Some aspects of rural tourism with emphasis on Serbia

Since the 1970s, economic restructuring and the farm crisis have reduced rural communities’ economic opportunities. These changes have limited rural communities’ economic development options, making older development strategies less viable and forcing many to look for nontraditional ways to sustain themselves. One of the most popular nontraditional rural development strategies has been tourism and its associated entrepreneurship opportunities because of tourism’s ability to bring in dollars and to generate jobs and support retail growth. Rural tourism can be an important instrument of economic development of Serbia. Mountain areas are very attractive to tourists, especially because of the advantages offered by combining the rural environment, history, ethnic, and geographic characteristics. Rural landscape, natural environment, traditional and cultural values are important preconditions for the creation of a competitive tourist attractions.