Z. R. K., Moraghen, P. G. W., & Sannassee, R. V. (2020). Tourism and economic growth: A meta-regression analysis. Journal of Travel Research, 59(3), 404–423. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0047287519844833

Pavlović, S. (2016). Elements of tourist destinations: Example of Tourist-recreation centre in Koštunići. Zbornik radova-Geografski fakultet Univerziteta u Beogradu, (64), 453-480. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5937/zrgfub1664453P

Pavón-Benítez, L., Romo-Avilés, N., & Sánchez-González, P. (2021). Smile, photo! alcohol consumption and technology use by young people in a Spanish rural area. Journal of rural studies, 85, 13-21. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2021.05.005

Petelca, O., & Garbuz, V. (2020). Social and economic effects of rural tourism on the development of rural areas. CES Working Papers, 12(2), 123-143.

Quaranta, G., Citro, E., & Salvia, R. (2016). Economic and social sustainable synergies to promote innovations in rural tourism and local development. Sustainability, 8(7), 668. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su8070668

Ranko, F. (1987). Zlatiborska brvnara i muzej narodnog graditeljstva "Staro selo" u Sirogojnu. Beograd, Republički zavod za zaštitu spomenika culture, str. 67. (in Serbian).

Romo-Avilés, N., García-Carpintero, M. Á., & Pavón-Benítez, L. (2020). Not without my mobile phone: alcohol binge drinking, gender violence and technology in the Spanish culture of intoxication. Drugs: Education, Prevention and Policy, 27(2), 154-164. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09687637.2019.1585759

Ruiz-Real, J. L., Uribe-Toril, J., de Pablo Valenciano, J., & Gázquez-Abad, J. C. (2022). Rural tourism and development: Evolution in scientific literature and trends. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research, 46(7), 1322-1346. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1096348020926538

Schneider, E. M. (2019). Touring for peace: the role of dual-narrative tours in creating transnational activists. International Journal of Tourism Cities, 5(2), 200-218. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/IJTC-12-2017-0092

Schrock, D., & Schwalbe, M. (2009). Men, masculinity, and manhood acts. Annual review of sociology, 35, 277-295. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-soc-070308-115933

Singh, K., Puri, G., & Vohra, S. K. (2022). Rural Tourism: Emerging Trends & Possibilities In Indian Context Amid COVID 19. Journal of Positive School Psychology, 2217-2224.

Song, S., Feng, C. C., & Diao, M. (2020). Vehicle quota control, transport infrastructure investment and vehicle travel: A pseudo panel analysis. Urban Studies, 57(12), 2527-2546. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0042098019880777

Stepanović, M. (2013). Turistička valorizacija opštine Loznica. Departman za geografiju, turizam I hotelijerstvo, Novi Sad, str. 33 (in Serbian).

Strzelecka, M., Boley, B. B., & Strzelecka, C. (2017). Empowerment and resident support for tourism in rural Central and Eastern Europe (CEE): The case of Pomerania, Poland. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 25(4), 554-572. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09669582.2016.1224891

Sun, B., Wang, G., & Liu, Y. (2023). Leisure Agriculture and Rural Tourism Benefit Analysis on Eco-Environmental Resource Use. Sustainability, 15(10), 7930. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su15107930

Svojić, D. (2015). Analiza poslovanja etno eko sela Vraneša. Departman za geografiju, turizam I hotelijerstvo, Novi Sad, str. 100 (in Serbian).

Temelkov, Z., & Gulev, G. (2019). Role of crowdfunding platforms in rural tourism development. SocioBrains, International scientific refereed online journal with impact factor, (56), 73-79.

Verma, V., Ahlawat, R., Ghai, M., & Bansal, S. (2023). Rural tourism in Himachal Pradesh in transition: Challenges for regional sustainability. Multidisciplinary Reviews, 7(1), 2024010-2024010. DOI: https://doi.org/10.31893/multirev.2024010

Vujko, A., Zečević, S.O., Zečević, L., Nedeljković, D., Zečević, M. (2021). Rural residents’ perceptions on economic impacts of cultural and promotional aspects of tourism. Economic of Agriculture, 68(1), 155-173. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5937/ekoPolj2101155V

Vunjak, M.N., Vujko, A., Dragosavac, M., Antonijević, N.T. (2020). Descriptive statistics in corporate management and employee engagement in rural destinations. Economic of Agriculture, 67(4), 1087-1101. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5937/ekoPolj2004087V

Vytautas, S., & Vytautas, B. (2014). 19th International Scientific Conference; Economics and Management 2014, ICEM 2014, 23-25 April 2014, Riga, Latvia. The impact of economic factors on the development of rural tourism: Lithuanian case. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 156, 280 – 285.

Wardana, I. M., Sukaatmadja, I. P. G., Yasa, N. N. K., & Setini, M. (2020). Comparative and competitives advantages: perspective of rural tourism (study on tourism in the province of Bali Indonesia). Geo Journal of Tourism and Geosites, 33, 1493-1500. DOI: https://doi.org/10.30892/gtg.334spl07-598