Sustainable Development of Rural Tourist Settlements in Serbia: Building A Better Future for All

Abstract

The accelerated development of humanity, i.e., all areas of human activity and especially those that have a negative effect on the nature of man and the environment, leads people to return to a preserved and undamaged environment through various activities, especially through recreation. The largest number of tourists in the world is generated by cities, so tourism mainly occurs as a product of the urban environment. Rural settlements, by contrast, are very weak generators of tourist demand, but they emerge as receptive areas that are able to meet the recreational and other needs of the urban population. Accordingly, the aim of the research is to highlight the problems of sustainable development in tourist settlements located in underdeveloped rural areas of Serbia. This work highlights the issues of rural tourism and leisure activities in underdeveloped parts of Serbia, with an emphasis on a pro-poor tourism strategy as a factor in the sustainable development of rural tourist resorts in Serbia.