SUSTAINABLE AND ECOTOURISM IN PROTECTED NATURAL AREAS

Research Group Members:

  • Dr. Lazar Lazić, Full Professor
  • Dr. Vladimir Stojanović, Full Professor
  • Dr. Jasmina Đorđević, Full Professor
  • Dr. Anđelija Ivkov-Džigurski, Full Professor
  • Dr. Dragoslav Pavić, Full Professor
  • Dr. Aleksandra Dragin, Full Professor
  • Dr. Tatjana Pivac, Full Professor
  • Dr. Kristina Košić, Full Professor
  • Dr. Igor Stamenković, Associate Professor
  • Dr. Milana Pantelić, Full Professor
  • Dr. Đorđije Vasiljević, Associate Professor
  • Dr. Miroslav Vujičić, Associate Professor

Contact Persons:

History of Research:

Sustainable tourism, as a form of tourism development that strictly controls its impact on the environment, has emerged as an important development concept in the modern world. The necessity of balancing ecological, economic, and socio-cultural components of tourism is increasingly emphasized in tourism development plans and strategies.

Developing sustainable tourism within protected natural areas is essential. These ecologically sensitive and tourist-attractive spaces, including national parks, nature parks, and reserves, are becoming increasingly popular tourist destinations. Ecotourism, often associated with nature conservation and protected natural areas, serves as a paradigm of sustainable development by promoting education, volunteer activities, and learning about nature to aid in its preservation and protection.

Tourism development in protected natural areas must adapt to their ecological sensitivity by determining carrying capacities, acceptable limits of change, conducting ecological impact assessments, zoning tourism activities, and creating ethical codes to help tourists align their activities with environmental characteristics and natural values.

Objectives of the Research Group:

  • Popularize tourism as an important activity in managing protected natural areas.
  • Promote tourism-ecological education.
  • Develop tourism itineraries that do not compromise the natural values of protected areas.
  • Create tourism development plans and strategies based on carrying capacity and environmental preservation.
  • Encourage the development of nature-based, eco, and sustainable tourism in the most ecologically valuable regions of the country.

Activities:

  • Organizing scientific seminars on the protection and sustainable development (including tourism) of protected natural areas.
  • Conducting educational seminars on sustainable use of protected natural areas.
  • Hosting panel discussions on relevant topics.
  • Implementing educational programs for local populations and school-aged children about the inherent natural values of protected areas and their preservation.
  • Developing strategies for sustainable tourism development in protected natural areas and other destinations requiring sustainable tourism activities.
  • Producing scientific-popular and promotional publications about protected natural areas and other ecotourism destinations.
  • Proposing and implementing planning measures for tourism development in protected natural areas based on sustainable destination criteria.

Collaborations:

  • Provincial Secretariat for Urban Planning, Construction, and Environmental Protection
  • Provincial Institute for Nature Protection
  • World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)
  • Tourism Organization of Vojvodina
  • Vojvodina Forests (Vojvodinašume)
  • Vojvodina Waters (Vode Vojvodine)
  • Public Enterprise for National Parks of Montenegro

Projects:

  1. “Protected Natural Areas and Ecotourism of Vojvodina“

    • Funded by: Provincial Secretariat for Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development of AP Vojvodina

    • Duration: 2004; 2008

    • Project Leaders: Dr. Pavle Tomić † (2004) and Dr. Lazar Lazić (2008)

    • Description: Comprehensive study of all relevant characteristics and functions of protected natural areas in Vojvodina, including national parks, special nature reserves, nature parks, and landscapes of exceptional features. Results were published in the monograph “Protected Natural Areas and Ecotourism of Vojvodina,” detailing natural characteristics, degradation and protection measures, and tourism development potentials for each area.

  2. “Conceptual Project ‘Gudurica–Destination for Eco-Rural Tourism‘”

    • Funded by: Municipality of Vršac, Environmental Protection Sector

    • Duration: 2006

    • Project Leader: Dr. Vladimir Stojanović

    • Description: The project established fundamental principles for developing Gudurica and its surroundings as a potential eco-rural tourism destination. It included evaluating natural and cultural resources, analyzing receptive infrastructure development, conservation and reconstruction of wine tourism significant sites, diversified offer concepts, and integrating tourism with other economic activities.

  3. “Feasibility Study for Ecotourism Development in Protected Natural Areas of Vojvodina (with special emphasis on Ramsar sites)“

    • Funded by: Environmental Protection Fund of the Republic of Serbia and Provincial Secretariat for Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development

    • Duration: 2010-2011

    • Project Leader: Dr. Vladimir Stojanović

    • Description: The study analyzed tourism potentials relevant for ecotourism development in and around protected natural areas of Vojvodina, including geodiversity, biodiversity, landscapes, cultural-historical values, and tourism infrastructure. It also assessed demographic potentials, attitudes of governmental and non-governmental sectors towards ecotourism, and potential markets, providing conclusions on key development aspects such as stakeholder roles, competition, promotion, and organization of ecotourism.

  4. “Ramsar Sites of Vojvodina: Labudovo Okno“

    • Duration: 2014

    • Coordinator: Dr. Lazar Lazić

  5. “Wetland Conservation Danube-Drava-Mura Transboundary Biosphere Reserve (DDM)“

    • Funded by: WWF International Danube-Carpathian Programme, Vienna, Austria

    • Duration: 2012-2013

    • Coordinator: Dr. Vladimir Stojanović

  6. “Ramsar Sites of Vojvodina: Slano Kopovo”

    • Duration: 2012

    • Coordinator: Dr. Lazar Lazić

  7. “European Charter for Sustainable Tourism in Protected Areas (Special Nature Reserve Gornje Podunavlje – Strategy for Sustainable Tourism, Action Plan, Application Report)“

    • Duration: 2013-2014

    • Coordinator: Dr. Vladimir Stojanović

  8. “Master Plan for Sustainable Development of Fruška Gora 2012-2022“

    • Duration: 2010-2011

    • Coordinator: Dr. Lazar Lazić

  9. “Regional Spatial Plan of AP Vojvodina until 2020 (Scientific Expertise in Environment, Landscape, and Natural Assets)“

    • Duration: 2010